Treatment of Campers

[Michael_5099378]

Recently my wife and I spent six months travelling in Europe and started our trip in UK. After the attitude of welcome we get in Aus. and in the US when shopping or even parking we found that the authorities and private enterprises had a "go away don't stop here" attitude which seemed quite vicious. Supermarkets had barriers across the entrances to car parks, and barriers were erected to prevent access to many places. However crossing the Channel resulted in " park here, have free showers" this of course is why one spends money. Relax and you will spend. Also why can't you lot clean toilets? You are heavily taxed so spend some on cleaners. FYI Paris averages 680 peds injured slipping on dog crap per year. Come on London Europhobia requires an effort.

Please let me know what you think.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Michael, I cant really understand the point you are trying to make. Are you saying once on the continent you get free showers etc. but the toilets are filthy?

Regarding the barriers I would have thought that was obvious. Its due to the itinerant traveller population we have here and the cost and time to remove them when illegally camped on car parks. Maybe other countries can move them straight away but with our molly coddling laws it can take months or even years at great cost to the car park owners and tax payers who pay the travellers legal fee's. Personally I dont see why the British public should have to put up with it, it's an Irish problem, not ours.

The problem of dog crap - I wouldn't think theres one person in the city where I live could claim from slipping in it. We cleaned our act up a long time ago although I can remember how it used to be. I cant speak the same for other places though. A village called Govilon for example has a canal running through it, the tow path is thick with dog mess, so much so that I wouldn't walk my dogs there. Having moored there lots of times it's not the boaters but the locals, they come up in droves before going to work, lunch times etc. It was the same with the dog walk at the back of the C.C. Marazion site, always locals cars parked but you never saw them put bags in the bin by the gate when exiting.

 

[cris_408518]

Micheal.

In the UK we have a problem with "Travellers" or Gypsies/ Tinkers that travel in groups generally and pitch up and park where they can.

I'm sorry to say that despite what some do gooders say, they intimidate many in the areas where they decide to stay and turn their campsites into Waste Tips and then when they leave or are forced to leave the tax payers foot the bill for often clearing tons of mess.

If you do a search Re Travellers on the BBC web site you may get an idea of the size of the problem!

Our laws seem to prevent the police just moving these people off of land they have no legal right to be on, Travellers have often taken to using large out of town superstore car parks as "camp Sites" and it can take weeks and court orders before they move or are moved on. Customers advoid the stores whilst they are in residence and some have fely forced to employ extra security gaurds to try an "protect" customers and stop anything else going on.

The barriers you have encountered are generally there for that reason, not to scare away the holiday trade from Motorhomes and Caravans!!!!!!!!!!!

Have to say that in general I find toilets cleaner and sweeter smelling and more plentiful in the UK.

I would say though that some in UK society seem to get some kick out of wrecking and trashing free facilities or carving them up or using them for graffiti. Due to that I guess some toilets and what is on offer is kept to a minimum!

We have visited UK camp sites where camp site owners have to keep a close ee on kids "playing" around toilet and shower blocks due to the damage a FEW cause.

We visited Ireland last year for the first time with our Caravan. We drove for miles unable to find a Lay by that did not have a low barrier blocking it.

The Irish have the Caravanning "Tinker Travelling" families with similiar problems. So if you are anyone is going to Eire you may find pulling in for a break is not as easy as you may expect.

Many European campsites have been streets ahead of many of ours for thirty years or more. Some UK sites are still struggling to acheive levels offered in Europe that I encountered in the mid 70's.

But I would say that our tax and local area council tax and Business water rates has a lot to answer for on

that score ;-(

 

[coljac]

Michael Lord B makes scense .Your penultimate paragraph is pure GOBLEDEGOOK. Are you trying to say that the streets of Paris are dirty with dog muck?? Coljac

 

[Jeff-Pontypridd]

Michael,

If you think dog mess is a problem in Paris, you obviously haven't been to Ostend! That place is unreal. Whenever we've been there, we play spot the unmessed inch of pavement - a long and futile game.