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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Pop-up tents on small, crowded beaches - AIBU not to think these are a bit anti social?

41 replies

tigermoth · 09/08/2009 11:03

Lsst week, I was at small busy beach in Devon. I had my 9 year old with me.

The beach has rocks and was surrounded by cliffs. There was also a stiff sea breeze, so the waves were not that small and every now and again, small children were in tears because a big wave had got them.

My view of the water's edge was severely restricted by all the pop up beach tents lining the shore. It was also difficult to see a full panorama of the beach with its rocks and cliffs.

So from a safety point of view, it would have been difficult for me to keep a close eye on my son.(Luckly he was mainly building sandcastles, so not in the sea).

Also, the scenic view of the beach was spoilt but the lines of tents (not that I'm heavily into scenic views but still....)

The sea round this beach can have strong currents - last year some people got trapped on the rocks. This year there were lifeguards on duty.

If the beach needs lifeguards, surely that means that parents need to be able to watch their children easily when on the beach and in the sea?

So AIBU in thinking all that people who put up their tents along the shoreline were being a bit thoughtless and anti social?

OP posts:
Earlybird · 09/08/2009 11:05

I always think those with pop up tents have babies or young children who need to be shielded from the all day hot sun. Never occured to me to think of them as anti-social.

LaurieFairyCake · 09/08/2009 11:06

yabu, most of them are UV tents for the children to take a break away from the sun in them - even with all day sun cream and sitting in the tent dd got a little red.

Also they are no different to wind breaks - there were loads of those on the beach last week.

Having said that we didn't put it up on the shoreline but at the back where the dunes were (there was no one behind us) so we could tie the dog up.

cornsillk · 09/08/2009 11:06

I can see your point.

paisleyleaf · 09/08/2009 11:06

They are handy for shade though.
Where I am the pop up tents and parasols etc are all further back, up the beach, as chances are they'll be there a few hours so tide will be changing at some point.
It does sound silly to have them along the water's edge.

cornsillk · 09/08/2009 11:07

Putting them by the dunes is a good idea.

Original poster
tigermoth · 09/08/2009 11:11

I think the reason for pop up tents is fine - babies need to be shielded from the sun.

But I was amazed by how selfish people were being by siting them along the shoreline seriously obstructing other people's view. Yes, the same can be said for wind breaks. It just so happened that this beach was full of these pop up tents.

This means that other parents can't keep a good watch on our children when they are running around.

On a big beach it would not matter so much, but on a small, crowded beach it seemed very bad manners.

OP posts:
bigchris · 09/08/2009 11:12

yanbu

ItsaJollyHolidayforMary · 09/08/2009 11:17

It annoys me too. I know they are for safety reasons for many, but lots and lots of people use them to store their lunch in rather than a young baby!

there should be a like a zoned area or something! You know like surfers one side, swimmers another, same kind of thing!

I personally dislike there being anyone else on a small beach, as such I tend to go early, or late, or in the winter! I do like the scenery and people spoil it!

paisleyleaf · 09/08/2009 11:23

We were sat on an almost empty beach the other day
and a family came along and put their (quite large, I thought) pop up right in front of us. Along with unfolding chairs etc. Between us and the sea we were looking at.
We were gobsmacked actually - as there was miles of empty beach.
What a funny thing to do.

ItsaJollyHolidayforMary · 09/08/2009 11:27

LOL you obviously had the best spot!

paisleyleaf · 09/08/2009 12:26

DID have

cat64 · 09/08/2009 12:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

nappyaddict · 09/08/2009 13:08

YABU - they are good to take a break from the sun in or to keep warm if it is a bit breezy. And if you've got children who want to spend the whole time in the sea then you need to set your tent up near the sea so you can watch them.

sandcastles · 09/08/2009 13:15

Well if the current is that strong & the waves that unpredictable, I woulnd't have wanted my child alone near the waters edge anyway.

You cannot stop people having UV tents up, unless there is a law saying they can't.

Overmydeadbody · 09/08/2009 13:18

YANBU

They are terribly ugly and should only be erected at the back of the beach.

mooseloose · 09/08/2009 13:25

I don't have a baby but use my tent as a windbreak, storage, and seagull and rain shelter!

Everyone has them. The only thing I object to is somewhere plonking them too close and making me feel uncomfortable.

I hate it when my view is obscured too.

We usually dig big holes in front of us, spread the toys and surf boards out, and sandcastles - keep em away!

mamas12 · 09/08/2009 15:33

YABU windbreaks are exactly the same so why aren't you mentioning them!
I actually needed one of those uv tents to keep ds out of the sun for medical reasons and couldn't belive how good they were.
Why don't go out and get one?

posieparkerinChina · 09/08/2009 15:40

Why not let the babies and small children burn???

ThePregnantPhantomPlopper · 09/08/2009 15:44

We have one for our DC but try to position ourselves out the way of everyone else.

Original poster
tigermoth · 09/08/2009 16:40

Cat64, as my 9 year old can swim and there were lifeguards on duty, I'd have been happy to let him play at the water's edge, but within sight of me - the pop up tents effectively blocked my view.

I have nothing against pop up tents (or windbreakers) but siting them where they really obscure the view for other people is a bit selfish IMO.

And in this case the people who did it showed little regard for the safety of other people's children.

OP posts:
trixymalixy · 09/08/2009 17:32

I can't imagine it would have occured to any of them that they would obscure a parent's view of children playing in the water. Perhaps they have a baby and a toddler and being so close to the water allows them to have the baby in the shade and play with the toddler in the sea

YAB a bit U.

Original poster
tigermoth · 09/08/2009 20:04

Just because it didn't occur to the parents does not make it all ok, though (IMHO)

OP posts:
TwoIfBySea · 09/08/2009 20:10

Strange that the beaches I go to everyone has their tents or whatever lined up against the dunes. Otherwise the wind would blow them all the way to Norway right enough!

I use it for dts to change in, to sit in for lunch or snack and for our pup to sit in out of the sun. Actually it isn't a tent but one of those open sided ones, more of a shelter, oh hell I'm babbling.

Anyway my point, if I did have one, was that people don't care about anyone else now, I thought you would have realised that by now.

trixymalixy · 09/08/2009 20:56

Surely the lifeguards would ask them to move them if they felt there was a safety issue though?

And if it's that dangerous then you shouldn't be so far away from your children.

katiestar · 09/08/2009 21:20

YABU.If you can't see your DC in the water then go down to the waters edge.To call people selfish because you can't be bothered to do that seems a bit odd !

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