Tugger watching ;) (1 Viewer)

Peter Sansom

Free Member
May 22, 2015
235
116
peebles
Funster No
36,509
MH
Chausson Flash 610
Exp
A relative newbie...ex caravanner
I must say we do keep half an eye on what the caravanners are up to when they arrive on site. Whereas we take less than 5 minutes to get set up - I plug in the power and turn the gas on while she turns the cab seats round and puts the kettle on.

The downfall of quite a few caravanners seems to be - awnings. They do seem to take an age to set up especially when its raining and after 30 minutes of struggling to thread the edge of the awning along the channel on the side of the caravan it turns out they have it back to front and have to start again!

We have seen people spend literally 2 hours setting up their awning and making it look perfect on a Friday evening only to pull it all down again and go home on Sunday.

Paul
Could never be bothered with an awning when we had our caravan, even when we were given a free porch awning. When we traded the van in I included it in the sale, which was promptly returned to me by the dealer! As you say, takes up far too much time to erect...life's too short.
 

ojibway

Free Member
Jul 17, 2012
531
305
Eastbourne
Funster No
22,001
MH
Van Conversion
Exp
since 2005
Back when we had a caravan we went to a very small, steep site in the Jura (Lac de Narlay, Le Frasnois). Tight plots, too. But I spoiled the onlookers fun when I drove down to the bottom of the hill, turned round then drove up past the plot and backed in serenely - no accelerator, just brakes:cool::cool:
I think we might have been overloaded with a Mirror dinghy, outboard, canoe, daughters friend, awning for the adults etc!
We went on to Lake Geneva and coming down from the Jura the power assistance went on the brakes. That was fun!
240 in Jura.jpg
 
Jan 3, 2008
3,329
5,340
Pakefield, Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK
Funster No
1,118
MH
Looking
Exp
35
I for one, don't understand why you wouldn't use a clean toilet, just as you would if out and about in a shopping area or pub, if it's clean, why not. But more than that, I don't understand what is wrong with using a clean shower, when I grew up in the 1940's I used worse than that and what is wrong with going to the toilet area in a dressing gown, slip it off and shower, or is it better to go fully dressed then try and take all your clothes off in a damp shower, then afterwards, try and put on your nice clean clothes.......or the same dirty ones, just so that you can look.......well proper like.........on the "Bog run"

Some prefer their own facilities others prefer campsite facilities, it's just individual choice. Having a preference disposes individuals to fail to understand what others do. Doesn't mean either preference is wrong, just different.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Billy23

Free Member
Feb 10, 2012
1,610
2,984
On a planet...far, ....far away.
Funster No
19,772
MH
C Class
Exp
On and off 1995
Some prefer their own facilities others prefer campsite facilities, it's just individual choice. Having a preference disposes individuals to fail to understand what others do. Doesn't mean either preference is wrong, just different.

Yes I understand that, we wouldn't want all people the same, I guess I was saying that, along with, why would it matter if you wear a dressing gown to go to the toilet block. So long as you have your bits and pieces covered, what the heck! Some people may not look that good when fully dressed.(y)
 

Hammie

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 21, 2014
467
278
Funster No
32,975
MH
Neismann & Bischoff Arto
Exp
newbie/2015
We're on site for the weekend as today is an inset day at little c's school and I fancied a trip away. We arrived last night, just after sunset. About a minute after that, the gas was on, closely followed by the kettle (y)

So far today, we've explored the site, played in the park and played table tennis. Now I'm sitting in the van with a coffee and observing the time honoured tradition of tugger watching. I never thought it could be as funny as its followers made out! It is!!!

Tugger A
Arrived 3 hours ago. Reversed onto pitch, checked pitch number. Drove onto second pitch. Went too far. Reversed. Checked pitch number. Drove along road, checking pitch numbers. Reversed onto pitch number 3. Shuffled about a bit. Unhitched. Did steadies. Two hours ago they started on the awning just as we headed off to play tt. They finished 15 mins ago. He's been rummaging about in lockers for a while now and I've just seen a satellite dish... That's this afternoon's entertainment sorted :rofl: on second thoughts, maybe we'll go swimming instead and see how they're getting on when we come out :D

Tugger B
Not nearly as much fun.... They went straight to their pitch, reversed on and unhitched. Then they hitched up again, reversed into the ehu, pulled forward again and unhitched. Next they did the steadies, grey waste trolley and aquaroll. All over in about 20 minutes :(

Anyway, if anyone's at Hendra this weekend and fancies a coffee or beer and some tugger watching, send me a pm :clap2:
I suppose these posts were meant to be a bit of fun but they left me a bit riled. Why? I thought of my lovely husband who lived life to the full and tried so hard to hang on to it. I found it sad that people who have the gift of life waste it looking to find fault with others as they go about their business.
 
