Trailers and parking on Aires

[bobandjanie]

We towed a car on a trailer for many years and parked on Aires, but always try and park sensibly, as not to be in the way, or upset other motorhomers.
Only once in France did we have to move our toad when we used an a frame .
Well this Frenchman upset the Spanish motorhomer, they asked him to either put his trailer sideways behind his motorhome and he would still be in his parking area, or put it opposite his motorhome because he is parked in a motorhome space, that's for motorhomes and not trailers.
Well he wouldn't move, so the police was called and he was thrown off.

What would you do, and do you agree with the way it was dealt with.
The Spanish say keep the pease and call the police.
Bob.

 

[pappajohn]

Dealt with in a fair way in my view.
He was asked and refused, no-one to blame but himself.

 

[bigtwin]

Dealt with in a fair way in my view.
He was asked and refused, no-one to blame but himself.

Agreed.

Ian

 

[Allanm]

Quite right. Spaces are for motorhomes, not cars or trailers.

 

[bobandjanie]

Must admit it does wind me up when they park even without a trailer, and we cant get in.

Janie asked someone while in Portugal if they could move over a bit so we could get in, and he was happy to do so.
But when we got to Porto there was two motorhomes taking three spaces, and it was the same one when she saw Janie She said he is out on the scooter I will get him to move over when he comes back.
But we missed a classic on the way out of Portugal he was parked in a long layby as we were going by, I said damn, I would have pulled up behind and asked him to move forward a bit, even though there was no one else in the layby. Bob.

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[Gaston aires]

People can be unreasonable when using aires. They should have parked their trailer behind themselves, not take up another space.
I asked a bloke to put his awning in so I could get in a space. He did, no problem and he knew it was wrong.
Phil

 

[jumartoo]

Totally agree with the action of the Spanish motorhomes. I'm fed up with some of the selfish people amongst us.

Some years ago on the Aire in Palencia, all the marked motorhome parking spaces were full so the latecomers started to fill the car parking spaces, taking two and even three spaces to park across. Trailers on some!

Evenings in some countries the car parks would be empty but not in nocturnal Spain and I really felt sorry for the Spanish running group who were meeting there and had nowhere to park once they'd squeezed in amongst the motorhomes.

I've always regretted not taking a photo of the selfish parking, it really had to be seen to be believed.

 

[Welsh girl]

I've also seen some trailers and small cars belonging to one motorhome parking next to it taking the place of a motorhome.
It's totally selfish, especially when there is room behind them To put it

 

[mfw]

What about people that put their chairs out to secure a place irrespective of how long they are gone - i dont do it but lots of selfish people of all nationalities seem to do it - only seen people move them a couple of times and that causes arguments

 

[old-mo]

What would you do,

Not me.!!!!

But....

I think @Chris

Would have...

Slapped the Frenchman round the face, kicked him in the Nut`s and spat in his eye..

And...

Shook the Spaniards hand and given him a and a ...

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[bobandjanie]

That's the best thing about marked bays, and if there is chairs we would phone the police, we phoned the police in Germany, there was 16 spaces for motorhomes and half had cars parked in them.
The police came and not only put tickets on the cars in our bays, but also did all the cars that were parked where they shouldn't.
A lot of them were at the swimming pool, and had an expensive swim.
But next time they may not park in motorhome bays. Bob.

 

[gus-lopez]

The Spanish say keep the pease and call the police.

Agreed ,dealt with sensibly.

 

[Shrimp]

Agree, Aires are for Camping Cars not for car, trailers, chairs & tables, etc.
If you park & behave like a numpty you deserve what you get!
We have a ‘toad’ Which comes with us to France in the winter when we property sit and use Aires whilst getting there & back but the ‘toad’ is always parked off out of the way!

 

[Armytwowheels]

Interesting reading.

Having just invested in a car and trailer to take with us on our travels, we are concerned about getting in some aires.

I guess we are not going to be so spontaneous in our choice of overnight stops anymore.

 

[chaser]

That's the best thing about marked bays, and if there is chairs we would phone the police, we phoned the police in Germany, there was 16 spaces for motorhomes and half had cars parked in them.
The police came and not only put tickets on the cars in our bays, but also did all the cars that were parked where they shouldn't.
A lot of them were at the swimming pool, and had an expensive swim.
But next time they may not park in motorhome bays. Bob.

i bet it made you feel really good , getting fellow motorists done for just parking a car.
personly i would never dream of calling the police for something so trivial , just move on.

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[rod_vw]

A couple of years ago we were parked alone on a small un-marked out Aire in a nice comfortable position. Along came a Belgian motor-home who did his best to find a similar nice position. I jumped out and offered to move up a bit to allow him better space. This we agreed to do.
A while later we were chatting and the wife next door remarked that of all the years that they had been motor-homers this was the first time they had experienced someone offering to move for them also commenting that a French 'campingcarist' certainly wouldn't have done that!

