PH Latecomers - Bleu Nord

PH Latecomers - Bleu Nord

Author
Discussion

MulsanneKinky

Original Poster:

268 posts

139 months

Monday 16th March 2015
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Anyone else signed up here yet? I am a few niggling insecurities. Anyone care to put my mind at rest?!

My second Le Mans so pretty much still a noob. Am sure it will all be great but security is the main concern.

eybic

9,212 posts

173 months

Monday 16th March 2015
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What are your concerns? Where are you camping? In the main PH site or the other site on Bleu Nord?

//j17

4,471 posts

222 months

Monday 16th March 2015
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I'm in public Bleu Nord again this year (having been too disorganised and slow to get private camping again) and didn't have or see any problems last year. Both Bleu's are generally civilised sites.

allojon

282 posts

190 months

Monday 16th March 2015
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If you're in the public camping area then there is no security. So you should be concerned. Just take sensible precautions such as locking up your stuff in your car. And sleeping with one eye open.

//j17

4,471 posts

222 months

Monday 16th March 2015
quotequote all
Some people manage to make campsite security a massive thing at Le Mans but really it's no different to camping anywhere else, or even to parking your car in a shopping mall car park.

1. Don't leave st you don't want stolen laying around in full view, either in/around your tent or in your car. Most thefts are opportunists and out of sight, out of mind.
2. Be friendly with your neighbours, so you know their faces and they know yours. See someone enter their camp while they're away and make it clear they are being watched, on the assumption your neighbours will do the same for you (which most will).

Will this stop someone who really wants to rob you? No, but then short of bring a pre-fab 7x5m concrete bunker nothings going to stop someone if they really want to rob you.

I've been going to Le Mans for the last 12 or so years and the most we've has stolen was a box of beer we left out tied to the end of a gazebo guy rope while we went in to town for the drivers parade - see 1. Sure some people have had problems but you're no more likely to be the victim of crime at Le Mans as anywhere else, possibly less-so due to 2. and because Bleu Nord is a site you have to make an effort to get to, unlike say Maison Blanche which is track/spectating area adjacent.

Some Gump

12,671 posts

185 months

Monday 16th March 2015
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Imo most people who claim the public areas are somewhat akin to mos eisley cantina are people who pay for private camping and have never been public - they stick to the standard line re. Security because that is the decision they have made and therefore it's their justification for the extra cost of private.

I've only done 3 le mans, but in that time, i've met a lot of people. Only ever heard of 1 issue and that was the loud obnoxious tossers with the 3 am tunes and 4 am car rev competition - someone nicked thir playstation. Needless to say, the main suspects were neighbours that didn't want 3 am tunes again.. Both us and our neighbours at the time had better electrical gear just sat there - hell our neighbours had a stack of Cyrus hifi. We were all looking out for each other though.

As others have said - befriend the locals (easy and fun), leave decent stuff locked in the boot, and you'll be reet. The only risk is when people next door have nowt to do with you so no-one has any idea if a visitor to the camp should be there or not..

gt6

1,422 posts

184 months

Monday 16th March 2015
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I have for the last 12 years always camped on TR it is a public site but has good security, however i still follow the basic rules, be careful do not leave stuff lying around that you can not bear to lose, lock up valued items in the car, make friends with all those around you and keep an eye on their stuff when they are not around, never had a problem in 30 years so it works.

24lemons

2,628 posts

184 months

Monday 16th March 2015
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As others have said you'll be fine if you use a little common sense. Lock valuables away out of sight in the car and get to know your neighbours.

A couple of years ago I managed to go to bed having consumed one too many shandies and I left my boot wide open with a grand's worth of camera gear in it! Fortunately it was all still there in the morning but it would have been 100% my fault if it had gone!

I've been camping since 2008 and the only thefts I've had close experience of were a camera and phone that were left on display in the gazebo!

a.christie

262 posts

275 months

Monday 16th March 2015
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We all have cameras and camera phones. See someone that looks a bit dodgy and take their piccie. Nothing to worry about if they are legit.

//j17

4,471 posts

222 months

Tuesday 17th March 2015
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Some Gump said:
Imo most people who claim the public areas are somewhat akin to mos eisley cantina are people who pay for private camping and have never been public - they stick to the standard line re. Security because that is the decision they have made and therefore it's their justification for the extra cost of private.
I've done both public and private over the years but security was only really a secondary benefit of private. No toilet queues, TV coverage and the ability to buy food on Sunday night when the meat that's been sweating in the boot of the car since Thursday has gotten a little too ripe head the list of reasons!

gt6

1,422 posts

184 months

Tuesday 17th March 2015
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OK Staying sunday night then private has advantages, but facilities on the better sites are very good and never a problem so for those that leave sunday, the public sites are cheaper by far and more than OK,