Rally Chat Rally setups ie awnings

James-Alex

James-Alex

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Hiya folks.
Looking at booking up the Bath and West show but wondered about awning setups.
We have a 6.5m long x 2.5m driveway awning that the kids sleep in but having not been to a show, we are wondering if you guys have seen set ups like ours?. Not sure how much space we would get allocated. Any help would be great as it’s not far from us at all so would make a weekend of it if we can have awning just incase we bring kiddos.
Thanks in advance
 
If you are booked in with MotorhomeFun on a rally then there will be 6m between you and the nearest van with all hab doors facing the same way which means that you will have room for your awning. Quite a lot of folk put up an awning at these rallies.
 
It is not a campsite with set pitches, you usually get shown to the end of the current line by one or more stewards. Tell them you are putting up a big awning for the kids to sleep in and they will allow extra room if needed before the next van, which will pitch up very quickly after usually
 
The 6mts. space between each unit starts where the Awning ends so in the example above there would be 8.5mts between the two adjoining vans to allow for the 2.5mts of the Awning.
So long as the OP tells the steward/Marshall when he/she arrives, (that'll be me then!) sufficient space will be given to allow for the Awning.
 
Emmit said:
The 6mts. space between each unit starts where the Awning ends so in the example above there would be 8.5mts between the two adjoining vans to allow for the 2.5mts of the Awning.
So long as the OP tells the steward/Marshall when he/she arrives, (that'll be me then!) sufficient space will be given to allow for the Awning.
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Thanks Emmit.
I’ve now booked based on your reply. Thanks to all the others who replied 👍🏻

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Emmit said:
The 6mts. space between each unit starts where the Awning ends so in the example above there would be 8.5mts between the two adjoining vans to allow for the 2.5mts of the Awning.
So long as the OP tells the steward/Marshall when he/she arrives, (that'll be me then!) sufficient space will be given to allow for the Awning.
Click to expand...
That’s not what happens in my experience, the 6m is from van to van and I have done a few rallies with my 6m long piece of string.
 
The 6mts. space is fine if the vans have nothing in between them. (wind out canopies/awnings do not count unless they are turned into rooms by the inclusion of sides.)
However, if a 'fixed to the ground' drivaway awning or 'pop up gazebo' is put on the ground, there should be 6mts. between that structure and the nearest unit.
 
Mikeco said:
That’s not what happens in my experience, the 6m is from van to van and I have done a few rallies with my 6m long piece of string.
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2 screwdrivers and a piece of string, how could I ever forget 😀.
 
I give you our leader's take on this. (on all **** be heaped)

There is no law. But there is "Industry Best practice" based upon age old rules from the CAMC which specifies approx 6m between units . Guidance given to our marshals is below
rally-spacing.png
 
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Emmit said:
The 6mts. space is fine if the vans have nothing in between them. (wind out canopies/awnings do not count unless they are turned into rooms by the inclusion of sides.)
However, if a 'fixed to the ground' drivaway awning or 'pop up gazebo' is put on the ground, there should be 6mts. between that structure and the nearest unit.
Click to expand...
The vans as they arrive are spaced 6m from each other as required by Warner’s with habitation doors facing the same way unless there is a special request from two vans who wished to have the doors facing each other.
There would not be enough room on the allocated areas for vans to be 8.5 m apart.

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Showing my age now, there never used to be a 6m rule. In the camping and caravanning club we had a 20 foot rule and laying out a rally field for a regional summer meet takes a lot of work to ensure you can fit in all who have booked. 2 or 3 fields of caravans and motorhomes where anyone needing extra space is put at the end of one of the rows All had to carry a water bucket that was to be placed by the draw bar of the caravan or in front of the motorhome.

Setting up a regional meet took a lot of work with a working party camped there for a week before and a couple of days after. Hard work, but fun till some ignorant camper complained that they wanted a better pitch etc
 
If the awning or additional tent is used for sleeping there should be a 6m gap between that & the next motorhome as good practice as Emmit has specified above. For some festivals & events this can vary wildly depending on what their council permissions & insurers allow.
 
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Emmit said:
I give you our leader's take on this. (on all **** be heaped)

There is no law. But there is "Industry Best practice" based upon age old rules from the CAMC which specifies approx 6m between units . Guidance given to our marshals is below
rally-spacing.png
Click to expand...
Is this beginning to sound a bit like the caravan club ?
 
marrod23 said:
Is this beginning to sound a bit like the caravan club ?
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Happy to do what is needed to ensure safety. After all it may not be an issue with our van but will potentially put the kids at risk if anything was to happen with the neighbours van. Not something I’m happy to do.
 
