i really don't know what it is with parking and motorhomes. I have recently purchased a new sun liner/ranger motorhome which is fully self contained. I had been driving on and off for nearly nine hours so thought that I would call in to my former club, Panthers in Penrith. Quite a large club. I renewed my membership and then had dinner and a drink. On the way out I asked whether I can remain in their car park overnight. They have extensive parking space. The manager on duty said that I nay leave the unit but could not sleep in it overnight. So I returned to the unit and contacted a friend who agreed to pick me up after her shift was over and I could stay the night at their home. In the meanwhile, and only 15 minutes or so after returning to the unit from the club some security person knocked on my unit door. She informed me that I could not park in the club car park. I informed her that I had been given permission by the duty manager to leave the unit there but could not sleep in it. Security said I must vacate the car park. I refused. Stating that I was legally parked, I was a member of the club which I had been informed closed at 6a.m. And that I may wish to re enter the club again before it closed.
no other vehicle had been approached and asked to vacate. Why this discrimanation. What does the law say? I wante
to be on firm ground when I argue my case.
any help will be appreciated. I am finding that this kind of pettiness puts a dampener on my motor homing experience
Hi Johnny and welcome to our world. You may as well put a big sticker on your tug and van " I'M A TRAVELER PLEASE HARASS ME " As this is what happens when you try to park in certain places and towns. A towed van or a Motor Home or whatever has a magnetic attraction to the likes of carpark attendants, National Park Officers and especially Council Rangers. Its the free camping they don't like and driven by Councils. In a lot of towns the Rangers move you on and threaten you with fines and such. you will learn to be discreet and keep under the Radar. Mind you some towns are luvly as they know you are going to spend money there. I have been to Penrith and the Panthers Club couldn't you find somewhere nicer to go like the Blue Mountains.... Good Luck.
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Made Beer Bottles for 44 years..... Now.... just test them.
You were probably ''picked on'' because motor homes are notorious for parking illegally just about anywhere they can sneak into in our observations. We live in a beach side suburb & go for a one hour walk every morning at around 5-6am. There are motor homes illegally parked along the foreshore, in supermarket carparks, at boat ramp carparks etc.etc. All clearly signed NO OVERNIGHT CAMPING. When we're away at places like Tocumwal on the Murray River there are at least 3 legal free camps plus Town Beach that costs $10 per night. In the morning motor homes are parked along the river in town in clearly marked ''NO OVERNIGHT CAMPING'' zones.
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Cheers Desert Dweller.
Our land abounds in Natures gifts. Of beauty rich and rare.
Thanks to those who replied. Unfortunately I am still not clear on my legal rights. Perhaps it is deliberately a grey area in order to confuse travellers. Maybe I should attract a fine then defend my position and try and make void some of these ridiculous restrictions.
I sympathise with you Johnny - we have a motorhome, and we tow a little car. We find that we don't have to "stealth" camp as it is called, there are lots of places to camp - we even met some people who had very blacked out windows on their MH, and parked in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, all night till they heard the first tram. Got up, in the drivers seat - gone.
In Richmond, NSW, the bowls club have an area at the back of their carpark across the road, they call it Wanderers Rest, you join the club for $3 - get your pic taken, give a card and a number for the boom gate, in and out. For your $3 you get secure parking, water, hot showers, dump point and rubbish bin. Go to the club for a meal, get a discount on your meal, drinks etc. Three days is the time limit - but if you are heading into Sydney, the train station is just down the road. Always lots of people parked in there. More clubs with large carparks could make use of this system I think.
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
Went into a Macca in Brisbane near a train station and had trouble finding a park , When we got inside we were the only ones there I said to the attendant with all the car in the car park I expected a large wait to get served , The answer people are parking in the car park and catching a train to the city , The problem they were loosing trade has people had no where to park , So she said they were put up time limit signs and tow away warnings , S o there is always 2 side to a story .
In Burnie, Tasmania, the Macca's carpark is a public one, with quite a few marked in yellow paint for Macca's customers only - if you park in the "public" area, it costs something like $2.50 from memory.
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
as you are on private property (even though you are a club member) they can decide what goes and what doesn't. You don't have any legal rights. Its a bit after the horse has bolted, but you can always email or write to the CEO or better still, the Club President and ask for clarification.
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
From previous experience with Panthers @ Penrith ...
The car parking areas ARE part of the club's leased area, and are the total responsibility of the club to maintain & police as to parking & behaviour
The security team will have been given blanket rules by the club as to behaviour both inside & outside, and parking allowables and non-allowables
However, the duty manager always has the top-of-the-tree responsibility for all the management of things that happen in and around the premises
If the duty manager had given you certain permissions then [next time] pick up a coaster and write down the person's name for your reference, should it be needed
In this instance, I would suggest that a note back to the club committee could help ... Thanking them for their hospitality, meals etc, but pointing out that you had some difficulty with a security person
For now, I would just leave it at that. It becomes a memory - bit like an unwanted speeding ticket, that will simply sit in the back of the memory module for another day :) as there are lots of good times out there which always outweigh the sh!tty times
Hi Johnny
I Agree with Phil's comments. Life is to short to dwell on things. Put it down to experience and do what I have done and not re joined that club. Just for your interest the Rich river Golf club near Echuca has an area just for RV's. You just have to join the club to stay the night.
Pity Panthers could not do the same.
Terrorists, gun shootings, fires , robberies, etc. and people are worried about people Camping for Free. My God are we picking on easier targets like Campers cos we are afraid of the tougher ones who really break the Rules. Let's Live our Life ...,
-- Edited by Chucker on Sunday 20th of December 2015 09:46:04 PM
-- Edited by Chucker on Sunday 20th of December 2015 09:47:17 PM
Thanks to those who replied. Unfortunately I am still not clear on my legal rights. Perhaps it is deliberately a grey area in order to confuse travellers. Maybe I should attract a fine then defend my position and try and make void some of these ridiculous restrictions.
If you need to start thinking about legal rights and lawyers when deciding where to camp/park why not simply move on? will save you and everyone else a lot of aggravation.
