enodreven Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Hi, I would be surprised if this question hasnt been asked before but I can't find anything in the search facility. My question is if you book into a campsite and they accept your booking knowing what type of vehicle you have and they let you setup on a grass pitch, are they responsible for getting you off if you sink into the mud, ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Hi Brian - long time no postings? I don't know the answer but if you approach the site owners and ask them the best way for you to get going without tearing up their site any more than you have to, they might well take interest - unless it's a muddy CL/CS cowfield - in which case there is often a tractor not too far away! And if you can't get off today are you still liable to pay site fees until you do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enodreven Posted June 3, 2013 Author Share Posted June 3, 2013 Tracker - 2013-06-03 2:51 PM Hi Brian - long time no postings? And if you can't get off today are you still liable to pay site fees until you do! That's another very good question ? I'm proberbly paranoid about getting stuck, so its always in the back of my mind, when the site only has grass pitches and you tell them you have a 4 ton van and most of the time they say shouldn't be a "Problem" ? the question is who's "Problem" ? LoL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 brings back a memorable occasion when on a family holiday on west coast of Kerry and Dad giving Mum a driving lesson on the beach. Mum stalled and by the time Dad took over, the car was stuck with the tide rapidly approaching..chap on a horse got local farmer with tractor who saved the day.... moral of the story, don't worry.... always someone around to help. (or buy a 4x4 camper) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 not an answer to your question, but, when i've been in doubt i've pointed out the sive and wieght of van and asked if they have suitable equipment to tow the van out, three times this has happened now and on two occasions the 'suitable' equipment has been marginal, so now i just refuse to park anywhere i don't think fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John 47 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Hi I've never been stuck in the mud on a campsite but I was stuck in sand on a campsite in southern Portugal one year - a common occurrence in this site, it seems, so they were well-equipped to haul me off. Last summer (or what passed for summer in the UK!) we had to be towed four times at festivals - each time they were extremely efficient about it (probably because it happens a lot!). So far this summer, I have been able to get away with no towing so the weather must be better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 i would say that if you are daft enough to get stuck it is your problem, don't call your breakdown though, they will get you off but it will cost you dearly.I heard that at one of the shows, tractor drivers would not pull you out until you parted with £10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin Man Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 I've been stuck a few times. In early March just gone we were stuck in mud on an ACSI site in Peronne. I carry six rubber door mats as they are very useful for laying a track to get you out of the mire literally. Don't bother with those tyre mats that Aldi sell as they are dangerous. As the wheel spins, the yellow things just shoot out and give your shin a good scouring! Whose fault? Mine. I reckon I'm responsible if I park on dodgy ground. I'll lay my 'track' out in future beforehand if doubtful about the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Check the pitch on arrival, before you drive onto it. If it feels soft go back to reception and advise them you think you'll bog in and may damage the pitch. Take extra care if you'll have to drive uphill to get off. You've advised the weight of the van when you booked, so that places the onus on them to find you a better pitch, or allow you to stop on the roadway. If they say they will tow you off if you get stuck, just check what they'll use, and be very cautions if they propose using a chain. Rope/webbing should be fine. Then, when parking, advance just far enough from the road to avoid obstructing it, and make sure you go in with the driving wheels closest to the road. If you have any kind of track or spreaders, make sure you park with the driving wheels on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Not what was asked I know, but when parking on grass (or any other loose surface) I always park with each wheel on it's own one foot square of three quarter inch marine ply. This not only stops the wheel sinking into the ground which, being round it does with ease, but also gives the tyre some traction in that crucial first moment of clutch engagement and movement where the wheel would so often just slip on the grass or mud or sand whilst trying to drag all four out of their indentations. Even on saturated and slimy muddy showgrounds it has always been enough for us to get off - much to the surprise of our neighbours who watch intently hoping for some entertainment! Other folk have a variety of solutions but at least mine just pop into a carrier bag ready to be washed again when convenient - along with muddy wellies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 No! This is the responsibility and job of the tugger! At least thats how it works on CL's. We often get stuck and they are usually delighted to come round with the Disovery and tow you to freedom! Makes their day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dencol Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Never got stuck but if on grass I always ask the site if the pitch provided is suitable, I would then if stuck expect their help !!!! I have in the past refused a pitch as I felt it was too soft and already had some deep marks where someone else had problems. I do however always carry few of those rubber mats as previously mentioned, I also carry a tow rope. I have seen people stuck and others on site offering to help but no one had a tow rope or rope of any sort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mondo Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 I got stuck once on a CL near Farnham I called at the house to pay and I asked is it hard ground guy said Oh yea no worries he explained where the site was as I drive on along the track the van sank up to the axles literally I called the owner and explained....two other Motorhomers also said they'd had trouble as it was dark I couldn't see the ground the owner pulled me out I asked for A REFUND AND GOT IT I reported the CL site to the CC then I went and found another CL near to Farnham and stayed there and I had to wash me van not happy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek pringle Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 Hi enodreven, Although I would expect site owners to be helpful [ hankthetank] I would not be surprised if when it comes to actual responsibility for the situation we may all find we park there at our own risk. Probably have to ask beforehand or look at small print. cheers derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HymerVan Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 In terms of liability I think this would mainly depend of whether the site owner had been negligent. To