the difference between club members

[truckercraig]

bit of a debate for you

although we dont use proper club sites that often( we prefer rally
sites or cs's) when we have used club sites we find the people on
caravan and camping club sites to be more sociable and friendlier than
caravan club sites. would be interesting to hear your views .

 

[hortimech]

I am a member of both, but I am beginning to have my doubts about the CC, they seem to have delusions of granduer. They don't have a forum, they have 'club together', the separate areas are called 'Discussions' and they definetly don't have moderators, they have 'Community Champions'. Pretensious or what

 

[GrahamDerby]

I am also in both, and agree with both of you. I dont use the CC sites as they are too expensive for me , i use the CLs. I joined the CC for cheaper van insurance , the Green Flag recovery as they are the only ones that will recover my outfit,and the M6 toll discount as i use it 3/4 times a year each way, this gives me a good saving. If you go outside your van after 9pm the site is usualy dead, it seems they must all go to bed!! plus most seem to be of the older veriety, not that i'm a youngster but no way can i go to bed before 11.30pm. The CCC seem to be younger people, and with children , its called the friendly club for a good reason.

 

[Parksy]

.....................and they definetly don't have moderators, they have 'Community Champions'. Pretensious or what

Love it, I wanna be a community champion

Joking apart, in all walks of life some people are more friendly and approachable than others and the leisure touring caravanning community is no different.
I'm not a member of the Caravan Club but lots of forum members are, so they mst be doing something right, they maintain a good standard and people know what to expect when they opt to stay on a CC site.
The CS system provides some stunning locations and it would be wrong to generalise, all sorts of people join various organisations for their own pleasure so as long as we each enjoy our own caravanning that's all that matters

 

[Mickeyblueeyes]

I'm new to caravanning, only had two trips so far and both were to CC sites, hooking up today for the third, again to a CC site. I love the sites, to me a 'friendly' person can be someone who gives you a smile and a hello, do not necessarily have to sit talking for hours.

One of my other loves for the sites are that they are quiet by 9pm, just nice as i'm getting ready for bed...... and I'm 32 !

 

[Sproket]

One of my other loves for the sites are that they are quiet by 9pm, just nice as i'm getting ready for bed...... and I'm 32 !

 

[mealsonwheels]

We're members of the CC and 99% of the time use their CL's. We arrived on a CL a few months ago in pouring rain and we're just getting the steadies down, when our neighbour came out of his van and asked if we would like a cup of tea, as they had just made one. How friendly was that! As it turned out, they enjoyed birdwatching too, and we used to chat now and then about what birds we'd seen during our day out. We've seen them on the same CL again and have always given each other a friendly wave and a chat to catch up on news.
We may have been lucky, but every CC member we've met has always been friendly, even when we've been on large CC Sites.

 

[Dustydog]

If you don't like the Clubs don't use them.

We do use the CC and their CLs a lot and believe they are good value for money.

The standards are uniform throughout the country and IMO of a high standard.

We use commercial sites , mostly Best Of British, as well.

After the sardine tin experience at The Lizard a few weeks ago I'm now very happy to be on CC site on the Kent coast. Cheaper and excellent facilities including newspapers and a chippy twice a week.

The people on this present site are all friendly and keep their outfits in good condition.

Maybe the solution for some of us may be a full time return to wild camping??

 

[Gybe]

We belong to the CC, mainly for travel and inurance and the CL's. We use the Club sites at odd times. We are normally at a site for an agenda - watersports, sight seeing trips or visiting famly or friends. All we require is a pitch and quiet, we're not interested in making friends or rallying type persuits or having a glass of wine with strangers.
A distant lonely corner of a CL is our ideal pitch, and peace and quiet with the Kindle when we're actually at the pitch is all we wish for.

 

[Gybe]

"It takes all sorts" we have some wild camping farm sites that we use with water sport surfing friends.
We're always pleased to offer others a helping hand on sites but we're just in the caravan to do our own thing. We just can't do jolly hocky sticks camp site camaraderie, twee home from home caravanning decor and booze cabinet or d------ around with satelite dishes and a routine revolving around the Soaps time slots

. Personally I also hate the trendy Cadacs and Gas BBQ's and don't get me started on 'my little Kingdom' UDI wind break competitions

But if it floats your boat we're happy for you.

ps. A camping field without a dog or two is quite boring. I don't like dog free sites.