Emmit said:
You may call Jim what you like but I'm not going to be the first to call him out on this one.

Looks like a good example of Best Practice to me.
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I wasn't aware that I had called Him anything what I was thinking is that everything seems to be about rules & regulations back in the day we used to just turn up start a camp fire get the booze out & have a good old laugh nowadays it's all about regulations & that's what life is all about these days sadly

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marrod23 said:
I wasn't aware that I had called Him anything what I was thinking is that everything seems to be about rules & regulations back in the day we used to just turn up start a camp fire get the booze out & have a good old laugh nowadays it's all about regulations & that's what life is all about these days sadly
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It was his post that gave the plan of siting vans.

If the vans are sited according to best practice, the bloke that did the organising doesn't get his ar5e kicked when the wheel falls off, (so to speak).
 
marrod23 said:
I wasn't aware that I had called Him anything what I was thinking is that everything seems to be about rules & regulations back in the day we used to just turn up start a camp fire get the booze out & have a good old laugh nowadays it's all about regulations & that's what life is all about these days sadly
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It’s principally about insurance. MHF has to have it, and they will require the rules Warners have to be implemented, like no open fires. Likewise Fun only rallies similarly have to comply, hence the diagram above.
I have been to a lot of rallies with a lot of clubs at different venues and assisted at a number. Fortunately I have yet to see a fire, but Warner’s do have patrolling fire wardens who do go round and check.
What I have seen regularly, at big rallies you can guarantee at least one, is an emergency ambulance attendance. The problems you have when the alleys between rows are not kept clear is significant, and all those distances are there for a reason.
you don’t have to agree, or attend, but if you do attend you do have to abide by the ‘rules’, otherwise it makes the marshalls job impossible. Lose them, no rallies.
 
Perhaps we should tell the campers stops in Spain you can dip your bread in next doors soup on most of them
 
grumps147 said:
It’s principally about insurance. MHF has to have it, and they will require the rules Warners have to be implemented, like no open fires. Likewise Fun only rallies similarly have to comply, hence the diagram above.
I have been to a lot of rallies with a lot of clubs at different venues and assisted at a number. Fortunately I have yet to see a fire, but Warner’s do have patrolling fire wardens who do go round and check.
What I have seen regularly, at big rallies you can guarantee at least one, is an emergency ambulance attendance. The problems you have when the alleys between rows are not kept clear is significant, and all those distances are there for a reason.
you don’t have to agree, or attend, but if you do attend you do have to abide by the ‘rules’, otherwise it makes the marshalls job impossible. Lose them, no rallies.
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Well said (y)
 
marrod23 said:
Perhaps we should tell the campers stops in Spain you can dip your bread in next doors soup on most of them
Click to expand...
Do what you like in Spain. This is not Spain. Or a French Aire

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I’m not as old as lots of folk on here and I say that from what I’ve seen factually on people’s profiles( no offence intended). I must say that clearly times have changed and this is the nanny state we now live in so gord knows what you guys have seen change over the years.

For me I’m a why make a rule then turn a blind eye to it when it’s broken kind of guy... why have it if it’s not upheld.

I will be honest and say we haven’t booked many rallies due to the fact we’re youngsters and won’t arrive in just are van. We need an awning as we both took are tests late so we’re 3.5t max on van. For us we’ve done are best to provide what suits us as a family and often feel we may be not able to attend due to the overall size of what we would need if we bring the kids.

I know it’s not a proper rally being a Warner show and that MHFun rallies may be more accommodating when it’s booked due to sole use and not having to adhere to the Warner rules so strictly ie pitch sizes!. These events take lots of planning and we, as I’m sure others are extremely thankful for those who make these events happen regardless of protocol.

We could have just booked directly with the show but I’d rather be able to put some faces to names and be able to get some info/reassurance that we can attend and set up how we would need to. Puts the mind at ease so cheers once again!!!
Hope you will be able to share a cider/gin/lager/wine with us Emmit with us for your efforts. What is your choice of juice by the way? Will make sure we have a bottle (y)
 
Any of those four, separately, tick the box.
 
Janine said:
Having seen a motorhome on fire at Upton Blues festival a couple of years ago, I certainly wouldn’t want to have been parked less than 6m from it! Very scary.
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I was just looking to see if I could find any photos of that... it was a mess wasn't it
Could have quite easily set other vans alight had it been in the middle of a row, rather than the end.
Even with the separation.

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