Lordy help a certain Welsh CC site next weekend when OH, son and 2 of sons friends turn up for a 'boys weekend 13th birthday bash'! Glad I won't be there - I'll be cringing at home... :dry:
- May 24, 2014
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Well as everbyody else seems to have given it airtime we just had to watch and I wish i hadnt.
From Capt Mainwairing bottoming out his caravan (hands up who didnt see that one coming) to the rest of the dads army cast dragged out I was cringing at each and every one of them. Quite frankly Im embarrased.
Not one of those were typical of a normal caravanner. Sure you get that type on every site but to define these people as "top caravanners" is an insult to the rest of us.
And i reaĺly have to say that if Capt W is the president of the club he couldnt have advertised it in a worse light if Saddam Hussein had been doing the commentary to a background of Bin Liner on the bongos while Jimmy Clitheroe sang his version of "Suicide is Painless". Compared to this garbage it would be.
Perhaps he should step down in favour of Clarkson.
From Capt Mainwairing bottoming out his caravan (hands up who didnt see that one coming) to the rest of the dads army cast dragged out I was cringing at each and every one of them. Quite frankly Im embarrased.
Not one of those were typical of a normal caravanner. Sure you get that type on every site but to define these people as "top caravanners" is an insult to the rest of us.
And i reaĺly have to say that if Capt W is the president of the club he couldnt have advertised it in a worse light if Saddam Hussein had been doing the commentary to a background of Bin Liner on the bongos while Jimmy Clitheroe sang his version of "Suicide is Painless". Compared to this garbage it would be.
Perhaps he should step down in favour of Clarkson.
Parksy
Moderator
- Nov 12, 2009
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I found most of the CC forum replies about the competition much funnier than the programme, but the Caravan Club seem to have really missed the point by taking part in this farce which has damaged the image of touring caravanners even more than Clarkson & co did with their spoof programme.
At least viewers know that Clarkson was having a laugh at our expense, these guys in the competition actually meant to portray us like they did! :S
The CC in this tv programme appear to have been stuck in a 1950s time warp where an afternoon of welly wanging was the height of sophisticated entertainment, military precision and discipline was the norm in our everyday lives and what is now a relaxing enjoyable leisure activity was then seen as another way to compete and to display a bit of old fashioned one upmanship. Why would any sane person risk damage to a caravan which may have cost over 20 grand in this day and age?
I'm very glad to be a member.....of the Camping and Caravanning Club :evil:
I've been on many C&CC rallies and can honestly say that if anybody had come anywhere near our caravan with white gloves and a tape measure to inspect Hersel's knicker locker they would rapidly be visiting their first aid specialist propelled by my boot up their arris!
I wish that a tv programme would show young families, modern state of the art caravans and some of the best locations istead of slagging us off and holding us to ridicule at every opportunity but until that happens, for any Caravan Club member who doesn't want to be recognised by their friends and neighbours try one of these ...
At least viewers know that Clarkson was having a laugh at our expense, these guys in the competition actually meant to portray us like they did! :S
The CC in this tv programme appear to have been stuck in a 1950s time warp where an afternoon of welly wanging was the height of sophisticated entertainment, military precision and discipline was the norm in our everyday lives and what is now a relaxing enjoyable leisure activity was then seen as another way to compete and to display a bit of old fashioned one upmanship. Why would any sane person risk damage to a caravan which may have cost over 20 grand in this day and age?
I'm very glad to be a member.....of the Camping and Caravanning Club :evil:
I've been on many C&CC rallies and can honestly say that if anybody had come anywhere near our caravan with white gloves and a tape measure to inspect Hersel's knicker locker they would rapidly be visiting their first aid specialist propelled by my boot up their arris!
I wish that a tv programme would show young families, modern state of the art caravans and some of the best locations istead of slagging us off and holding us to ridicule at every opportunity but until that happens, for any Caravan Club member who doesn't want to be recognised by their friends and neighbours try one of these ...
