Awnings Blowing Down on Caravans etc, What Would You Do?

[Wissel]

I'm on a site in the New Forest and like most places, is blowing a gale.

There are a lot of seasonal pitches - mainly caravans with awnings attached. Most have faired fairly well so far, but one is smashed and another on it's way.

In my shoes, what would you do?

The vans aren't occupied.

 

[125BEER]

Contact any wardens if available

 

[Brains]

Do the owners a favour
Tie them down as much as you can

 

[Minxy]

Do the owners a favour
Tie them down as much as you can

That's what we'd do.

 

[pappajohn]

As 125beer.
Try to save them and you may be accused of doing more damage.

In any case, awnings shouldn't be left up if you are away for any length of time.

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[Steve and Denise]

I would not touch them if not my property.

 

[Wissel]

Contact any wardens if available

This is what I did straight away. The warden arrived within a few mins, showed her the vans that were damaged and left my number with an offer to the owners to take the awnings down the best I could.

Do the owners a favour
Tie them down as much as you can

This is what I wanted to do - and asked the warden if I could. Was told they are not allowed to touch the vans and I shouldn't either. Was said really nicely, she looked really frustrated about it bless her.

Thankfully she has contacted the owners and they aren't far away and on route. Of course I'll offer to help take it down when they arrive.

Weather getting worse by the minute now.

 

[Kannon Fodda]

I'd only be touching them if they were at risk of damaging your MH if they become detached.

 

[Brains]

If it was my awning, I'd like you to do your best to minimise the damage please.

 

[Spriddler]

Could they have deliberately left them up hoping to get a new one with the insurance settlement?

(Probably not beneficial after deduction of the policy excess).

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[Wissel]

If it was my awning, I'd like you to do your best to minimise the damage please.

And that's how I would feel.

It's been horrible sitting here watching more damage happen to someone's holiday home, feel terrible for not just taking them down (hence the post).

Glad the owners have now been given the choice at least. But still feel bad.

 

[busbuddy]

Some people are very strange about their Van's
a few years back we were on a site and an a class pulled up and wound out a big 5 metre awning, they had a few drinks and nibbles then went for a wander
A breeze picked up and the awning was airborne with the winder handle battering a window
I looked at the guy camped next to me and we both instinctively ran over and wrestled with the awning and managed to wind it in with no damage
The owners returned and had a loud conversation as to who touched their awning, me and the other guy strolled over to explain and were told to 'do one'

 

[Ivory55]

It’s a hard one, but we do live in a find someone to blame and have a claim culture. I think I agree with the warden and leave.

 

[Wissel]

Some people are very strange about their Van's
a few years back we were on a site and an a class pulled up and wound out a big 5 metre awning, they had a few drinks and nibbles then went for a wander
A breeze picked up and the awning was airborne with the winder handle battering a window
I looked at the guy camped next to me and we both instinctively ran over and wrestled with the awning and managed to wind it in with no damage
The owners returned and had a loud conversation as to who touched their awning, me and the other guy strolled over to explain and were told to 'do one'

This is the trouble isn't it. People can be ars***les.

Anyway, the guy has arrived now and I've been over to offer help and apologise for not just acting. He doesn't seem that bothered tbh, was very polite and then on the phone. I'd guess well insured (hope so).

 

[Mikey RV]

This is the problem, you try to help and it’s wrong, you don’t help it’s wrong. All depends on the person. I know a campsite owner who took down an awning in gale force winds and got a used of damaging it and stealing stuff out of the awning. He said never again unless the owner is there and says he wants help. Most campsites don’t let you leave an awning up if you are not there for a few days because of this sort of thing.

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[Barryh]

As a former campsite owner I have taken down many collapsing tents and awnings and then taken both them and their belongings indoors for safety. This has been met with thanks, indifference and outright hostility, and I’ve been accused of causing damage. Now, I’d help someone in trouble but I would think twice before doing something without the owner being there.

 

[Otter Spotter]

As 125beer.
Try to save them and you may be accused of doing more damage.

In any case, awnings shouldn't be left up if you are away for any length of time.

Your all heart pappajohn, the fact is the awnings are up maybe not for much longer and any owner who heard you tried to save the van from damage if not the awning would be grateful. Those owners who have left their awnings up may learn a lesson.

 

[125BEER]

Here at Golden Cap someones awning has shredded...gone no owner in, too late to salvage anything.Winds here between 40-60mph.
No que at The Anchor....

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Put my awning out when we were on site a few days ago, only out about 4-5 ft just to keep us dry while sorting the dogs out to go back in the van.
Had 2 straps on fixed in the ground, foot plates on the legs 4 big screws in each.
We had a gust of wind and the awning started to flap and wobble
Put it away again as didn’t fancy that flipping over Going to get the extra middle leg and fixing kit, still wouldn’t fancy leaving it though.

