it happens unfortunately, the self same people are the type that prevent aires being established in the UK and similar as they take, take, take !

 

It beggars belief doesn't it? I have seen a few times on small aires with hookup where vans turn up, hookup, spend a few hours looking around and then clear off before someone comes for the money.

We were on one on the Loire last year near Angers. Quite a big Aire and around 7am everybody got up early and cleared off. We couldn't believe it but around 8am the lady came for the money. It had hookup and all services for about eight quid.

I like a free nights stopover as much as anyone but this behaviour is the reason Aires are now starting to put up credit card operated barriers or ticket machines.

 

Whatever happened to "treat others as you wish to be treated yourself"? Or do these ***** expect the whole world to go around kicking them in the goolies as well?
Someone has to break that pattern and set an example but it's difficult to sustain when it is just costing you money all the time.

I have a business contract with a Portuguese family company and they are the nicest people you could ever wish to meet - it must be a national trait.
But with behaviour like this they must surely become very disillusioned with the plebs they accept into their site.


Alan

 

At Sarlat recently in the Dordogne we observed people driving in through the barrier normally but rather than leave thriugh the exit barrier and having their card debited the drove out through gthe entrance barrier without having to pay.......

We have also seen the use of a spanner to remvoe the arm so they can exit for free....

As has been said."take, take, take".

It is the sort of behaviour that generates a very bad name for all...

Totally agree with the venting of this as a topic

Dave

 

Every year end of march beginning of april we stay on the aire at Biarritz on the way home from Spain Theres a mass exodus of people walking off at 6,40ish returning around 8, reason? the Gendarmes come at approx 7pm for the money, its mainly the French but we have seen Brits do it as well,

 

It is just not on, the charges in Europe are usually very small anyway, someone has taken the trouble to supply those services so 'escaping' without paying is tantamount to stealing. Not on.

 

So we all agree this is despicable behavior, but is there anything we can do about it?

And just wonder if anyone reading this finds it acceptable or even will confess to doing it? It would be interesting to hear some justification.

Alan

 

Hi Alan

We have also seen it, particularly in Germany (down the Mosel) and mostly by the natives - so it seems pretty universal! :evil:

Now that almost all of us carry phones with quite good cameras, I had though about taking a couple of "innocent" photo's, which could be shown and passed on to the authorities if the aire had emptied by the time they came for the money.

Bloody despicable - and as several have said, they are the ones who ruin it for everyone, including themselves.

Are they congenitally stupid as well as self centred and pig ignorant!!

Dave

P.S. And if anyone on here does it, I do not apologise for my character assessment!!

P.P.S. I shall also be interested to hear how it can be justified - as a conscious and deliberate act. (There obviously could be rare occasions where time restraints made it essential to leave very early (or whatever) but as a regular behaviour, or the mass exodus and return after the money has been taken . . . . how can that possibly be justified!)

 

We've seen it too. This last time, at Baden-Baden, three of the 7 vans on the stellplatz had not paid when the council officials came round to check tickets in the morning. One was GB registered and 2 D. It's a newly laid out area and it could not have been clearer that you had to pay at the machine.

On the other hand, M'Lud, we'd like to own up to a free night at Baccarat stellplatz. We did try to pay; three times. The first time was before the 7pm payment period and we got the message "Not Yet !". The second and third time were after 7pm and well after 7 pm but the machine would not take any of our 3 cards. The same thing happened with the only other van on site, a French couple. We kept the money handy and felt like criminals all night but no-one came next day and the town hall was closed when we left next morning. How far should you go ?

G

 

Morning Grizz

That's exactly why I added the P.P.S. to my post. :wink:

There are obviouly infrequent occasions when, for whatever reason, it is difficult or virtually impossible to pay. On those occasions you try your best and can do no more.

It's the calculated and deliberate avoidance of paying that cannot (IMHO) ever be justified. Those who do that on a regular basis are quite despicable in my view.