Oct 5, 2012
4,283
9,569
Ayrshire
Funster No
23,166
MH
Carado T132
Exp
5 years, feel free to ask me about the Carado!!
I suppose these posts were meant to be a bit of fun but they left me a bit riled. Why? I thought of my lovely husband who lived life to the full and tried so hard to hang on to it. I found it sad that people who have the gift of life waste it looking to find fault with others as they go about their business.
It's human nature.....

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

GeebeeJaybee

Free Member
May 28, 2015
293
349
St Helens
Funster No
36,586
MH
A Class - Adria Vision
Exp
newbie
I don't think having a giggle at people doing what they choose to do for leisure to is offensive. Its not like people are getting popcorn out and settling down to watch.

Its just people watching - it's not mocking the afflicted or bullying. There is a big difference between watching someone choose to faff around with a caravan or awning than people shouting "baldy" at someone having cancer treatment for example (which actually happened to my friend).

I do plenty of things that friends and family think are hilarious - doesn't mean I am bothered if they laugh at me - I enjoy it so fine, let them laugh. Life is too short to be worrying what people think.
 

Daifuse

Free Member
Feb 20, 2013
183
310
Milford Haven
Funster No
24,764
MH
c class
Exp
Since 2011
Started off with a borrowed ex-army 6-man ridge tent when the kids were small in N.Wales, small 5berth caravan as a site officewhilst building my house, and living in a 10-wide mobile home alongside, then managed to scrape enough together to buy a narrowboat. then a Merc. based chieftain now a 630 cheyenne. I wonder what'll be next?
Another boat? Not at the costs of moorings and licences these days, the reasons I sold the boat! Unless we win on the health lottery or something similar.
 

kelv

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 23, 2014
670
894
leicester
Funster No
32,091
MH
Carthago 145
Exp
10
I spent this weekend at poolsbrook cc club site There was a caravan owner on the opposite pitch to me with a wind out awning the legs where extended fully and the canopy was higher at the leg side. Sunday morning he came out and loosened the legs well pardon me for laughing it was like the ice bucket challange he got soaked sometimes you just cannot help watching what other people do motorhomers or caravaners

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Hammie

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 21, 2014
467
278
Funster No
32,975
MH
Neismann & Bischoff Arto
Exp
newbie/2015
I still think it is unpleasant to watch strangers going about their business with the intention of finding fault. Friends and family are different they laugh with you instead of at you. I worked with the public for nearly 40 years and concluded that people who behave like this are covering up their own insecurities.
 
Jun 16, 2013
1,228
820
Wiltshire
Funster No
26,522
MH
Low Profile Hymer CL 554
Exp
Since May 2014
I dont believe we watch others to find fault, well we certainly dont! I like watching other people set up because i find it interesting. Everyone is different and i certainly wouldnt watch anyone struggle without offering help.

We had a large tent, then folding camper followed by a caravan and finally a motorhome :). Each time the setting up and packing up got easier. When we had a tent we were chatting to a couple that were parked in their caravn next to us. We marvelled at it and wondered if one day we could afford such a lovely van. We joked about how long we took putting up the tent. They laughed and said we have all been there at some point. We both were packing up on the same day and they were done in no time, it took us 4 hours! As part of the joke they both got their chairs out and positioned them so they could watch us :). We all laughed and they obviously didn't hang around watching us.

On one campsite though i was very upset over a fellow campers action. We were with my inlaws and it was a very windy day putting the tent away. The camper next door purposely posistioned his chair to watch us struggle with our huge tent! It was so obvious i really wanted to say something! The gaulling thing was hours earlier i handed over some free tickets for a local theme park that we couldn't use to them! Now that kind of watching is plain old mean! :-(
 

Hammie

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 21, 2014
467
278
Funster No
32,975
MH
Neismann & Bischoff Arto
Exp
newbie/2015
Thank you that explains it pefectly

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
9

9526

Deleted User
I still think it is unpleasant to watch strangers going about their business with the intention of finding fault. Friends and family are different they laugh with you instead of at you. I worked with the public for nearly 40 years and concluded that people who behave like this are covering up their own insecurities.

