Penalty for sleeping overnight?

Jake Royd

Jake Royd

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Just posting on a related topic I thought to ask the question above?
I know it's illegal (in England) , that's not the question.

How often have you been moved on and by whom ?
What is the penalty?

TIA
 
The answer to your question - if parked illegally, the penalty will be even more height barriers and restrictions being put in place across the UK, and more importantly, that penalty will be paid for by every motorhomer...
 
Jim is correct.
I now use several Phone Apps for my travels and i am very happy with them.
Searchforsites is a subscription based app, really good, and park4night thats free at themoment.
I do like SFS a lot, because its a self review system, you can leave pics and a comment to help others.
Many places are free to park up, and sleep, some offer facilities, you will find some councils have reccognised the revenue we Motorhomers bring to the area, so , many do like us to pitch up, sure, there are terms and conditions at some places, but, this is understandable.
Have Fun!
 
Vipar said:
So let’s get this right. If it doesn’t say you can’t then you can?
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Most National Parks have a blanket ban but few have signs in every carpark or layby.

The only time I have been disturbed was by a police patrol.

The van was parked up, blinds all secured, keys out of the ignition and secured in the Jan area, and I had been drinking!

The policeman told me that I had to move on. I told him I had been drinking and suggested that they give me written permission to drive, plus escort me to a legal location.

That was a big NO!

I then suggested that one of the policeman that he drove the van and I traveled in the police car.

Another big NO.

Stalemate.

So I brewed us all a coffee.

After some discussion they thanked me and left with a message to be gone by morning. :)

Sensible policing?

I think the most important factor was to be polite, apologetic and contrite.
 
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We once were parking up, in a pub stop car park in Derbyshire. It wasn't an easy park and a guy game over, we thought he was going to offer some help but no! He was very rude and told us we should be on a caravan site, like him in his caravan. He went on to tell us that sleeping overnight in the motorhome anywhere but a caravan site, was illegal.

Where do these ideas come from?
 
The Old Man said:
Most National Parks have a blanket ban but few have signs in every carpark or layby.

The only time I have been disturbed was by a police patrol.

The van was parked up, blinds all secured, keys out of the ignition and secured in the Jan area, and I had been drinking!

The policeman told me that I had to move on. I told him I had been drinking and suggested that they give me written permission to drive, plus escort me to a legal location.

That was a big NO!

I then suggested that one of the policeman that he drove the van and I traveled in the police car.

Another big NO.

Stalemate.

So I brewed us all a coffee.

After some discussion they thanked me and left with a message to be gone by morning. :)

Sensible policing?

I think the most important factor was to be polite, apologetic and contrite.
Click to expand...
If it's not illegal to park but illegal to sleep in the vehicle how would they prove that you actually slept? BUSBY??
 
busby said:
If it's not illegal to park but illegal to sleep in the vehicle how would they prove that you actually slept? BUSBY??
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I always wonder that. We reckon we'd say we were playing cards all night.
 
busby said:
If it's not illegal to park but illegal to sleep in the vehicle how would they prove that you actually slept? BUSBY??
Click to expand...

I'm guessing that if you are there at 8:00pm, still there at 8:00am and your tyre valves are still at the same clock position, they can safely assume that your van hasn't moved!

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Lorry drivers sleep in lay-bys etc all the time, cant see much difference. If you are not parked illegally and not bothering anyone, no one should care, especially not the police who should have far better things to be doing.
 
Encantador said:
Lorry drivers sleep in lay-bys etc all the time, cant see much difference. If you are not parked illegally and not bothering anyone, no one should care, especially not the police who should have far better things to be doing.
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Indeed, it is legal for truck drivers to park and sleep if legal and the vehicle is equipped with proper sleeping accomadation, is a bed.
So on that score then unless a sign says specifically no overnight stays or similar then there is no problem.
In all my years of parking overnight in a lot of places and countries the only time I was woken by plod was in Hull, just to tell me to move or put parking lights on. I clicked side lights on and they left, when a commercial vehicle is parked overnight on a lit street, or in this case a layby then it should be lit.
I assume that having your mh registered as private hgv then this would apply.
 
As a teenager used to sleep in my Bedford HA van mattress in the back mainly W/E surfing and doing the same in my PVC now (Unfortunately without the surfing) never been moved on, but I do try and and be as inconspicuous as possible and choose my areas carefully i am what some like to call an FLT which means for me not paying extortionate campsite prices how ever I don't mind paying for water or waste disposal as in France where for 3 to 5 euros allows you waste disposal and between 50 to 100 litres of potable water and have even been known to spend up to £11 on a campsite with EHU;)(y)
 
I used a car park in Scotland very close to a beach not far from Culzean Castle, check searchforsites the reviews, the idiot local caravan site owner is a regular perpetrator of BS.

