penguin9 Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Has anyone noticed that since the advent of charges for overnighting in service car parks,the truckers have now taken over all the laybys .Not only in the rural areas but in most of the country.Was a time when we could pull off and have a cup of tea in relative peace.Now we we have to negotiate deep muddy ruts loads of litter and muliple mobile burger vendors.whats happening to the great escape?Anyone have any views? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Sorry but I never could see parking in a layby as part of the great escape! The great escape for me starts well away from main roads, lorries, burger bars and litter! A lay by is something we only use to pull in for a cuppa and loo stop - nothing more - nothing less - and when they are are as you describe we don't use 'em at all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Tracker - 2011-03-08 8:31 PM Sorry but I never could see parking in a layby as part of the great escape! The great escape for me starts well away from main roads, lorries, burger bars and litter! A lay by is something we only use to pull in for a cuppa and loo stop - and to empty the toilet casette and grey water tank, nothing more - nothing less - and when they are are as you describe we don't use 'em at all!So where do you camp then Richard? as you say you don't like sites. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penguin9 Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 The point i was trying to make was,they are no longer laybys,but extensions of motorway service stations.This has only happened in the last five years.Lorry drivers seem to use continental service car /lorry parks without charges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
How Much Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 I dont think the OP mentioned 'camping' in a layby - just having a pot of tea. Who in their right mind veers miles off the road enroute somewhere, just to have five minutes from the wheel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 I have never camped in lay bys - there are plenty of peaceful and pleasant places to quietly spend a night - you just have to go and find them and not tell anyone else where they are or they will cease to be peaceful and pleasant locations! Now that the lories are allegedly not using the Motorway service areas why not use them for a cuppa stop - and then go fill up their loos rather than your own! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penguin9 Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 Cant see myself dragging my full casset through the front entrance door of any motorway service station! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Not quite what I had in mind - but I have seen it done with the cassette carried in and out in a large carrier bag! Now there's an idea to help with non site holidaying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Overnighting at motorway services has been charged for a lot longer than 5years, in this area we suposedly have a shortage of truck parking spaces leading to laybys being used more often, there is also a lot more trucks (also motorhomes and cars) on roads so more often they will use laybys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna miller Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 penguin9 - 2011-03-08 8:23 PM Has anyone noticed that since the advent of charges for overnighting in service car parks,the truckers have now taken over all the laybys .Not only in the rural areas but in most of the country.Was a time when we could pull off and have a cup of tea in relative peace.Now we we have to negotiate deep muddy ruts loads of litter and muliple mobile burger vendors.whats happening to the great escape?Anyone have any views? Ha ha, have you been on holiday on a different planet for the last 25 years, Lorries have always used laybys. But seriously, what makes you believe that you, in your M/home have more right to use the layby than a lorry driver who more likely than not, has stopped there because he is out of driving hours. Either that or he/she has pulled into a service station and found the lorry park full of caravans and M/homes, problem works both ways. *-) As for the burger van scenario, most of them will tell you majority of trade comes from car drivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 penguin9 - 2011-03-08 8:23 PM Has anyone noticed that since the advent of charges for overnighting in service car parks,the truckers have now taken over all the laybys .Not only in the rural areas but in most of the country.Was a time when we could pull off and have a cup of tea in relative peace.Now we we have to negotiate deep muddy ruts loads of litter and muliple mobile burger vendors.whats happening to the great escape?Anyone have any views? There used to be a time when you could park on a Mway service area without the threat of an £80/90 "fine" for being in the wrong bay, over a line, staying over a time limit etc, etc, so is it any wonder the laybys get more use. Add in to the mix that there have been millions of extra people coming to "freebee" UK over the last few years, plus European truckers bringing in our Strawberries in December, and all the Tat from China, and its a wonder any of us can find somewhere to park, oooh I feel better now thats off my chest. :-| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penguin9 Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 I think the point is that many of our laybuys were not designed for 40ft articulated vehicles.Since there is no room for one to pass the other when leaving,they resort to pulling onto the soft ground ,destroying the verges and kerbs. one has only to take the route from Newbury to Portsmouth to see the overcrowding and destruction that has been caused.Its a question of not being able to stop and rest which concerns me,and yes to answere a previous post,i have been around for the last 25 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 If the laybys were designed better with a gradual pull in instead of a sharp pull in, there would be less damage to the verge and kerbs.Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 France has the best laybys, and their roads are better aswell 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly58 Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Although retired , since the begining of October I have been lorry driving on a casual basis to fund this years motorhoming holidays , normally starting between 12.00 midday & 14.00pm and finishing between midnight and 02.00am on average 3 days a week including weekends taking produce from local pack houses to all of the major supermarket distribution centres throughout the UK. In all the thousands of miles I have driven I have not seen one motorhome parked up overnight in any laybys , but yes most of them have been full of parked up lorries what you must understand is that because of the law lorry drivers have to take 45 minutes break after 4.30 hrs of drivng and are limited to 9 hrs driving in 24 hrs which can be extended to 10 hrs twice a week and a minimum of 11 hrs rest between shifts , not all routes are on motorways so when you taco shows you have to stop for a break you have no choice as to where you can legally stop . What you have to appreciate is that lorry drivers are working to very tight schedules with tight booking times , but us motorhomers are travelling at our liesure with all the time in the world to find somewhere to pull over to take our comfort breaks without any pressure ,so if you have to stop in a layby make sure you leave plenty of room for any lorry driver to also park up safely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 I agree with Penguin9. Over the last few months I have driven many miles on trunk roads in my job. I was staggered at the number of lorries parked in laybys or on scraps of land. At times, there can be half a dozen or so pulled up, more if there is a good burger van. I don't have an axe to grind on this, lorries have the right to use laybys. I've just suddenly started seeing the numbers of them. Perhaps its because an increasing number of truck stops are closing. Lorries seem even less liked by local authorities than motorhomes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
How Much Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 There seems to be more and more foreign wagons kipping in them (the drivers, not the wagons). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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