>>And you'd be surprised how often it isn't me driving slowly at the front of the queue -
>>you can see me when you're behind, but can't see the small Nissan Micra that I'm
>>forced to follow!
Which is fine provided the caravan driver is sitting 100 yards behind the Micra, not nose-to-tail.
I should suggest that unless the caravan tow-car is sufficiently highly powered to overtake the Micra, then it should not be doing the towing.
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Which is fine provided the caravan driver is sitting 100 yards behind the Micra not nose-to-tail.
Agree. Not least because with 1.5 tonnes of extra weight on my towbar, my stopping distances are considerably extended - not that the people who keep cutting into my braking distance coming into roundabouts seem to care!
I should suggest that unless the caravan tow-car is sufficiently highly powered to overtake the Micra then it should not be doing the towing.
Don't fully agree. The combination of the extra 1.5 tonnes and the extra 7m gives even a well-powered, well driven caravan outfit a few problems overtaking! Though I've usually managed eventually!
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I've never really understood the need to tow a 1.5 ton lump of tin around in order to have a holiday! And then end up in a field of other tin cans which are a real blot on the landscape. I know a few people with 'vans and they rarely go more than about 30 miles from home - so much for the freedom of the open road etc.
I'd like to see them banned or at least taxed in the way that other vehicles are.
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I'm some one who normally fights new taxes and govt interference but I'll step back when it comes to caravaners. If my holiday flight is a planet killer which must be taxed, then their dragging a tin shed around , damaging the environment where ever they set up with their chemical toilet and smoke billowing bar b que , should also be treated as a enemy to the planet.
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Don't think I could be caravan owner because of the level of almost pathological hatred and abuse ownership seems to attract. It's not my cup of tea but I don't quite understand the level of antipathy towards them. How do you caravanners live with it?
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It was quite easy actually! I say was because now I'm an ex caravanner.
Why go caravanning? Because it suited a young family. Relatively cheap to buy a half decent second hand caravan. An adventure in the countryside without having to travel that far. Not having to book months in advance. Could plan trips around the weather forecast. Could go away probably more often than booking cottages. Kids could play out in a safe environment and socially interact with other kids. Other caravanners would watch out for the kids. Have been to other parts of the country I might not have visited. Fresh air! No TV. Not being herded around airports like animals. Contributing to the local economy. Freedom to roam I. A bit more comfortable in the rain than a tent. Icould go on.
Why did we stop? The kids do grow out of caravanning and space becomes somewhat restricted. I also found that preparation, de kitting and cleaning was taking up an inordinate amount of my valuable holiday. We did have some absolutely cracking holidays.
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I just have a good tent and the usual equipment, we usualy go to Benllech its a good way out but it costs just £6 per person per night and there is a good pub near by.
I've always thought about living in a static caravan as an alternative to a house boat as these are pretty much impossible to get on a residential morings. I cannot afford to buy a property and I have no desire in renting so a caravan seems like a great alternative, so what if it makes me a traveler or what ever the politicaly correct term is now.
Tents can be confortable but don't get a cheap one, makle sure you have a decent airbed, decent airplugs, a personal stereo lots of booze and you will be fine. Oh and pitch the tent right next to the toilets!
I've never really fancied a touring caravan as they require a lot of skill (and I would have to pass another test) but a camper van would be ideal. I had always planned to convert my own van into one but I since realised there is a lot fo regulations involved. I cannot just wire in a 240v invertor etc.
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A freind of mine, did just that he bought a static and lived in it - he lives in a house now but he said it was brilliant "big enough for me, and enough space for a computer room" and had a little heater to keep it nice and warm.
all on a very quiet "neighbourhood" of other statics
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I have been caravanning for nearly 20 years & the best holidays i have ever had with the family.
Often halfway to the south of France in the time i would of spent in an airport.
I usually only wait 10 mins at the tunnel & 20 mins on the train & our holiday starts the other side.
This year 4 adults with a week in switzerland in the Alps & week 2 in the South on the Med & week 3 in the loire including site fees & insurance £700! Fuel bill about £800
Freedom to tour Europe has always been the best hols with fantastic weather.
When I flew to scicily for 1 week for 2 it cost over 3k & hotel was Ok but missed all our home luxuries that we take with us in the van & got delayed at gatwick going out & delayed nearly 6 hrs returning, Horrendous stuck in the Airport
The only time Im holding anyone up is when I get stuck behind Nissan micra's or the middle laners on the motorways in the Uk
The freedom is fantastic. The only problem is that I cant stop the kids ( grown up ) from comming.
