# Overnighting on industrial estates?



## deefordog (Dec 31, 2013)

Not necessarily outside factory units themselves but, for example, on the quiet service roads with no parking restrictions.

I know that many HGV's do it but was thinking that if the push came to shove, it might be a possibility just for the odd night.

Any feedback from those that have actually done it?


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Always check to see if there are glamorous ladies about before settling down otherwise it might be a bit of a noisy night :wink: 

Otherwise fine I've found.

Dick


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## LaMB (Oct 20, 2011)

Just be careful that there aren't any restrictions about parking on industrial estates, quite a few are private roads, and parking is not allowed. The signs are sometimes not too obvious.

Martin


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## Kaytutt (Feb 5, 2013)

Each to his own but I can't understand why anyone would want to, there are so many CLs, pub stops or even supermarket car parks 

Part of the pleasure of my motorhome for me is waking up to ever changing views but the last thing I'd want to wake up looking at is a factory


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

Done it lots of times in UK/Spain ok in a emergency.
But you will be woken early as the factories fire up.


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## dally1 (Jul 1, 2010)

As a HGV driver I always try to find a quiet industrial estate to park up on. I tend to look for estates where other vehicles are already parked, this way I can be reasonable sure there are no parking restrictions. I do avoid estates where there is 24 hour logistics on them, far too noisy.

There is a free IPhone app called HGVparking which highlights places such as Industrial estates, deep laybys, truck stops and garages which is a great help.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

We've spent the odd night on industrial estates, can be dodgy of course, but so can wild camping if you don't have your wits about you.

Very useful to break long journeys on motorways, the bigger the better, more cameras to keep the scroats away.


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

dally1 said:


> As a HGV driver I always try to find a quiet industrial estate to park up on. I tend to look for estates where other vehicles are already parked, this way I can be reasonable sure there are no parking restrictions. I do avoid estates where there is 24 hour logistics on them, far too noisy.
> 
> There is a free IPhone app called HGVparking which highlights places such as Industrial estates, deep laybys, truck stops and garages which is a great help.


If it was free, it's £1.99 now, and judging by the screenshot it doesn't appear to be very comprehensive.

Andrew


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## stevegos (Jun 23, 2013)

I have stayed on an industrial estate once and in general it was fine. I was working for the unit holder so had their permission and it was cheaper than a hotel for the week.

One night a load of gypsies came round going through bins looking for scrap metal and the next night there was a power cut and everyones alarms were going off at the same time, then 5am the commercial bins were empties so had to put up with that noise for about an hour as they gradually got closer and closer. 

Then another night a van turns up at about 2am, tried to have a look through my windows, then 10 mins later another van arrives and they load masses of boxes from the first van to the second. Looked very dodgy!


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

stevegos said:


> Then another night a van turns up at about 2am, tried to have a look through my windows, then 10 mins later another van arrives and they load masses of boxes from the first van to the second. Looked very dodgy!


More likely to be legit change over of load, two vans meeting from north and south to save driver fatigue, did it a lot as a courier, but it does look iffy and did once get old Bill quizzing us, but the paperwork made them happy.


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## WildThingsKev (Dec 29, 2009)

I've also done it in an emergency when the first choice spot flooded. Lorries all started to move off at 0500.

The general consensus seems that you won't get much sleep.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Noise doesn't seem to bother me even though I'm a fairly light sleeper, laybys on the A1 are about as bad as it gets.

The only noise which seems to get through is when Liz starts clicking, IE breathing in through the mouth and out through her nose or vice versa, it just seems to get louder and louder, Boots wax ear plugs work for that though, nothing else will.


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## hulltramper (Nov 2, 2013)

Hi.
FRIDGE VANS..............................

One transport cafe just of the M4 near Bath,fitted elec-hook up points,so we all got a good nights sleep......


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

I remember my brother getting hopelessly lost in Paris, so he hailed a taxi and told the driver he would follow him. 500m later in the same street the taxi stopped right outside the place my brother was going. So he parked up for the night. Very early the following morning their was repeated banging on the drivers door.

Well they had to knock me up, my forty foot trailer was parked across the entrance and the workers could not get in he said grinning like a Cheshire cat.


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

we've overnighted amongst trucks on autoroute service stations and ferry ports in France - all late at night arrivals where we couldn't be @rsed to look for an aire.

I can't say they were the quietest of places but served a purpose


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

OK if you find yourself late at night and stuck for somewhere to stay but hotel chain (Premier/Travelodge etc,) carparks can also be handy on such occasions.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Not to mention WiFi in some places.


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## hymerjeff (Sep 3, 2009)

Do it quite often. Usually at the very back of the estate. Slipped up recently in Mablethorpe. Parked up on Fri night only to be woken up about 6 30am by local council refuse lorries trying to park up ready for local recycling etc! Never had any problems otherwise.

Jeff.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

They are OK for a quick o/n stop, i.e. dark when you arrive and off early in the morning.

We have quite a nice one near Leipzig(just 8 hours drive on way to UK), which is only half-developed and at the bottom end is a quiet area just a few metres from a lake with nice walks. They are not all dire.

Geoff


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Some IEs are nicer than some of the estates we drive through when the TomTom is on shortest route, much nicer in fact, fountains benches tiny lakes etc.


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## deefordog (Dec 31, 2013)

Kev,

You will be pleased to know that Liz is not the only one who "clicks" - my other half does too!


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

It can bring on murderous thoughts sometimes.


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## tams (Apr 16, 2014)

We visited Tavistock ( Devon) last year and could not find anywhere to park during the day. Even the police didn't know. We parked on an industrial estate behind Morrisons and walked into the town to the T I office. The gentleman there said that he often parked on I E and stayed the night so we did. Quiet and close for a Morrisons breakfast in the morning.
Tamsin


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