Worst experience on camp site ?

[BusyBuilder]

Okay, not in a motorhome, but booked 4 tent spaces near Oban for me and my biker mates for 3 days. I paid up front as well.

I arrived mid afternoon, spoke to site manager and he showed me our 4 pitches, I commented that I didn't think we'd get 4 tents on the space, but he ignored me, I pitched my tent. A couple of hours later another chap arrived and pitched his family sized tent next to mine, I explained he was on my/my mates pitch but he just said it's where he was told to pitch.
Then my mates arrived I showed them the space and they laughed saying they may get 2 tents on there at best. So me and (BIG) Martin went to managers office, his reply was take it or leave it. We then went to see the chap with the family tent (he was on his own) we explained the situation, but he refused to move his tent.
Then he went off site so we dismantled and packed his tent, pitched ours and settled down for the night and something to eat (we'd been travelling all day). The fun started when he got back, (pissed) but he had no chance with 4 bikers including BIG Martin (6'7" and nearly 30 stone) to deal with.

In the morning we packed up, and asked the site manager for a refund for unused nights but he refused to pay up, so after a discussion about ripping bikers off not being a good idea, BIG Martin showed him the error of his ways, after he came around hahaa to his senses (eventually) he gave us a full refund.

The other chap with the family tent stayed out of the way, I think he was off fishing, we never heard anymore from them.

 

[The Wino]

I feel sorry for the bloke with the family tent he pitched where he was told to and if there was space to move why didn't your mates just pitch there or are they afraid to be alone. Presumably the site manager will now have a no bikers rule in place.

 

[dulvil]

I feel sorry for the bloke with the family tent he pitched where he was told to and if there was space to move why didn't your mates just pitch there or are they afraid to be alone. Presumably the site manager will now have a no bikers rule in place.

But he was told that he was on their pitch so should have taken it up with the manager, luckily had his tent in one piece and packed nicely

 

[The Wino]

But he was told that he was on their pitch so should have taken it up with the manager, luckily had his tent in one piece and packed nicely

Why should he move?. Why was he lucky it was packed nicely. Strikes me some people have been watching too many old episodes of top gear and haven't grown up. I don't know how many campsites have no groups of singles or no biker rules but if anyone wonders why the op makes a good case for them being in place.

 

[BusyBuilder]

The places we had booked was for 4 tent pitches of double occupation tents, there was limited places available, and when I booked they wanted the full payment upfront.
The bloke with the family tent pitched his tent even when I told him there were another 3 tents to go in THAT spot he just pitched it anyway. There were NO other places to pitch a tent anywhere else.
The site manager couldn't give two hoots as he'd already been paid IN FULL about 3 weeks previously. It doesn't matter we were bikers, he should have honoured his agreement.

If anyone here had been in the same situation what would you have done ? we had ridden 300 miles that day to find nowhere to pitch up.

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[chaser]

The places we had booked was for 4 tent pitches of double occupation tents, there was limited places available, and when I booked they wanted the full payment upfront.
The bloke with the family tent pitched his tent even when I told him there were another 3 tents to go in THAT spot he just pitched it anyway. There were NO other places to pitch a tent anywhere else.
The site manager couldn't give two hoots as he'd already been paid IN FULL about 3 weeks previously. It doesn't matter we were bikers, he should have honoured his agreement.

If anyone here had been in the same situation what would you have done ? we had ridden 300 miles that day to find nowhere to pitch up.

I am a bit in two minds here, ok you had paid which should have meant there was pitch's available, but also this other bloke had as well, he was only pitching where he had been told to same as you, I would say it was first come first served really and you had no right to touch his stuff, 6 foot 7 or not.

 

[Happy Jim]

Given the scenario you describe I would have moved into the family tent next to you that was already pitched and left the other chaps tent alone.
Your beef was with the site manager and not the fisherman chap.

Jim

 

[The Wino]

The places we had booked was for 4 tent pitches of double occupation tents, there was limited places available, and when I booked they wanted the full payment upfront.
The bloke with the family tent pitched his tent even when I told him there were another 3 tents to go in THAT spot he just pitched it anyway. There were NO other places to pitch a tent anywhere else.
The site manager couldn't give two hoots as he'd already been paid IN FULL about 3 weeks previously. It doesn't matter we were bikers, he should have honoured his agreement.

If anyone here had been in the same situation what would you have done ? we had ridden 300 miles that day to find nowhere to pitch up.

