Camping CFs - AIBU?

[CampingCFs]

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

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?

YABU, both to expect every human being to live exactly in the way you choose and to assume those who don't live in unsanitary conditions.

I know a few couples who have chosen vanlife, either temporarily or permanently, and they have perfectly adequate (or lovely) facilities with living conditions better than many in traditional housing.
They're not harming anyone and some simply have no choice.

Regardless of opinion, it will soon become far more common with the current housing crisis & exhorbitant utility bills.

@dworky in what way is tipping your waste and shit "not hurting people".

They shouldnt be leaving their shit around, but apart from that I dont think theres anything wrong with campers staying a night or two on roads they can legally park on.
Normally theyd be moved on after that.

I hate it when people group everyone in the same way. I'm a keen camper (tent) and know of many friends who own camper vans and they all have toilets in them. Unfortunately it would seem that a small minority of people are shitting on the beach, which is wrong, but it doesn't mean they are all doing that.
It's legal, so they aren't doing anything wrong. We aren't always going to like what others do.
What are the public toilets like near you?

This is one of the things I found frustrating in 2020 when public toilets were locked. I have such a weak bladder and even a walk to the park I normally need a wee. It was worse than the risks of covid spreading as everyone was peeing in all sorts of places.
Perhaps your local council need to focus on making the public toilets more available (longer opening hours etc...)

Lake District here. The last two years have been hell. They are utter bellends who don't add anything to the local economy because they don't pay for pitches etc. They leave shedloads of litter so that community groups have had to organise regular litter picks. I would say that I hope they all fuck off back to Ibiza soon but that wouldn't be fair to Ibiza.

It's not just about whether people have a porta potty in their campervan @Pumpfive it's about where they are choosing to empty it. I dont think it's a particularly small minority who are causing an issue either.

If they're leaving their shit and rubbish around, then definitely YANBU.
Those who are clean and respectful should be allowed to stay, though. We often park our camper in lay bys/free car parks etc, but would only stay for a night and wouldn't leave anything - I usually go out in the morning and do a litter pick of any other rubbish that locals and visitors have left there too. I used to live in a van and I was always respectful then, too.
Not everyone wants to live like you and not everyone can afford to be in a house. I really do believe that the UK should be free for everyone to explore and enjoy, as long as they're not harming others. Just because you live somewhere, doesn't give you and only you the right to enjoy that place.
But yeah, people who leave rubbish and human waste are vile and ruin it for everyone else.

More likely to be vanlifers than tourists - we have hundreds in the nearby city and plenty come here until the police politely move them on after a couple of nights (we have a 24 hours max along the coast). I've heard about issues with human waste but never seen any here but there's 24 hour public loos by the sea

And local toilets arent there to provide a long term solution for those who just want to holiday in an area without putting back into the local community. Pay for a camping ground fgs, even if it's just to use the showers/septic tank. Why should the locals subsidize you?

@Porcupineintherough

And local toilets arent there to provide a long term solution for those who just want to holiday in an area without putting back into the local community. Pay for a camping ground fgs, even if it's just to use the showers/septic tank. Why should the locals subsidize you?

Paying for camping isn't the only way to put back into the local community. What about using the local shops, pubs etc - which most people in vans will do? Do you also get angry about people who visit your area for a day using the public toilets - technically you're subsidising them, too?

@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.

Plenty of campervanners do shit in laybys etc.

I have a campervan myself (always park discreetly, or at a campsite, and use official toilets), but I have seen horrendous behaviour from others. I've even seen people lighting fires in wooded areas at a time when there was a known high fire risk and recent wildfires. Often it'll be people who've hired a van for a trip (you can tell from the van logos) but not exclusively.

YANBU OP, I'd complain to the council, as it's crap behaviour.

Britain has such a weird attitude to people in vans, imo.
All over Europe the local councils subsidise "aires" - free basic camping spots for vans with water and somewhere to empty waste. They know that campervan tourism brings money into economies in other ways and they welcome those tourists, and get rid pf the problem of waste by giving people somewhere to dispose of it in a sanitary way.

@Allelbowsandtoes I think opting out of paying for the disposal of your personal waste and the rubbish you generate shouldnt be optional. If you want to live in a van and roam, or just park up somewhere for a week or two, then that incurs waste disposal costs for someone. I think it should be you.

