We are travelling to Italy throught Belgium,Germany and Switzerland, on travelling down we have considered stopping in rest areas or layby's to be flexible. This would be in Belgium and Germany. With the dangers of stopping in French aires recently highlighted we are not certain if this is a safe option, can anyone advise for or against.
travel in Europe,use of Aires
- Thread starter John_5040468
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do you mean sleep overnight we stop for a couple of hours but I would not sleep overnight there are always local sites near motorways which are probably safer
Doing the same route in May. Overnighting is getting a bit dodgy. We have done it for years but one gets more and more gassing/robbing type stories not to start taking notice.Less In Belgium and Germany but once is enough to screw up the holiday.
ttfn
Norfolk Mike
ttfn
Norfolk Mike
John, The question is would you be happy doing it here in the UK. I personally do not think it is any more dangerous on the continent than here. I travel a lot at night in the course of my work, and any night in the summer there are loads of people sleeping at motorway services in cars , caravans and lorries.
I also see the occasional van or motor home in laybyes but not many.
After years of holidaying in France I guess that my advise would be that if you must have a night halt then do it at one of the larger services which have petrol stations etc. There have been stories circulating regarding gassings and muggins but I would think that on any summer evening there are thousands of people sleeping on the French motorway system - hopefully not driving at the time. Only a joke but it has a serious side 'Remember tiredness kills.
I also see the occasional van or motor home in laybyes but not many.
After years of holidaying in France I guess that my advise would be that if you must have a night halt then do it at one of the larger services which have petrol stations etc. There have been stories circulating regarding gassings and muggins but I would think that on any summer evening there are thousands of people sleeping on the French motorway system - hopefully not driving at the time. Only a joke but it has a serious side 'Remember tiredness kills.
My wife flew out to join me here in Italy, a lady we know was mugged in the Slough area a week or two ago. Driving down to Brindisi I slept twice at Motorway stops and on Rout to rome we stopped on the coast and slept in the Car.
I'll be on my way to Madrid after I drop my wife at the Airport tomorrow night. I will then head for France and if I'm tired I'll stop at a main service stop and sleep and grab a shower in the morning as usual in the truckers facilities!
We have stopped a main service stops and fuel aires for many years and I've slept all over Europe at stops when working.
I to could get mugged in Slough so why should I worry about a stop in Europe!
A few people need to get a grip on reality> Obviously you have to pick and choose where you stop and there is plenty of crime in the UK.
I've lost count of the number of Caravans and RV's I've seen parked for the night in the last couple of weeks and an English couple I helped last week have motorhomed for 4 years around Europe since retirement and have never had a problem or met anyone else that has. You just have to use a bit of common sense.
I'll be on my way to Madrid after I drop my wife at the Airport tomorrow night. I will then head for France and if I'm tired I'll stop at a main service stop and sleep and grab a shower in the morning as usual in the truckers facilities!
We have stopped a main service stops and fuel aires for many years and I've slept all over Europe at stops when working.
I to could get mugged in Slough so why should I worry about a stop in Europe!
A few people need to get a grip on reality> Obviously you have to pick and choose where you stop and there is plenty of crime in the UK.
I've lost count of the number of Caravans and RV's I've seen parked for the night in the last couple of weeks and an English couple I helped last week have motorhomed for 4 years around Europe since retirement and have never had a problem or met anyone else that has. You just have to use a bit of common sense.
Like others have said, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland do not present a particular hazard and if you exercise a reasonable amount of care like not staying overnight on an isolated layby, it is unlikely that anything will happen. Most of the problems that have been reported seem to have come from France, Spain and Italy and even then only along the main tourist routes. It would probably be advisable to avoid these areas for overnight stops.
I understand that there is more of a problem for truckers, a journalist friend who is planning a trip around Europe has been able to find little evidence that this is really a big problem.
Some time ago we heard of some peoples being robbed as they exited their car at service points in Europe (no caravan involved). Motorcyclists just raced up grabbed hand bags and wallet and raced off.
