Britstop confrontation ... does size matter?

[GrannyJen]

No is the answer and they can bugger off

Parked up at a lovely, gorgeous Britstop in Warwickshire. Just had the roof raised, seats swivelled and the pub owner comes out and offers me a prime space. By the canal, tucked into a hedge, quiet. My Sister, who is stopping bed and breakfast, and my two dogs, go off for a gorgeous walk,

Two hours later in wafts a great white, 6 metres long. They want the same space but can only have part of it by cutting my rear off. Being ever so polite and just a wee diminutive Granny I tell them to find somewhere else as I cannot get out without asking them to move.

Poor darlings, they think they are dealing with the local gyppo in a builders van (please note: My Great Grandfather (paternal) was Irish traveller so "gyppo" or "pikey" is not being racialist)....

They also think that their 6 metre great white puts them above the edge.

So, having dinner in my lovely, gorgeous Britstop, I mention my predicament to the owner, who knows and loves me, (or at least loves my dogs ). He goes out, tells them to shift it. A long story short, big confrontation, they tell me, in front of a full pub, I'm basically "only in a camper van" and therefore well below their class and it's me that should move. How nice to have had a portable printer in my van I produce a price list for their van, printed of after it all kicked off.... £59k for a swift 6m on a fiat ducato, £65k for a similar albert specced Cali..... "Hello darlings, don't lower yourselves further, you are already the bottom slice of the cream cake ...".

Result is owner, and a few customers, tell them to "p*ss off" or park by the road, opposite end to the car park.

What is it with people who drive furniture lorries on holiday?

 

[Digger]

Nice one. Proud of you.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Love it. Wish I'd been there to see you deliver the coup de Cali.

 

[GrannyJen]

What is it with a Cali?

I'm sat here now, beautiful location, surrounded by two great whites plus the greater of great white banished to the other end f the car park, Bella, my Weimaraner , is snoring next to me on the swivelled drivers seat, Max, my god-knows-what rescue boy is curled up on the bench seat, Jo, my sister, is in her B&B bedroom and I'm enjoying her wine (having carried out the half empty bottle to Albert), and I feel just so comfortable as a pig in muck.

My Camper is my heaven.

 

[Brindisi]

Priceless!!

Mrs B

 

[motacyclist]

Unfortunately a small percentage of the population have it in their heads that they are superior due to the type/make/size of vehicle they drive.

Road rage spreads to the camp site now

 

[kave]

I can't believe how stupid some people are. Nice idea with the printer

 

[GrannyJen]

Naturally their dogs were also pristine-groomed pedigrees

Not that "God knows what" Max was concerned.

"Am I boverred?

 

[JohnGuppy]

Well Done Granny Jen great you stood your ground

 

[briwy]

Nice one Jen.. Cheeky buggers, glad you saw them off.
I guess most non Cali owners would be seriously shocked at the price.

 

[GrannyJen]

Nice one Jen.. Cheeky buggers, glad you saw them off.
I guess most non Cali owners would be seriously shocked at the price.

I don't know what first upset me.

I was parked in a normal space. The owner kindly offered me an "unmarked" place in the best possible location.

They arrived and so they could also be in the best possible location they quite casually blocked me in with their oversized bungalow on wheels. That was number one. that lit the fuse.

Then when I quite politely asked could they move so I had free access and egress without asking their permission each time it was "Your only a camper van", in other words I was not entitled to be where the pub owner asked me to! That accelerated the fuse burn time.

Then it was the implication of "only a camper van" .... as if they were something ever so better. I just knew it was going to come to public confrontation which is why I reached for my little epson, normally only used for printing walking and running routes out.

Then what made me decide that the explosion was going to be a big one was the sheer stupidity of these morons in even thinking they were better than the owner of the pub who had graciously given them permission to park on his car park! To refuse to move when he asked them to and to rush into the bar where I was having dinner to make it a public row was stupidity raised to an art form.

 

[Teejay]

I don't know what first upset me.

I was parked in a normal space. The owner kindly offered me an "unmarked" place in the best possible location.

They arrived and so they could also be in the best possible location they quite casually blocked me in with their oversized bungalow on wheels. That was number one. that lit the fuse.

Then when I quite politely asked could they move so I had free access and egress without asking their permission each time it was "Your only a camper van", in other words I was not entitled to be where the pub owner asked me to! That accelerated the fuse burn time.

Then it was the implication of "only a camper van" .... as if they were something ever so better. I just knew it was going to come to public confrontation which is why I reached for my little epson, normally only used for printing walking and running routes out.

Then what made me decide that the explosion was going to be a big one was the sheer stupidity of these morons in even thinking they were better than the owner of the pub who had graciously given them permission to park on his car park! To refuse to move when he asked them to and to rush into the bar where I was having dinner to make it a public row was stupidity raised to an art form.

Their attitude may well have the landlord exclude the larger motor homes and only allow campers. Or worse think it's not worth the hassle for anyone, doubtful in this case. I think we all would have blown it at these *icks. How old were they young and dumb or old enough to know better and was it a newbie motor home ?

I do like the idea of having a small printer for walks etc great idea !

