Campers want cleanliness and comfort

Press, 27 March 1979, Page 13

Campers want cleanliness and comfort

Hot water showers and laundries make for a great motor camp; so does the provision of power points, regular campsite rubbish collections and secluded sites. These facts have been highlighted following a holiday survey carried out by the magazine, “N.Z Caravan and Camping.” The magazine asked its readers to list in order of preference their likes and dislikes about the motor camps they stay in. Safety hints The following hints on the safe handling of liquefied petroleum gas (L.P.G.) were taken from The Handigas refill brochure. All cylinders must be installed in positions offering adequate protection, ventilation and not exposed to excessive heat. Always install a cylinder in an upright position because cylinders and appliances are designed for vapour operation. A cylinder on its side would deliver liquid propane which is 200 times more concentrated and would be extremely hazardous to use. To determine if your cylinder is nearly empty, weigh it and compare the weight with the tare weight (the empty weight) printed on the cylinder? Never allow L.P.G. to escape in an enclosed space, such as caravan, boat or bach. Always have ventilation when using an appliance. When using high pressure equipment, use hoses and valves specifically designed for L.P.G. Equipment should be regularly checked for leaks, particularly the hose connections. Brush the connections with soapy water. Appliances must be used in conjunction with an approved regulator, with all connections spanner tightened. When you have finished with the appliance, turn off the gas at the cylinder valve, burn off the gas in the hose, then turn off the appliance.

The results showed the top four items to be related to hygiene and

camping convenience. Privacy also showed up as being more important than roading and recreation rooms. Obviously , campers want their camps clean and reasonably comfortable. On the dislike side, campers voted a heavy “no” to loudspeakers and judder bars, perhaps indicating that regulations and rules should be kept to a minimum. Generally, the replies to the survey, which was done in a questionnaire form, came from two kinds of caravanner. First were those whose holidays were based on experiencing the pleasures of caravanning itself. These people all tended to

rate in-camp features higher than other factors and their votes were committed to the top seven items. The second group clearly saw the camp as a place to stay while they followed other pursuits and interests during heir holiday spell. This group supported such items as “closeness to features’’ and “distance from traffic routes” rather more than the others. Both groups closed ranks and voted loudspeakers and judder bars out. Respondents made various comments of interest such as strong objections to “having to listen to the loud radio from the caravan next door.” Several comments were made about the inability

to take pets into camping grounds. Graduated charges for longer stays at motor camps were seen as being desirable by some and one respondent wanted ladies’ toilet blocks to be equipped with baths. The following results of the. “N.Z. Caravan and Camping” campsite survey were based on the order of importance in which each respondent held the items on the questionnaire. Thus, the item which scored the lowest total was placed at the top of the list. 1. Hot water, showers and laundry (323 votes). 2. Power points (437). 3. Daily cleaning and rubbish removal (442). 4. Water reticulation and waste traps (461),

5. Privacy of sites (541). 6. Shade and shelter (556). 7. Kitchen facilities (566). 8. Friendly proprietors (588). 9. Children’s corner (631). 10. Camp store (665). 11. Noise and visitor curfew (678). . 12. Paved roads (698). 13. Closeness to features (721). 14. Limited size (746). 15. Plenty of space (772). 16. Recreation room (775). 17. Distance from traffic routes (806). 18. Hire service (bt)9). 19. Loudspeaker system (926). 20. Judder bars (937).