 

[bobandjanie]

@Armytwowheels
It does depend on the aire, if you have marked spaces I would say you know your wrong, if there is no markings then you should be OK, as long as your not blocking the road.
When we had our A Class and smart / trailer we never had a problem, but there were ones we couldn't get in.
Some just take the Pi$$, I will give you an example
And we know this because we had your spot.
A few years ago, you were parked at Portimao aire, next to Tom and Maggie and their yappy Yorkie in a flair, and having known them for years parked I won't say next to them because you couldn't get that close.
Their pitch was trailer washing line motorhome awning car then a boundary wall of water bottles.

But they spoke highly of you two, because they had a problem and Colin sorted it out.

I doubt you could forget Maggie Tom's lovely.
Bob.

 

[tuscancouple]

I guess we are not going to be so spontaneous in our choice of overnight stops anymore.

We've towed a trailer for years using aires many times. It does need a little planning, Le Touquet and Futuroscope aires are perfect as they're huge, others with less than four places probably need a miss.
This is us at Le Touquet aire, loads of space

Mick

 

[hilldweller]

Well he wouldn't move, so the police was called and he was thrown off.

The Spanish say keep the pease and call the police.
Bob.

I suspect that if you called the Brit Police and complained about someone badly parked they would arrest you for wasting Police time.

 

[chaser]

I suspect that if you called the Brit Police and complained about someone badly parked they would arrest you for wasting Police time.

right as well

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[Mr Colpot]

We parked at St Seurin Aire and the German Guy on the right was parked making the most of the view taking up 3 spaces. Throughout the afternoon there was a procession of (mainly) French Motorhomes who, one by one tried to persuade him to turn his van round and make a bit more room. He point blank refused. Mind you there were no marked spaces and he could have been the first one there before the others parked at 90 degrees to the view....

 

[bobandjanie]

i bet it made you feel really good , getting fellow motorists done for just parking a car.
personly i would never dream of calling the police for something so trivial , just move on.

How about when you get a ticket for parking in a car parking space, motorhome groups fight long and hard to get parking for motorhomes, and that's what they are for, same goes for disable spaces mother and toddler spaces, a lot of the time they just too lazy to walk.
Here in Spain you or in our case the community pay for a sign on the gate way to your property to keep it clear, so if anyone parks there you contact the police, and that's very simple here, we have apps contact police, send a photo / video message and they tow them.
And believe me, if your drive way is blocked every time you wanted to go in or out you would do the same. Bob.

 

[Jim]

Interesting reading.

Having just invested in a car and trailer to take with us on our travels, we are concerned about getting in some aires.

I guess we are not going to be so spontaneous in our choice of overnight stops anymore.

A long as you are not inconsiderate you'll be fine. we would never park the trailer like the pic in the OP, much too likely to be nicked Always prefer to stick it sideways behind and then back up to it almost touching it making theft very difficult.

 

[chaser]

How about when you get a ticket for parking in a car parking space, motorhome groups fight long and hard to get parking for motorhomes, and that's what they are for, same goes for disable spaces mother and toddler spaces, a lot of the time they just too lasy to walk.
Here in Spain you or in our case the community pay for a sign on the gate way to your property to keep it clear, so if anyone parks there you contact the police, and that's very simple here, we have apps contact police, send a photo / video message and they tow them.
And believe me, if your drive way is blocked every time you wanted to go in or out you would do the same. Bob.

parking across your drive is totally different than someone parking in a car park

 

[bobandjanie]

parking across your drive is totally different than someone parking in a car park

So it doesn't matter if the parking bay is not for cars then, there is no point in having any markings or rules everyone just does as they like.

Bob.

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[pelican]

I suspect that if you called the Brit Police and complained about someone badly parked they would arrest you for wasting Police time.

Well said

 

[Armytwowheels]

A few years ago, you were parked at Portimao aire, next to Tom and Maggie and their yappy Yorkie in a flair, and having known them for years parked I won't say next to them because you couldn't get that close.
Their pitch was trailer washing line motorhome awning car then a boundary wall of water bottles.

But they spoke highly of you two, because they had a problem and Colin sorted it out.

I doubt you could forget Maggie Tom's lovely.
Bob.

I don't remember them at all, but then we were in the company of @Busman and @PhilandMena so probably and lot of wine was being consumed!

 

[JJ]

A great thread...

...which reminds me why I avoid so called "aires" as much as possible...


JJ

 

[bigtwin]

A great thread...

...which reminds me why I avoid so called "aires" as much as possible...


JJ

So called?

Ian

 

[Just smiffy]

@Armytwowheels
It does depend on the aire, if you have marked spaces I would say you know your wrong, if there is no markings then you should be OK, as long as your not blocking the road.
When we had our A Class and smart / trailer we never had a problem, but there were ones we couldn't get in.
Some just take the Pi$$, I will give you an example
And we know this because we had your spot.
A few years ago, you were parked at Portimao aire, next to Tom and Maggie and their yappy Yorkie in a flair, and having known them for years parked I won't say next to them because you couldn't get that close.
Their pitch was trailer washing line motorhome awning car then a boundary wall of water bottles.

But they spoke highly of you two, because they had a problem and Colin sorted it out.

I doubt you could forget Maggie Tom's lovely.
Bob.

I’ve had the pleasure of Tom and Maggie in Portugal for wine o’clock at their van..... bright red lipstick and smart car..

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