Campervans, Motorhomes & Travellers

the_syco

Just to clarify, for this thread, by travellers I mean I]MODEDIT: [/I][s]knackers[/s] [I][B]travellers[/B] is what you mean[/I, and not people in MH's travelling around the country.

After reading the Campervans not wanted in North Kerry thread, it got me thinking what the locals may have meant by "undesirables". Every single carpark near me, bar one, has a height barrier installed to prevent travellers from parking there. Likewike with most carparks that I've seen. You don't want to be seen discriminating against the travellers, or they'll sue you, so they seem to ban all MH's.

So I'm wondering: how has the increase locations being destroyed by travellers affected how people view people with MH's & C's? And how has it affected the amount of locations that used to accessible to you?

peasant

Travellers deciding to settle for a while may be one reason for blocking off parking lots and lay-by's ...however there are quite few "campers" who behave like such pigs that they can spoil it for the rest of us as well.

Also on the issue of campers staying on the beachfront ...I can see it here in Strandhill every summer. Theres a perfectly nice campsite right at the beach, yet there are up to 10 motorhomes on a given weekend blocking the promenade and parking for everybody else.
IMO that's not right.

I don't think that we can blame all ill will against motorhomes on travellers ...quite a bit of it we have caused ourselves.

the_syco

peasant wrote: »

I don't think that we can blame all ill will against motorhomes on travellers ...quite a bit of it we have caused ourselves.

Found that slagging off the forums users gets you banned

peasant

what are you on about?

unfit2006

Hi,

Regarding the wild camping issue and the "Kerry" angle on same, which has been referred to already, I think that there are a number of different forces at play here.

1. The installation of height barriers at practically every lay-by and recreational stop-off in this country is a crude yet (some would say) effective response by Local Authorities to deal with the inability of legislators to deal with long stay occupation of such amenities by the travelling community in this country.
Both the legislation and enforcement of any such legislation is weak on this issue, so therefore all motorhomers suffer.

2. The extension of aires in this country will always be viewed in the context of the "tempory halting by-laws" as long as the traveller issue remains unresolved.
Legislators would not be allowed discriminate between the various types of usage of such facilities, so therefore few, if any, Local Authorities would be brave enough to introduce and manage such facilities.

3. Ireland now boasts the highest number of hotel beds per capita of any country in Europe. Many of these hotels were backed (financed) by influential members of local communities. The corporate sector no longer requires even a fraction of those beds and the tourist sector is on its knees. B & B's and guesthouses are being squeezed out by the special offer rates on offer by hotels who must meet their monthly repayments to their financiers. Therefore, any wild camping by motorhomes will seen as lost revenue to the hotel/tourist accomodation sector. Their representatives will ensure that the local legislators are seen to act "appropriately" to safeguard their interests. Local Authorities in holiday hotspots such as Kerry, which rely on the tourist trade, will always be subject to local financial/political/ratepayer influences on such matters.

I feel that these are just a number of the issues that will prevent motorhome aires or other wild wild camping facilities becoming a reality in Ireland anytime soon.

unfit.

spaceHopper

peasant wrote: »

Also on the issue of campers staying on the beachfront ...I can see it here in Strandhill every summer. Theres a perfectly nice campsite right at the beach, yet there are up to 10 motorhomes on a given weekend blocking the promenade and parking for everybody else.
IMO that's not right.

There will always be those who want to stay on a camp site and those that don't. There are airs in France beside campsites and both do well!.

I've been in one of those camper vans in Strandhill sea front - we go there all year even winter, the campsite is closed in winter, it's also to expensive and apart from a parking spot you don't get anything else, I've used it with my tent before a good bit - There's just something about the place I don't like it.

Parking on the prom is tolerated because surfers spend so much money in Strandhill, we bring our friends who pitch tents in the camp site. If they start hassling campers for parking there in winter when the campsite is closed they'll piss of people who'd use it sometimes in the summer - they won't come back, there's loads of parking in Enniscrone - just make sure you lock your boards up at night!

Franner

spaceHopper wrote: »

There will always be those who want to stay on a camp site and those that don't.

I agree. Personally I far prefer wild camping. I'm scrupulous about leaving places as I find them (or tidier) though.
The state Irish people leave places in is shocking. I watched in astonishment last year at daytrippers in Sallysgap casually throwing rubbish, leaving stuff behind them, letting bags drift into streams etc.
The barriers are a real pain :mad: Europe is definitely more camper van friendly.