Camping etiquette

[canina]

We have been travelling in Scotland in our small motorhome, spending nights not in campsites but in large picnic ateas off the road. The last 3 nights we have arrived first and been joined later by one other campervan (3 different) who has parked right beside us so close to obscure our view
This is so weird to me but we are new to this and wondered what the correct etiquette is?

In my experience that is pretty unusual, and I wonder if it is how you are parking and where you see your view as being from? Most van lifers wouldn't consider the view as being through the windscreen for example, but rather the rear or side doors.

I'm sure I'm probably just fussing but can I also check that you know not to get out chairs / awnings / bbq's and are being as "stealthy" as possible? Also that your waste water is fully contained and that you have a toilet on board?

Us vanlifers can get a terrible reputation and its important to be as discrete as possible.

Scotland is amazing and I can heartily recommend cheap stopovers if you need them :)

Over the last few years , parking up has become very difficult in sone places so parking neatly - close to other vehicles- leaving as much space as possible for other vans or lorry drivers is best practise

Why would they park next to my side windows if they thought We didn't have a toilet on board (we do) ?

With no toilet you probably shouldn't be camping in beauty spot car parks

Unless you have great wee and poo control And can get to a proper toilet ?

No chairs or bbq's or awnings - I would have loved to have asked the last lot who squueezed up beside us in a large carpark and proceeded to play music and smoke dope that smelled like dog doo all night 😳

As I said, we do have a toilet

"We didn't have a toilet on board "

Why would they park next to my side windows if they thought We didn't have a toilet on board (we do) ?
The rogue capital W threw you off @midgetastic 😁

Doh!

Anyway, I have been camping for nigh on 50 years, I'm Scottish and this behavior is alien to me. I park carefully in the back corner of a site and do Not expect another camper to squeeze in beside me 😲
This happened the last 3 nights, we were the ony 2 vans in a large space! Why?

As I said this isn't something I've experienced having travelled extensively in a van through the UK, Ireland and Europe both pre and post COVID, I guess you've just been unlucky.

Being Scottish and with so much camping experience I am sure you understand my earlier comments as you had described yourself as being new to this in your first post.

Ah, new to vanlife but not new to camping.
I live in a highland beauty spot so I'm well aware of the draws/drawbacks of wild holidaying. I do find my experiences of the last 3 night in Deeside very unnerving though. What on earth would make you draw up beside someones side widow in an empty carpark?

Maybe they felt safer to be closer to you? If you're fly camping then I don't really think there should be an etiquette.

What. Manners should be disregarded!!!

I think people who camp off piste should have an etiquette

Primarily because I don't want Scotland to go the way of England and ban it

Leave space for others
Keep the place clean
Don't harm the area - wildlife or churning up mud
Don't set up camp for a week
Don't camp outside a campsite or someone's home

Although I think the use of the term "fly camping" to align with fly tipping tells us all we need to know

...or sqeeze yourself next to another van in an empty park

There are lots of newbies to the game

It's more common for them to park to take up at least space for at least 3 vans by parking at strange angles though

First rule of thumb - give people their space...

Oh we can squabble!

I think the first rule is "don't be a dick"

Which may mean - park over the other side or it may mean shuffle up snug depending

How big are these areas? We've camped in a van in Scotland in designated overnight spots and if they are smaller areas and there's not marked spots then people often park alongside. Otherwise what happens is people space out in such a way that an area that should fit 4 campers only fits 2.

Huge, and at this time of year, empty.

I guess the question is - if there is space for 6 would you park up close and personal or at the other end

Please - at the other end!

if you wish to know scottish sentiment, always chose the other end!