Jobsworth Wardens

[john_374575932]

Just had a weekend at Clumber Park CC site which started and ended on a low. The in between was really good despite the weather being unpredictable and of course our national football team failed to deliver yet again against the USA.

Without boring you all with lengthy detail, I wonder if any other Caravan Club Member out there has anything to say on the subject of not being allowed by the Wardens to book onto a pitch before 12 noon, and I mean 12 noon not 11.55am! or being booted off at 12 noon.

We walked around the site as we had an hour to kill and were very surprised to see that the site was no more than half full.

After all it doesn't say in the book "Strictly not before 12 Noon"

as there are no restrictions on entry etc.

As we prepared to pack up on Monday the "12'o clock rule until further notice" was still displayed, yet as we left at 11.55am the site was again only half full and a few vans were lining up to get on site. Why?

Jobsworths! Is the only answer I can come up with that is printable or is it me who isn't reasonable?

My wife and I have been members for nearly 30 years and have never experienced this before, only at Clumber Park in May and again in June 2009. But in these instances it was only the booting off time that was an issue.

We wasn't even allowed to bring our daughters car to the pitch to unload her belongings without taking our car out first.

I know there are rules but this is taking it beyond the extreme, do they realise that it is the members who pay their wages so cut us some slack and take a leaf out of the Wardens book that are at the Firs Club Site this year. What a wonderful and obliging couple even when the site was over full on a bank Holiday!

 

[RayS]

Obviously cannot comment on your particular experience, but there should be a comment/complaints book in each site office in which you can record your displeasure.

 

[MikeJE]

Pitches may need to be empty between departing and arriving occupants for mowing or even slight repositioning to allow grass to recover. With 183 pitches - according to the handbook -to check on this might take some time so 11.55 to 12.05 is hardly generous.

 

[DavidKlyne]

John

It might be good to get it off your chest here but you really do need to write/e-mail to the Caravan Club on issues like this. We all know the rules, no prior midday arrival. 1.00pm on some sites with difficult access and midday leaving on the day of departure. We also don't know how many incoming units there are so just because the site seemed half empty at your departure point a couple of hours later it could have been full. I am sure the wardens will be able to justify their stance to their managers, you might findout if you write!

Regarding the Firs, if you mean the chap with the wife in a wheelchair I would totally agree. He spent quite a lot of time helping me with my hitch lock on a new caravan, I was very greatful.

David

 

[Rita1]

John

You know the rules so why should they bend them just for you If every one wanted to bring a 2nd car in just for unloading it would be impossible to control And who knows you would not sneak an extra person in Its been done

So you want in 5 mins early But what if the only pitch is one thats just been vacated after a 2 weeks of rain and is all muddy

You would be sure to complain so either way Wardens cannot win

 

[Rita1]

Opps forgot

we have NEVER been turned away for being early or even none booking from the C&CC

 

[Bannedtom]

As for the C&CC you are welcome to it, the CC has rules on entry and exit times for various reason, some sites are down narrow lanes which only allow one way traffic so people coming and going as they please would be total chaos, Chatsworth is a prime example, you are not allowed to enter the lane until 1.00pm for that very reason, also as mentioned pitches have to be maintained especially in high useage times. And to suggest that the warden should allow your daughter to drive on to load her car is ludicrous, why should the warden allow that, There are designated parking bays for visitors and as you know its one car one pitch.

Simple, if you can't stick to the rules which is what the majority of most people do then don't renew your membership, rules are not made to be broken or bent to suit you or anyone else and the wardens are correct in making you adhere to those rules. Deal with it

 

[Parksy]

Have you ever considered a career as a CC site warden Tom? :0)

 

[Jimbob1]

Have you ever considered a career as a CC site warden Tom? :0)

tom,

Put your complaint to the Caravan Club and let them sort your complaint out.Most wardens are the salt of the earth types,luckily we have never had a problem with them.Jimbob

 

[Bannedtom]

I don't have a complaint with the CC jimbob, far from it, read the initial post that will give you a clue as to what's going on with the thread jimbob, it's a dead giveaway. Just voicing my opinion. I thought that's what its all about.

You ever thought of a creer as a moderator Parks?

 

[Parksy]

I don't have a complaint with the CC jimbob, far from it, read the initial post that will give you a clue as to what's going on with the thread jimbob, it's a dead giveaway. Just voicing my opinion. I thought that's what its all about.

You ever thought of a creer as a moderator Parks?

I did consider it briefly but the pay is awful

 

[NickinFrance]

To quote Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, FRAeS, DL

"Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools."

 

[Rioja]

Just returned from Low Manesty where they have a not before 12.00am arrival, depart by 11.30am rule. The last mile or two, as anyone who has been knows, can be very difficult with the village of Grange where cars park in a narrow lane being a particular problem. I saw one outfit arrive through the gates at 12.00am, he had been hiding down the lane. No problem on this occasion but if he had blocked my exit, he would be doing the reversing !