That's possibly even worse so the other bloke who's tent you took down presumably had nowhere else to pitch it. He put it up where the site owner told him too and from your description sounds like that's probably what happened. You told him you had been told to pitch there but didn't bother to go back to the site owner. Then you think it's funny because the other bloke got back from the pub and had his tent taken down and nowhere to stay and Big Martin meant you could do what you like.
I suspect you didn't take it up with the site manager as he might have said last here if there's not enough room tough. The fact that you had ridden 300 miles has nothing to do with the bloke who's tent you took down.
I think I would have had a lot of sympathy if the bloke who's tent you took down let down all your tyres overnight. I might even have had some sympathy if he slashed them.

 

[chaser]

That's possibly even worse so the other bloke who's tent you took down presumably had nowhere else to pitch it. He put it up where the site owner told him too and from your description sounds like that's probably what happened. You told him you had been told to pitch there but didn't bother to go back to the site owner. Then you think it's funny because the other bloke got back from the pub and had his tent taken down and nowhere to stay and Big Martin meant you could do what you like.
I suspect you didn't take it up with the site manager as he might have said last here if there's not enough room tough. The fact that you had ridden 300 miles has nothing to do with the bloke who's tent you took down.
I think I would have had a lot of sympathy if the bloke who's tent you took down let down all your tyres overnight. I might even have had some sympathy if he slashed them.

How far they had travelled is neither here or there, maybe the other bloke had travelled farther.
No I think it puts bikers in a very poor light if this is the sort of thing they do.

 

[The Wino]

How far they had travelled is neither here or there, maybe the other bloke had travelled farther.
No I think it puts bikers in a very poor light if this is the sort of thing they do.

I feel two ways about it putting bikers in a poor light as I think it's wrong to be biased against any group on the behaviour of a few. But I could understand others feeling like that.

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[berni109]

Sorry guys respect works both ways.
Being told the space was reserved and paid for should have been enough. Some people just dont give a rats arse if they think they can get away with it.

 

[chaser]

Sorry guys respect works both ways.
Being told the space was reserved and paid for should have been enough. Some people just dont give a rats arse if they think they can get away with it.

Yes but presumably the other guy had been told the same, not his fault.

 

[The Wino]

Yes but presumably the other guy had been told the same, not his fault.

Also you've got to wonder what the reaction would have been if family tent man was there first and waiting for a friend to turn up. From the way the scenario is described would the others have said fair enough it's your space?

 

[iandsm]

Okay, not in a motorhome, but booked 4 tent spaces near Oban for me and my biker mates for 3 days. I paid up front as well.

I arrived mid afternoon, spoke to site manager and he showed me our 4 pitches, I commented that I didn't think we'd get 4 tents on the space, but he ignored me, I pitched my tent. A couple of hours later another chap arrived and pitched his family sized tent next to mine, I explained he was on my/my mates pitch but he just said it's where he was told to pitch.
Then my mates arrived I showed them the space and they laughed saying they may get 2 tents on there at best. So me and (BIG) Martin went to managers office, his reply was take it or leave it. We then went to see the chap with the family tent (he was on his own) we explained the situation, but he refused to move his tent.
Then he went off site so we dismantled and packed his tent, pitched ours and settled down for the night and something to eat (we'd been travelling all day). The fun started when he got back, (pissed) but he had no chance with 4 bikers including BIG Martin (6'7" and nearly 30 stone) to deal with.

In the morning we packed up, and asked the site manager for a refund for unused nights but he refused to pay up, so after a discussion about ripping bikers off not being a good idea, BIG Martin showed him the error of his ways, after he came around hahaa to his senses (eventually) he gave us a full refund.

The other chap with the family tent stayed out of the way, I think he was off fishing, we never heard anymore from them.

I don't think bullying and intimidation of the chap in the family tent or the site manager was the way to proceed, being apparently proud of it doesn't help either. Your beef was with the site manager who may have been able to help had he been approached when the problem first became apparent. You chose not to do so, but to rely on bullying and intimidation.

 

[iandsm]

The places we had booked was for 4 tent pitches of double occupation tents, there was limited places available, and when I booked they wanted the full payment upfront.
The bloke with the family tent pitched his tent even when I told him there were another 3 tents to go in THAT spot he just pitched it anyway. There were NO other places to pitch a tent anywhere else.
The site manager couldn't give two hoots as he'd already been paid IN FULL about 3 weeks previously. It doesn't matter we were bikers, he should have honoured his agreement.

If anyone here had been in the same situation what would you have done ? we had ridden 300 miles that day to find nowhere to pitch up.

Does it matter how far you had ridden, no it makes no difference. the other guy may have driven 600 miles, had he told you that would you attitude have been different, probably not.

