Caravan Club Early Arrivals

[hodso]

The caravan club keep reminding members that arrivals should be after 12, I have just returned from a site where new arrivals were pulling up on site as early as 9. 45.

1 chap played his face so much the warden gave up arguing and let on a pitch.

Makes a whole mockery of the 12 o’clock rule

 

 

 

[Markt1891]

See this thread

 

http://www. caravantalk. co. uk/community/topic/99245-caravan-club-wasting-my-time/

 

It explains why people turn up at 9:45. .. "select any available pitch" has many benefits but unfortunately some people find it necessary to resort to this type of behaviour.

 

Mark.

[Mallah]

NOT AGAIN !!!!!!

[hodso]

NOT AGAIN !!!!!!

i dont trawl the site so wasnt aware,,,,, can see now why new members of CT dont raise a thread when poeple like you SHOUT them down

[poolebob]

OP don t take it personally but it is very frustrating when people start a topic which has been debated ad nauseam and frequently at that without realising it.

 

Poolebob

Edited September 1, 2014 by poolebob

[adora]

OP don t take it personally but it is very frustrating when people start a topic which has been debated ad nauseam and frequently at that without realising it.

 

Poolebob

 

It happens on all kinds of sites and not just caravan forums such as CT so why not just ignore that particular post instead of commenting about how often the topic comes up and how frustrating it is to see it mentioned again?

 

Comments like "NOT AGAIN" aren't helpful to anyone and discourages newbies from posting!

 

I for instance haven't come across this topic before as my caravan has been permanently sited since 1992 so I find it interesting and I'm sure the newbies to caravanning who intend to tour their vans will perhaps learn something from the post!

[DerbyClubman]

 

On another non caravan forum I use - with many more posts per day than we see here, there is active moderation where members will refer the original poster to another topic for the answer to their query or a similar conversation and the later topic is then locked. That way all the discussions about a particular subject are together instead of getting several running at the same time which is repetitive and tedious.

 

Using that example in this case after his helpful direction to another topic, Mark in post #2 should have reported the topic for a moderator to lock it. It created some bad feeling at first but regular members learnt to use the search facility first to see if anyone had asked the same question before, and now the forum is a lot tidier without pages of similar topics.

[Johnaldo]

Many of forums which I use have a 'sticky' post which reqests (and in one case insists) that all posters use the search facility to avoid this repetition of threads. One forum tells all new members to do the same.

 

John

[Kiwi Graham]

Hang on a sec. ..........

 

Are we saying we cant talk about a topic that has already been discussed!?

 

All that would be left is moaning and griping, because so many on hear have something to moan and grip about. Some even moan and grip about moaning and griping. .................oh hang on a sec, as you were

[WispMan]

I for one, would not like to lock a thread that has been discussed before. There will always be new members starting topics covered before so one can either provide a link to the previous thread, ignore it or join in the discussion.

[Guest]

On another non caravan forum I use - with many more posts per day than we see here, there is active moderation where members will refer the original poster to another topic for the answer to their query or a similar conversation and the later topic is then locked. That way all the discussions about a particular subject are together instead of getting several running at the same time which is repetitive and tedious.

 

Using that example in this case after his helpful direction to another topic, Mark in post #2 should have reported the topic for a moderator to lock it. It created some bad feeling at first but regular members learnt to use the search facility first to see if anyone had asked the same question before, and now the forum is a lot tidier without pages of similar topics.

 

Totally agree with the first paragraph and is how I deal with dupicate topics, and would advocate everyone follows the advice given in the second paragraph.

[Markt1891]

I for one, would not like to lock a thread that has been discussed before. There will always be new members starting topics covered before so one can either provide a link to the previous thread, ignore it or join in the discussion.

I think it depends on the topic. If if is more of a debate (like this one) then I don't see the harm in letting the new thread run with links to previous threads where appropriate. People's perspective or views about a particular topic can change over time.

 

What can be a little frustrating is when a topic related to a specific fault ends up split across multiple threads. I have seen this a few times and people often end up asking the same questions or making suggestions which have already been shown not to resolve the situation. It is also more difficult for people to keep track of the latest info. In this case I would much prefer more active moderation where threads are merged.

 

What's more annoying is where threads go completely off topic. .. . LOL.

 

Mark.

[matelodave]

Going back to the original subject - there are some sites where the entrance roads are too narrow to for caravans to pass so a gap between those coming in and going out is obviously the best way to cope with it. I think that once upon a time the CC used to charge. those who rolled up early - perhaps it should be re-introduced.

Wardens also have other duties and need to get them done before the new lot arrive. A couple of weeks ago we were at a site with a 1 o'clock entrance time and the wardens closed reception between 12 and 1 making them all queue until 1 o'clock. One day there were five vans all stacked up at 12:30 waiting to get in.

If I'm coming out before 12 and someone comes in then as far as I'm concerned it's them that do the backing up as they shouldn't be there. Likewise those who are coming out after 12 should do the backing when someone is coming in.

 

Hotels have booking out and booking in times, what's so different about a caravan site

Edited September 2, 2014 by matelodave

[slimseydy]

I would think every topic has been discussed before . but that would have been with different membership feedback & comments so why can't the new membership have a say ? Isn't that what a forum is all about ? People turn up early for one reason, because they can & if 7 sites out of 10 grant them access they will continue to do so . simples

[DerbyClubman]

I for one, would not like to lock a thread that has been discussed before. There will always be new members starting topics covered before so one can either provide a link to the previous thread, ignore it or join in the discussion.