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>>Why go caravanning? Because it suited a young family. Relatively cheap to buy a half decent second hand caravan. An adventure in the countryside without having to travel that far. Not having to book months in advance. Could plan trips around the weather forecast. Could go away probably more often than booking cottages. Kids could play out in a safe environment and socially interact with other kids. Other caravanners would watch out for the kids. Have been to other parts of the country I might not have visited. Fresh air! No TV. Not being herded around airports like animals. Contributing to the local economy. Freedom to roam I.
Yep, been there, done that but with a tent. The humble tent fits in the boot and off you go. Even a big tent that's bigger than a small caravan, and it'll take about 30 minutes to put up, has 3 separate areas, can be stored in your garage/shed and is much closer to nature if that's what you want. A good one might cost of all of £200. And cheaper to take over the channel .... need I go on?
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Caravans are a pain in the backside. Along with their owners. It should be renamed the Caravan Mimser Club for Tight Wads.
And they should be made to travel between 12 midnight and 6 am. By law!
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and they should have
' I am a CARAVANER " in big letters on the back of their Anoraks.
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And a rear window sticker that says" I PULL OVER FOR NO-ONE".
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I'm so sorry for you chaps being so angry all the time, that I'm not going to report your posts as offensive. Calm down - you once had your journey extended by 10 minutes, probably as a result of the clot behind the caravan who would neither overtake nor let you do so.
Inconsiderate motorists are sometimes caravanners, but the vast majority don't need a trailer to be a menace.
"Get a life" is I think the correct expression ;-)
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Spood et al
I've heard the same generalisations a hundred times before. I didn't find them funny the first time and they haven't got any better with age.
I'd be much more interested to hear why you think you might have the right to have the road to yourself, or at least only sharing it with other narrow-minded bigots.
Just so you don't go offending too many more people, thereby making an even bigger idiot of yourself, there is nothing "tight wad" or "mimsing" about caravan ownership.
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Been reading this thread with more and more increasing pity for those subscribers who have nothing better to vent their spleen on than the odd caravan they might get stuck behind on an A road, Smokie is quite right, there is nothing about us, mimsey or otherwise that you should risk high blood pressure and a coronary over. When swmbo and I are out in our luxury 17ft, 2 berth van and large towcar we are quite able to keep up with the national speed limits, which, by the way, are set 10 mph less by the government, not us . Tight wads ? No, my van cost 3 times more than my house and it gives me the freedom to do what I want and go where I want, when I want. It doubles as an extra room at home if we need it. It has all the comforts of home, even central heating, with no reliance on others at all. New friends are made easily so we arec the lucky ones whilst you lot puff and bluster with rage.....I don't give a pink fluffy dice !
Ted
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 09/03/2009 at 23:55
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And as the main manufacturer base is in the UK there is support for home grown industry. Can't say that about cars can we?
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"Get a life" is I think the correct expression ;-)
Yes get a life. Don't buy a caravan.
You can tell the type of person who owns a caravan from the way they post on other threads here. But the sterotype aside, you must admit that it would be good to have these ugly things move around the road network at night during the hours I suggest.
Not just to alleviate congestion but so I don't have to clap eyes on the hideously facially challenged "Norms" that drive the things. They scare the kids. And their perma tan other halves. ;-)
Mr. X, can I borrow your sheild!
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Spood, you really ought to understand that the world won't always operate in exactly the way you want, or be pleasing to your senses and your oh-so-sensitive kids. See if you can learn some tolerance for those situations, by keeping your mouth shut, If you can't manage that (which seems to be the case here), at least refrain from being insulting.
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"at least refrain from being insulting"
If you read my previous post, I insulted no-one on here by name. I was then singled out by name, when others had made comments against the threat of more caravans blocking up our single carriageways this summer.
I must of touched a true/raw nerve if you have to resort to verbal threat. How are you going to make me shut my mouth? Freedom of speech?. Not so it seems. Bullying because you don't like an opinion whether serious or in JEST shows how narrow minded you are.
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Spood,
Calm down, it's only a com, sorry, a caravan. :)
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Mr Spood - generalised whinges and moans are fairly common here, those who bother to read them are mostly immune. Your comments went beyond that, and continue to do so. Read back what you've written - I don't think it's me that's narrow minded.
Anyway, you have mail.
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"Not just to alleviate congestion but so I don't have to clap eyes on the hideously facially challenged "Norms" that drive the things. They scare the kids. And their perma tan other halves. ;-)"
As this post directly followed my post I do not think I would have been over sensitive by thinking that post related to myself first and other 'fans' second. It was only with the inclusion of the ;-) and reference to Mr X when I presumed you were not being entirely serious. ;-] Intent and effect can be two different things.