 

[Parksy]

I hope that this topic isn't about to descend into a negative diatribe in which people criticise what other caravanners do, I will be watching to ensure that it doesn't happen

 

[Raywood]

We are members of both clubs but have not had a problem with people being unfriendly on either. Our main criteria is the standard of the site and the CC is particularly good and the C&CC acceptable. I always seem to be able to wander off and find someone to talk to on both without problem.
If I have a choice of CC or C&CC sites I do usually cost them to see if there is any sensible saving but if not would normally go for the CC site.

 

[kopite]

Come on steve lets have it out its friday i`ve had a long week and i`m not in my van for 2 weeks.

We have used both but do prefer CC a better clientelle

 

[Gybe]

Come on steve lets have it out its friday i`ve had a long week and i`m not in my van for 2 weeks.

We have used both but do prefer CC a better clientelle

Ha Ha Ha

Not when we're on site, we're the ones that only clean the car and caravan before the first trip of the year

I don't like antiques (ok in castles, grand country houses or museums) wouldn't have old stuff in my home. I hate Belfast sinks, shaker kitchens and wood block surfaces in houses. The wife and I hate those neat little "box" heding affairs and "feature walls". Apart from a couple of neigbours I haven't got a clue who anyone else is around our home but we all exchange a nod or raise a hand.
We've never fallen out with any neigbours and their tastes and hobbys and life stye (I'm not in to Golf, Tennis or Gym) are different to ours. I think camp sites and the caravan and camping people work the same way. Some are friendly some are not, some keep themselves to themself and some socialise on site and make friends. I can't see how it's really any different from club to club or club site to commercial site

 

[Merve]

Hi Craig,
Never been a member of thr C&CC but have thought about it. I agree with others on this thread. I have found some lovely people on the CL's of the CC. I cant afford the CC sites. I have stayed on one but only because I had some free site vouchers. It was a lovely site, well maintained and very clean. However, as I say, it's CL's for us every time. The one time that really stays in my mind was the time we were at a CL in Seahouses on the Northumberland coast some 4 years ago. We went out for the day and unknown to us it started to blow a hoolie! As we approached the site coming back from our day, I thought I couldn't see the awning! When we arrived on site, we were told the winds had been so strong, the awning pegs and fixings had started to come out and the awning was looking very unstable after some time. The good people on the site, an ex squadie was one of them, took the awning down and stowed it to stop damage to the van which had been damaged slightly but if it hadn't been for them, God only knows what would have happened.
My point is that these are typical of people who caravan. We all try to help each other. There are, of course, the other type . Let me give you an example. We were down in Beer in Devon on a CL we have used several times a couple of years ago. A guy turned up, took over the ONLY tap on site so that everyone else had to disconnect his hose to get water! Other members of his family arrived for about a week and stayed with extra vehicles and parafanalia. He stayed there for least 10 days, and this site uses an honesty box as the owners are farmers and busy with other duties, On leaving, he very kindly left £40 where he should have left something in excess of £200, and he only left that because he could have been arrested for theft of electricity!! These are the real enemies of everyone who caravans. People like this should be banned for life from the CC and any other club. So, my point is, treat as you find. I have witnessed the very best and the very worst of human nature on CC CL's.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi Merve,
you will find both sorts on any site more so on commercials thats why the CC and C&CC have site wardens ???

personally I go away in the van for rest and peace and quiet so a site that dead by 9.00pm sounds perfect,

 

[Merve]

Colin,
Hooray to that! Peace and quiet for me everytime!

Merve

 

[Surfer]

If they kicked off most of the officious little jobsworth wardens that the C & CC employ we may consider rejoining even though we have had nightmare experiences with the C & CC. No issue with members on either CC or C & CC sites as members do not manage the sites. Personally I think the only people whom feel this are those that may suffer from some sort of complex.

 

[Rioja]

Personally I think the only people whom feel this are those that may suffer from some sort of complex.

agreed !