Dave

 

Not trying or wishing to justify it at all. But I wonder if people who feel they are being screwed to the bone by parking charges at home or in the big cities feel a free one is OK...?

I have stayed outside a beach side car park due to a height barrier (Climping Beach) on double yellow lines. But I was warned to clear off by 8am. before any wardens or plod came to levy any fines.

Ray.

 

But I wonder if people who feel they are being screwed to the bone by parking charges at home or in the big cities feel a free one is OK...?

.

I think there is a culture of avoiding paying altogether Ray. After years of listening to my (16 year old) tutor group on related topics it seems there is a strong urge to get something for nothing even when it is clear that the "something" you are getting comes at the expense of the tax, rate or fare payers -ie most of us. It still surprises me how many think that money for running public or private services somehow appears from heaven.

Travel on any bus or train when the fare checkers get on and I guarantee there will always be at least one person who has not got a ticket.

G

 

We've stayed on the aire at Brantome, where there are honesty envelopes to put your reg number on, and the money in.
They are collected around 7:30am - 8:00am each morning from the postbox on site.

Both times there has been a mass exodus at around 7:00am, and I thought they were just leaving early to travel long distance, but I now wonder how many were leaving without paying.

One time we were there, the fee was 3 euro. I only had 4 euro in change so put that in the envelope. 8:00 next morning there was a knock on the door, and an attendant with change. My French was not good enough for him to understand that I told him to keep it, so accepted the change gracefully, but I was quite happy to pay 4 euro's.

My conscience would not let me leave without paying. Dispicable behaviour!!

 

My conscience would not let me leave without paying. Dispicable behaviour!!

Couldn't agree more. We've witnessed the same mass exodus from several French aires and can't believe some people's attitude.
It is so sad when a few people seem to think rules don't apply to them and end up spoiling it for everyone else.

Catz

 

I agree, its not as if its a lot of money at stake.

I will own up to one thing though. On our last trip out, we had been wild camping or staying almost exclusively on aires and the like usually usually free or paying about €4 max.
On visiting one aire where the fee was €7, 'blimey thats a a bit steep' we both thought, until we had a laugh and reminded ourselves that its not expensive at all compared to prices in Britain, you just get into a mindset of expecting cheap fees abroad.



Pete

 

I have been astounded to see the mass exodus early in the mornings in order to avoid the person collecting the money. I have seen it on several aires. Rushing would ruin my morning, I like to take my time over my morning tea.

Once or twice I have even been advised to be gone by a certain time in order to avoid having to pay. Maybe many of us are just mean and dishonest, Alan.

 

And those of us who pay have been "brung up proper"

Catz

 

Like Zebedee I am aware that there may be times (probably very rare) when an early departure has to be made in order to attend to some pressing business

BUT

these episodes seem incredibly common......

We stayed in the car park of a large Chateau in the Dordogne where there is a €3 charge for overnight parking,

we stayed until 4.00pm the day after we arrived and the kiosk was unmanned all day, the machine was no-functional so in spite of an overwhelming wish to comply we were unable......

Sadly though does not the "take, take, take - something for nothing" attitude reflect much of what goes on elsewhere?

I am thinking of those who "borrow" items from work such as pens, extension leads or whatever and "forget" to return them, or those that use their works provided vehicle for their own personal use, or those that stay in a hotel (or on a ferry) and make sure that they have secreted enough food away for their lunchtime snack, or who have removed every item from those provided in their room, including the pen, paper, tissues, shampoo, body wash, shower cap and possibly even the bathrobe.........

How widespread are such activities? I will freely admit to being given printer paper to use at home for school - since work was being prepared at home, and using the odd acetate sheet for out of school activities but never found a use for dry-wipe pens or chalk so never felt any desire to "borrow" it......

Our sixth form students used to be given a ream of file paper each term, whether they needed it or not, most had nigh on six reams by the time they had completed their A levels and would never have dreamed of NOT taking it..... :roll:

Dave

 

I agree, its not as if its a lot of money at stake.

