I’m thinking of putting a letter/email with pictures attached to watchdog about the showers at the services (not truckstops as most of these are mainly acceptable or if you complain it gets sorted)
Anyway, I stopped at Warwick services for a shower on Wednesday morning at about half 5 in the morning and was warned by the lad who gave me the keys that “it may be a bit hot so check before you jump in, we don’t want you scalding yourself” and by christ was he right. You could have made a cup of tea with the water it was that hot. I asked to see the manager and was told that one wasn’t on until 0630 but feel free to write to welcome break as it has been mentioned numerous times and gets turned down (cooler) then it creeps up again. also the floor was covered in mud and the edges of the shower looked like it hadnt been cleaned properly in about 12 months!
If you do stop at the services and grab a shower could you take pictures of the inside of the shower for cleanliness and any crap lying around in the shower (preferably before you use it) noting the time and day and obviously what services it was at and also comment on the temperature of the water (or if you are feeling flush and serious about trying to get something done about this buy a cheap thermometer and get the temp of the water), also please note if you can control the temp or not, especially seeing as winter is coming and sometimes you need a warm shower just to warm yourself up , but there is a hell of a difference of warming yourself up and scalding yourself!
If you are willing to help me please pm me and I will send you my email address to send pics and details to.
Hold on a minute… What are you moaning about? You’re getting a shower for nothing and you want to complain? You’re complaining about something that Welcome Break doesn’t have to provide? The easy answer to that is, take it or leave it! You don’t have to shower there, go somewhere else!
lumpygreenpoo:
Hold on a minute… What are you moaning about? You’re getting a shower for nothing and you want to complain? You’re complaining about something that Welcome Break doesn’t have to provide? The easy answer to that is, take it or leave it! You don’t have to shower there, go somewhere else!
Bob
I can see both arguments here, but when you’re paying £20+ to park up overnight and use their facilities, I think that it’s not unreasonable for them to make sure the shower is working properly and clean.
Lee G:
Anyway, I stopped at Warwick services for a shower on Wednesday morning at about half 5 in the morning…
Nothing said about parking overnight…
Bob
Well, regardless… there is no token system in operation to use the showers so it’s a free-for-all whether you’re just passing through or have paid your £20 and stopped overnight, so the showers should still be clean and functioning correctly. You either provide showers or you don’t…
As much as I detest paying for things which I think should be included in the price, eg. overnight parking cost, I did like the system they used to run at Alconbury where for £2 you were guaranteed a spotless ‘bathroom’ (clean bog, sink and shower, and somewhere dry to get dressed and put your stuff).
Lee G:
Anyway, I stopped at Warwick services for a shower on Wednesday morning at about half 5 in the morning…
Nothing said about parking overnight…
Bob
Well, regardless… there is no token system in operation to use the showers so it’s a free-for-all whether you’re just passing through or have paid your £20 and stopped overnight, so the showers should still be clean and functioning correctly. You either provide showers or you don’t…
As much as I detest paying for things which I think should be included in the price, eg. overnight parking cost, I did like the system they used to run at Alconbury where for £2 you were guaranteed a spotless ‘bathroom’ (clean bog, sink and shower, and somewhere dry to get dressed and put your stuff).
That is what you get abroad Rob, clean bog, shower, sink and occasionally a towel, oh it costs you a couple of euros, but then again that is ok as the parking is free
I agree with your argument that if you’re paying £20 for parking then you should expect spotless, functioning showers. However, Lee G implies that he’s stopped on the off-chance and then moans because the showers doesn’t meet with his expectations. I think it’s unreasonable for him to take his complaint beyond Welcome Break for something he’s getting for nothing! Welcome Break are likely to withdraw the showers, particularly if it draws media interest, which benefits no-one and we all lose out!
you need to tell them that their blending valve is not properly adjusted. its an easy fix, usually just an allen key. Oh and whats all the black fluff on the floor all about. I don’t have it in my shower.
joedwyer1:
you need to tell them that their blending valve is not properly adjusted. its an easy fix, usually just an allen key. Oh and whats all the black fluff on the floor all about. I don’t have it in my shower.
Joe
That fluff is usually from the inside of dark coloured socks when you take your sweaty foot out. The fluff sticks to your foot sometimes. I speak from experience .
lumpygreenpoo:
I agree with your argument that if you’re paying £20 for parking then you should expect spotless, functioning showers. However, Lee G implies that he’s stopped on the off-chance and then moans because the showers doesn’t meet with his expectations. I think it’s unreasonable for him to take his complaint beyond Welcome Break for something he’s getting for nothing! Welcome Break are likely to withdraw the showers, particularly if it draws media interest, which benefits no-one and we all lose out!
Bob
You’re missing the point. It doesn’t matter whether he’s paid or not. As previously stated, there is no token or ticket system in operation that is connected to the parking charge in any way so the showers are provided as a free for all. Therefore someone that hasn’t paid for a parking ticket has as much right to complain as someone that has, because there is no connection between the payment and the use of the shower facilities.
Of course if Lee wants his complaint to be taken (more) seriously then he will make sure to mention that after paying for his £■■ parking ticket he was disgusted to find the showers were in x state, etc.
Let’s face it,MSA’s make a fortune from over charging truckers day and njght 24/7.They should provide good service,including showers.Here in Canada you will NEVER have to pay to park overnight,99.9% of the time security is not an issue,more often than not you’ll get a free shower with towels (especially when your face is known).Have walked upto the counter with coffee and cookies in hand only to be told on many occasions “it’s free for truckers”.We are appreciated for what we do,most of the time.
Does it matter if something is free or not? If you want to provide a service, then it should work. That is the biggest problem in this country, we all think that the UK is great at doing things, and then are prepared to accept second class service. MSA’s are vastly over priced, and really don’t care about providing a service for anyone, let alone truckers. Thier attitude is, if you don’t like it, go somewhere else there will be another 100 people in here over the next few minutes!
