Alcohol and sleeping in your motorhome (1 Viewer)

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Jim

Jim

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I've sought to answer a common question, if anyone has any comments or if any of our Funster police or ex police would like to comment on the article, add to it or put me right. Feel free.
 

Bart

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Very informative Jim , I'm just glad i don't drink ^^ , unless you can get done for getting blocked on Coffee :)

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Snowbird

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Truck drivers have always had this problem when overnighting in the cab. Of course they have the tachograph as backup, if there hours are up its obvious they have no intention of driving.
 

sdc77

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That's a great article @Jim. Something to refer the next cam I have a drink thread to.

Thanks :notworthy2:

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May 8, 2016
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This question was asked of me the other day, and it was good to read this article

Any place to which the public have access is, well, public. Technically even an ungated private road is publicly accessible. I spoke with one of my colleagues about it, and he told me of a chap who was sitting behind the steering wheel of a car on a security monitoring exercise (legal) but was not insured to drive that specific car. He didn't have the keys, but as he "had control of the handbrake", he was deemed to be uninsured in control of a motor vehicle in a public place ("it could roll down a hill") , and prosecuted. Absolute madness on the part of the magistrate (who are pretty bloody suspect in many cases).

I suspect a gated site would be considered publicly inaccessible, and in my limited experience to date (all overseas) there have been "silent time" (no movement allowed between certain hours, and gate locked)

Interesting to hear if anyone has any experience with this
 

GWAYGWAY

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If there are two people in the vehicle,who is the driver?, they are quite big and there could be six in there, who is the driver? If a Police officer asked who was the driver and nobody said they were, then he is scuppered on that front. However there are not that many who would push the stupid button over this.
 
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Big Nick

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Surely if wild camping you would want the option of being able to drive away should some idiots turn up and cause you problems?
That's why I only ever have a few when on a site and stick to a half with my meal when wild

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Jim

Jim

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Surely if wild camping you would want the option of being able to drive away should some idiots turn up and cause you problems?
That's why I only ever have a few when on a site and stick to a half with my meal when wild

Good practise (y)
 
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If there are two people in the vehicle,who is the driver?, they are quite big and there could be six in there, who is the driver? If a Police officer asked who was the driver and nobody said they were, then he is scuppered on that front. However there are not that many who would push the stupid button over this.
Good point. But the registered keeper is legally required to identify the person in control of the vehicle. Issues such as who was sitting in the driver's seat and who had possession of the ignition key, as well as who was insured to drive/licenced would presumably come into play.

Haven't had enough time in my own M/H to think about getting hammered. Not actually much of a drinker, I leave that to the copilot
 
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Jaws

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If there are two people in the vehicle,who is the driver?, they are quite big and there could be six in there, who is the driver? If a Police officer asked who was the driver and nobody said they were, then he is scuppered on that front. However there are not that many who would push the stupid button over this.

Rather than all stay quiet, the correct thing to do would be for every on to say it was themselves, or alternately all point to the person next to them !

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I like a drink as much as anyone, but if we are parked anywhere where there is an outside chance of being moved on, I stick to coke, just not worth the risk, that's the difference between dedicated Aires and public car parks.
 

DanielFord

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I just had a thought. Another thing to think about as proof that there is no intention to drive could be the antenna on the roof. If you have the TV aerial up, or a satellite dish in the raised position this could be indicators that you don't intend to move the van? Not conclusive, but just a thought like I said.

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DuxDeluxe

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I like a drink as much as anyone, but if we are parked anywhere where there is an outside chance of being moved on, I stick to coke, just not worth the risk, that's the difference between dedicated Aires and public car parks.
........but surely that is just as illegal....:whistle2:
 
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Jim

Jim

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I just had a thought. Another thing to think about as proof that there is no intention to drive could be the antenna on the roof. If you have the TV aerial up, or a satellite dish in the raised position this could be indicators that you don't intend to move the van? Not conclusive, but just a thought like I said.

Yes good idea. When you appreciate that if over the limit you are "guilty" and could rightly be arrested. The only thing stopping your arrest is convincing a police officer that your legal defence in court would be rock solid. The more obvious that defence the less likely the police officer will be concerned.
 
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All this stuff about showing ways that you are not intending to move goes out of the window if you are in fact told to move by the police or anyone else in authority.

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Jim

Jim

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All this stuff about showing ways that you are not intending to move goes out of the window if you are in fact told to move by the police or anyone else in authority.

Of course the article makes that plain.

When you are parked in a public place wherever there is a chance you might be moved on. Such places include lay-bys, deserted car parks, etc. You should never be over the limit. The risk of suddenly becoming Drunk In Charge or Driving Under the Influence are high.
 

PeteH

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When you are parked in a public place wherever there is a chance you might be moved on. Such places include lay-bys, deserted car parks, etc. You should never be over the limit. The risk of suddenly becoming Drunk In Charge or Driving Under the Influence are high.

I suggest the the obvious answer to that, assuming you are daft enough to do it in the first place. Would be to decline to move, and take any fine for the lesser (Parking) "offence"?.

Pete
 
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Thats why i stay on sites,,,BUSBY:):):)

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PeteH

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How about? Locking the Motor-home keys in the toad?. The Toad keys would not start the vehicle being occupied?. Could be a valid "defence".?

Who Knows?

Pete
 
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Simple answer don't drink whilst wilding or moving on next day wait until you are somewhere that you are legal and staying a few days. Don't drink and drive next day(y)(y)(y) I have to abide by that as my missus can't drive so if I get done end of motorhomeing for me it's a no brainer and I like a drink with the best of them.

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DanielFord

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Quite ironically we were at a BritStop last weekend, bloody nice one it was too, however, I believe we had the perfect defence. When we woke up in the morning, I cooked us breakfast, I then took the dog for a walk, and left wife and daughter to square away the van ready for travel.
When I returned, I put the dog in her seat belt and sat in the drivers seat, rolled us back off the blocks, put them away under the back seats. Now ready to leave, I turn to the wife "erm, where are the keys?", which prompted the inevitable "how would I know, you had them last!" response!
30 minutes later keys were located and we were on our way. So had a policeman have popped by in the night and asked "so where are the keys" my honest reply would have been "I do not have a clue officer!"
 
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Oct 2, 2014
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All very well. But.. thousands camp every night can anyone say they have been arrested and convicted? Why would the police want to do this? Surely they have plenty to do with the usual nonsense they face from the dregs. Also even if it went to court you are allowed to defend yourself and I think someone arrested in their pjs wasn't really planning to drive that night.
 

vwalan

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I like a drink as much as anyone, but if we are parked anywhere where there is an outside chance of being moved on, I stick to coke, just not worth the risk, that's the difference between dedicated Aires and public car parks.
coke is worse . they can do swipes on your skin if you have been taking coke they know .
never realised you were a drug addict . hee hee
 
Aug 18, 2011
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coke is worse . they can do swipes on your skin if you have been taking coke they know .
never realised you were a drug addict . hee hee
Thats worrying,,bet i drink 6 cans a day,,,Diet though does that count? BUSBY.

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