Motorway Services, Use or Not to Use, that is my question

[Niki_374380833]

This may be a silly question to most of you but as I have never travelled with my caravan on holiday yet(newbie), my first holiday is booked for April. I would like to ask this question. I have found that most services depending on where you stop can smell on pee pee Can I ask what everyone else does? Do you stop and eat and use the toilet in the services or do you let the legs down on the caravan and eat in the caravan? Can you use the caravan toilet as you are suppose to travel with the toilet empty of water? Your advice would be grateful. Thank you. Niki

 

[theothertom]

Hi Niki

We only ever use them to take a break and use the loos would never buy anything (rip off prices).

And NEVER EVER leave your van unattended.

Maybe thats just me.

Tom .

 

[vernon]

Is this info any help?

http://www.motorwayparkingforcaravans.co.uk/

 

[jo_374385568]

i'd agree with tom never leave your outfit unattended no matter how much security is on it we do eat in the van and use the services for the toilets be aware that if you stop for an extended break ie over 2 hours there is usually a charge

 

[mikecandsarahb]

im a hgv driver, and i only use services for my 45min breaks or toilet stop, as youve said they smell of pee, and ive not found one yet that doesnt,

as for the charge after 2 hours be aware there are a few services that clock your car on the way in and out and will ticket you in the post if you saty over that time.

and like all the posts here always have someone saty with the van at all times, as cctv is bad in services car parks.

 

[Damian]

As has been said, NEVER leave the van unattended at any time!!!! whilst in service areas.

We take whatever we want to eat in the van, much nicer tasting than food that has been on display for hours! and much cheaper.

We also use the van toilet facilities (the amount of use is minimal as regards travelling).

We have had a couple of instances where our van was being eyed up by a couple of guys in a transit van with hitch on the back, one guy was almost bitten by one of my Danes as he got too close (he did not see me walking up the other side of the van with the dog).

Do NOT leave the keys in the car ignition whilst you are stopped, and make sure the car is locked if you are all in the van.

 

[Guest]

All sound advice but do not let it overwhelm you. Yes, there is a chance your caravan may be knicked in a service area, and there are parts of the UK where it is much more likely than others, but it does not happen to every van and the actual number of thefts is still low compared to the total number of vans on the road.

Obviously, be cautious and fit a hitchlock while you are parked up. I am not so happy where you are parked in rows of trucks but that is also due to the amount of oil around which is a mess. A dedicated caravan area, that is NOT usurped by ignorant truckers, is preferable. Unfortunately, caravans come low down on the pecking order of Service Operators so getting any space is usually a bonus, especially in the mad summer season.

I do agree that the food served in UK service areas is usually extremely highly priced and usually diabolical. Why is the UK the only country to put up with it I wonder?? However, do remember you cannot use your gas system while parked up so it is a flask and sarnies, if you wish to eat in. Again our EU cousins have dedicated picnic areas where you can use all your own facilities.

 

[Taff]

I do not disagree with any of your comments but if everyone treated service areas as just toilets, then how will they survive. They have overheads to pay to provide a service and yes I agree, a very expensive service. I don't go overboard but I will buy some refreshments.

Pick your service areas carefully as some parking areas are a good walk from the facilities.

 

[lee2]

Hi. We do use the services, however we always fit the hitchlock and alarm the caravan. Our main problem is actually finding somewhere to park - often the dedicated caravan parking bays are used by car drivers who appear totally ignorant of the problems we have trying to park our caravans. It is quite a worry sometimes wondering whether we will be able to stop and park to that we can use the toilet facilities.

 

[ShadySadie]

Try using Google Earth.

For most service areas you can clearly see the layout and where you should or could park with a caravan.

I've oten used the car parking area furthest from the services building. Parking with care, no one has ever questioned me.

 

[JohnM20]

Hi Nikki and everyone.

I'm sure we have all suffered all the bad experiences listed in all the posts at one time or another at motorway service areas and yes, as Steve says, the areas do have overheads to pay. BUT, the motorway is a public road with no other areas to stop except the hard shoulder in emergencies therefore, stopping in a service area and NOT spending money in them should not be an issue. If you stop in a layby on any other road and there happens to be a burger van there do you feel obliged to buy a burger. I think not.

It is about time that we followed our French cousins in particular and have rest areas every 20km (12 miles) or thereabouts which have adequate and segregated parking facilities and usually passable loos and no charges if you stay more than 2 hours. I know that the French Autoroutes are mainly toll roads and so part of the toll almost certainly goes towards the area upkeep but their autoroutes only carry, at a guess, 10% of the traffic that Britain's motorways do but they still see a NEED for the relatively high number of rest areas.

I have a letter from the Highways Agency advising me that there is a draft consultation document which includes the POSSIBILITY of Motorway Rest Areas similar to the French style but apparently these would have to be provided by the private sector so we probably won't be any better off than we are now.