Most UK motor way service areas have signs warning of theft and leaving valuables in cars, and I know of more people that have had incidents here than I can find evidence of the "gassed caravanners". We have UK friends with homes in France, Spain Italy and Germany who have driven for years and stopped on route and find these stories laugable as there are other crimes.
Friends had hire car robbed in Spain and that was believed to have been done with a copied key and they would have ben followed from the airport.
They have a retirement apartment in Spain and very many brits and others live in their area. They have been amazed to find since about the vast numbers of ex pats who have had cars and homes robbed in Spain. My ex boss was robbed at his "secure" marina home in Spain (took Rolex, Wallets, purse and Jewelery
from his bedroom)whilst he and his wife and family slept and virtually everyone on the complex had been a victim of home,car and boat crimes. Wives and daughters have even had bags snatched and watches grabbed from their wrists and designer "shades" and fancy mobile phones grabbed.
These are actual factual incidents, so who is crossing off going to spain from their agenda ?
Some time ago we heard of some peoples being robbed as they exited their car at service points in Europe (no caravan involved). Motorcyclists just raced up grabbed hand bags and wallet and raced off.
Most UK motor way service areas have signs warning of theft and leaving valuables in cars, and I know of more people that have had incidents here than I can find evidence of the "gassed caravanners". We have UK friends with homes in France, Spain Italy and Germany who have driven for years and stopped on route and find these stories laugable as there are other crimes.
Friends had hire car robbed in Spain and that was believed to have been done with a copied key and they would have ben followed from the airport.
They have a retirement apartment in Spain and very many brits and others live in their area. They have been amazed to find since about the vast numbers of ex pats who have had cars and homes robbed in Spain. My ex boss was robbed at his "secure" marina home in Spain (took Rolex, Wallets, purse and Jewelery
from his bedroom)whilst he and his wife and family slept and virtually everyone on the complex had been a victim of home,car and boat crimes. Wives and daughters have even had bags snatched and watches grabbed from their wrists and designer "shades" and fancy mobile phones grabbed.
These are actual factual incidents, so who is crossing off going to spain from their agenda ?
These threads seem to come up regularly. We have all heard the stories, but have any of us actually had FIRST HAND experience of problems when overnighting in aires? If so tell us, but don't tell us about a friend of a friend, your auntie's next door neighbour, a bloke you met on the motorway etc.
My point exactly Jo!
I'm sure half the stories get blown out of all proportion. All the fuss about "what ifs" and "what may" to do with Caravanning. Years ago I even slept by my motorbike in Europe at a fuel stop. Never had a problem and I and others can find little evidence of a BIG problem re this sort of thing!
I'm sure half the stories get blown out of all proportion. All the fuss about "what ifs" and "what may" to do with Caravanning. Years ago I even slept by my motorbike in Europe at a fuel stop. Never had a problem and I and others can find little evidence of a BIG problem re this sort of thing!
Back to the old old story, I really cannot see why anyone would want to stay overnight on a service area or aire with so many good caravan sites in Europe. Take the Caravan Club Caravan Europe Book,plan your journey well, arrive by late afternoon having phoned to book about lunch time, enjoy a beer and a stroll round and set off refreshed next morning. I plan my journey in January, book my sites and stopovers usually by email. I even know where I am stopping for fuel, sad I know but I have done it that way for over 20 years and it works for us.
The thought of planning a holiday in such detail that I have to be at a particular pre-booked stopover each night en route fills me with absolute horror but I guess not everybody is the same. When I'm touring, I prefer to take every day as it comes and adjust the length of each stage as I go along. Otherwise, I'd already feel stressed before I even reach my final destination.
Having said that I've always found a suitable campsite in time to catch a good night's sleep.
Having said that I've always found a suitable campsite in time to catch a good night's sleep.
David what I do and others has nothing to do with you and likewise what you do is no business of mine. It suits us to set a route and leave on late night ferries and then pull in to a service stop. Many have good restaurants and I stay on Route and I'm not interested in nice sites near an auto route.
