Has anyone noticed that UK is the only country in Europe where we must pay to stay for more than 2 hours parking on motorway service areas.
Throughout Europe every motorway has free parking.
Not only that but we are the only country to have no regular parking areas in between service areas.
I have often been driving my van or car late at night and stop frequently for coffee and a stretch to stay awake rather than pay those rip off services 5 or 6 quid to have a sleep
We are also the only country where we must pay for air
In France and Germany its an obligation that services provide free air for obvious safety reasons
I know that we should all put road safety first but there is a kind of psychology that makes us avoid paying and putting principles of not getting ripped off first instead
I think we've got our priorities wrong in this country and the government should step in to make some changes to bring us into line with the rest of Europe.
I give them points over here for free toilets though
Mostly they charge on the continent and its not unusual to find people wandering into the surrounding foliage to save their 50p's
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I do agree with what you say re parking and 'rest areas', having spent 10 years in Germany. I think that charging for air in UK may come from the fact that the equipment has to be accurate and tested as such, this costs money so it isn't a free service! I check my tyres at home when they are cold anyway. To correct you on a small point, if you perform in the bushes you are not only saving 50p, you are having one pee!
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....and if Plod catches you and books you for urinating in a Public Place it willcost you many, many, many pees.
DVD
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Thnx DvD!
Mar 18 1965: The final night of the British leg of the tour, by which time the Stones had played 14 consecutive nights, two shows per night. After the final gig, in Essex, a Daimler driven by Mick with passengers Brian and Bill makes a pit stop at a petrol station on the Romford Road in Forest Gate, East London. Bill has to relieve himself, but is told the toilets are locked. He urinates against a wall and the Stones drive off thinking nothing of the incident. Station attendant Eric Lavender lodges an official complaint with the police and suddenly, all hell breaks loose. The Stones become public enemy Number One. Mick is reported to have said, \"We\'re the Rolling Stones. We\'ll urinate anywhere, man.\"
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And now it's SIR Mick, at 60, despite the Harold Wilson gov't drug frame-up.
Rock on.
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...I think that charging for air in UK may come from the fact that the equipment has to be accurate and tested as such...
Really? I thought it was notoriously inaccurate, which is why most people carry their own pressure guages.
To be fair, the equipment does cost money to buy and maintain, whether accurate or not. This may explain why the airline (correct word?) at my local supermarket has been out of order since April.
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I dare say plenty of people carry pressure *gauges* too.
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Motorway service stations seem to be a complete rip off and I usually avoid them for all but basics such as a newspaper and a wee. The most expensive cake and coffee I have ever had was at a service station and both items were unfit for consumption. They charge twice the normal price. They seem to be a licence to mint money for the big operators such as Granada. I seem to associate such companies with mediocre and expensive food so goodness knows why they get the contract to operate services.
The charging for parking strikes me as dangerous, encouraging people to drive when they shouldn't. And given the outrageous food prices I can't see how they can charge.
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Service stations have to pay for all the roading to and around themselves, they have to provide free toilets, they have to provide 24 hour hot food, by law. I often think service stations are the most civilised parts of our country. People seem more likely to hold open the door, and which city centres have clean free toilets? In any case I've slept for 6 or 7 hours in a service station many times, i don't think that 2 hour rule is applied in any way.
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For those who have to crawl up the the M6 on a regular basis, Hilton Park services has a branch of Boots, who, to their credit, sell their sarnies and cold drinks at their regular Boots prices.
Nicer, and a lot cheaper, than the usual 'Motorway Hostage' fare.
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I was a bit peckish the other day and popped into Winchester services (for the first time) - never again.
2 baguette type sarnies and a small bottle of water was over £8 and the cash machine even charged me £1.50 to take money out!
Why can't we ever get any half decent food in these places at a reasonable cost. I understand that they have to cover their ground rent (which is the only reason why things are so exp[ensive) but i want something better than a soggy sandwich and overcooked burgers.
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On the M27 West of Southampton there is a services with one of those flash coffee bar places. The food there is excellent. Shows that it can be done if you get an operator that has a clue about food.
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Presume that is Rownhams (to the north of Soton)? If so I believe that this is a little different from the usual service station as it is so close to town that if it served utter rubbish people would just carry on into town. I always seem to think that their petrol prices are a lot more competitive than usual (although having said that I never fil up there)
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So where are the best and worst service stations then-
Worst - Hilton Park, M6 -(its a toss up which is more congested, the M6 or the service station car park)
'Bolton North' M61 - the most depressing place on the motorway network, and they build a hotel there. The hotel is so little in demand you have to book in and out through the shop !
Best - Tebay - what a cracking view !
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