I think you're looking too deep into the whole thing, people watching is great fun. If it were not the case then shows like

Game for a laugh
Candid camera
You've been framed
Trigger happy TV
Off there rockers
etc etc etc would have never been made (or watched and enjoyed by millions for decades)

I love people watching, but will be the first to have a giggle at my own shortcomings, faults, daft comments, misfortune etc

Am I insecure?

I have no idea, but I'm not wasting the rest of my life worrying what people think of me when I do something that others find amusing. If I've made someone smile, good on em!!

For instance, one of my many faux pas on our recent trip was to press a corkscrew too hard into the top of a wine bottle. Red wine + white t shirt = a good giggle for a doz or so Frenchies . So what, none of them found it funnier than me. (Until swmbo gave me a clip round the ear for ruining my t shirt)

Lives too short.
 
Nov 3, 2013
3,165
9,293
Portugal
Funster No
28,868
MH
Fiat Ducato Auto Wildax
Exp
C/van since '73 .M/h.2009
Hi.
It's perhaps part of a persons,"Jolly",for my sins,i notice m/homes with silver screens on all day and night,up until now,i have resisted the urge to mention this. When i am away on holiday i want to escape from the house and soak up all the view of my temporary surroundings,goodness knows the m/home windows aren't huge, but there again,chuck a bit of sand down (Tuggers),and the thread will go on....."Us and Them" Do we "Want to be together ?LOL"
There are a lot of ex "Tuggers and Tenters" on Fun with m/homes,and many will declare that if their circumstances change,they would not think twice about returning to their roots,. What you have to remember is,i have never seen a post in praise of a "Tugger",who voluntarily comes across and offers to assist the pulling out of a struggling m/home................ There again,perhaps nobody has been stuck.
Tea Bag
 

ojibway

Free Member
Jul 17, 2012
531
305
Eastbourne
Funster No
22,001
MH
Van Conversion
Exp
since 2005
It's better to have a laugh than a grumble, and, yes, if someone is struggling - motorhome, caravan or tent, I will help - did so a while back when young (well, younger than us) motorhomers were having trouble putting up a safari room in the wind. I couldn't understand why they needed it - weekend at a music festival, probably never used one before so wanting to try it out - but that was up to them!
 
Mar 18, 2015
357
896
Burrough on the Hill, Leicestershire
Funster No
35,485
MH
Rapido 886f
Exp
Since 2014
Been a Tenter (still do mostly in my backpacking tent), been a Tugger, now a Motorhomer.

I enjoy watching other peoples attempts at setting up and yes Tuggers and awnings are always fun to watch. Sorry if we disappointed anyone expecting to laugh at me and the missus when we were Tuggers, we could pitch our full awning in 15 minutes flat. Only once did we hit a problem and that was when a sudden squall came up from nowhere just as we were putting the first peg in, only just managed to hold onto it. Think it was a message from him up there, as when we went to by a couple of replacement plastic clips that had broken, we saw the MH and brought it there and then!
Having a giggle at awning erection is one thing. Any Tugger struggling with an awning gets an offer of assistance from us.

As for using site facilities, why not? We use the onboard shower if the site ones are: a) too far away, b) not hot enough, c) busy or d) not clean. Site loo's the missus says she doesn't mind sharing a van with me but not "me and mine" if you know what i mean! Light washing up we do on board but any big washing up get done at the wash-up. I agree with an earlier poster you get to talk to other amazing people. I've picked up many "Have you been to........" whilst washing up. It's a thing called being sociable.
I've been on sites where a motorhome turns up and parks. Someone runs out and plugs it in and disappers inside again. The automatic satelite dish rises and that's it for the night. Next morning it's the reverse. Two brief glimpses of a person that's all!

Hopefully meet up with you at a wash-up somewhere, someday.
 
