Quote: Originally posted by TraceyD on 26/6/2025
You're probably right DK, very sadly
It annoys me big time that there are adults who expect others on site to be the guardians of their little angels the moment they arrive on site.
Easier to deal with nowadays as I shall not be attending a child that has tripped/fallen/hurt him/herself/whatever for fear of being accused of improper behaviours, etc. etc., even though I have been DBS-enhance checked, twice by different charitable organisations!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Quote: Originally posted by TraceyD on 26/6/2025
You're probably right DK, very sadly
It annoys me big time that there are adults who expect others on site to be the guardians of their little angels the moment they arrive on site.
Easier to deal with nowadays as I shall not be attending a child that has tripped/fallen/hurt him/herself/whatever for fear of being accused of improper behaviours, etc. etc., even though I have been DBS-enhance checked, twice by different charitable organisations!
DK
I assume feral children to be 'normal' on any family site these days! If going to a family site I make a point of finding a pitch well away from play areas, which is where many families head for, and the camp shop, as the little cherubs seem to be back and forth in a quest for sweets and ice creams, and the shortest route across/past your pitch is 'compulsory' to them!
Likewise, not inclined to be the one to attend children in distress unless it appears life threatening. I too have been DBS checked for past charity work, but as usually a lone male on my trips, too easy a target for false malicious accusation! I'm of a generation where parents minded their own children, my parents did for me, and I did with my step-son.
As well as feral kids, I also find myself being a 'dog warden' for stray dogs! Because I've got a dog, the loose dogs want to either play with or fight mine!
Sad world these days!
By choice if I can, I opt for adult only CL sites, just reduces the chances of bad neighbours!
We have perforce just spent 32 nights at Moss Lane CL at Billsborrow near Preston. The owner Andy and a couple called Norman and Judy could not have been more helpful. No kids, feral or otherwise
Honestly, it was the adults that irritated me the most. Actual grown-ups should really know better than to tiptoe through the tent pegs behind other people's tents, but clearly some lack the common sense. 🤦♀️
I saw an excellent idea though, which I'm so tempted to try - bunting and fairy lights strung between lantern crooks - much more sociable and decorative than a windbreak, but an obvious barrier to most people.
Quite honestly, it's not often we come across bad behaviour / bad manners on sites.
If people aren't being thoughtful to others then lists of rules hung up won't generally change that behaviour if you do come across the odd inconsiderate camper.
Sometimes the really small number of bad apples get all the attention - there really are plenty of thoughtful and happy campers out there (and we probably all annoyed people unintentionally at times).
I find if I open my blinds/curtains on the caravan, a Border Collie going absolutely APEs**t and VERY focused on their too close presence tends to persuade them to give a wider berth next time! If you know Collies, you'll know their stare is unwavering and highly intimidating (Collies cower bolshy Rams and even Bulls with just their 'look'), and she also has amber eyes which makes her stare all the more effective and unmistakably targeted on you!
She's pretty territorial about 'her' domain so unlikely to let you pass without announcing her presence. She's actually as soft and sociable as they come, and normally very quite, but doesn't hesitate to let it be known you are on 'her' patch!
I fear for my caravan interior with her attempts to intimidate 'trespassers', so unless I'm after making a point, I keep blinds down/curtains pulled so she only barks at them, unless I WANT them to see her!
Since getting my van and opting for hardstanding pitches, I find I have less issues with peeps trespassing my pitch to walk on the hardstanding.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
I know some people hate the often somewhat regimented layout, but as DK said, I too find HS pitches tend to minimise opportunity for people cutting corners in many cases, as often some defining boundary between pitches, doesn't always stop the feral kids and loose dogs though!
Worst situations I've encountered are the less formal pitches with no real defined boundaries as is often the case with grass pitches.
All this crossing other peoples pitches brings to mind a post on here a while ago, someone posted a picture of a large rip in their tent and asked 'how', general consensus was someone (who shouldn't have been there!) had tripped over a guy and fallen onto the tent, bursting through the flysheet as they landed.
I am guessing not many in UKCS are fans of tightly packed tents at music festivals!
Just need one to catch a fire and the whole lot will go up in smoke!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
A damaged tent is my main fear, and seeing people stepping over guys and EHU behind tents last week makes me nervous. Nobody wants to spend their holiday wondering if someone is going to land on their head in the middle of the night because they stumbled on a guy because they couldn't be bothered to go the extra 10 feet around the pitch to head to the loo block!
I've gone ahead and ordered some tastefully coloured cloth bunting. We already have some solar fairy lights with tiny LEDs so they don't emit much light but look pretty.
I don't really like the idea of having to 'rope off' any part of the pitch (we've never used a windbreak, even) but at least we can have it in our kit if we pitch up somewhere and find it's a problem.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: New campers and `learning the rules`
via mobile 26/6/2025 at 12:28pm
If you know Collies, you'll know their stare is unwavering and highly intimidating (Collies cower bolshy Rams and even Bulls with just their 'look'), and she also has amber eyes which makes her stare all the more effective and unmistakably targeted on you! 