I will own up to one thing though. On our last trip out, we had been wild camping or staying almost exclusively on aires and the like usually usually free or paying about €4 max.
On visiting one aire where the fee was €7, 'blimey thats a a bit steep' we both thought, until we had a laugh and reminded ourselves that its not expensive at all compared to prices in Britain, you just get into a mindset of expecting cheap fees abroad.

Pete

Ha Ha!! I know what you mean. As you know we are in Slovenia in the Triglav National park and you cant wild here and their are no Aires (well one or two) so we are paying about twenty quid or so a night for sites. Its breaking my heart!! :lol:

Totally daft in the great scheme of things when you think how much we spend on diesel, food, drink and seeing stuff. Its only for a few days and then three days on a motorhome Aire near Venice for about the same then back to free Sostas and Aires but I cant get my head round paying for sites!

On a different note, I bet none of these fee dodgers would do the same on a campsite.

I must admit though I refuse to pay for parking the van when travelling. Ill just park it in a street and use the bike.

 

It's the calculated and deliberate avoidance of paying that cannot (IMHO) ever be justified. Those who do that on a regular basis are quite despicable in my view.

Dave

But what is wrong with that?

Everybody does it Politicians, bankers, all rich people (so it seems, if you read the papers) inc. so-called comedians, benefit fraudsters, "cash in hand" tradesmen etc. etc.

C'mon get real you'all, it's the way of the world now, as Gordon Gecko and his Auntie Maggie told us "Greed is Good".

If you can't get it by cheating - it ain't worth having.

Why should motorhomers be the odd ones out?
:roll:

 

Aside from the issue of leaving without paying - how do you 'leave' with the electric lead that the owner lent you??

That is theft.

At Portimau we regularly watched motorhomes parked around the corner at 9.00pm waiting for the attendant to 'clock off' and they would exit before 0800am the next day.

The cost of 2.50 euro must have been too much for the French* Hymer owners to bear

*other nationalities may be involved in such activity but number plates sporting the 'F' were in the majority. A (very nice) French lady we spoke to in Spain said they would 'never' pay for an aire - not even 3 euro...

"Thanks for keeping the industry alive..."

 

or those that stay in a hotel (or on a ferry) and make sure that they have secreted enough food away for their lunchtime snack, or who have removed every item from those provided in their room, including the pen, paper, tissues, shampoo, body wash, shower cap and possibly even the bathrobe.........

Dave

At the risk of sounding sexist I have noticed in the past that women are the greatest offenders in this case!

They just cant seem to resist the Hotel freebie (Well as you stay nicking stuff from the hotel)

Me? Im just lucky if I can leave a hotel room with my own stuff let alone anything else!

In my old life though my company expenses were legendary and still were ten years after I left (The company has since gone bust). I think I put some MP's to shame! 8O

Id like to say Im not proud of it (I was young etc) but I cant help looking back at the things we got away with and smiling.

 

CONFESSION

I arrived at Canterbury Park/Ride before I knew about closing on Sun.

We parked outside but I did walk in the cassette and took a couple of cans of water.

I suppose i could have paid the full ticket price, but my defence is that previously I had parked there for 2 hours only to use the bus for 2 of us instead of using all overnight facilities. Same price.

Consequently I feel Canterbury and I are quits.

Totally agree with those who condemn the 'cheats'

Geoff

 

During our last trip to France we were staying at a site with few EHC points and to position the van and be able to connect I asked the owner if I could borrow a lead to add to mine!. She said that all of her leads were now in the UK and she'd stopped lending any out.
So slightly embarassed I did the best with what we had!

 

I think there is a culture of avoiding paying altogether Ray. After years of listening to my (16 year old) tutor group on related topics it seems there is a strong urge to get something for nothing even when it is clear that the "something" you are getting comes at the expense of the tax, rate or fare payers -ie most of us. It still surprises me how many think that money for running public or private services somehow appears from heaven. G

Bit like the Olympics G..... ?
As it's being funded by "them" it doesn't matter how many billions are poured into the gaping hole.

Ray.