The Portal CampingCar Portugal, believes that the consolidation and respect for the tourism itinerant, specially those making use of motor caravans for their travels and stops, is dependent on the good behaviour of the motor caravans users, themselves.

The document «Know how to travel in a motor caravan», alerts for the habit of adopting a set of basic rules of good conduct, leading to the acceptance of our presence in the midst of people and zones ,which we visit.

In the centres of towns or in urban areas, the importance of choosing a convenient place to park is essential:

·         With low population density;

·         Whitout obstructing visibility or the commercial functions;

·         Without obstruction to monuments, specially at the historic zones ( we all love a good photo ...);

·         Without being an obstacle to traffic.

The use of a motor caravan as a housing must be carried out in places:

·         Without exceeding the size of the vehicle;

·         Without disturbance to the residents;

·         Without monopolizing public spaces;

·         Without using a generator ( even the quieter ones at night are noisier);

·         Without occupying the outer space of the vehicle, with any element of camping, canopy, table, chairs or other;

·         Looking after domestic animals to prevent environment pollution, and safety.

The discharge of waste water must be carried out in the appropriate locations, such as service areas, petrol stations, public and private installations.

Attention is drawn to the fact the many rain networks (drain grids- water inlets) not all lead to treatment plants (portuguese ETAR), and it should not be used to discharge of grey water and chemical waste matter.

During the march all unloading valves and taps in the vehicle must be well shut.

The household waste should be placed in bags and deposited in containers, in the places, provided for this purpose.

The application of this set of principles concur to the respect of others, regard to the environment, and to a good acceptance in the locals visited.

It is important to remind offending motor caravan users, that their negative behaviour, can only harm the image of the collective majority.

Once the very awareness that has to be done in this particular subject in this field in our country, the Portal CampingCar Portugal edited on July 1st, 2006, a pamphlet for revealing the Portal aims which showed as well, some basic rules of conduct.

The above pamphlet has been placed in the customers counter of various selling and hiring motor-caravans companies. The objectives of this campaign are the support to the motor-caravan user, faced with the crescent volum of information, contained in our "site", as well as, an appeal to all companions for the procedures rules, that we all must respect.  

The problem takes a quandary form when we use a public space, for our stoppings. In this situation, we reach a stage that many do not discern : parking or camping?

A motionless motor-caravan, is parked when:

·         Their only ground contact is established by the wheels.

·       The external space around the vehicle is not taken by open windows, chairs, tables, any sort of awning, sunblind or coverage or items belonging to the motor-caravan user.

Disregard of the above mentioned is considered in many european countries a law infringement, and the motor-caravaner could be indicted of camping in a public place, therefore, subjected to the local bye-laws and fines, besides, bring upon the motor- caravan comunity, unsuitable misbehaviour image.

The CampingCar Portugal project, appeals to all motor-caravaners the adoption of good conduct rules, make them known, once, only by those procedures, could we consider that " Know How to Travel in a Motor-Caravan ", fulfil their purpose.

Good trip !