Churning up the grass !

[Neil_5041165]

just got back from a few days away at Chatsworth. Looks like the snow had caused some problems for people sticking to the road ways around the sites - thats fair enough. The snow had gone / been cleared away when we arrived on Sunday leaving the churned up grass and some very muddy verges. What annoyed me was the fact that some people still found it difficult sticking to the roadways and would drive on the grass to park their cars and site their caravans. I even saw some one collect gravel from a hard standing area and throw it under neath his front wheels in an attempt to free themselves from the muddy mess they had made by driving onto the grass. It must be that they have little regard for the wardens or even the people that will visit the site in the future.

nough said by me !

 

[Stephen_374341239]

Common sense people do not seem to have any now days. People just do not think. I am all right and sod every body else "Comes accross loud and clear". What a place we live in nowdays.

 

[Dustydog]

Were the culprits weekenders or weekers?

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[AndyR1]

Dustydog,

What difference does that make :-(

Andy

 

[S-MaxJon]

I agree Andy -what difference does it make? It would seem an argument is trying to be started (again).

It would have been worse if they hadn't used gravel.What would have happened if the site didn't have any hardstandings?

 

[RogerL]

I've seen this at many sites, over the years, it always seems to be owners of 4x4s - it may only be a minority of them but there's enough 4x4 owners who can't drive and/or don't care to make a lot of mess.

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Andy & Jonathan

Well not a lot really except Roger L seems to blame the 4x4s.

I'm not looking for trouble but just asked an honest question.

As I was unable to get onto Chatsworth for the whole of this year for a continuous seven day period I really couldn't care less if their grass gets churned up. Am I worried? NO. Thanks to all the people who leave their tyre marks in the grass I have discovered lovely sites elsewhere. I'm a happy bunny.

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[Robtel]

Seems Dustydog might not be the one trying to re-start an old arguement!.

Yes there's inconsiderate people about but no they don't all drive a particular type of car or go on holiday at certain times.

Some people are just a bit too quick to generalise and stick labels on certain groups.

 

[xtrailman]

The only time i churned up the grass was while trying to get my front wheel drive primera to pull our van off a sodden wet grass pitch.

No 4x4, tractor etc was available, the site owner and my wife were were pushing, and i was using rubber car mats to run on.

I dont think anyone deliberatly set about to destroy a site.

And no driver skill had nothing to do with it.

Now i have 4 wheel drive on demand i dont churn the grass up, but do drive at a very slow speed on site.

I really get annoyed at people who treat sites like normal roads, and drive at speed.

 

[Neil_5041165]

this particular culprit was a front wheel drive vectra. Front wheels on the grass just about on full lock trying to push caravan backwards.

Oh yes and Dustydog, with an attitude such as that you don't really deserve a pitch on such a wonderful site.I admit that i couldn't get on the site for the exact dates i wanted due to "weekenders" but we all have to flex a bit don't we ?

 

[Michael_374349176]

I am glad that I invested in a motor mover some years ago. I can place the caravan on a pitch just where I want to without chewing up any grass

Michael - Derbyshire

 

[Dustydog]

Woof Woof Neil

Not so much an attitude but a " If I can't beat them , leave them" . Of course it's a lovely site but for reasons done to death on other threads I no longer worry and go elsewhere to places which in all honesty are even better and prettier.

Glad to hear wasn't a 4x4 that caused the damage.

Cheers and a very happy attitude Dustydog

 

[Gareth111278]

I wanted go get onto Chatsworth too this half term, it seems very popular.

we went to a CL near Ludlow instead and I got stuck on wet grass in our front wheel drive Chrysler voyager. I was gutted! its NEVER failed before even on our favorite site near Aberporth that is normally wet / boggy.

I had to ask for a pull from a chap with a 4X4, he was great! pulled the car off the grass then put the caravan on pitch for me.

I was very ashamed of the mess i'd made but it could have been MUCH worse. My advice. If it looses grip STOP, you'll not magicly find grip again. spinning wheels will just dig big holes in the site!