Edited by Fullchat on 13/03/2009 at 21:13
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You learn to treat it as the ill-informed bigotry it is :-)
Terryb
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Agree. Not least because with 1.5 tonnes of extra weight on my towbar my stopping distances are considerably extended
Really? On occasions I've driven large trailers with properly serviced brakes I've been impressed at the extra stopping power.
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I should suggest that unless the caravan tow-car is sufficiently highly powered to overtake the Micra then it should not be doing the towing.
That sounds a little extreme to me, particularly factoring in the 50mph speed limit that the caravan is subject to and which may only be marginally faster than the Micra is travelling.
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As Fullchat says, caravanning provides support for a home grown industry. Not to mention tourism and support for small businesses. Many caravanners are retired with a lot of disposable income. I for one don't want them to spend their money abroad. As for taxing them, they already provide extra revenue to the treasury by way of the extra fuel they use when towing. Enough already!
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I wonder why the annual tirade of abuse from 'caravanphobics' is not also levelled at folk who tow horse boxes, boat trailers, bike and classic car trailers, fairground folk and many others. I suppose envy must play apart or lack of 'bottle' to do it themselves.
Happy Caravanning, folks !
Ted
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Don't start me on horse boxes
Why do you rarely see brand new ones but regularly get stuck behind 20 year old former bread vans which have been attacked by some one with a metal saw and the ability to do some very rudimentary welding ?
Why do people drive round an animal, designed to be ridden for many miles, instead od riding it ?
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...A freind of mine, did just that he bought a static and lived in it ....
My static in leafy North Yorkshire has central heating and double glazing, but you wouldn't want to live in it during the coldest times of the year.
It sounds cosy, but the walls are not much thicker than the double-glazed units, so the insulation is just not there.
It's a holiday caravan, or as the guy who sold it to me very fairly said, a 10-month van. Suitable for all but the coldest couple of months of the year.
There's also the Caravan Act which prohibits year-round occupation of holiday parks.
Residential caravans/lodges are available, but you won't get much for under £100k.
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I've had the "boys" sent round from the caravan Mafia, and had my hands slapped:-)
Apologies to anyone on this post who has been insulted/hurt by my comments.
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I've had the "boys" sent round from the caravan Mafia and had my hands slapped:-) Apologies to anyone on this post who has been insulted/hurt by my comments.
>>
Thanks for you reply. Your hands are still intact but are your wheels still there? :-)
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Reply to ifithelps :-)
There are some residential ones near where i live, and this was many years ago i THINK he payed circa £30-40K for it but this was a long time ago.
He now lives in a house, and likes it much more, and we can fit a bigger Telly in a house for those boys Film nights ;-)
Edited by redviper on 13/03/2009 at 12:38
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There is something wonderful about sleeping under canvas IF you get good weather. Waking up of a morning and breathing in that fresh air, being woken by the dawn chorus, feeling the chill as you desperately try to boil a cuppa.
Problem is, you often do not get this - good weather I mean.
I know several campers - both tenters and carvaners - who now rent B&Bs since the cost of campsites has soared. If you get 2 or more couples you are better off renting a cottage usually.
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I know several campers - both tenters and carvaners - who now rent B&Bs since the cost of campsites has soared. If you get 2 or more couples you are better off renting a cottage usually.
Thats what we do, the cost of a decent caravan and something adequate to tow it buys a lot of B&Bs. A lot less hassle, you dont have to drag a B&B around with you, find places to park it, or empty its toilet.
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Thats what we do the cost of a decent caravan and something adequate to tow it buys a lot of B&Bs. A lot less hassle you dont have to drag a B&B around with you find places to park it or empty its toilet.
I was looking into camper vans last year - as you say, the cost of them even second-hand buys a lot of B&Bs and hols.
As I say, there is something lovely about opening a tent flap or a camper/caravan door of a morning and breathing in clean air... but you really need the weather. I can see lots of advantages to having, say, a campervan and being on hols in France in the Summer (Assuming you don't get robbed by the 'sleeping gas' thieves of a night) where it is warm and the days long... but less so in the UK.
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"There is something wonderful about sleeping under canvas IF you get good weather. Waking up of a morning and breathing in that fresh air, being woken by the dawn chorus, feeling the chill as you desperately try to boil a cuppa.
Problem is, you often do not get this - good weather I mean."
Too right! The last three summers have been carp! If you could guarantee some reasonable dry spells in this country tenting would be brill. I remember my last year of caravanning in the Lakes, a couple of years ago. There was a camping site below the caravan site which we would walk through to get to the lakeside (Coniston). The camping site looked like a refugee transit site with all the mud. I do not want to spend all year looking forward to my two weeks summer holiday and live in those conditions. Might as well go home.
