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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Camping CFs - AIBU?

173 replies

CampingCFs · 13/03/2022 07:06

I live in a seaside town in the south west of England. We have a long coast road, lined with houses and hotels on one side, mostly with no parking restrictions.

In the last few years campervans and motorhomes have set up camp, sometimes for a night or two but sometimes for weeks, on the road. So rather than pay for an actual campsite they sleep on the side of the road. It strikes me as (a) cheeky but mostly (b) unsanitary as many don't have self-contained facilities and there are problems with human waste littering the area AngryEnvy

It used to be for a handful of weeks in the summer but yesterday there were a dozen or so on the road and in the (free) car parks dotted along. AIBU to think that people should respect a residential area and not claim public space as their private holiday spot?

OP posts:
Nevermindthefragglerocks · 13/03/2022 07:08

Of course YANBU - is it legal for people to pitch there overnight?

Original poster
CampingCFs · 13/03/2022 07:15

Yes it's legal. Another street nearby has parking restrictions between midnight and 6am but the coast road is used for parking by residents, visitors, hotel guests etc. so similar restrictions would be really inconvenient for locals.

OP posts:
Georgeskitchen · 13/03/2022 07:28

Does your local council not have "no overnight camping" signs up along the seafront? Most tourist places have this. Have local residents complained to the council?

Harridan1981 · 13/03/2022 07:31

Camping is different to parking. I'm sure there is a no sleeping overnight sign somewhere? Our nearby seafront has them all along it.

Sunnysidegold · 13/03/2022 07:32

Yep,check with the council - our car parks have the same "no overnight camping" signs and specifically reference motorhomes and camper vans.

Im not sure about the rules on the street, but leaving waste like that is so disgusting and disrespectful.

XmasElf10 · 13/03/2022 07:33

This reply has been deleted

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Original poster
CampingCFs · 13/03/2022 07:34

Signs were put up in a lay-by after a bylaw was passed and they "mysteriously" disappeared twenty times. That lay-by became a permanent home for some people for months and months.

There are no restrictions on overnight camping on the coast road afaik. Just common decency has stopped people in the past. I don't think people even minded the odd van with people who just crash there and set off early the next day. It's disconcerting though when they move got their van on levellers, their camping chairs on the pavement and their laundry draped over the seafront railings...

OP posts:
Original poster
CampingCFs · 13/03/2022 07:35

Human waste littering the area? Really?

Yes, really. I have to drag my dog away from it as he thinks it's food Envy The problem was widely reported locally.

OP posts:
YellowHpok · 13/03/2022 07:37

Report them to the council gypsy and traveller liason team. They will do a visit and encourage them to move on.

Might be a shock to some that they are now considered travellers.

BlindGirlMcSqueaky · 13/03/2022 07:38

If there are no restrictions, then yes you are being unreasonable. You can't expect people to know by intuition that you don't want them there.

Original poster
CampingCFs · 13/03/2022 07:38

campervan tourists generally are not the folks who shit on beaches. I’ve not come across anyone who uses even the smallest campervan without a loo on board

I have a camper van and choose not to have a loo on board. It takes up too much room and I don't want to use it in front of DH and DD! Also, some of the vans are very sketchily converter, some have no more than a sleeping platform in the back so they have no water or cooking equipment.

OP posts:
Original poster
CampingCFs · 13/03/2022 07:39

*converted

OP posts:
jay55 · 13/03/2022 07:40

Get on to your councillor and ask why there isn't a no overnight camping restriction. Ask for one.

Mayblossominapril · 13/03/2022 07:41

I used to live in a small market town that was very touristy and they would park on the street opposite my house! It became quite a problem in the town so the council allowed overnight camper vans at a small charge on the car park

Somebodylikeyew · 13/03/2022 07:44

Of course you’re not being unreasonable! The council need to enforce this.

Plinkyplonkyplonk · 13/03/2022 07:53

I feel your pain, southwest here- but farming. It's a fuckin nightmare. We've had people camp in our gate ways/fields and leave their shit- literally, and move on. It's rank. We've put CCTV and other deterrents out as it's our property, But it's rife this end of the country. No respect for others, I feel your frustration op! Get on to your mp, it's only going to get worse.

booplefloof · 13/03/2022 07:54

Penguin bollards all the way.

Or contact your local council

WhiteXmas21 · 13/03/2022 07:55

I am with you OP; lots of camper vans parking at the woods near us, no toilet facilities nearby, human waste (complete with tissue) left wherever; the odd shriek when my dogs disturb someone in the act.

Ironically there are signs telling me to pick up dog mess and bins provided. Human waste is not pleasant and can be dangerous to other creatures , but apparently the idea of picking it up is just beyond them.

londonrach · 13/03/2022 07:57

As someone who used to live in the south west it's vvv common. I don't think people realise how awful it is.

liveforsummer · 13/03/2022 07:58

Pretty normal here in Scotland and definitely legal. I've never seen human waste left behind though. Obviously that's a problem

Porcupineintherough · 13/03/2022 07:59

campervan tourists generally are not the folk who shit on beaches

You're out of date I'm afraid. This is a growing problem in the Peak District and part of Scotland. @CampingCFs you need to speak to the local council and badger them to enforce.

Outwiththenorm · 13/03/2022 08:03

@XmasElf10

Human waste littering the area? Really? Travellers have that reputation but campervan tourists generally are not the folks who shit on beaches. I’ve not come across anyone who uses even the smallest campervan without a loo on board… that’s one of the main advantages! I will happily use my van outside of a camping ground. It’s small but has an onboard waste water tank and a loo.
Are you kidding? We have a community park near us where huge expensive campervans have been known to empty out their septic waste Envy A friend found a tourist shitting in his back garden once (opens on to woodland). When he yelled at him the man laughed and walked back to his van.
flounfer · 13/03/2022 08:08

Can't they at least use the public toilets or does the beach not have them?

Username917778 · 13/03/2022 08:09

I feel your pain. I live on the NC500 and it is getting destroyed. We don't have the infrastructure for campervans to begin with and then they come and dump all their human waste in our lochs and road sides, start "camp" fires in high risk areas, and just park up where they like. It's a huge problem which exploded due to lockdowns and people not going abroad.

wearingtheT · 13/03/2022 08:16

We travelled to Scotland this summer, every single lay-by had a camper van in it. Bags and bags of rubbish left everywhere. It was awful. Will the police not move them on? It willingly get worse with the current state of the world, lots will be living in vans.