 

[Velma's Dad]

Comedy gold. To quote one of Harry Enfield's immortal characters: they obviously thought they were Considerably Richer Than Yaaaaawww...

 

[Jay20cali]

I don't know what first upset me.

I was parked in a normal space. The owner kindly offered me an "unmarked" place in the best possible location.

They arrived and so they could also be in the best possible location they quite casually blocked me in with their oversized bungalow on wheels. That was number one. that lit the fuse.

Then when I quite politely asked could they move so I had free access and egress without asking their permission each time it was "Your only a camper van", in other words I was not entitled to be where the pub owner asked me to! That accelerated the fuse burn time.

Then it was the implication of "only a camper van" .... as if they were something ever so better. I just knew it was going to come to public confrontation which is why I reached for my little epson, normally only used for printing walking and running routes out.

Then what made me decide that the explosion was going to be a big one was the sheer stupidity of these morons in even thinking they were better than the owner of the pub who had graciously given them permission to park on his car park! To refuse to move when he asked them to and to rush into the bar where I was having dinner to make it a public row was stupidity raised to an art form.

The first time we stayed on an aire in France in our first Cali in 2009 motorhome people just squeezed in either sides of us like we didn't need the space???.
all the other Tupperware vans were spread out evenly!
dont get me wrong I myself have owned Tupperware and did enjoy it when we actually could get it off drive.but it feels like if your in a small van your insignificant!!
Like they rule because there bigger (a bit like the school bully!
Funny that some Cali's are actually more money than your average Tupperware..pecking order I Don't Think so!!!.
Well done

 

[Gasgas]

Wow unbelievable..trying to play top trumps at a britstop ,obviously the Cali would win every time .. Picked the wrong lady this time ,nobody likes a bully,well done for standing up to them

 

[Cumbrian_Cali]

The main thing that you notice with the great white owners is most of them cannot manoeuvre them in a forward direction, anything that requires a reverse and they are really screwed.
You see it a lot on the islands of Scotland, passing places being a prime example of the "you're only a camper van" so you can reverse half a mile back up the road as I cannot even find reverse gear

 

[Velma's Dad]

The main thing that you notice with the great white owners is most of them cannot manoeuvre them in a forward direction, anything that requires a reverse and they are really screwed.
You see it a lot on the islands of Scotland, passing places being a prime example of the "you're only a camper van" so you can reverse half a mile back up the road as I cannot even find reverse gear

To be fair, most of the MHs you see up there are rentals and they've probably never driven anything bigger than a Citroen Picasso before, so you have to be kind.

At least the MHs are quite safe, as they never seem to get above 20 mph on the NC500. Except the ones with an I or an E sticker on the back... I tried hard to keep up with a Spanish-plated Great White up by Durness but in the end had to concede defeat when Mrs VD's knuckles started to go white on the seat arms.

In Devon a couple of months ago a farmer on a quad bike made me reverse my Cali back a good 200 yards. I didn't argue as he was obviously having a bad day, and I suppose they must get pretty p****d off with us grockles clogging up the lanes.

 

[Yorkie]

Well done. We should have decals on the side with the value on then at night mark up all the whites the same.

I had the same in France: "we had a camper till we upgraded to a Sprinter", ohh it's not a camper it's a California say I, you must have mistaken it for a conversion.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Actually before this thread I had no idea you could buy a lovely big shiny motorhome with loads of space, for less than a Cali? Quite tempted now...

I'll get my coat.

 

[Cumbrian_Cali]

I'm quite pleased that the vast majority of folk don't know the value of the Cali otherwise they would attract even more attention than they already do

 

[briwy]

The first time we stayed on an aire in France in our first Cali in 2009 motorhome people just squeezed in either sides of us like we didn't need the space???.
all the other Tupperware vans were spread out evenly!
dont get me wrong I myself have owned Tupperware and did enjoy it when we actually could get it off drive.but it feels like if your in a small van your insignificant!!
Like they rule because there bigger (a bit like the school bully!
Funny that some Cali's are actually more money than your average Tupperware..pecking order I Don't Think so!!!.
Well done

Park sideways in aires, that stops em.

 

[CYCLOPATH]

I have noticed in France that the big whites, in the Aires, do park silly close to each other. I much prefer nowheresville.

 

[motacyclist]

"you're only a camper van" so you can reverse half a mile back up the road as I cannot even find reverse gear

Some may remember the Fiat/Peugeot Boxer fiasco from arounf 10 years ago when it was physically impossible for them to reverse up a hill without the engine jumping off it's mounts (Google it!).

I know - I had one ... !

 

[blakeley]

Some may remember the Fiat/Peugeot Boxer fiasco from arounf 10 years ago when it was physically impossible for them to reverse up a hill without the engine jumping off it's mounts (Google it!).

I know - I had one ... !

Me too, that brings back memories, they named it juddergate!

 

[JohnGuppy]

I was thinking why would I want a printer, expensive printer ink and a ream of paper and what would I do even if I printed something where would I put it
Mind you I do carry a nice bottle of wine in case I bump into Granny Jen and Albert