rossko Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 We have just driven back into a barrier controlled camp site with a notice saying do not walk under barrier. I didn't walk under barrier but as the better half drove through it I walked beside it in betweent the barrier sensors with the result that the barrier came crashing down on the M/H roof. Wardens seemed to find it quite amusing & seemed to think that we should know that a sign that says do not walk under the barrier actually means do not walk between the barrier sensors even if the barrier is fully raised. M/H not too bad but not happy to receive a letter from Caravan club advising us that we will be invoiced for the repair of their barrier. Anyone else had a similar experience & had to pay out for repairs?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 If this had happened to me I'd be writing to them and telling them that I'd want them to pay for the damage to my van! In my view I find what they are doing rather unsound. I'd be very tempted to tell the Caravan Club to go forth and multipy. If the sign definitely said "do not walk under barrier", to me that would mean do not go under it when it is horizontal. For example, how can you actually walk under it when it is in the raised, ie vertical, position? You are not actually under it, you are walking at the side of it as you state. If that is the problem with the barrier then it should clearly state something like "do not walk between the barrier posts at any time". Do not just pay up, send them a response, write back to them now and tell them that you are not happy as the sign was not clear as to exactly what it meant and was open to different interpretation. If they still insist after that then contact your insurer as you should have legal cover included in your policy, get them involved and you'll probably find that they back off. No, I'm not a solicitor, but I wouldn't give in without a fight when something like this has happend and they, in my view, are the ones who are in the wrong. Please let us know what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenewellhome Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 Sorry but I totally disagree with Mel here. The sign said DON'T WALK UNDER THE BARRIER, there is presumably a pedestrian walkway to the side of the barrier where pedestrians are expected to perambulate. Sorry, but in my book you brought this on yourself. How's your cruise doing Mel? D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossko Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 I had rung the CC when I got their letter & pleased to say that there was a phone message when I got home last night to say that we will no longer expected to pay anything towards the cost of barrier & they are reviewing the barrier notices & barriers. My other point had been that all barriers in car parks I have seen before (admittedly not CC sites) have sensors that make them raise again if they are coming down on top of anything. There was a very narrow path between the barrier and the hawthorn hedge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J9withdogs Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 In my opinion if they are reviewing their notices they are admitting liability - go for the jugular with demand for compensation :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catinou Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 I feel better now and will certainly be taking up a lot of the tips above! We only had our new MH for a few weeks last year but had gone on a 10 day trip to France and reached the Geneva border (caught a bus from the site into Geneva rather than paying a vignette charge!) We were feeling really pleased with ourselves when we returned after a terrific break and glad we had splurged out after selling our boat. Pride comes before a fall..... I had driven to Dover and on to the boat, my husband drove on the "wrong side" and I was due to drive back from Dover on our return. Feeling so pleased with myself I came out of the docks a bit too fast for the ramps and the MH jumped over at least 2 - turned a deaf ear to the left side and took the roundabout at a decent speed but the fridge freezer door flew open as I went round, spilling the freezer contents on the way - including a NEARLY full pack of frozen peas! There was nowhere at that point for me to stop so the OH crept to the back to shut the door, stepping the peas into the brand new carpet I had just spent 10 days being "precious" about and it took us 20 minutes to pick the darn things up. Lessons learned 1) put the lock on the fridge door before setting off 2) not a good idea to feel smug about getting the better of a Calais "jobsworth" who had tried to make us pay £60 extra to come back 2 hours earlier than booked or "you will have to wait over there for 2 hours and not leave your vehicle" - no hardship in a MH. 3) last but not least - drive slowly over ramps! Off to laminate lists and cut coloured strings for the new MH now........ *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fetch Carry Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 Hooked up at Sandringham CC Site, took the dogs for a walk. when we got back realised we needed to use the levelling ramps. stuck um under the front wheels, and started to drive up them and promptly pulled the hook up lead wire straight out of the plug in the side of the van, had to re-wire the plug them get the bollard trip re-set by the warden Lesson 1 Don't drive with hook up lead in.:$ Lesson 2 Always put the handbreak back on after driving up levelling ramps:$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J9withdogs Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 I spent a good five minutes maneouvering the van around parked cars, delivery vans etc (life was so much easier when fuel stations only sold fuel) to get near the fuel pumps, got out to find that I was now on the wrong side of the pump- I could have just driven straight in on the correct side >:-) Car filler cap is on t'other side - good job they are both diesel vehicles! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 Sorry but I totally disagree with Mel here. The sign said DON'T WALK UNDER THE BARRIER, there is presumably a pedestrian walkway to the side of the barrier where pedestrians are expected to perambulate. Sorry, but in my book you brought this on yourself. How's your cruise doing Mel? D. . Hmmmmmm :-S rossko - 2007-08-29 10:06 AM I had rung the CC when I got their letter & pleased to say that there was a phone message when I got home last night to say that we will no longer expected to pay anything towards the cost of barrier & they are reviewing the barrier notices & barriers. My other point had been that all barriers in car parks I have seen before (admittedly not CC sites) have sensors that make them raise again if they are coming down on top of anything. There was a very narrow path between the barrier and the hawthorn hedge. Ah-ha ... Still disagree Dave?????? ;-) One thing I do know even though I'm no legal eagle, is that signs have to be completely clear if someone is then going to expect you to pay up for not 'reading' them properly ... we have to be very careful with what is on signs at work (University) as the little horrors (students) get up to all sorts of mischief and disciplining them is a minefield at the best of times, if the signs have any sort of ambiguity about them you don't have a leg to stand on. As for the cruise ... I'll PM you. :-| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Syd Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 Tried moving the caravan with the caravan mover applied, cannot be done. Took me a while to work out why it wouldn't move, nearly pulled the whole tow bar off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenewellhome Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 Yes Mel, I do still disagree. If the sign says don't walk under the barrier I would not assume it meant "don't walk under the lowered barrier but you can walk under it when raised". How would you have worded the notice? There was a footpath nearby, albeit a narrow one but it was a footpath. There is far too much if this nonsense about how delicately worded warning signs must be, I appreciate you have to be careful at work but you are only following the instructions of others. Is it realistic to sue a coffee house because you scald yourself with a cup of hot coffee? No it is not, if the coffee were not hot you'd sue them for not doing their job properly! D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 I'd never dream of suing anyone unless it was really necessary, but the CC threatened to charge for something which is basically them suing their own member. It works both ways. It's like me suing them for the electricity going out on their site for 2 nights running over Chrismas 18 months ago, I wasn't very happy but I'd never have sued them for 'breach of contract' or whatever. In the end though we got a nice surprise when we received site night vouchers for the nights in question as an apology, very good of them indeed but I never expected anything. As for the wording of the signs, I'd simply have said something like "Do not walk between the barrier posts at any time" it would be clear then that you should not do it at all, not just 'under' the barrier which is open to mis-interpretation (but then again, I do like a bit of a limbo every now and then!(lol)). As for hot water .. I've seen loads of signs in toilets where it says, "caution, hot water", it annoys me, I know they have to have hot water to make sure it's safe (as in no nasty unhygenic bugs etc) but it's very difficult to wash your hands when they are being turned into boiled lobsters therefore you're more likely to just give them a quick rinse rather than a proper wash and end up with bugs on them in any case! My favourite 'daft' sign though is ... "May contain nuts" on a packet of peanuts! (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Something which was stupid which we saw whilst on holiday in July ... not to do with us in the van but thought you'd all like to see this photo of a young chaps stupidity, I took it at a beach at the west end of Calais, the wind surfer was playing chicken with the ferry ... not to be recommended!!! We seriously thought he was a gonner as just after I took this we couldn't see him any more, it wasn't until about 10 minutes later that we spotted him, making his way back to shore. Must've scared himself silly and I haven't a clue what the ferry captain though he was doing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest caraprof Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 J9withdogs - 2007-08-29 4:40 PM I spent a good five minutes maneouvering the van around parked cars, delivery vans etc (life was so much easier when fuel stations only sold fuel) to get near the fuel pumps, got out to find that I was now on the wrong side of the pump- I could have just driven straight in on the correct side >:-) Car filler cap is on t'other side - good job they are both diesel vehicles! Have we met before J9? I'm sure that I know you from somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J9withdogs Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Tee hee - you were probably one of the white van drivers I cursed (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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