 

[Snoopy]

We were in Devon last year, slapton sands put up our pro quest shelter, in the morning popped my blinds up... as it had been now blowing a gale! No screen shelter! Everything gone..it had 2_chairs and a table in it!!, Hubby quickly jumped out, came back 10 mins later, with a bedraggled bundle of our ( new shelter) lady following carrying a chair..we then found the table and other chair..a field away,,too many things could of happsned, but thankfully didnt..damage to the motorhome, other people's property..safety aspect, lady who brought the chair back, said some up this morning, all your things outside their tent, thanks goodness no one hurt!
Yes the weather was unexpectedly bad that weekend, but we have learnt , a sniff of a breeze and we take it down. ( the pro quest shelter lived, needed a bit of TLC.. Plaster or 2...)

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[Minxy]

We were in Devon last year, slapton sands put up our pro quest shelter, in the morning popped my blinds up... as it had been now blowing a gale! No screen shelter! Everything gone..it had 2_chairs and a table in it!!, Hubby quickly jumped out, came back 10 mins later, with a bedraggled bundle of our ( new shelter) lady following carrying a chair..we then found the table and other chair..a field away,,too many things could of happsned, but thankfully didnt..damage to the motorhome, other people's property..safety aspect, lady who brought the chair back, said some up this morning, all your things outside their tent, thanks goodness no one hurt!
Yes the weather was unexpectedly bad that weekend, but we have learnt , a sniff of a breeze and we take it down. ( the pro quest shelter lived, needed a bit of TLC.. Plaster or 2...)

Did you just use the standard base and side straps or had you put extra ones on?

 

[grasscutter]

Could they have deliberately left them up hoping to get a new one with the insurance settlement?

(Probably not beneficial after deduction of the policy excess).

Very unlikely. When we used to have a caravan and put it on a seasonal pitch we would put the awning up in March and take it down in October.
Used to use 2 foot of angle iron as the main awning tie down pegs. Never moved in seven years.

 

[TheBig1]

We were at Bude in Cornwall when a sudden wind event started, described as the tail end of a hurricane on the news. Several awnings destroyed and a group of us went round the field saving any awnings we could sadly the next field over was a group of German youngsters in bell tents which got decimated. One girl had to be medivacced home with a suspected broken back after being hit by the very large central pole of her tent when it snapped. Our awning needed a seam sewing and some new poles, but no damage to the van

Have also seen more than one canopy, both fiamma and omnistor, ripped off the side of motorhomes and over the roof

 

[Wombles]

Have spent some time catching flying gazebos, winding in & taking down awnings on rally & festival campsite fields over the years! Couldn't just leave them as risk of damage to everything & everyone around them. Many new to camping don't even peg these down or realise that the small pegs that are often provided are pretty useless but sometimes even with many of the best pegs & extra tie down straps the wind is just too much - remember holding on to one leg of our Coleman shelter as it tried to take off at Lymington last time

 

[125BEER]

Have spent some time catching flying gazebos, winding in & taking down awnings on rally & festival campsite fields over the years! Couldn't just leave them as risk of damage to everything & everyone around them. Many new to camping don't even peg these down or realise that the small pegs that are often provided are pretty useless but sometimes even with many of the best pegs & extra tie down straps the wind is just too much - remember holding on to one leg of our Coleman shelter as it tried to take off at Lymington last time

It wasn't you going over Golden Cap yesterday with a propeller strapped to your back gliding

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[Wombles]

It wasn't you going over Golden Cap yesterday with a propeller strapped to your back gliding

Not this time!

 

[Snoopy]

Did you just use the standard base and side straps or had you put extra ones on?

Just the standard straps, have learnt from them definitely need extra

 

[Chris]

It’s bloody windy isn’t it?

 

[Snoopy]

It’s bloody windy isn’t it?

Yes!...the strength of it sounds, really bad..I'm sat in the house..can't image e if out in the van ..how it would feel?

 

[Minxy]

Just the standard straps, have learnt from them definitely need extra

Having had many different awnings, free-standing, attached and drive-away, over the years, both for our own use and to sell, we know full well that you can never have enough straps!

We have also sold a fair few tents over the years and it's amazing just how many people haven't got a clue about pitching them ... we once went to a MH show at Newark and a couple turned up with a large tent to stop in for the weekend, they didn't know how to put it up so we did it for them however as it was cold (snow on the ground already) they decided to stay in a B&B instead ... with the weather forecast for more snow why they brought a tent in the first place I don't know!

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