And I don't think others should deter people from stopping if they want and are sensible about where they stop which I am actually doing at this moment on Route for France! There are to many scare stories and there are so many other risks that some seem to forget or ignore.
cris
And I don't think others should deter people from stopping if they want and are sensible about where they stop which I am actually doing at this moment on Route for France! There are to many scare stories and there are so many other risks that some seem to forget or ignore.
cris
I have said this before about the alleged gassing - if knocking people out for 30 minutes is as simple as letting some gas drift in through air vents, why are anaesthetists so well paid, and why does it take to long to train as one?
We were in Holland over Easter, and on the way stopped at a service area near Gent. There were about 15 cars and caravans plus loads of lorries overnighting there. Plenty of space, felt perfectly safe, woke up to the birds singing etc.
Each to their own ......... it's all very well wanting to stay at a real site, but if you come off a late ferry and want to get the legs down at midnight, you won't be popular on a site.
We were in Holland over Easter, and on the way stopped at a service area near Gent. There were about 15 cars and caravans plus loads of lorries overnighting there. Plenty of space, felt perfectly safe, woke up to the birds singing etc.
Each to their own ......... it's all very well wanting to stay at a real site, but if you come off a late ferry and want to get the legs down at midnight, you won't be popular on a site.
I really think there is a need to put the danger into perspective. I don't believe anyone was suggesting that there is a high probability on the verge of certainty of getting robbed or attacked if you stay overnight on a rest area but bearing in mind reasonably substantiated reports, this sort of thing does go on occasionally and the problem, if there is one, is certainly concentrated in some parts of Europe only. One can never be 100% safe anywhere and whatever risk remains is both incalculable and varies on a case by case basis.
Things aren't as black or as white as some make out and everyone must decide for themselves where in the big grey risk area they stand and what is and what isn't acceptable.
Things aren't as black or as white as some make out and everyone must decide for themselves where in the big grey risk area they stand and what is and what isn't acceptable.
I've passed very many Motorhomes, Caravans and trucks that have obviously parked for the night on route this morning. It is a common thing to do and I slept on the way towards Genoa last night on a motorway stop. I am working in my mobile (people carrier merc)office near Monaco this morning and a british caravanner just headed out after a nights stop.
Scare mongering stories abound, but generaly as said before I and others are as safe here as sleeping in a bed at home or walking through the local shopping precinct.
I would hazzard a guess that if you spak to insureres many many thousands of claims will have been made for thefts from cars and vans whilst parked on camp sites compared to cars and vans on overnight stops at service areas.
Part of the joy of caravanning and my work is that I'm a free agent and when the mood takes we just head off with the caravan, grab a ferry and go. Sites we sort on route when we choose our destination.
Planning weeks or months ahead to do 200 - 220 miles a day and arrive at 4 and depart at 8.30 from a "nice little" site in some sort of daily routine is not my idea of fun.
Scare mongering stories abound, but generaly as said before I and others are as safe here as sleeping in a bed at home or walking through the local shopping precinct.
I would hazzard a guess that if you spak to insureres many many thousands of claims will have been made for thefts from cars and vans whilst parked on camp sites compared to cars and vans on overnight stops at service areas.
Part of the joy of caravanning and my work is that I'm a free agent and when the mood takes we just head off with the caravan, grab a ferry and go. Sites we sort on route when we choose our destination.
Planning weeks or months ahead to do 200 - 220 miles a day and arrive at 4 and depart at 8.30 from a "nice little" site in some sort of daily routine is not my idea of fun.
Like the vast majority of caravanners I have no personal experience of problems on service areas but a couple of years ago met a caravanners wife sat knitting by van but no car nearby. Turned out that during the night someone had broken in van, taken hubby's trousers,wallet and keys raided car and gone. Hubby was away sorting things out. Definite No No as far as Carvan Club is concerned but as Chris states we all plough our own furrow. Hope everyone has a good safe holiday
Hi
We stop regularly at Blaarmeersen caravan site, on the outskirts of Gent. It's a brilliant municipal site with wonderful sport facilities and a lake in the same complex.