Yes we stayed, sure enough he turned up, cant park here etc, its private land etc.

I told him, i have children onboard and they are frightend of him, and the way he was looking in the motorhome or trying to, i suggested that his behaviour is worrying enough to report to the Police on 101.

He left immediately.

Having said that, if you are ever in Girvan, everyone is welcome to stay for free at the Harbour, again, check searchforsites, there is a cracking chippy close by and the locals are friendly, just use a few shops, they appreciate it;)
 
The Old Man said:
I'm guessing that if you are there at 8:00pm, still there at 8:00am and your tyre valves are still at the same clock position, they can safely assume that your van hasn't moved!
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Yes but the offence is SLEEPING overnight,,not parking and assume holds no power in law..BUSBY.

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I have parked up with lorries on the A66 quite a few times.
 
Agree with much that’s been said. Over the last 18 months since buying my van spend the greater part of each week in it and have only used one site for two nights in all that time. No problems to date.

But agree you need to use common sense about where you park and I rarely stay for long.

I use pubstops regularly and can add that some are getting really fed up with people who don’t even pop their heads in to say hi let alone ask. Having done that in norfolk a few days ago the bar lady was so pleased she even refused to let me pay for my drinks.

So wherever you park remember to be sensitive and respect the local area and facilities and we’ll all find that people welcome you back.
 
smartgolfer said:
I used a car park in Scotland very close to a beach not far from Culzean Castle, check searchforsites the reviews, the idiot local caravan site owner is a regular perpetrator of BS.

Yes we stayed, sure enough he turned up, cant park here etc, its private land etc.

I told him, i have children onboard and they are frightend of him, and the way he was looking in the motorhome or trying to, i suggested that his behaviour is worrying enough to report to the Police on 101.

He left immediately.

Having said that, if you are ever in Girvan, everyone is welcome to stay for free at the Harbour, again, check searchforsites, there is a cracking chippy close by and the locals are friendly, just use a few shops, they appreciate it;)
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Never really liked Search For Sites

Full of scraped (stolen) data. The owner used to be a member here but got banned

Much prefer Camper Contact
 
Its also interesting how different different LA’s are.

Dorset seem to be welcoming, for instance offering free overnight Motorhome parking in Weymouth at the old ferry port amongst others. No height or size restrictions, no fee and front spots by the waters edge.

I can’t say I’ve ever asked if it’s ok to sleep there ... just put up the blinds and black out curtains at the front and quietly sleep...never a problem.

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Robert Clark said:
Never really liked Search For Sites

Full of scraped (stolen) data. The owner used to be a member here but got banned

Much prefer Camper Contact
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I think they all do a little borrowing so to speak but must admit prefer camper contact or park4night
 
Not that long ago they were advertising on tv , saying that if you feel tired it is illegal to drive & you should pull over and and have a sleep and only continue when you have been refreshed

I think there is a lot of scaremongering goes on regarding sleeping in a motor vehicle
 
smartgolfer said:
Jim is correct.
I now use several Phone Apps for my travels and i am very happy with them.
Searchforsites is a subscription based app, really good, and park4night thats free at themoment.
I do like SFS a lot, because its a self review system, you can leave pics and a comment to help others.
Many places are free to park up, and sleep, some offer facilities, you will find some councils have reccognised the revenue we Motorhomers bring to the area, so , many do like us to pitch up, sure, there are terms and conditions at some places, but, this is understandable.
Have Fun!
Click to expand...
The trouble is that these apps and websites have actually been very destructive and self defeating ⚠️
You won’t find many seasoned travelers and off grid Motorhome user adding their favourite places ?
We’ve seen the behaviour of too many so called respectful motorhome owners ☹️?
 
We parked in a Devon beachside pay & display car park overnight, recently. Winter season rates on the machine said free overnight between 6pm and 8am but no overnight sleeping allowed. People come and park overnight for the fishing, so this allows them to park. We, of course, did not sleep at all. I lay in bed and read all night, honestly Guv! There was only another van way down at the other end of the car park and an angler, but that was it.

I set an alarm so I would leave my book (!) and get to the machine to put some lolly in before 8am in case the council officer turned up. He duly did, but didn’t bother us or the other van or even check that we had a ticket. He simply emptied the machine and went.

I think that the bylaws are in place so that they can take enforcement action if people take the mickey. Sensible overnighters who cause no bother and leave no litter will be ignored and left in peace.
 
Searchforsites has been brilliant for us, but we are not contributors, just subscribers.

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