Gravelines aire, broken window. (1 Viewer)

Nov 24, 2008
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Crossed from Dover to Calais yesterday (Saturday 29 October) and didn't want to travel to far so decided we would park the night at the Gravelines aire which we have done before. Loads of other vans there, mainly French and Belgium with a couple of English vans as well.
As we tow the trailer we allways try to get onto a space just as you go in on the left, the longer ones, trailer in of the roadway. Early night, about 9pm and asleep, awoken by two bangs at about 03:45 and a car driving off. In our sleepy state we lifted the rear blind and had a nosey, all looked fine, no movement from the other vans around us, decided it was someone banging the lids down on the wheelie bins just against the wall close by, drifted back of to sleep. Up around 8 and about 9 went to dump some rubbish in the bin and found some b*****d had smashed the rear quarterlite window on our car on the trailer. Inside of the car coverered in minute bits of glass.

There was nothing in the car, not even a coat or anything that might have tempted them to brake in and have a look. The only thing we can put it down to is just pure vandalism, something for them to do after a night out.

Called the police who arrived within the hour. We knew they wouldn't be able to do anything but just wanted to report it. The had a look, took some details and with a sort of smile said "welcome to France"

Hopefully carglass, europes partner to autoglass will get it sorted over next couple of days.

Needless to say we have moved on from Gravelines and won't be stopping there again.

We have used loads of Aires throughout Europe and this instance won't stop us continuing to do so. Saying that on a site tonight as the car windows just got a bin bag stuck over it. Once replaced we will continue using Aires where available on our trip to Portugal.

At the moment feel pretty calm about the whole thing, maybe anger will kick in later. Just feel sad that these scum walk the same ground as us, what's wrong with them.

Not trying to put anyone of staying there, just letting you know what's happened to us. Wrong place wrong time I think the saying is.

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jollyrodger

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Hopefully you can get it sorted and on your merry way don't let it spoil your trip .

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Riverbankannie

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Sorry that you have had such a bad start to your trip. Even if it is something that can be sorted, it is still a shock and very unpleasant. Not nice to know someone up to no good has been hanging around while you were sleeping.
I hope that in a couple of days you can put it behind you and enjoy your trip.

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Aug 18, 2011
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Had that on an aire in Spain when caravaning,,they smashed tow car window whilst we were sleeping in the van,,,just a bloody nuisance,,BUSBY,,
 

Steve and Denise

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That's a bit of bad luck and I do hope you get it repaired quickly. That sort of thing is exactly what puts me and my wife off staying on aires or other open sites with no sort of control.
Although I am sure lots of folk stay on these sort of parking areas with no problems at all it would not be my choice unless stuck.
At the end of the day would you park in Manchester, Nottingham, Leicester, Sheffield, or Sunderland, and really expect to get up in the morning and find no opportunists had had a little look around.
 

irnbru

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What a bugger and inconvenience. I guess it could have been worse and the MOTORHOME broken into or badly damaged. Great attitude to not let out ruin your holiday.

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TerryL

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Have to wonder if clearance of "The Jungle" had anything to do with it - you know grudge against a Brit by someone who didn't want to go to a relief centre?
 
Aug 18, 2011
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Have to wonder if clearance of "The Jungle" had anything to do with it - you know grudge against a Brit by someone who didn't want to go to a relief centre?

I was 1000 miles away from The Jungle when mine was smashed,,,BUSBY:D:D
 

magicsurfbus

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That must have been a hell of a whack to take the corners off the window panel - bad luck for it to happen there too.

For what it's worth the only malicious car damage we've suffered to date was in an NCP in Manchester but we still use it, and I'd still use Gravelines over Calais at present. I hope the rest of your journey is less fraught.
 
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shawn&emma
Nov 24, 2008
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What a bugger and inconvenience. I guess it could have been worse and the MOTORHOME broken into or badly damaged. Great attitude to not let out ruin your holiday.

Most definitely if it had been the van I would be bouncing off the walls and foaming at the mouth.
 

irnbru

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Might have been some drunken jealous sod that did it, but best to just get it fixed and put it down to wrong place wrong time.

Look forward to hearing about the rest of your trip.

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shawn&emma
Nov 24, 2008
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Have to wonder if clearance of "The Jungle" had anything to do with it - you know grudge against a Brit by someone who didn't want to go to a relief centre?

This did cross our minds. Last time we were at Gravelines and went into the town there where a couple of shops with smashed windows so probably all alcohol related.
 
