An inglorious maiden voyage

[BrianTheSnail]

Grrrr!!!! Took the new shiny R20 hytop for its first run today, just a couple of miles down the road into Eastleigh to do some shopping. The free 2 hour car park has a height restriction so we dropped it into a supermarket car park with 90 mins limit whilst we popped to the library, collected Liz's new specs and then shopped at the supermarket.

Of course, we're used to having 2 hours to do this so when we returned to the van 20 mins or so past the alloted time - you've guessed it, a brand new shiny parking ticket to go with the new van.

Our first ever parking ticket too. I do hope this is an exorcism of any bad luck left in the van rather than a portent of things to come.



Brian

[Graham]

Grrrr!!!! Took the new shiny R20 hytop for its first run today, just a couple of miles down the road into Eastleigh to do some shopping. The free 2 hour car park has a height restriction so we dropped it into a supermarket car park with 90 mins limit whilst we popped to the library, collected Liz's new specs and then shopped at the supermarket.

Of course, we're used to having 2 hours to do this so when we returned to the van 20 mins or so past the alloted time - you've guessed it, a brand new shiny parking ticket to go with the new van.

Our first ever parking ticket too. I do hope this is an exorcism of any bad luck left in the van rather than a portent of things to come.



Brian

Oh dear Brian, what a disappointment on your first trip out. I guess that might be a downside to having a distinctive van, the parking attendants notice it more than other "normal" cars if you have overstayed your limit.

[Yamaha]

OH dear - enough to spoil your day.

At least it was this year, not next, which could be seen as a portent of gloom.

Mike G0CNA

[peterholden]

Before you pay anything look at http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/

(He writes in the motoring pages in the Telegraph on Saturday and Sunday).

Somewhere on the web site there is information on what to do and what to offer as the usual overtime charges are so expensive as to be immoral. I think the advise is that you make an offer and 99% of the time they accept the offer. The car parks are run by private companies on behalf of the supermarkets and they get a really bad press

[anchorman]

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
Don't let the B****rs grind you down, pay it, write it off and enjoy your van in the New Year Brian, the Attendant was probably jealous of your new motor.
Even more annoying though when some donut dings your door in the car parks, which I avoid at all costs. At least your vehicle is still pristine.


Tony Anchorman

[BrianTheSnail]

No complaints really - we were bang to rights. Fine paid and forgotten but just dampened the maiden voyage. Today's trip, Liz's first turn at the wheel was far less eventful.

The van is parked on our drive, directly under the bedroom window so this morning we looked out to a couple of bird-dropped blemishes on the shiny roof. I cleaned them off before going out - wonder how long that'll last

Brian

[alive23512]

Gee, Brian. Talk about the season of goodwill
Try to look forward to the good times ahead with your new R20. The guy was probably taking advantage of the fact it is a brand new vehicle. Jealous git. I will refrain from using the other words that I am thinking of right now.
73's and best wishes for 2011.
Tony G8JAI

[Ewig]

Oh dear I hate parking tickets! I got one in London last year after a lovely walk along the Thames. I also can relate to the idea that people are envious of your good fortune and also because the vans themselves are so distinctive. Sometimes people glare at us as we go by. I can honestly say I didn't expect the levels of anxiety myself and my partner have experienced about the van - the number of 'what ifs'! I'm looking forward to experiencing some of the positives as the weather improves and we head towards spring

Barbara Anne

[jessiem]

SPRING.......
What a beautiful word

[anchorman]

Oh dear I hate parking tickets! I got one in London last year after a lovely walk along the Thames. I also can relate to the idea that people are envious of your good fortune and also because the vans themselves are so distinctive. Sometimes people glare at us as we go by. I can honestly say I didn't expect the levels of anxiety myself and my partner have experienced about the van - the number of 'what ifs'! I'm looking forward to experiencing some of the positives as the weather improves and we head towards spring

Barbara Anne

If you want to see interest in the van, just park it in a French Supermarket.
Lost count of the number of French guided tours we've given. They can't believe the fact that it's a Berlingo Motorhome(R25). I chuckle as we drive past people and look in the mirror and see them pointing.

Tony Anchorman

[Graham]

If you want to see interest in the van, just park it in a French Supermarket.
Lost count of the number of French guided tours we've given. They can't believe the fact that it's a Berlingo Motorhome(R25). I chuckle as we drive past people and look in the mirror and see them pointing.

Tony Anchorman

We had the same experience when we took our Duo to France, lots of people staring and coming up to ask us about it.

I may have told this story before but we couldn't understand why we had a smudge on the back door window, we kept cleaning it off and it would reappear again, then one day we came back from a shopping trip in the supermarket to see a woman peering in the back window with her hands cupped around her eyes and forehead resting on the window, she was obviously keen to see inside, that solved the mystery of our smudge.

[peterholden]

I have been asked so many times both in the UK and France that I have thought about asking Romahome for some brochures or business cards to give out.

The best one by far was in the Cotswolds last spring we were stopped by an american man who was on a package tour. He said that he had an RV at home but family grown, wife had died and he was looking to downsize. He wanted to know if Romahome would build on a LHD so that he could ship it to the states. I gave him the website address.

WE had a bit of a problem in Northern France last september. We arrived at a campsite that operates Stop Acceuil in the dark. He wanted to charge us the camping rate, because we were too small to be a camping car and so would not have a toilet. I had to show him the toilet under the sink before he would accept it. We shall not use that site again!!

[Ian.C.S]

Spring song for Jessie

SPRING.......
What a beautiful word

SONG FOR SPRING

It's almost here - It's safe to say
I saw a Crocus yesterday
Its' colors bright - A lovely thing
My heart Rejoiced! 'Twil soon be Spring!

The winter blues will soon be gone
And birds will soon burst forth in song
The Hare bells yet will gently ring
The Daphne yells "It's almost Spring!"

It's nearly here! It's coming fast!
The Robins will appear at last
Oh Wonderous Joy! I too shall sing!
And join in Nature's "Song for Spring"

Ian

[pendel]

Parking Ticket

So sorry to hear you had a parking ticket. I hope it doesnt spoil your year. As a pair of Parking Atendants the only advice we can give is. Read the signs,if you can ,do , if you cant, dont ! We deal with on road parking so it is different from supermarket parking.

[BrianTheSnail]

To Pendel - Oh please don't think we blame the parking attendant - we were bang to rights, and more frustrated than angry at the irony of it all. He was only doing his job and we shouldn't have chanced it.

That said, if I met him in the pub tonight, I'd probably not offer him a pint

Brian