 

 

 

Totally agree with the first paragraph and is how I deal with dupicate topics, and would advocate everyone follows the advice given in the second paragraph.

 

 

That's interesting - a Moderator disagreeing with an Administrator - does one outrank the other - do we need Ben to adjudicate or shall we use the Harry Hill solution - FIGHT ! !

 

 

 

Edit - just noticed that at the time of posting this, Grandpa Steve has 4472 postings which I recognise as the loco number of the Flying Scotsman (but he's from Derbyshire). Think I'll get my anorak and go . . . . .

Edited September 2, 2014 by DerbyClubman

[Mallah]

i dont trawl the site so wasnt aware,,,,, can see now why new members of CT dont raise a thread when poeple like you SHOUT them down

You have nearly three times the number of posts than me?.

Anyway don't flatter yourself it was aimed specifically at you.

You now know this has been discussed MANY times with the same outcome - nothing. The reason being it has abolutely nothing to do with anyone here but with the CC themselves so why do so many CC members feel the need to vent it here and not via the CC direct?

[MalH]

. ...because they can????

[Glen and Les]

. ...because they can????

Because they try and then get away with it, I presume, so that means they'll try again next time.

 

In my opinion the people who complain about the Caravan Club regulations are the people who regularly flout the rules, spoiling it for others.

[MalH]

We go out our way to ensure we arrive no earlier than 12 noon, but time and again find ourselves at the back of a queue of outfits that have have patently arrived before 12, with others already checked in and searching for pitches. The CC needs to enforce its own rules!

[poolebob]

Some thoughts on posting.

No one wants to discourage new members from posting and inevitably there will be times when they cover things that have already been discussed. I can live with that.

What frustrates me is when those who have been members for a while ignore all that has gone before when they start topics or make posts. Surely members have a responsibility to be aware of what others have posted.

 

See which category the OP falls in and you will understand some of the frustration expressed here.

 

Poolebob

[PR1]

We arrived at a CC site the other Sunday morning at 12. 10. 14 arrivals expected that day and we were the 8th to arrive! I expect a lot of caravans leaving met the new arrivals on a very narrow road!!

[Gaz40]

Going back to the original subject - there are some sites where the entrance roads are too narrow to for caravans to pass so a gap between those coming in and going out is obviously the best way to cope with it. I think that once upon a time the CC used to charge. those who rolled up early - perhaps it should be re-introduced.

Wardens also have other duties and need to get them done before the new lot arrive. A couple of weeks ago we were at a site with a 1 o'clock entrance time and the wardens closed reception between 12 and 1 making them all queue until 1 o'clock. One day there were five vans all stacked up at 12:30 waiting to get in.

If I'm coming out before 12 and someone comes in then as far as I'm concerned it's them that do the backing up as they shouldn't be there. Likewise those who are coming out after 12 should do the backing when someone is coming in.

 

Hotels have booking out and booking in times, what's so different about a caravan site

 

Totally agree, especially with access problems. If we arrive at a site after 12 noon, we hope that we will not encounter another caravan on our approach to the site. Especially on some of the single track approaches !!!

 

Mind you some sites have arrival times after 1pm.

Edited September 2, 2014 by Gaz40

[Markt1891]

I am not sure what else people expect to happen with the booking and pitch selection system that the CC uses. Select any available pitch on arrival means that people will arrive before 12:00 to ensure that they are at the front of the queue. It's human nature, although some people clearly take this too far and try and bend the rules.

 

If you were able to either choose a specific pitch or select that the CC would allocate one at time of booking (not arrival) then the problem would probably go away. In this case you can arrive anytime after 12:00 (eg. 6pm) knowing you would get the same pitch as you would have done 6hrs earlier. This is how most commercial sites operate and I have rarely had to queue at one of those.

 

I'm all for having freedom of choice, I just think a system where you make that choice at time of booking is a lot less hassle and fairer. It's still first come, first served. .. if you want a pitch near the toilet block, not under any trees etc. then book early!

 

To be fair where the CC system works well is for those people touring with no fixed plans as to where to go next. The current system does have a lot of flexibility (no deposits, change/cancel up to 72hrs before etc.) and I can see why some people prefer it. However you just have to accept that the downside is the 12:00 scrum .

 

Mark.

[Glen and Les]

But the 12. 00 scrum doesn't always work in favour of the early arrival - some sites extend departure times when not full, which causes further congestion on approach roads and less choice at 12. 00! Consistency (or lack of it) between sites/wardens is a major contributor to these issues.

[Halohodge]

At well known Caravan Club site at weekend and watched new arrivals at 09. 30 am trawling around to find a pitch, you know the type, twin axled pulled by big Jag or Merc, what I call the Isabella brigade, when they got pitched with their full awnings and annex extensions plus obligatory fairy lights, I can understand why they are so early, want to make the most of their stay but it clearly states in the handbook in BOLD type, no arrivals before 12 noon so how do they get on site so early, why do I find it so annoying, because I never get there before the my stated time when I booked, you cant even book a site before 12 noon.