Why should the locals subsidize you?

That way of thinking is a very slippery slope.

Is it bollocks. I guess you dont live in a tourist hotspot, or regularly have to clean excrement off your land.

All over Europe the local councils subsidise "aires" - free basic camping spots for vans with water and somewhere to empty waste. They know that campervan tourism brings money into economies in other ways and they welcome those tourists, and get rid pf the problem of waste by giving people somewhere to dispose of it in a sanitary way.

Yes it's very normal to travel around in vans & there are generally very good services provided.

The poor availability and high cost of campsites make this a popular choice

One night in four on a formal site for facilities is easy , saves a bomb and with a replacement cassette we could do a week with no facilities needed

Europe 5 euros a night ( or less ) in a edge of town basic site ( free public transport often bundled in ). UK £30.

That said I don't think it's polite to hog prime parking spots in residential areas - YANBU

Recent years have seen an explosion in inconsiderate camping - we carry spare bin bags to clean up others mess

Is it bollocks. I guess you dont live in a tourist hotspot, or regularly have to clean excrement off your land.

So you have a problem with people visiting the beach & bringing their own lunches who use the toilets?

Err, Im a Londoner so I'm familiar with the odd tourist.

Its far to simplistic to assume you are subsiding others.

@Porcupineintherough

Is it bollocks. I guess you dont live in a tourist hotspot, or regularly have to clean excrement off your land.

I grew up in Cornwall, so yes I did live in a tourist hotspot. I'm more bothered about second homes than I am about people parking up in vans.

The people aren't being unreasonable to set up if there are no restrictions, but if people are causing an issue you need to contact the council and your local councillor. You won't just be able to contact them once you will need to contact them every time these people cause an issue. Without the information the council can't/won't do anything.

[quote Porcupineintherough]@dworky in what way is tipping your waste and shit "not hurting people".[/quote]
Do you have evidence that the people in these vans are doing this or is it simply your prejudice?
The vanlife community I know are responsible, often envronmentally aware, people who wouldn't dream of disposing of any type of waste irresponsibly.

[quote Porcupineintherough]@Allelbowsandtoes I think opting out of paying for the disposal of your personal waste and the rubbish you generate shouldnt be optional. If you want to live in a van and roam, or just park up somewhere for a week or two, then that incurs waste disposal costs for someone. I think it should be you.[/quote]
I take my rubbish home and put it in my own bin after staying somewhere for a couple of nights. That doesn't generate any costs to anyone.
What about people who come to your area for a day, use the bins after they've had their picnic/bbq - should they pay too?

I live in a holiday area and have similar issues.

No one really minds those who park up for the odd night somewhere unobtrusive, take all their rubbish with them and have their own loos and showers, etc and dispose of their waste properly.

Last summer was pretty awful with a minority of the campers dumping their rubbish everywhere, shitting and pissing on the beach/woods/random lay-bys/car parks, disposing of toilet waste wherever they fancied, blocking gateways and parking up on private property.

Our council is pretty good with amenities. Most of the big car parks in the main touristy towns have 24/7 public loos and toilet waste disposal facilities - but you have to pay a couple of pounds to park in them.

They’d rather park up on grass verges on the coast road, which is beautiful, and I don’t blame them, but instead of then travelling to the amenities and paying the couple of quid, they then empty their toilets in the bushes, and chuck their rubbish everywhere.

We have some very lovely “wild camping” campsites, which are cheap and cheerful, set up for van life type exploring, but have proper facilities for dealing with toilet waste and rubbish.

You need to complain to your local council and councillors.

It's disgusting. You should see the state of our little northern town on the run up to Appleby horse fair. The traditional travellers are never a bit of bother but the people along for the ride with massive new range rovers and 12 foot camper vans who have loud parties you can hear across the valley, leaving rubbish and human waste (I once saw someone emptying their portaloo in our river🤮) strewn all over our green spaces are a real problem. They park up for weeks at a time. They could do the trip in a day or two. Then our council has to clean up the mess with our council tax bill. Even in 2020 when covid cancelled the fair they still came. So inconsiderate.