I was saying else where on the forum that i think that sites with roads & hardstandings might suffer from softer grass as it gets run on less than an all grass site where people drive over all the site all the time.

Oh, yes I'm a mid-weeker, weekended & sometimes all weeker!! ;-}

Cheers Gareth

 

[xtrailman]

The greater problem for site owners, is the increasing volume of traffic, along with the wet summers we are now experiencing.

My favourite sites are gradualy turning into gravel roads, and hard standings, in an effort to reduce the churned up grass, which soon becomes churned up mud.

We live close to chatsworth and visit the estate a lest twice a year. The lake fishers well some big fish live there.

Its great for walking and cycling, we only viset by car though.

 

[Surfer]

Sometimes you have no choice but to churn up their lovely grass because of the way cars are parked on the pitch opposite. vehicles should not be parked on site period unless the person has a mobility disability!

We have a twin axle towed by a 4 x 4 both of which RogerL hates, but at times due to a vehicle parked across the front of the caravan on the opposite pitch, reversing without hitting the vehicle or churning up the grass is virtually impossible.

Another reason why we prefer CLs.

 

[Chrisbee]

Ian, "vehicles should not be parked on site". Where do you park when you're on a CL? None of the ones I've been on have a separate car park, you park next to your van. In all cases I've been a fair distance from any surface other than grass. Twice I've lost traction with my front wheel drive car but on both occasions stopped before I'd caused too much damage. Both site owners towed the 'van out with their 4x4.

 

[AlfromYC]

We have returned today after 8 nights at Chatsworth CC site.

The whole site was covered in about 2 inches of ice when we pitched up on the Saturday. Reversing the van onto the pitch was quite a challenge, as the roads are not very wide.

The site was pretty much full all week, with a mix of vans and m/vans. I cant really complain about anything bar it felt a little cramped to me. Oh, and the internet was'nt working.

Our satnav was useless getting us to the site though, it tried taking us to Chatsworth house! A friend who joined us a day after had the same problem with a different make of satnav. Unluckily for him he did end up with his van in tow at the house.

 

[Surfer]

Chrisbee fair enough but a lot of people park their vehicles across the front of the caravan with part fot he vehicle on the roadway which then makes it difficult to reverse safely and without churning up the grass.

 

[wombat1]

Apologies for going off on one here!

On another topic last week in the "Towcars" section I advised on a thread for someone to take care when choosing their tow car (as they wanted a 7 seater)to be wary of the weight of larger front wheel drive vehicles, as they have poor traction on wet grass (my experience with Galaxy).

I was promplty advised from another forum user that it was all down to my driving technique!

I bit my tongue and my keyboard remained inactive.

I am glad to see the posts here indicating I am not the only baffoon.

 

[Thorpedo]

Crikey, looks like it's going to be a sad summer of being ostracised at caravan sites.

Don't be seen talking to me.

I own a twin axle

Drive a front wheel drive heavy gas guzzling mpv

I'm probability a bad driver like Wombat

I caravan at weekends

Own a small Dog

Have a child

I like to park next to the caravan

I even have to admit watching TV in the Van.

Thank the lord I don't drive a 4x4 as well, I'd be burnt at the stake(bar-b-q) :-(

 

[Gareth111278]

Crikey, looks like it's going to be a sad summer of being ostracised at caravan sites.

Don't be seen talking to me.

I own a twin axle

Drive a front wheel drive heavy gas guzzling mpv

I'm probability a bad driver like Wombat

I caravan at weekends

Own a small Dog

Have a child

I like to park next to the caravan

I even have to admit watching TV in the Van.

Thank the lord I don't drive a 4x4 as well, I'd be burnt at the stake(bar-b-q) :-(

No Wombat......I'm here too! If its any consolation my rear drive Toyota MPV was even better at getting stuck than the Voyager. Is your Galaxy Automatic? I find they are much easier to get stuck with! Its all good Fun

Thorpedo, shall we meet up with Wombat & see how many disaproving looks we can generate? ;-}