Is there a section for Sad "O", s.

[JRT]

We live life on the edge.......

We only fit our wheel lock and hitch lock on site on the first day we are out for the day in the car, which is normally the day after our first full day on site.

I suppose somebody could steal the caravan during the night but they would have to take us with it.

 

[JRT]

I am afraid wheel locks are an essential these days and not sing one puts your property at a higher risk. Thieves want the easy target and without one the caravan is very vulnerable, even old and what you might think undesirable ones go missing. They are not impregnable but do help.
As for the insurers, wheel locks are normally left broken and mangled by the thieves. If you do not have it the insurer will be suspicious and from then on your claim will get extra scrutiny. In practice it is best not only to fit the lock, but photograph it in position. If you have the receipt keep that as proof you have one.
As far as fairy lights go I have nothing against them and if that is what turns you on fit them.

Yes we once had a caravan stolen many years ago. We had a Lionweld (Remember them?) wheel clamp. The same type as used by parking enforcement at the time.

As you say the clamp was left along with the padlock that had been cropped. It actually could have been reused as it was essentially intact (bar the padlock)

 

[ProfJohnL]

Humour often falls flat on forums as readers cannot see or understand the writers intention might have been. We have to take it as its written.

It's also no excuse for using clearly derogatory language regardless of how ever humorously intentioned.

Unfortunately it reflects poorly on the writer.

 

[Dustydog]

This reminds me of the Legendary Lord Braykewynde. “ If there is somebody I have not offended I profusely apologise”!

 

[Buckman]

This reminds me of the Legendary Lord Braykewynde. “ If there is somebody I have not offended I profusely apologise”!

I remember. I wonder what happened to him?

 

[Buckman]

We live life on the edge.......

We only fit our wheel lock and hitch lock on site on the first day we are out for the day in the car, which is normally the day after our first full day on site.

I suppose somebody could steal the caravan during the night but they would have to take us with it.

Prevention is better than cure!

 

[Dustydog]

I remember. I wonder what happened to him?

I last met him at St Austell in 2011, Alive and kicking. He passed through this Forum a few years later.

 

[izzy]

I fit a good quality hitch lock when we are away and OH likes a modest set of lights (solar) on the edge of our awning canopy, just enough I think.
Our son puts up 3 sets of lights and an illuminated flagpole but he has 3 kids under 8 so a bit of a must really

 

[Buckman]

I fit a good quality hitch lock when we are away and OH likes a modest set of lights (solar) on the edge of our awning canopy, just enough I think.
Our son puts up 3 sets of lights and an illuminated flagpole but he has 3 kids under 8 so a bit of a must really

By the time the lights come on and are all probably fast asleep!

 

[Steve1962]

I'm lucky if I've remembered to attach the caravan to the car, never mind security when I get to site

PS....off to Back of Beyond for a week at the start of June so watch out for more tales of misadventure

Captain Chaos

 

[Dustydog]

Lest we forget Parksy was notorious for his massive illuminated flagpole!

 

[DaveA1]

Lest we forget Parksy was notorious for his massive illuminated flagpole!

OOOa

 

[Robert_374373903]

Caravans stolen, never heard about one been stolen on a "campsite". Can understand with remote places and outside your house. With awning and connections done they have got to be unlucky for that. As for mine I only put them on at home as caravan is in front garden which is on a busy road. Had many people stop asking do I want ton sell it!.

 

[Buckman]

Caravans stolen, never heard about one been stolen on a "campsite". Can understand with remote places and outside your house. With awning and connections done they have got to be unlucky for that. As for mine I only put them on at home as caravan is in front garden which is on a busy road. Had many people stop asking do I want ton sell it!.

I only know of one instance many years ago where a caravan was stolen off a site in broad daylight. Stanley knife sorted out the awning.

 

[Lutz]

Over here on the Continent, anybody seen fitting a hitchlock or wheellock on his caravan while pitched is viewed with certain amusement and a sure giveaway that it's a Brit.

 

[Buckman]

Over here on the Continent, anybody seen fitting a hitchlock or wheellock on his caravan while pitched is viewed with certain amusement and a sure giveaway that it's a Brit.

Firstly it is an insurance requirement and secondly maybe Brits care more about their caravan than the continentals? Obviously sad continentals have nothing else to do except watch Brits?

 

[JRT]

Over here on the Continent, anybody seen fitting a hitchlock or wheellock on his caravan while pitched is viewed with certain amusement and a sure giveaway that it's a Brit.

To be fair I don't think most would bother if it wasn't an insurance stipulation by most UK caravan insurers,

 

[Dustydog]

Maybe the would be thieves know on site our caravans are secure and leave them alone. Go “naked” they may not look a gift horse in the mouth😎

 

[Sam Vimes]

At home my car is positioned in front of the caravan but I still put the wheel lock on because of insurance requirements.

But there's many a time here in the boonies that I've not bothered to lock the car.

 

[Lutz]

Firstly it is an insurance requirement and secondly maybe Brits care more about their caravan than the continentals? Obviously sad continentals have nothing else to do except watch Brits?

I doubt that the Continentals, on the whole, care any less about their caravans than the Brits. To most who have never seen a hitchlock or a wheellock it does invite the question "what on Earth are they doing?" when they see someone putting them on, though.
In over 30 years of caravanning I've had neither (like most of the others around mine) and it's stored at a site where more often than not no-one bothers to lock the gate, either.

 

[Gafferbill]

Alko is a German company and they sell hitch locks here in the UK......do they just sell them to a UK market?

 

[Lutz]

Alko is a German company and they sell hitch locks here in the UK......do they just sell them to a UK market?

They're in the German AlKo catalogue, too, but I can't say that I've ever seen one on a German caravan. Last year I saw one on a Dutch caravan in Spain and that's about it.
I've got a hitchlock, although it's not an AlKo one, on my flatbed trailer but that's always parked on a public car park around the corner from my house.

 

[Jcloughie]

Is continental security better as the caravans are, I believe, registered?

John

 

[Lutz]

Is continental security better as the caravans are, I believe, registered?

John

Yes, I'm sure that the need to submit the trailer (caravan) to the equivalent of an MOT test and the need to tax and register it, together with its own document and number plate, is a certain deterrent to stealing. Basically, under those conditions, a stolen caravan can only be used as a static or broken down and sold for spares, but there's not really a big enough market for that to make that economically worthwhile.

 

[Dustydog]

Oh well we have a General Election on the 4 th July . That should sort it out🙈. Even on a twin axle it takes me less than 5 minutes to secure both locks even jacking up the one side