It's around 100miles/2hours from Calais, and the site is only 5 minutes from the motorway.
Sue and Keith
We stop regularly at Blaarmeersen caravan site, on the outskirts of Gent. It's a brilliant municipal site with wonderful sport facilities and a lake in the same complex.
It's around 100miles/2hours from Calais, and the site is only 5 minutes from the motorway.
Sue and Keith
I am an Artist and specialise in Structural Textiles. My work is as a trouble shooter of sorts. I sort others mistakes ;-)
There are still some of us, whose travel arrangements make it difficult to arrive at a campsite when it's open. We both work, set off late afternoon on Friday from the North of England, get a mid-night ferry, and then find the first Aire outside Calais to sleep. We generally arrive about 2.00 am and leave about 8.00 in the morning. If we left our travel arrangements until Saturday morning, we'd hit more traffic, and be one day 'behind'. If we stayed somewhere in England on the route down, then we'd only get about as far as Peterborough before campsites in England close. It's not that we're in a race to get anywhere - except we want to be in France for as long as possible, and every day of our two weeks off work is very precious. To us it makes sense, and Yes, we are aware that there can be risks, but we take every precaution, and so far have been entirely and completely safe for 25 years of using Aires. If our travel arrangements allow then we prefer campsites, and it's always only the first night we spend in an Aire - but there are loads of us around, and indeed quite a camaraderie develops - particularly if you forgotten the milk, or a teabag for that early morning cuppa!! We have also been known to make a bacon sandwich for a neighbour!!
Last night I stopped at a service area north of Barcelona, on route to a jobe I have a long trailer in tow and hotels would not be the best option. Sleeping on route for me is a safer security option.
When with the caravan we are similar Val and family, when we go we go and and often it is last minute late night ferries and a stop on the hill south of Calais or Baie De Somme or the like that even have overnight parking areas for vans and RV's and we have been directed to park in the trucking area for the night when van area full as the service areas expect many to stop over night.
Evans ask about RISK, What Bl 88 dy risk! There is risk anywhere and as before I know personaly of numerous thefts on camp sites but of none on "good" well lit and frequented service stops.
Tens of thousands pull up at night with C'vans and M'homes along with many truckers and other workers like myself.
A few on here need to get real and accept that we all do things differently, but not keep banging on about "risk".
IT IS AN ACCEPTABLE THING TO DO for very many, there are risks the same as there are risks on camp sites!
At the end of the day you make your own choice and there are no guarantees. Whilst away in your van your home could be trashed by some scumbag and thinking it empty as they saw the van had gone or saw you bring it from storage and load up and drive off the person left at home gets attacked.
May be we should just stay at home with our vans as the "risks" are so great ;-)
Get real, life is to short.
When with the caravan we are similar Val and family, when we go we go and and often it is last minute late night ferries and a stop on the hill south of Calais or Baie De Somme or the like that even have overnight parking areas for vans and RV's and we have been directed to park in the trucking area for the night when van area full as the service areas expect many to stop over night.
Evans ask about RISK, What Bl 88 dy risk! There is risk anywhere and as before I know personaly of numerous thefts on camp sites but of none on "good" well lit and frequented service stops.
Tens of thousands pull up at night with C'vans and M'homes along with many truckers and other workers like myself.
A few on here need to get real and accept that we all do things differently, but not keep banging on about "risk".
IT IS AN ACCEPTABLE THING TO DO for very many, there are risks the same as there are risks on camp sites!
At the end of the day you make your own choice and there are no guarantees. Whilst away in your van your home could be trashed by some scumbag and thinking it empty as they saw the van had gone or saw you bring it from storage and load up and drive off the person left at home gets attacked.
May be we should just stay at home with our vans as the "risks" are so great ;-)
Get real, life is to short.
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