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shawn&emma
Nov 24, 2008
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Well all going well so far. Autoglass rang at 9am this morning (Monday 30) to say the claime had been agreed by our car insurer and they would be passing it on to Carglass.
Carglass rang 9:30, not a standard item so not able to do today and tomorrow is a bank holiday in Belgium so all booked in for 9am Wednesday.
Offered to come and fit a temporary glass, which I turned down as I've coverered the whole area with plastic and we are on a site so hopefully things all safe.
They will Hoover the car out so that's saved me a job today.

So far so good. And it's a bright sunny day here in Belgium so a big thumbs up for a little wander later.

Thanks for all the comments.

Shawn.

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Rob and Val

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What a bum start to your trip to Portugal. Hope it's all sorted quickly and you can get back on the road.
 

BwB

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With the back corner broken like that I should think they thought it was an opening quaterlight and were trying to force the catch? Then it popped the glass so they probably thought they might as well punch out the centre of the glass. None of this helps, of course, but just speculating on why the back corner was off. Hope you get it all sorted on Wednesday and have a trouble free rest of trip!
 
Feb 5, 2009
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Just a thought....
We were in Gravelines on Sat Night and saw a few cars pull up and use the bins behind us. I just wondered if one of those cars might have flicked a stone up if they pulled away a bit lively...
The reason for my suggestion is that is pretty much what happened when the council guys were strimming the grass outside my house. There was about 20 feet between the grass and my car but the stone still managed to smash the whole rear window in the tailgate. If I hadn't been there at the time to realise what had happened, I probably wouldn't have noticed the stone in the boot which was smaller than a marble...

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shawn&emma
Nov 24, 2008
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With the back corner broken like that I should think they thought it was an opening quaterlight and were trying to force the catch? Then it popped the glass so they probably thought they might as well punch out the centre of the glass. None of this helps, of course, but just speculating on why the back corner was off. Hope you get it all sorted on Wednesday and have a trouble free rest of trip!

Thing is there was nothing whatsoever visible in the car. No sat nav brackets, just the Cheapo standard radio not even a pair of red furry dice lol.

Thanks

Shawn.
 
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shawn&emma
Nov 24, 2008
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Just a thought....
We were in Gravelines on Sat Night and saw a few cars pull up and use the bins behind us. I just wondered if one of those cars might have flicked a stone up if they pulled away a bit lively...
The reason for my suggestion is that is pretty much what happened when the council guys were strimming the grass outside my house. There was about 20 feet between the grass and my car but the stone still managed to smash the whole rear window in the tailgate. If I hadn't been there at the time to realise what had happened, I probably wouldn't have noticed the stone in the boot which was smaller than a marble...

I understand what you are saying. It's a possibility but the bottom metal edge of the window sill is bent over where something hard hit it. Even the thick plastic trim inside has a dent where the impact was. Had a good look inside and no stones or the like and nothing laying on the ground around us.

Where was your funsters badge? I had a look round on the Saturday to see if any funsters around.

Thanks

Shawn
 

Duck Truck

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Really sorry guys.
When we got our first van, on our first trip abroad we parked over night before the ferry
on Dover marine parade. Had just gone to bed and heard a bang on the side of the van went out to find a take away of curry smeared all down the side of the van.

It's not just abroad that you get some unpleasant people
Chin up guys Hope the rest of your trip goes really well
Kev

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Feb 5, 2009
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I understand what you are saying. It's a possibility but the bottom metal edge of the window sill is bent over where something hard hit it. Even the thick plastic trim inside has a dent where the impact was. Had a good look inside and no stones or the like and nothing laying on the ground around us.

Where was your funsters badge? I had a look round on the Saturday to see if any funsters around.

Thanks

Shawn
Hi Shawn
Sorry didn't realise there was more than just broken glass...
We were in the Laika, the van on the "short" end of the row. Probably couldnt see us behind that huge "La Voyageur" parked next to us. :D
Our sticker is top centre of the windscreen. Shame we missed each other - we've never met other funsters out on the road
 

Big Nick

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Once had dog crap smeared on the waste tap when we parked in a lay by in the Lake District overnight and the dog walker was kind enough to leave the bag with the rest in.......nice!!

Not much you can do about it all except deal with it and move on, shame people can't just leave you in peace
 
May 31, 2015
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Jealousy.... if they can't have it, they don't want you to have it either...

They want to try and make you as miserable as their lives are......

Don't let them..

:)

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shawn&emma
Nov 24, 2008
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Carglass fitted the new window Wednesday and did good hoover of the glass inside.
Driving in the sun we can still see sparkly bits everywhere so need to have another clean out at some time.
Disrupted our plans a little and cost us the £50 insurance excess but done now so that's that.

Cheers for all the comments

Shawn and Emma

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