MSA’s give you far less than you pay for, then come up if stupid excuses for this. Example, “distribution costs are higher because we are out in the country”. My reply is You are on the main motorway, what is so expensive about that? “we have to pay more rates.” Rural rates are much lower, as are wages, so how do you justify charging more?
Rob K:
You’re missing the point. It doesn’t matter whether he’s paid or not. As previously stated, there is no token or ticket system in operation that is connected to the parking charge in any way so the showers are provided as a free for all. Therefore someone that hasn’t paid for a parking ticket has as much right to complain as someone that has, because there is no connection between the payment and the use of the shower facilities.
Of course if Lee wants his complaint to be taken (more) seriously then he will make sure to mention that after paying for his £■■ parking ticket he was disgusted to find the showers were in x state, etc.
OK… The shower facilities are provided for free whether you pay for parking or not. I wouldn’t have thought you have a right to complain if you’re not paying for the service. If you’re not happy with them, for whatever reason, DON’T USE THEM! It’s not costing you anything.
It’s like snack bars and transport cafes… If you’re not happy with the quality of the food at a particular snack van, you don’t go there again. Eventually you get to know where the good ones are and avoid the bad ones. You don’t post a thread saying “I went to the snack bar on the Axx the other day, the food was crap, I’ve taken photos and I’m going to complain to Watchdog!”.
Another example of someone who expects the world owes him a favour and has nothing better to do than whinge and moan about something he’s getting for nothing!
Rob K:
You’re missing the point. It doesn’t matter whether he’s paid or not. As previously stated, there is no token or ticket system in operation that is connected to the parking charge in any way so the showers are provided as a free for all. Therefore someone that hasn’t paid for a parking ticket has as much right to complain as someone that has, because there is no connection between the payment and the use of the shower facilities.
Of course if Lee wants his complaint to be taken (more) seriously then he will make sure to mention that after paying for his £■■ parking ticket he was disgusted to find the showers were in x state, etc.
OK… The shower facilities are provided for free whether you pay for parking or not. I wouldn’t have thought you have a right to complain if you’re not paying for the service. If you’re not happy with them, for whatever reason, DON’T USE THEM! It’s not costing you anything.
It’s like snack bars and transport cafes… If you’re not happy with the quality of the food at a particular snack van, you don’t go there again. Eventually you get to know where the good ones are and avoid the bad ones. You don’t post a thread saying “I went to the snack bar on the Axx the other day, the food was crap, I’ve taken photos and I’m going to complain to Watchdog!”.
Another example of someone who expects the world owes him a favour and has nothing better to do than whinge and moan about something he’s getting for nothing!
The problem is, if no one complains, nothing will ever get done, and we will always have inferior services, it doesn’t matter if it’s free or not. If they improve the showers and say that they need to charge £2 a time for up keep, then at least you know what you are getting and can choose to pay or not.
As for the “if you don’t like it, go elsewhere” attitude, remember that we have to follow laws on breaks etc, and if you can’t go somewhere else, then you are stuck with the dirty, ineffiecient, and totally useless free showers.
We seriously need to complain more in this country, we get ripped off left, right and centre yet we don’t seem to be able to be able to get any improvements. We need to name and shame! I don’t think it’s whingeing to expect a service that is offered to be of useable standard, free or not.
Some of them are a real mess, but some truck stop ones are too.
Truckers Rest on the A5 made me laugh, charged for parking, charged extra for shower and it was CRAP.
Most services are free for showers, that doesn’t mean we’re not paying for them, just not paying directly.
If you’re out all week, you expect when you pull into a services and pay 17 - 25 quid for parking that you’ll be able to get a shower before you climb into your clean bed.
lumpygreenpoo:
I agree with your argument that if you’re paying £20 for parking then you should expect spotless, functioning showers. However, Lee G implies that he’s stopped on the off-chance and then moans because the showers doesn’t meet with his expectations. I think it’s unreasonable for him to take his complaint beyond Welcome Break for something he’s getting for nothing! Welcome Break are likely to withdraw the showers, particularly if it draws media interest, which benefits no-one and we all lose out!
Bob
How are we losing out? The shower was unuseable…We couldn’t use it whether we pay or not. Nice to have the luxury of asbestos skin eh!
lumpygreenpoo:
OK… The shower facilities are provided for free whether you pay for parking or not. I wouldn’t have thought you have a right to complain if you’re not paying for the service. If you’re not happy with them, for whatever reason, DON’T USE THEM! It’s not costing you anything.
It’s like snack bars and transport cafes… If you’re not happy with the quality of the food at a particular snack van, you don’t go there again. Eventually you get to know where the good ones are and avoid the bad ones. You don’t post a thread saying “I went to the snack bar on the Axx the other day, the food was crap, I’ve taken photos and I’m going to complain to Watchdog!”.
Another example of someone who expects the world owes him a favour and has nothing better to do than whinge and moan about something he’s getting for nothing!
Bob
The shower, toilet and washing facilities HAVE to be provided free.They are for the general benefit of travellers, and aid to comfort and safety on their journeys . Why shouldn’t you complain if they aint acceptable for use? Its beyond me.
And its not like snack bars, theres only so many enroute on your journey.Deciding not to stop at an MSA would be a pretty dumb idea as there aint many other options in many parts of the country.
lumpygreenpoo:
Hold on a minute… What are you moaning about? You’re getting a shower for nothing and you want to complain? You’re complaining about something that Welcome Break doesn’t have to provide? The easy answer to that is, take it or leave it! You don’t have to shower there, go somewhere else!
Bob
For nothing? Did you noticed how dear is to park there?
.