Ah, that explains the narcotic alarms I've seen in motorhome adverts...

For example, LPG Alarm & Narcotic Gas Detection Alarm

Tim

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"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)

Could always gas the parking attendant.

Just a thought.

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I've a feeling I'm not in Kansas anymore.

Is this for REAL??

You must be joking !

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Poul
May you enjoy peace and good health !

For many years I've been traveling around Europe by pushbike, motorbike & campervan, most of the time staying overnight somewhere in the bush.

To answer Ted's question: In most countries except for Scandinavia (Alemansregt = 1 night ok) this is not permitted. But nowadays nobody seems to care if you don't trespass on private property. So far I have only been asled to move once, when camping in Polish forests right under a stance. A hunter pitched up, but wasn't angry at all. Just asked if we couldn't move some 2-3 kms further on.

Of course you should always check out the safety situation. I would never stay overnight on a scenic route like eg. the Ardeche gorge in southern France where visitors are pick-pocketed even at daytime.
No offence meant to our Frenchies

In Germany the parking sites are signed out where 24 h stops for campervans are prohibited. On the other hand more and more cities offer cheap overnight sites right inside town for a really low fee like 10 €, often with amenities like elctricity, toilets, water. Just to attract visitors.

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Only when we pause to wonder
do we go beyond the limits of our little lives.
(Rod McKuen)

Funny enough, I got the odd suspicious look in my own very limited travels - driving an old Lada and being a scruffy bastard possibly doesn't help - but (and I don't mind admitting) I did feel a sting of resentment at the thought of being 'judged' - and that was just me on a trip. Actually got pulled in Belgium as they were having a clampdown on people smuggling. At least, that's what they told me.

Just my thoughts.

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I've a feeling I'm not in Kansas anymore.

Up in scotland you will find alot of parking bays out in the country, we have a lot of vans parked near our little harbour in crudenbay and up at the castle nearby. These all have french/german plates so no one really bothers them unless they do something really stupid or park in residents parking spaces. The same goes for most the villages up and down the north east of scotland or in the highlands.

I have seen alot biker groups as well this year and again no one has problems. We also get quite alot of backpackers camping on the beach[ further down and out of site of the village] and up in the sand dunes. The screams at 2 am as my chinese crested finds them have indicated many are from over seas.

The problem at the moment is with the traveller/gypsy groups have really upset alot of locals in the north east of scotland with the damage and mess they make. There has also been alot of trouble with large groups coming up from England claiming to be travellers/gypsy people [and then admit their just on holiday to the press after the council has payed for toilets and skips for them] to park in nature reserves and tourist spots.
So if your a single van/camper you shouldnt have any trouble parking up in a layby somewhere. Just make sure its not one that has had the anti large vehicle barriers ripped up and I wouldnt recommend using a site that already has travellers on it or trying fields and farm tracks.
The police wont/cant move you on and the council need to go through the courts to do so. Although on the estates it may be a gamekeeper/farmer with a shotgun and they dont care about "human rights" and "discrimination" as much so I wouldnt recommend trying to camp out on the estates. Same goes for using tents out in private estates unless you go well off the tracks forestry guys and the local land owner will move you on and fires are a big no no.

Thanks for all the European advice

But, does anyone know the rule in the UK specifically ?


Can I LEGALLY drive down to a nice town, find a quiet road to park in and sleep there for the night ?? If someone wants to cause an issue and call the police, could i be moved on or prosecuted ?

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

There is different laws throughout the UK, scotland has no such thing as private roads or lands[ no such charge as trespassing], england does as far as I am aware or used to.
In the towns parking bays and car parks are generally owned so you may get moved on if you are classed as blocking access.Although recently my mother recieved a parking ticket from parking too long in a supermarket car park, It was sent from an english legal firm, used english law as its basis and therefore was not a legal charge in scotland so she phoned them pointed this out and they tore it up.

The best thing you can do is to use common sense. Dont park in a city, If in the country dont go into an area that isnt a proper rest stop or block a field or side road. And stay away from places with barriers. Its up to the police to move you on and explain why, so if you deal with them in a nice way say your stopping for 1 night only and that you are too tired to carry on they should be ok. IF you stop far enough away from any centres of population the chances of running into police or complaints are very slim indeed.

If as you said you find a nice town ect dont Park in someones space and try not to park in a residential area, as that way you will stick out.

Knowing your rights and having rights dont mean anything when the police are trying to move you on, as trying to tell a police officer they are wrong and you know your rights really wont get you anywhere. Unless you claim to be a gypsy/traveller and then the police will not do anything as its a discrimination charge against them waiting to happen.

Don't you sound like a bundle of joy! I bet your freinds with this guy..
White Trash Networks: Vigilante biker reports speeders to police

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'99 R1100GS - In a suitable shade of black

It's not that life is so short, It's just that we're dead for so long....
"The world is a book, those who do not travel read only one page." ~ Saint Augustin

Don't you sound like a bundle of joy! I bet your freinds with this guy..
White Trash Networks: Vigilante biker reports speeders to police __________________


Thats what I mean by common sense if you have seen the damage done by some of the "travellers" up here both to the area and to the local buisnesses[ no tourists stopping means no money] you will see where this attitude comes from. And as for the link If i ever catch the assholes who think its fun to offroad at the area where my parents live by cutting up pedestrian pathways at 60mph when theres kids playing or generally driving like complete morons on the streets the police would be the least of their worries.

I have no problems with bikers speeding on main roads[ as lets face it cars do] as most of them know whats going to happen when it goes wrong[ they end up hurt]. But to link a guy against speeding to someone who doesnt want campervans parked outside their buisnesses[ where do the customers park] is just plain stupid and not exactly connected in any way.

Respect what the local people expect and want and you will do fine and probably make some friends, dont and you screw it up for those that do.

Even further down the food chain than a jobs-worth.

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I've a feeling I'm not in Kansas anymore.

He's wasting his time. The Police would never prosecute on his evidence alone.

Be careful if you have a few s! in the UK is there not a charge for being drunk in charge of a vehicle. even if you have no intention of driving but are in the car with the keys and are over the driving limit you can be charged? my Knowledge of this is very vague, anyone better informed?
Andy

The police have charged people from U tube videos, so if the guy videos them he may get them charged. They will also charge people with dangerous driving ect on the basis of one persons report so I wouldnt be so sure they would not charge someone this guy reported. But lets face it if hes riding around sitting on the speedlimit hes gonna get squished sooner or later by a truck or something.

The point about being drunk in charge of a vehicle is pretty valid, If you are found in a car even when you have not got the keys in the ignition and its not running, you could be charged. Not sure how this applied to campervans though, maybe the back is a safe place to be.

Of course you could always go and knock on someone's door and ask them if you can park up on their land, I've done this before and I think as long as you don't look like a father-raper you should be OK, even in this lovely day and age of everyone locking everything and mistrusting everyone a polite smile often gets a positive result. Plenty of times farmers have found me a corner to camp on (even if I've been in a car) and some have even turned up in the morning with bacon butties and fresh daughters.

AND it's a great way to actually meet people and find out a bit about the locality.

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