What is the motorhome legal privacy standpoint ?

[peterhome]

If i park in a layby or other public place close all the curtains and "make hay" with the missus am i commiting a crime? can the cops start shining torches through gaps in the curtains and say " i can see you therefore you commit a crime ? "
If i make sure we cannot be seen am i actually commiting a crime ?[even though i can just say we did nothing]

 

[Kon tiki]

I didn't think 'making hay' was illegal inside or outside the van but how are you going to fit the combine harvester in there

I would have thought that as long as your curtains are closed they would be hard pressed to prove anything even if they wanted to. Had a shower before now on a supermarket car park (inside the van with the blinds drawn) so coulkd I be had for indecency ?

 

[roadtraveller]

Peterhome, only if you do it with someone else's WIFE, and without a current tax disc. Happy haymaking.

 

[Peter JohnsCross MH]

You should be so lucky!!!

 

[Frankia]

There was a story going the rounds in Germany that when the Heki roof vents 1st came in and were fitted to some Hymers a couple were "making hay". Only they liked to have fresh air in the 'van when in bed (which was directly under the Heki) and left the lights on.

Well you have probably guessed that the large panoramic vent acted as a mirror and the rest of the camp site got a real eye full especially as the 'van was parked at the lowest point on the site.

Don't know if they were given marks out of ten for the performance!

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[Brisey]

As long as you have a "street entertainers license" you should be ok. :thumb:

 

[estcres]

Very interesting question.

I was advised, several years ago, that as long as I had my vehicle keys on me AND I was in the vehicle, you can be breathalised and, if over the legal limit, be arrested and taken into custody on a drink driving charge. I was told this was effective even if you are parked on private land as you are technically "in charge" of the vehicle. Could the same apply in this case?!!!!!!

 

[Bulletguy]

Very interesting question.

I was advised, several years ago, that as long as I had my vehicle keys on me AND I was in the vehicle, you can be breathalised and, if over the legal limit, be arrested and taken into custody on a drink driving charge. I was told this was effective even if you are parked on private land as you are technically "in charge" of the vehicle. Could the same apply in this case?!!!!!!

With regard to the original question i'd say most certainly not. Basically it's down to a bit of plain common sense, ie; you don't go flaunting your sexual activities in full view of the general public!

As for the drink/driving i think it would only be a 'jobsworth' type of pc plod who would go as far as trying to enforce that whilst parked up on private land. In a lay-by or pub carpark......thats just asking for trouble. Once again, a bit of plain common sense thinking first. Trouble is with anyone who has been drinking too much.....common sense is something they will have very little of!

 

[Jaws]

Very interesting question.

I was advised, several years ago, that as long as I had my vehicle keys on me AND I was in the vehicle, you can be breathalised and, if over the legal limit, be arrested and taken into custody on a drink driving charge. I was told this was effective even if you are parked on private land as you are technically "in charge" of the vehicle. Could the same apply in this case?!!!!!!

Soooooo...

Reading all the replies I judge it would be ok to 'get it on' as long as you dont have your keys on you ? ( which might be a little kinky for my other half anyways... )

 

[ratporchrico]

An interesting series of responses. A case of 'if the van's rocking don't come knocking' if that's not a double pun.

My eye was caught by one response that raises another question however.

If I use a pub car park to stopover for the night, as I did recently in Cheshire, and said pub has a lively band that entices me in to partake of a tincture or twain(as it did) and I later staggered out to my van to sleep it off, is PC Plod within his rights to breathalise me and bang me up for drunk in charge even though the stopover was planned in advance? If so, how does one avoid this scenario? Any ideas?

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[Parcverger]

PC Plod can indeed do so, best answer is to leave the keys with the landlord so that you are not able to drive.

Bob

 

[Kon tiki]

If thats the case what about if you are parked on a campsite, on a friends drive or even at home you are still technically in charge of your vehicle. I think that they wouldn't be able to actually do anything until you got onto a public road or were at least showing an intention to drive on the road.

 

[stagman]

Correct me if I am wrong.If the pub is open and serving beer then the car park is public and you can get done for drink driving.Once the pub shuts the car park is private and you should be ok to sleep it off with the Landlord's permission,but always safe to leave the ignition keys behind the bar.

 

[JJ]

Oh Dear!

I have forgotten how to make hay...

Oh, and has anyone actually been prosecuted for being drunk in charge of a parked motohome (not "heard about someone")

Oh, and has anyone actually been "gassed" and then discovered they've been robbed when they have "come around" (not "heard about someone")

By the way... I've heard that the police are moving the few motorhomes that are on the front at Cabanas now that there is a new (huge, bland) campsite open. Of course the "news" came from the campsite and the police seemed to have missed me...

 

[roadtraveller]

Possibly sleep in a hay stack, after making hay.

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[estcres]

Hi everybody,

Regarding the earlier thread I placed about being in charge whilst under the influence of alcohol try going to the following link.

In charge of a vehicle with excess alcohol or while unfit

It makes very interesting reading.

A public place is defined as a place where the public could normally have access, IE a lay-by, car park without a barrier,

A campsite would not have public access under normal circumstances and would therefore not be subject to the law unless the driver was considered to have been driving whilst under the influence of alcohol and then the police have the right to enter the private land and conduct a breath test.

 

[Bulletguy]

An interesting series of responses. A case of 'if the van's rocking don't come knocking' if that's not a double pun.

My eye was caught by one response that raises another question however.

If I use a pub car park to stopover for the night, as I did recently in Cheshire, and said pub has a lively band that entices me in to partake of a tincture or twain(as it did) and I later staggered out to my van to sleep it off, is PC Plod within his rights to breathalise me and bang me up for drunk in charge even though the stopover was planned in advance? If so, how does one avoid this scenario? Any ideas?

As i said in my post...it's down to a bit of plain common sense thinking.

Kipping in a van overnight after a few too many beers is not really a problem if parked up on a campsite or in some farm field. But parking in a lay-by or worse still, pub carpark...it's basically inviting trouble or unwanted attention. If you know you are going to a Pub and you know you are going to drink beyond the limit.....why have the responsibility of a vehicle when you most certainly won't have all your faculties? Avoiding the scenario is simple....dont drive a vehicle if you want to get ****ed.

Folk bonking in the privacy of their own motorhome is one thing....being ****ed up at the side of the road is quite another.

 

[ratporchrico]

Interesting link estcres - seems fraught with difficulty and kind of invites extreme caution vis à vis the one night stopover/pub car park scenario.

Fair point bulletguy however, I wasn't planning to get rat-arsed and then escape retribution by kipping in the van. I'm getting on and well past the falling down-throwing up excesses of my youth. But I wasn't entirely aware of the law and it was slightly surprising to find that one of the validations of the Motorhomestopover site, that you can 'enjoy a drink' with relative peace of mind is er.. invalid. The Law kinda stomps that one flat. The pub I used near Nantwich (The Jolly Tar )has some great music, a nice friendly atmosphere and it would be quite easy, whilst watching the band, to go sufficiently over the limit to set the electric balloon flashing. On the night I stayed there at least one other motorhome was parked I presume to avoid the chance of driving whilst over the limit and at a recent party for my better half we parked the van within walking distance so we could enjoy the 'atmosphere' without risking a ban. That also was wrong thinking. Shame! Back to the hay making.