Feb 22, 2014
2,107
10,269
Grantham
Funster No
30,233
MH
Rapido Le Randonneur
Exp
Since 2015
And some people refuse all offers of help. We were caravanning in Belgium once. Pulled in besides a very nice van with the couple trying to put up the awning. Steve asked if they would like a hand, his offer was refused. So we set up and got the dinner on. He offered again. Refused. We ate, and by now it was pitch dark and still they were trying. So Steve went out again and this time they accepted his offer. He reached up and slid the awning into the channel running along the top of the van. The couple were both short and that's what they spent 2 hours trying to do.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

sdc77

Free Member
Jan 28, 2013
3,244
4,550
Weardale, Co Durham
Funster No
24,456
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
since 2011
Hi.
It's perhaps part of a persons,"Jolly",for my sins,i notice m/homes with silver screens on all day and night,up until now,i have resisted the urge to mention this. When i am away on holiday i want to escape from the house and soak up all the view of my temporary surroundings,
We leave the silver screen on our van. We go outside for scenery viewing.
 
Nov 3, 2013
3,165
9,293
Portugal
Funster No
28,868
MH
Fiat Ducato Auto Wildax
Exp
C/van since '73 .M/h.2009
We leave the silver screen on our van. We go outside for scenery viewing.
Hi.
It is not you i see then,as the vast majority seem to have people inside them,unless they have squatters or talking pets,when we do have to go into the unit,without the silvers still on,i still have near on 360 views,result.
Tea Bag
 
OP
OP
CandC

CandC

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 22, 2014
196
335
Cornwall
Funster No
29,796
MH
Old School :D
Exp
Used to go with the olds! Now I have one of my own :)
Well, we got home last Sunday evening after a thoroughly enjoyable weekend and, since then, I've been busy catching up on stuff at home and at work. Now, at long last, I've got time to catch up on this thread :)

It was nice to see such an interest and such a variety of answers. That, I believe, just shows that we are all different. That difference probably accounts for so many of us (the human race as a whole) being people watchers. I would say that people watching is not a new phenomenon but has been around from the dawn of humankind. Watching what people use and what people do would help the ancient tribes to identify each other and, possibly more importantly, to learn from each other. This behaviour, as with so many others, would soon become instinctive.

Yes, I freely admit that I watched those tuggers, as I did in my first post. It was not done out of malice, but as an observation of the differences which I again admit I found amusing. Why did I find it amusing? Perhaps due to the deep rooted tribal identity instinct I hinted at above? This is not some feeble attempt at justification: I am comfortable with my actions. Some people chose to slate people watching as some form of new evil and that is why I post this explanation.

People who know me will describe me as kind and helpful. I give up much of my free time to help others for no reward. At no stage were the people I watched in real difficulty or danger. I have no experience of putting up caravan awnings, nor do I wish to have. I would have been of little help, if any, with that. If , however, a sudden gale had blown up, I would have gone over to help in holding, battening down etc. Fortunately for them, and for my own relaxation, that need did not arise.

Whether that has appeased the critics or not, time to move on ;)

Yes, I'll admit that a big caravan and awning would be great for a large family wishing to stay put in one place for a week or more. I must admit to a brief flash of envy as I watched a family jump out of their caravan, into the car and drive off. Maybe they had a little chuckle as I had to stow everything away before we went for a drive to the beach :p But no, the camper van suits us fine for now.

What else?

I started off my camping life in tents, hiking in the Scottish mountains. I got used to the cosy warmth of a mummy sleeping bag and still use one in the camper. That is also partly due to the small size and speed it packs away in.

We've got a sink onboard, along with a kettle for boiling water to wash dishes. I've done that many times before when staying off site. Why pay to heat my own water on a site though? My pitch fee pays for my use of the site's hot water so I use it! Again, I have a toilet onboard. It's great for when we're staying off site or travelling but it's a lot easier to pull the flush in the site toilet than to lug the cassette across the site and empty it!

Thankfully, in spite of the rain on Saturday, we didn't get bogged down in mud and got off the pitch with the clutch and grass surface intact (y)

One more example of how people are different.... We went swimming in the on site fun pool three times and spent most of that time on the water slides. We went to the evening entertainment, played bingo, took part in silly competitions and danced till our feet hurt :party2: Hell on earth for many of you, I know, but if you're looking for a clean, safe, family site I can thoroughly recommend Hendra near Newquay.

Vive la difference!!! :cheers:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top