Well said Parksy. Sadly,
I don't suppose, the programme makers, the CC, or the Beeb will have a clue about this forum, and so will not read the plethora of opinions on here, which may then be used as useful information towards making a 'Short, formal, but informative' PROPER programme about REAL caravanners. Maybe one of you mods could point them in the right direction?
I don't suppose, the programme makers, the CC, or the Beeb will have a clue about this forum, and so will not read the plethora of opinions on here, which may then be used as useful information towards making a 'Short, formal, but informative' PROPER programme about REAL caravanners. Maybe one of you mods could point them in the right direction?
- May 24, 2014
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This really is the problem with the tv programs. They are either a simple tour round the latest must have caravan or this type of hogwash.
Perhaps something more in depth encompassing the sheer size of the caravan market and its effect on the economy to the way caravan manufacturers ride rough shod over the market.
Why not something that examines the flaws in the market. Shoddy manufacture and the extended wait for spares and warranty repairs. After all a leisure vehicle is just that and for it to be unusable for many weeks waiting for the warranty dept to accept a claim to many more weeks waiting for parts and add a few more whilst the workshop gets it backside into gear. All in all its a farce. These programs make us look like cranks and eccentrics. Maybe if they considered just how big the market is------------ well, just maybe.
Lets be honest. Towcars, caravans, acessories, jobs, tourism in the British economy. Healthy outdoors living is another one the politicia bang on about.
Rant over.
Perhaps something more in depth encompassing the sheer size of the caravan market and its effect on the economy to the way caravan manufacturers ride rough shod over the market.
Why not something that examines the flaws in the market. Shoddy manufacture and the extended wait for spares and warranty repairs. After all a leisure vehicle is just that and for it to be unusable for many weeks waiting for the warranty dept to accept a claim to many more weeks waiting for parts and add a few more whilst the workshop gets it backside into gear. All in all its a farce. These programs make us look like cranks and eccentrics. Maybe if they considered just how big the market is------------ well, just maybe.
Lets be honest. Towcars, caravans, acessories, jobs, tourism in the British economy. Healthy outdoors living is another one the politicia bang on about.
Rant over.
- Oct 12, 2013
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On the CC Club Together forum there are now 87 pages, no idea how many comments this is, and I have yet to see a comment in favour of the programme. Plenty of calls for heads to roll but the CC have put out a statement saying that it was a largely positive reaction from the media. and they are happy.
Swift Talk has 114 postings and again it is hard to find a positive comment
Next week cannot be as bad, can it?
Swift Talk has 114 postings and again it is hard to find a positive comment
Next week cannot be as bad, can it?
I still can't decide about this program, when I met GC on a club site I think he had a Castleton and Range Rover although that was some years ago, so was that his own Lunar that he ripped the back off? If it was why show it, it could easily have been edited out, we did not see the inside of his van so could it have been a written off van presented in the program as a stunt,did any one else notice the Coachman used was a dealer special 'Singleton' by the man with his mum?
Mel
Moderator
- Mar 17, 2007
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Seriously doubt that anyone who wasn't a caravanners actually watched it. Again, it wasn't a competition. It wasn't about caravanning it was about interesting people. And they all were interesting: the chap and his mum, the slightly OCD motor homer; the archetypal Welsh couple; the bloke who was into classic vans but clearly couldn't have managed 5 minutes in the real world without his missus and the themed vdub people who wouldn'teven drive it on sand for fear it got mucked up. Then the Capt Mainwaring chap and Andy Harris who said at every opportunity, "you need a motor home to get up/ in/around there."
All of them unique and lovely.
That's what it was about.
Loved it.
Mel
All of them unique and lovely.
That's what it was about.
Loved it.
Mel
Finally got to see it on BBC iplayer this morning. Personally I thought it was a good program for entertainment. I agree with Mel the show was about the people and not about the caravans. I agree with all the other comments about the unfairness of the tests, with motor-homes competing with caravans.