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We moved from a canal boat to a caravan and now self catering for those reasons as well! Canal boating is now horrendously expensive, but caravanning is ok as long as you choose the correct 'van, the biggest car we used was a Montego and had no problem in keeping up with other traffic, even overtaking from time to time...
When you've got young kids a CL in the middle of the country is wonderful... I never liked the big sites, though...
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Interesting comments re vans vs B & B. In 2006, when we first spent our [retired ] winters in the Northern summer, I was going to rent a campervan, but the travel agent strongly advised renting a smaller car and using B & B / Pensions / small hotels. Peugeot did a good deal for non-EU residents, and it did work out over-all a lot cheaper than the campervan idea. It also had the advantage that there was no "site" to be nicked whilst we were out exploring the countryside.
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My father used to say there was a lot of B&B in the price of a caravan; but B&B isn't so cheap anymore at £70+ per night plus the costing of eating out. Cost aside, I soon tire of eating out every night as well - unless in a familar area, you are going to get indifferent food half the time and there are only so many pub meals, chinese dishes, or curries I can eat.
Some people enjoy caravanning for its own sake, others, like us since we switched from canalling a couple of years ago, find it a great way to explore and visit the further flung bits of the country.
We know some great sites in beautiful surroundings where we can put the walking boots on and walk straight into wonderful countryside, or stroll a few hundred yards into a North Yorkshire market town, or to a great restaurant. We can lie in, get up early, be late back, have a barbecue, whatever.
I'm not trying to convert anybody - the last thing I want is for the hoi-polloi to find these places and turn up in droves ;-)
Happily, many caravanners are indeed 'Normans' who don't carouse at all hours, do behave considerately, and are usually only too happy to help or share information.
Norman.
Edited by Manatee on 14/03/2009 at 10:36
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...Happily, many caravanners are indeed 'Normans' who don't carouse at all hours, do behave considerately...
Too right, most of the people around my static in leafy North Yorkshire are middle class snobs like me.
We might speak, but usually it's too much effort.
That's one of the reasons why I like being there.
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Tried Self catering, it got too expensive to find a decent place, hotels were too restrictive and often noisy. B&Bs are OK if you know what you are booking in to, but some brochures and web sites can make even the humblest (grottiest) place look palatial.
A privately owned caravan with your own bed linen, towels, cutlery, crockery etc I find is more comfortable than having to check all of the above list is cleaned and laundered to your own standards. How often do little B&Bs cut corners with little "efficiencies"like
"the last lot only stayed one night, just brush the pubes of the sheet and fold the towel so you can't see the skidmarks".
Ask any ex proprietor, they obviously won't have done it themselves, but they will know someone who did, no doubt;)
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We had a caravan as a family from when I can remember until being about 15 years old. What it did for us as a family was allowed us to explore Europe for relatively cheap prices - I was about the only person in my class each year through the 70s and early 80s who went abroad each summer. It was enjoyable doing the follow your nose touring about. that is what my dad liked - see if somewhere was nice and then find somewhere to stop - saw alot of the byways of France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain way before any of my friends got there.
Think it suits people who want a particular type of freedom - free of the conventions of a hotel (eg mealtimes, being sniffy about children being present) and also having to deal with alot in a foreign language. booking into a site was easy enough as it was dead obvious you had a caravan and from then on you could eat what u liked. I think it also suits people who do have ways of doing things that they don't like upsetting eg having a cup of tea in the morning when they want...going to bed early or late or getting up when they want...
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Also would second the thing about carp B&Bs in this country. Has put me right off going anywhere even to ones that feature in the recommended guides. went to one in the Isle of wight and their version of charming meant just old decor that had been last done in the 1970s. 4 of us were staying and our pair of rooms were netting them 150 quid each night and breakfast was at 830am and no other time...and there was no choice of breakfast either. Had some real shockers too.
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I would third that. When i haven't been caravanning I too have stayed in some B&B's that are expensive & Dire & regimental about breakfast at 8-8.30 only & evening meal 7.30 only & fixed menu & with 4 adults to pay for it makes caravanning very good value for money. Normally spend around £28 a night on a caravan site & some of the top franch ones with too many activities too list about 50e a nite. No wonder caravan sales are on the increase. Alos the best bit is my mobile home is clean with very clean sheets!
Lets just hope that nissan micra sales don't increase by the same amount
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Swmbo and I get away every other weekend in spring and summer to a farm site in the middle of Cheshire, £10 a night, beautifully kept camping field, price includes electricity. Basic toilet and shower but we don't need them. No playground, bar or anything but plenty to do and places to eat in area. 26 miles from home on good roads not holding anyone up. Family and friends visit .... I can store the van there , securely, for £4 a week.
Value or what ?
Ted
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