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[chaser]

Honestly think this maybe some sort of a wind up, if not I'm afraid if all bikers think like this my estimation of them has been severely dented, and can now understand the no bikers signs.

 

[nicholsong]

I think that the OP and the guy with the family tent should have gone together to the Site Manager/Owner and told him he had oversold the space and that he had to sort it out.

 

[phase3begins]

Maybe this thread should be retitled ‘bunch of bullies on campsite’

 

[Darren]

Just out and out Bullies. Just because Martin is 6 foot seven and 30 stone doesn't give you the right to intermediate people and then mess around with their personal stuff

 

[chaser]

Just out and out Bullies. Just because Martin is 6 foot seven and 30 stone doesn't give you the right to intermediate people and then mess around with their personal stuff

This story is so way out it's almost unbelievable, and just a windup.
If there was only room for the bikers two tents, then where did the other bloke eventually pitch the one they had taken down.
Why couldn't they have pitched there.
Why if they had booked three nights did they leave after one, and threaten the site owner.
No don't swallow it I'm afraid.

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[RedFrame]

Okay, not in a motorhome, but booked 4 tent spaces near Oban for me and my biker mates for 3 days. I paid up front as well.

I arrived mid afternoon, spoke to site manager and he showed me our 4 pitches, I commented that I didn't think we'd get 4 tents on the space, but he ignored me, I pitched my tent. A couple of hours later another chap arrived and pitched his family sized tent next to mine, I explained he was on my/my mates pitch but he just said it's where he was told to pitch.
Then my mates arrived I showed them the space and they laughed saying they may get 2 tents on there at best. So me and (BIG) Martin went to managers office, his reply was take it or leave it. We then went to see the chap with the family tent (he was on his own) we explained the situation, but he refused to move his tent.
Then he went off site so we dismantled and packed his tent, pitched ours and settled down for the night and something to eat (we'd been travelling all day). The fun started when he got back, (pissed) but he had no chance with 4 bikers including BIG Martin (6'7" and nearly 30 stone) to deal with.

In the morning we packed up, and asked the site manager for a refund for unused nights but he refused to pay up, so after a discussion about ripping bikers off not being a good idea, BIG Martin showed him the error of his ways, after he came around hahaa to his senses (eventually) he gave us a full refund.

The other chap with the family tent stayed out of the way, I think he was off fishing, we never heard anymore from them.

As a lifelong biker and having previously been a member of a side patch club, I'd say you, and your mates are an embarrassment to the Biking community.

Cheers
Red.

 

[Wissel]

The other chap with the family tent stayed out of the way, I think he was off fishing, we never heard anymore from them.

This is who had the worst experience on a campsite.

 

[dabhand]

Similar things (overbooking) happen all the time, Flights, restaurants hotels etc the problem is the site owner not having a proper dispute resolution policy. I think I would’ve camped out in his office (politely and courteously of course) until he sorted it out. I have done this in the past in similar circumstances with amazing results.

 

[gus-lopez]

So me and (BIG) Martin went to managers office, his reply was take it or leave it.

This here ^^^^^^^^^^

I don't think bullying and intimidation of the chap in the family tent or the site manager was the way to proceed, being apparently proud of it doesn't help either. Your beef was with the site manager who may have been able to help had he been approached when the problem first became apparent. You chose not to do so, but to rely on bullying and intimidation.

Did you not read the above in the initial post?

 

[BusyBuilder]

We did try to talk to the site manager, but couldn't care less as he'd been paid up front. I told the chap with the family tent he was on our pitch but he didn't care.
The site manager was an arsenal we asked for a refund for lost 2 night camping and wasn't going to do that, well to me thats not fair so we stood up to him till he gave us a refund and we moved on.
If some of you on here had booked a space for your van and then found it taken and site manager said he couldn't care less what would you have done ?.??

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[Jim]

Think I've seen this Big Martin before

 

[stevewagner]

How far they had travelled is neither here or there, maybe the other bloke had travelled farther.
No I think it puts bikers in a very poor light if this is the sort of thing they do.

No it doesn't put bikers in a bad light just these four.

 

[iandsm]

This here ^^^^^^^^^^

Did you not read the above in the initial post?

Yes, and I stand by what I said as regards bullying and intimidation which isn't right even if provoked, it's not the way to behave. Especially four against one.

 

[Jo662]

The op asks for people's worst campsite experience and all he's got is grief about his experience

 

[TDub49]

My worst experience on a campsite was pitching my tent where I was told to and then finding late at night that a motorcycle gang had taken the 'law' into their own hands and removed my tent. They beat a refund out of the site manager the next day. I still have PTSD . . . .

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