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

If they kicked off most of the officious little jobsworth wardens that the C & CC employ we may consider rejoining even though we have had nightmare experiences with the C & CC.

I'd love to know where all these officious jobsworth individuals are, because I've never encountered one on the sites we use/used - and that's a fair few of them!!

 

[Surfer]

If they kicked off most of the officious little jobsworth wardens that the C & CC employ we may consider rejoining even though we have had nightmare experiences with the C & CC.

I'd love to know where all these officious jobsworth individuals are, because I've never encountered one on the sites we use/used - and that's a fair few of them!!

Try Blackmore for a start! If you search I raised a thread on it at the time.

 

[JohnM20]

Hi All
This may be a bit of a generalisation but I think there are probably two types of people, hobby caravanners and those who use a caravan perhaps only once a year, possibly only during school holidays, as a means to an end, a percieved 'cheap' holiday. From 25 years of hobby caravanning experience, (but I have to admit, almost exclusively on CC sites or CLs), the two types are generally quite easy to spot. Hobby caravanners tend to be more inclined to stop and chat whilst the once a yearers tend to keep themselves to themselves. This may be because, unlike hobby caravanners, they are perhaps not always familiar with what happens on sites and, if I may use the words, the 'caravan etiquette' that is to be followed, and indeed, enjoyed, by all those using a caravan site of whatever size and of whichever club. There is also the fact that, with either of the two clubs, where 'non-members' are admitted they are possibly not familiar with the club rules as they do not have the club handbooks. In both clubs I'm sure that there will be the noisy ones and the ones who just want a quiet corner to themselves and, providing it doesn't affect other people on site then let them all get on with what they prefer and chose to do.That is what caravanning is all about.
I have very limited experience of C & CC sites, (I was put off that club at my very first site by the rather rude and aggressive attitude of the wardens coupled with a far less than perfect allocated pitch), but I do tend to like the fact that I know what sort of quality of pitch and facilities I am going to get at a CC site. This doesn't make me any less sociable or willing to chat to anyone but I do think that, for example, people should be generally quiet from, say, 10.00pm. Indeed, on many continental sites there is a strict rule that the site is silent after 10.00pm. I'm a great believer in letting kids be kids but I do have a concern that parents don't instruct them in the way that they should behave on site particularly where there is a safety issue involved, eg cycling at speed around sites, frequently in the wrong direction on one way roads.
If everyone preferred the style of the CC in preference to the style of the C&CC or vice versa then one of the clubs would have to change or close altogether but we don't. Some people like cities and others hate them, that's what make the human race so diverse.

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

If they kicked off most of the officious little jobsworth wardens that the C & CC employ we may consider rejoining even though we have had nightmare experiences with the C & CC.

I'd love to know where all these officious jobsworth individuals are, because I've never encountered one on the sites we use/used - and that's a fair few of them!!

Try Blackmore for a start! If you search I raised a thread on it at the time.

No different from the CC then!

We went to one of the basic facility sites in Norfolk a couple of weeks ago, been there umpteen times. On this occasion the warden was positively obnoxious, pulled us up for allegedly speeding away from the office - not true, pointed to the 5 mile per hour sign - we knew it was there!

Pitched up in the correct place, then over he marched and asked if we were putting an awning up, yes, large porch size - then you'll be too close to the next unit, there needs to be 3m! Not our fault - the pitch is on a curve, the caravans will be closer together at the front of the pitch, than at the back. All was remedied, the neighbours parked their car on the other side, and this was all because the "Chairman" was in an adjacent caravan, obviously doing his rounds of the sites - hence the warden doing his jobsworth bit! I can recall 3 other incidents at other CC sites, all of which I was going to write one of my infamous letters to the Club, but then couldn't be bothered. Life is just too short - and it wouldn't stop me renewing my membership to either club.

 

[soldlisa04]

We are a member of both, but found that the CC sites/members are very friendly. Don't use CL/CS sites as yet. Only stayed on one CCC site back at Easter, and can honestly say, not one member spoke independently to us at all in six days and we're not unapproachable (maybe they could see how green we were as we were very new to it all). However, the wardens were lovely. Tbh we obviously need to spend more time on CCC sites to give an even perspective, but this is just our opinion, that's all.