Caravans

[cherokee]

we started touring last year and its brilliant..just wish wed have done it sooner ..

like you westender hubby tries to be very aware and respectfull to orther road users and whereever poss pulls in to allow the traffic to pass and he is also very cautious with the weight distribution .he puts most of the heavy stuff over the axle weve just come back from our first holiday day of this year with many more weekeends away to come..


touring ...bring it on ..we love it.

[WillowTheWhisp]

For a family it's a lot cheaper than hotels. It does depend on how much you pay for the caravan to start with but remember that when/if you get fed up you can always sell it and if you've looked after it you can get a good return. I've even known people to make a profit.

[MargaretR]

I am resurrecting this thread because caravan owners might decide to air their views about this-

This morning my neighbour has parked his caravan on the street.
He removed it from a summer site last Autumn and it was parked on his daughters drive until today. He told neighbours that that arrangement could only be temporary because his daughter's house was for sale.
So we expect it to be parked on the street at least until Easter, when he will, hopefully, clear off to a site for the summer.

It is an unwashed mucky eyesore.
It is parked 4ft behind my car, facing downhill, and he has not put chocks on the wheels.

I have looked at regulations governing street parking and found this-
Is it illegal to park a caravan in a quite cul de sac when it isn't causing an obstruction? — The Roadside Lawyer

This street is a quiet culdesac, with a large 'turn around' parking area at the end, but is narrow by most street standards. I expect that the coach which comes past every Wednesday for the school baths run may find it obstructive. (My wing mirror was knocked out of line, but not damaged) recently.
We often have tractors with trailers passing on their way to the allotments, and grass cutting equipment visiting the field.

I would like members who own caravans to express their opinions and relate their experiences of situations similar.

[Neil]

The caravan will have its own brake on it. Unless the local kids decide to take it off

[katex]

I have a sort of similar situation with my neighours Margaret, although they only park it on the road for a couple of nights, a few times during the summer, before they go away/come back off a trip, to unload or do maintenance. I have absolutely no objection to this as live and let live I say. It doesn't appear to cause too much of an obstruction, and no heavy plant vehicles come into my cul-de-sac. My road appears to be about the same width as yours.

That was interesting though about 'must be lit at night' .. does your neighbour do this, and how would he do it ? Don't suppose many caravan owners know this.

My other neighbour parks a large horsebox also on the road occasionally .. again no objections.. except can't always see properly what is coming down the road tp get put of my drive, but not busy so not bothered .. wonder if this should be lit too ?

[MargaretR]

I suspect that the nearby street lamp will be enough to deem it 'lit'.

I am concerned that the roaming vandals we get around here some nights, will set it in motion and it will roll into my car.
The caravan will not be insured.

I could park elsewhere but like to have my car in view when I hear passing groups of yobs --which I suppose he has done, rather than put it in the parking area at the end of the culdesac, where no one can see it.

I will wait and see whether the binwagon gets past it easily on Tuesday and the school swim bus gets past OK on Wednesday.
I suspect that another neighbour who has it in full view on the ground floor may report it to the highways dept.

This neighbour used to live in a caravan with the gyppos, so we are a liitle more concerned than most about what might happen next.

[garinda]

Some of the caravan they use as sheds on the allotments, look in better nick.

[Neil]

I am very surprised he has not put a hitch lock on it. Anyone could steal it.

[entwisi]

To be classed as lit it must have its own lighting not be relient on street lighting.

I would never dream of leaving our caravan on the street more than the one night before going away somewhere. Our is stored over near Kirkham. Most caravan insurance won't cover you whilst parked unhitched from the car and with ours if we stop at services and leave it unattended we have to put the hitchlock on.


We bought ours in August last year. Its a 25 foot long twin axle jobie (Lunar Quasar 615). We wanted one with a definate 'bedroom' for Siobhan so when she goes to bed we can close it off so we don't disturb her. I always went camping as a kid (tents first then caravans) and loved it. We bought it as we want to do something a bit more constructive with the weekends than just nipping into town and then pottering about. We decided to store it near kirkham as we feel it will be easier if we spend time round the fylde coast area to just wizz over with no caravan then drag it to a site close by. If we decide to go up the lakes then we are only ~10 mins from the M6. The storage place is really good (Gold standard CSSA ) and cheap (240 quid a year)

We don't have an awning yet as I can't be bothered putting one up/ drying it out of its wet when you pull it down etc. Hence our choice to go for a huge thing

Ours weighs 1250 kg and to pull it the Volvo weighs 1700kg. You can't pull more than your car weighs or is rated to if built after 1998. There is a good site for checking here

What TowCar.com - All about Towcars and Towing Caravans

[MargaretR]

Useful info ref lighting - thanks
The local tinkers/gyppos are his friends so they aren't likely to steal it
Now that I have broadcast its presence, perhaps someone else might.

not that I am encouraging anyone - I like the way he disappears for months on end in the summertime

[Neil]

Stop messing about woman, just set it on fire. Before you do, please give Slinky time to get over and watch, she has a thing for Firemen

[MargaretR]

naughty, naughty

[entwisi]

Just Slinky Neil???

I thought if there was a half decent fire half the female membership of Accyweb suddenly goes quiet....

[shillelagh]

I dont Entwisi - i just get reports from mel and slinks.....