 

[MikeJE]

To quote Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, FRAeS, DL

"Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools."

I wonder if he had that in mind when he made his batman stay on as a P.O.W.

 

[RogerB]

Opps forgot

we have NEVER been turned away for being early or even none booking from the C&CC

Double standards I think.You berate him for being early and then tell us that you have never been turned away for being early!!!Make your mind up.

 

[Bannedtom]

Point in case Rioja, that's the main reason that entrance and exit times are there.

Douglas Bader ?? One of lifes great philoshopers

Straightforwardness, without the rules of propriety, becomes rudeness". Confucius quotes (China's most famous teacher, philosopher, and political theorist, ...

 

[cathymac]

John, I think you are totally selfish,The 12 o'clock rule is there for many reasons. One of witch might be to stop people like you. Wanting in early to get the best pitch, Extra cars Etc, Etc.Not giving a toss for all the other members who abide by the rules and wait till 12 O'Clock and you have the audacity to come on here and complain

Shame on you

 

[Dustydog]

John

I've been to 6 sites over the last 7 weeks . Departures before and arrivals after 12.00 noon are done deliberately to avoid problems with people trying to pitch whilst others hitch.

Whilst I'm packing up the last thing I want is someone trying to get in next to me, distracting me and putting a second car in the way of me leaving the pitch safely. Equally on arrival I don't feel awkward that I am impeding someone else's departure.

The system imo works very well both ways.

Thus I cannot understand why you are being so pedantic over 5 minutes or indeed may I suggest selfish.

Chill out and live in harmony with others and enjoy life!

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[Surfer]

Very early arrival if they were there at 12am!

 

[jaffasdad]

My father-in-law used to have a job which involved enforcing rules and laws concerned with planning.

He made and interesting observation that when the enforcement of a law didn't suit someone, he was an interfering jobsworth but when people wished to use the rules to protect their own interests, they wanted him to have every power under the sun.

There are some that would like strictly enforced rules that are consistently applied and others that view them more as guidance.

What bugs me (and I suspect a lot of others) is seeing other people deliberately flouting clear rules and getting away with it.

Don't get me going on the 12 o'clock rule or the size of hand luggage on aircraft - I'll be here all day. My worst experience of the former was to arrive at the Wharfdale CC site one Sunday (having hung around in a lay-by for half an hour to make sure I didn't arrive too early) to find 6 vans parked up at the entrance causing mayhem and other vans still trying to get out up to two hours after the noon deadline. One of the wardens had to be a traffic cop to stop the site becoming gridlocked. I'm sure he had better things to do.

Having said that I've found that CC wardens will always be flexible if they can.

As Richard Head (usually called Dick) once said, 'Rules are for other people to follow and for me to take advantage of.'

 

[Bernard2]

John, The issue at Chatsworth is the sinlge carriageway road to get in and out of the site.The passing places only allow cars to pass.If you had made your "rant" to the warden, he would have explained this to you.

Bernie

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

john mentioned about "being booted off at 12 noon".

If this was the case then he has a justifiable complaint, if not he has NO complaint.

At the moment I'm at Black Knowl in the New Forest and we are on pitch 1 by the office. Since last Sunday, when we've been on site at midday, I've seen members co-operating and there's been no people trying it on and trying to get on early, that is until now.

The site book says midday but one outfit arrived at 11.45. I thought they were allowed on but it transpired they drove the one way system and exited the site. Within 2 minutes another outfit arrived early which caused an argument between the warden and his wife. It seems that the wife had sent the first ones back out and the hubby was allowing the second to stay.

While the debate was raging the wife in the outfit left the car to go and pick her pitch. It is still before midday and now a third outfit has pulled in.

If I was a warden there would be no ifs or buts, these people would be sent back out. If EVERY warden did this the 'selfish' amongst us, who believe the rules don't apply them, would soon learn the hard way.

It's now midday and two more have arrived. The wardens have my sympathy.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

12.03 .... 7 outfits now trying to get on site. Some friends of ours who are going off for the afternoon cannot even get through the entrance.

Poor wardens who are still trying to smile.

 

[Dustydog]

LB

Are you still wearing your high viz vest directing the traffic? LOL.

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[Phillips333]

LB

Are you still wearing your high viz vest directing the traffic? LOL.

Cheers

Dustydog

We had a similar experience while on a 2 week holiday last year. We turned up on site at about 11:40am and parked the van in the overnight bay while we walked around the site.

The thing that amazed us, is the people who were already set up on the site was changing pitches, we saw one women run over to a pitch with a deck chair and sit on it, while her O/H packed up the van.

Another couple parked their car on an empty pitch while they packed their van, plus a few other couples were doing the same.

We thought it was hilarious that some people are really that passionate about their pitches.