Regards

John M

 

[Dustydog]

Eileen,

Like Tom we NEVER EVER leave the caravan unattended at a motorway services. The hitchlock wont last long and before you know it the caravan's gone. Just have a look around you next time and you will see the scavenger opportunist thief just waiting.

They even use lifting cranes and low loaders to nick your baby!

We use their toilets in a relay and that's that.

Cheers

Alan

 

[Rita1]

We NEVER NEVER use M'Way services

Look at "5 minsaway" web site and you will find that just off most M'way Junctions there is a supermarket Cheaper fuel n cheaper food

We use to go scotland reg Up M6 found a little place by J18 then J44 was asda for a meal n buy food, 2 hours later site Peace

 

[LMH]

Alan

you will see the scavenger opportunist thief just waiting.

They even use lifting cranes and low loaders to nick your baby!

We use their toilets in a relay and that's that.

Cheers

Alan

-----------------

Alan - you use their toilets but you're calling them scavenger opportunist thiefs with their own lifting gear.

I'm surprised they let you use their toilets. LOL!

Lisa

 

[Dustydog]

Lisa

I'm only following Government suggestions that "I take a break".

They never said i had to buy anything.

Oddly enough the Government own most of the Motorway services and lease them out. So as a tax payer I am collecting my just dues. LOL.

Cheers

Alan

 

[LMH]

But Alan, I'm not talking about the owners of the service stations, I'm talking about you using the thiefs toilets. LOL!!

Lisa

 

[lee2]

Alan - I can understand what you are saying - however surely the first problem is actually finding a parking spot. You cannot park in the car areas nor in the lorry or coach park. Oddly enough we have had this problem in some service stations in France - English cars parked in caravan places!!

 

[jo_374385568]

Eileen most of the m-way services for caravans parking are in the lorry parks i've only come across a couple of dedicated caravan parking charnock richard can't remember the other one but it only had space for a couple of units if there full I use the lorrypark anyway

 

[Dustydog]

Lisa

I like their toilets because they are cleaned every hour. Apparently they have a statutory duty to provide peasants like me with toilet facilities. If they can make profit on their

 

[ValA.]

Crikey, are we the only ones who park at service areas, and walk away from our van without worrying that the van will be stolen??? I seem to be the only one who doesn't pull into a service area without convincing myself that the van won't be there if we should happen to leave it all alone. I honestly don't think we've given it a thought in the past sixteen years of caravanning, and it's not been stolen yet.

We don't stay in 'relays', we sometimes eat in the service area, sometimes we don't - if we don't and it's a nice day we may walk over to a grassy area to have a picnic, but we use the loos in the service area, and buy sweets, or a paper or magazine and often the van may be unattended for perhaps three quarters of an hour.

I know there are proabably some unfortunate people out there who have had caravans nicked from these service areas, but thefts go on everywhere - and I think these postings make them seem much more risky than they probably are.

 

[Damian]

Val, I doubt you are alone in your methods of using service areas, in fact I know you are not, having seen others leave their van unattended, but that is what life is about,,,choice.

I choose not to risk even the smallest bit my caravan being taken away without my consent, by others who think it is OK to do such.

Having paid out a not inconsiderable amount of money for my van and car I want them to remain MY property for as long as possible.

 

[Guest]

We all pay insurance and fit cars and caravans with various types of security.

How do some of you manage to leave your homes?

We take precautions but if we couldn't walk away from a home or caravan I think we would give life up.

 

[BrianStAlbans]

I wouldn't leave my caravan unattended in motorway services because I've already had one stolen from home .

Maybe I should have stayed in that day ;O)

 

[Robert_374373903]

Well having driven many miles on motorways from the early day's of M1 I should imagine that there cannot be to many we have not stopped in.From memory we have stayed overnight in the quiter spots some times we paid, other they did not mind us. Never amongst HGV.We have used on occasion the meals and wc services but nothing stands out in my memory that would not stop us using them.Last year a German couple pulled up alongside us and asked would we mind them parking near us, of course we welcomed them ,especially as couple of years ago down in Spain on the side of a dam/lake a Dutch couple done the same and we had a very good evening and made friends with them.

 

[Guest]

Surely commonsense should be the buzz word. We have all been in places where we felt uneasy, maybe without real cause, but in those circumstances I tend to move on.

However, I am not going to spend my whole life worrying about whether leaving a caravan or car for a short time is going to result in theft. Yes, they are important to me and yes, they cost money, but that is as far as it goes. Taking that sort of stress a bit further and one will be wondering if it is safe to leave your van in a site while you are away touring. And before anyone states I am being nonsensicle, think about it. If someone drove up to a van along the way and proceeded to hitch it up, do you think anyone would really ask why the number plate was different?? They would all assume it was a friend or relative. If you knew the people in the outfit personally, then maybe, but do you?? And I am sorry, but wardens do not check who is leaving the site.

Again sorry, but life is too short. My van is a bit of aluminium and wood and it is insured. It is also protected by a Theftbeaters system. In addition I keep nothing of serious value in it so if someone really wants to knick it, then so be it.