be negligent the site owner/manager would have do do something where it was reasonably foreseeable that a problem would arise i.e. in this case that your particular van on that particular site would get stuck. Of course if it is reasonably foreseeable that a problem would arise then it may also be fairly obvious to you so if you are allocated a pitch which is unsuitable then you should decline it. If you picked your own pitch then liability on the part of management would be less likely but you could argue that they should monitor pitch conditions and close those which are too wet/unsuitable etc. Prevention is better than cure and you should always check ground conditions before going on any pitch especially a grass one. I don't know what current polices of the two clubs are (perhaps someone can comment) but I seem to recollect a pronouncement that CC tractors are unsuitable for towing out. In Europe site owners seem to be very ready to help and one site I was in in Croatia kept an immaculate 40 year old Unimog just for towing out. Problems can arise unexpectedly When in Hungary last month we stayed at Termal Camping Hodmezovasarhely, a campsite with an associated spa and baths complex. On arrival we were told that we could camp anywhere. We usually check how hard ground is off the road surface and this was rock hard however as we drove towards our chosen pitch the van appeared to quickly lose traction and stall. Clearly all four wheels were stuck in the earth. We deployed our “grip mats” to get traction but they made matters worse by causing the van to dig itself in even more and it was now almost up to its axles, lying at an angle, and with the underslung water tanks almost touching the ground. At this point I approached the camp management for help. There were many frowns and chin stroking and I was told in sign language not to try to move the vehicle. Then we saw a small army of young men marching towards the van closely followed by another small army carrying spades. The lifeguards and others from the pool had been “conscripted”. A track was dug to allow the front wheels to extract themselves and meantime the adjacent campers a Polish couple had connected a tow rope to the rear of the van in readiness to pull the van out using their car. The combined effort of pushing and towing extracted the van with no apparent damage other than a rear mudflap ripped off. An adjacent German camper got out his tool kit to make sure that the rear wheel was not fouled by the remnants of the mud-flap. To say that we were both relieved and grateful is something of an understatement because this episode could have ended very badly. On the positive side however it was wonderful to see how others rally round to help someone in trouble. We later discovered that we had driven over the (unmarked and unfenced) area where the geothermal hot water is harvested so that the ground conditions there were not normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 There are both civil and criminal remedies for things that go bad when invited onto land. Bottom line is though that it's very unlikely anyone would be too bothered about enforcement unless we were talking personal injury rather than minor inconvenience. Better to avoid the situation in the first place and fit some decent tyres rather than pay-through-the-nose 'CP's. Or buy some Go-Claws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliB Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 Got our first van in 2008 and got stuck at the first campsite visited. Shortly after I read Trackers tip about 2 squares of wood and adopted the idea. Never been stuck since. Thanks Rich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMS Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 Last yearwe arrived at a CLwith stables in the New Forest for our grandaughter to go pony riding. The owner proposed that we stay on the hardcore access road, thank goodness we did as the cars had problems with the soft ground. As it had been raining for days and continued whilst we were there motor vehicles had problems but the horses just ploughed through the mud! A moral here perhaps. One benefit was admiring the many local fords, no not the company vehicles. So always ask if in doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 EMS - 2013-06-05 3:48 PM One benefit was admiring the many local fords, Clearly a motorhomer of intelligence, taste and discernment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 We got stuck at Hornfleur one year. went to the camp office and explained in gestures, he spoke no English and my French was not quiet up to the explanation. The owner got a Dutch caravaner with a 4x4 to tow us out, the only problem was the rope the owner supplied, was to say the least a bit worn, any way the poor Dutch man finished up getting 4 motor homes out of the "ditch" we had all been sent to. We now carry our own tow rope, Have found that many site owners in France will let you park on roads, if need be. This year one site let us do this, think he was glad to have paying customers, he told us that another of OUR Countryman where the only guests (mad dogs and english men, go out in the rain) PJAY in a dry and sunny Spain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 AliB - 2013-06-04 10:19 AM Got our first van in 2008 and got stuck at the first campsite visited. Shortly after I read Trackers tip about 2 squares of wood and adopted the idea. Never been stuck since. Thanks Rich. Glad to be of assistance - not all my brainwaves and mad ideas work but this ones does - and best of all it is so inexpensive!! We too carry a tow rope but I've only ever used it to tow another poor soul off a CL many moons ago - and a fwd van seems to pull better going backwards using the front towing eye - lower gear and more weight on the driven wheels I suppose!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dencol Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 slightly off the original topic, like the idea of the 3/4 ply wood but just thinking if I also need levellers (I have some yellow femma ones) do they fit on the wood ok or do slip off when driving onto them? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuxDeluxe Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 Nope, they sink. At least they do for me........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 dencol - 2013-06-14 8:45 PM slightly off the original topic, like the idea of the 3/4 ply wood but just thinking if I also need levellers (I have some yellow femma ones) do they fit on the wood ok or do slip off when driving onto them? Thanks They don't just slip off, they fly off!!! Just make sure no one is standing in front if you do try, you have been warned! I even tried screwing 4 plastic furniture corner blocks to the ply to locate the levellers and they still flew off. The only vague success I have had was using 4 of the plastic ground mats that you would normally fill with gravel or allow grass to grow through, and pegging the levellers through them. This worked for a short time but then unfortunately the ground mats sank in the middle and destroyed the levellers :-( Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 http://www.perrys.co.uk/car-news/articles/2012/02/new-special-motorhome-fiat-ducato-revealed-6608.php#.Ubwlhcu9KSM http://www.businessvans.co.uk/fiat-ducato-adds-safety-and-traction-pack/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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