- Oct 12, 2013
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And another 7 pages off comments to read !! Wonder what damage the Judge can do next week !! :woohoo: 
hmy:
hmy:
- Oct 12, 2013
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Should off been called caravan/campervaners off the year , when they are judging both . Not just one or the other . Noticed they didn't have anyone like us in the competition with kids in the way whilst trying to set up !!
- Oct 12, 2013
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My eldest , 9 is no bother , our youngest , 5 , (6 Woosie fest weekend ) !! He helps me put the awning up , dunno how many times I've been hit with an awning pole when helping , but they love getting involved filling the water etc up , he says no to the thunder box though ! :lol: :S
:lol: :S
Parksy
Moderator
- Nov 12, 2009
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It's great that you have seen the good in those involved Mel, but I'm sorry to disagree with your analysis.Mel said:
If the programme was meant to be about people Mel, the producers couldn't have picked people who would reinforce every negative stereotype of touring caravan owners and kumbayah singing rally nerds if they had tried. :S
Why is it that there are a few very well made programmes which are centered on narrowboats and which make that somewhat expensive leisure activity seem rather attractive, but whenever caravans are involved we are shown as old age pensioner carry on camping style1950s throwbacks with an obsession for military precision when it comes to pitching up, putting the awning up or chucking our underpants in an overhead locker?
It was obvious to me that the judges took the competition element very seriously, even to the point of causing fairly major damage to a caravan when they were devising a test of driving skill using the chairman's own caravan.
The people were interesting, that's true, but the programme completely missed the point.
Martin Roberts, who presents the tv programme about buying property at auctions would have made a fantastic presenter for a programme which showed the best that caravanning has to offer. They ought to show family and dog friendly continental touring, full facility British seaside sites with beer and bingo etc, quiet locations in the Scottish glens or even modern day rallies with youth section camping away from constant parental supervision or computer screens and the usual bring-a-bottle evening dancing in marquees for the parents.
Instead we got something that was done in the 1950s and has been thankfully left far behind except perhaps in the minds of the judges and producers of this outdated rubbish.
- Jun 20, 2005
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throwbacks with an obsession for military precision when it comes to pitching up, putting the awning up or chucking our underpants in an overhead locker?
Read more at http://www.practicalcaravan.com/forum/general/52689-bbc-2-wednesday-8pm?start=70#ZMLwHp5t2qoOgLtd.99
I hate to say it Steve but for the uninitiated there are threads on this forum that definitely demonstrate caravanners are anoraks. eg noseweight measuring issues.
I appreciate Mel's point but for once I kidded myself this was going to be a serious dare I say educational programme. Sadly no. Just anothr Clarkson farce made worse imo by the top dog from the CC.
Own goal againhmy:
Read more at http://www.practicalcaravan.com/forum/general/52689-bbc-2-wednesday-8pm?start=70#ZMLwHp5t2qoOgLtd.99
I hate to say it Steve but for the uninitiated there are threads on this forum that definitely demonstrate caravanners are anoraks. eg noseweight measuring issues.
I appreciate Mel's point but for once I kidded myself this was going to be a serious dare I say educational programme. Sadly no. Just anothr Clarkson farce made worse imo by the top dog from the CC.
Own goal again
hmy:Surprisingly, when the program was reviewed on Gogglebox the non-caravanning reviewers loved it hmy: .
Perhaps we are taking it too seriously?
hmy: .Perhaps we are taking it too seriously?
- May 24, 2014
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I will reiterate what i said earlier. The program billing described these six couples as being the top 6 caravanners.
We must be beyond saving then.
Come on, admit it. Do any of these six couples resemble any of you.
Note- if you feel you need to answer yes to that question it is only fair that you post your itinery in order to save the rest of us having to pitch next to you.
Come on sausage -own up.
We must be beyond saving then.
Come on, admit it. Do any of these six couples resemble any of you.
Note- if you feel you need to answer yes to that question it is only fair that you post your itinery in order to save the rest of us having to pitch next to you.
Come on sausage -own up.
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