Camping and caravanning club.

[Micky B]

Is anyone else on here a member of the above club? If so, read the article on page 27 by the Club President David Bellamy. Apparantly we drive the "environmental enemy", and we make him "see red" by turning delicate area into "mud baths". If we want to go off roading, we should don a pair of walking boots instead of our trucks.
Am I being touchy or is it a no no for a club president to use his club publication to put across such a one sided arguement. Needless to say, a letter is on it's way to the club.

[speedin southwest]

Good on yeh!

[dirtydog]

im not but my parents are and I bet will not be too happy about it!

[BUSHWHACKER]

Is David Bellamy still around then?

[paulh]

Yeh I read it this morning and wasn't impressed.

[kitesurf_phil]

Im glad I am in the Caravan Club and not the aforementioned, although some of the best sites we have stayed on have been endorsed by Dr David Bellamy for their approach to conservation and the environment.

The last CC reviewed the Isuzu Rodeo Double Cab pickup.

Not all people use their 4x4s to see the countryside. Most use them to safely tow to where they are going, transport the family and all their kit, including bikes, walking boots, canoes etc.
This stereotyping is getting just too much. I'll have to start typing in mono.

[plodger]

Is David Bellamy still around then?

I used to live next door to somrone called David Bellamy. He wasn't a git though.

[StevenN]

I get confused

Is David Bellamy a real person or a Lenny Henry creation?

No but seriously I am a member and I do know who DB is but as a member of the two caravan clubs and this forum I feel that David has a point but as usual he tends to tar with a big brush.

I am sure that there is a minority who go off road on common land just for the hell of it but as a regular contributor to this site I can't recall any member going out of their way to churn up the countryside to the determent of others.
I use my Surf to tow my caravan as it can do this without churning up a field trying to grip in our usual British weather. I have helped other motorists who by driving too small a car towing too big an outfit has got stuck in the mud (Freelanders included).

When I want to roam the countryside I do walk as I can’t get my Surf over stiles.

Besides he goes on about ramblers, but how many of use have had to negotiate a herd of ramblers who mill down a lane like a flock of sheep. The Surf is an ideal tool for this situation as you can see how big the crowd is.
And the bonnet is high enough to help them out of the way.

David should perhaps voice a complaint about the number of footpaths that have been neglected in order for the land owners to claim the land back.

Should you offer an invite to the next off road meet?

Steve

[paulh]

One in the eye for the tree huggers king

Following on from his rant about offroaders in last months C&CC mag, here's what some of his own members had to say about Dr David Bellamys comments.

"Does Dr Bellamy not realise that the countryside is open to vehicles. He is misleading members by suggesting that these vehicles use of it is a 'loophole'.
It is not a loophole they are roads. Unsurfaced maybe, but they are still legal rights of way, please try to keep the focus of the magazine on camping and caravanning - not on the political rantings of certain individuals".

"David Bellamy may be the club president , but that doesn't give him the right to attack the pastime of a large number of members or to use the club to promote his own biased views. As a result of his rantings I will not be renewing my membership".

"As a fellow field biologist, I find it disconcerting that Dr Bellamy doesn't understand that the use of such legal rights of way by vehicles provides access to areas that are in need of repair or for the study of wildlife".


"I'd have expected a president of the C&CC to present a balanced point of view and have avoided the use of emotive words".


"It would be great to have a club president with a 'can do' and this is how its done, rather than a spoilsport who rides roughshod over members. There's room for everyone in our countryside"


"Dr Bellamy has a right to his opinion, as does anyone in a democracy, however, I feel he has abused his position by printing these devisive comments".

So far Mr B has made no comment to the replies but I'll keep you posted.

[Micky B]

Bu&&er, they've not printed mine. Must have been a bit strong.

[cal36288]

Surf drivers are far too intelligent to damage "Delicate areas". I shall continue to tow my caravan around the countryside (on road), and delight in every moment at the wheel of my Surf.

[Medieval Dave]

No, Fair play, he has a right to an opinion.

So long as he takes his holidays towing a caravan with WALKING BOOTS

Prat.

[kitesurf_phil]

Sir David was on the telly a couple of nights ago, looking very sheepish, after he was caught out recycling, "inaccurate facts," that he had lifted from a website, that in turn had lifted them from a badly researched book. It took him almost a whole program to admit that he was wrong.

Another thing he was picked up on was his poor grasp of mathematics. In one of his papers he had a pollution figure wrong by two decimal places and therefore, (accidently) exaggerated it by a hundred-fold. The researcher traced it back to a typo in a book Sir David had written 20 years ago and had slipped through undetected but was still being quoted by himself, pollution and climate change experts all over the place. Hmmmmm. Beware of acedemics. They are only as good as their research.

[Andy W]

I am a member, but not for long. We have bought a caravan and have joined the caravan club instead. I didn't rate the c&cc at all especialy with someone spouting so much sh*t about a certain vehicle. What about vans, taxis, busses, trains, hgv the list goes on! Don't they realise that every person that stays in this country instead of going abroad for their hols are boosting the British tourist industry and cutting down on the biggest polluters by far, Aviation!!!

Numptys

Andy

[hawkwind]

I have been a member for some years now and it is a pity that the odd prat has to go and give the club a bad name.
I have yet to go to a club meet by whichever district association has organised and come away with any bad experiances.
We have always been made welcome immediately when arriving, whenever we have travelled a fair old distance, a brew is always offered whist we choose our pitch.

I have yet to hear of anyone badmouth a 4wheel drive as with the typical british summer, a 4 wheeler can become pretty busy on a camp site.

So i am looking forward to another year of cheap and friendy caravanning, hey, where elsecan you holiday from as little as £2.75 a night