Crime at Motorway Services

[PetrolTed]

Got this sent to me today:

Last friday I had my car (nice prestige but not exotica) broken into at
Tamworth Service area, just off M42 motorway,.

The police who turned up told me that 24% of ca5r crime in that
Staffordshire area is committed at the services, and despite polite
requests, the owners of the service area (MOTO) have refused to put any CCTV
cameras up in the car park. They are, it seems , more interested in selling
overpriced food.

Anyway, I thought your readers should know about this blackspot.

[plotloss]

Good to know that they cant be arsed protecting their customers.

Now theres great business foresight...

Matt.

[The GMan]

I hate Service Stations! I think it's a crime paying £7.99 for a breakfast in one of them!!!!

There is one on the M6 just after Shap which is not to bad! Still a joke though!

>> Edited by The GMan on Tuesday 8th April 13:30

[JMGS4]

AND not forgetting the real crime there, misrepresentation I believe, when they say they serve FOOD!!! Call that muck food??????? Pigswill would possibly fit the product but NOT food!

[dazren]

Looking at the title I thought tihs thread would be about the price of sandwiches.

Another Service station crossed off the list then. Some dopey bint shouted at me to move my car when parking away from the petrol pumps on the Leigh Delamere services 3 weeks ago (I wasn't buying petrol, just wanted a can of pop, so much for me being considerate).

DAZ

[RichardR]

I refuse to ever stop at services, except to use the loo if I'm desperate.

Most motorway junctions have a petrol station nearby if you need something to eat/drink - saved myself a few quid this way over the years.

If you fancy planning ahead, check out this site which gives details of facilities close to motorway junctions.

[daved]

Not sure if it's still there, but the M4 Reading services went straight to number 1 of the crime chart for the Reading area. It might even have been for the whole of Berkshire.

[pete_w]

There is one on the M6 just after Shap which is not to bad! Still a joke though!

I think it won an award as the best in the country.

Somebody wrote a book listing pubs within 1 miles drive of M-way junctions.

[robp]

Try never to use services on motorway, because a) they are expensive and b) they are all shite holes.


I remember little chefs being quality when I was a young-un, was it just because I was easy to please or have they just got considerably worse?

[RichardR]

robp said:I remember little chefs being quality when I was a young-un, was it just because I was easy to please or have they just got considerably worse?

It's because badly cooked shit food prepared by someone who doesn't give a toss whether you enjoy your meal or not seems exotic when you're younger. Hence the popularity of McDonalds!

[robp]

RichardR said:

robp said:I remember little chefs being quality when I was a young-un, was it just because I was easy to please or have they just got considerably worse?

It's because badly cooked shit food prepared by someone who doesn't give a toss whether you enjoy your meal or not seems exotic when you're younger. Hence the popularity of McDonalds!

Thought that might be the case! Although, the thought of a thick milkshake and a free lolly is often enough to tempt me, even now!

[pbrettle]

I use motorway service stations consistently due to the business travel that I do. They are hateful places and I would say that Moto is not the only one that has crap security. It took nearly 2 years for the Police and the service company to deal with the loonies at South Mimms..!!! I constantly see people hanging around at service stations - however, chances are they are just there to get picked up or hitch-hike....

However, that said, I have a routine that I go through everytime I get out of the car. Put away everything of value (in the boot or whatever), take my wallet and jacket and lock and double lock the car. So far been lucky, but seen too many people that dont lock their car, leave laptops and mobiles on the seats as well as bags in plain view - its not a good situation.

Figures dont suprise me - though we can do something by hiding valuables and locking the car.... though all this will do is to switch the tactics to something / somewhere else...

Cheers,

Paul

[Podie]

The GMan said: I hate Service Stations! I think it's a crime paying £7.99 for a breakfast in one of them!!!!

..or to call it "food"

[tyke]

I had quite an interesting conversation with the customer services manager at Moto when they refused to acknowledge my letter of complaint. He flatly refused to comment on any of my comments regarding overpricing, why BK manage to produce the same garbage at the same price as a city centre store, and could he justify £2.99 for a BLT. Instead I was told in no uncertain terms that their prices were in line with what should be charged by any other 24 hour outlet and that my suggestion for the next name change to 'Dick Turpins' was highly offensive.

[tvrslag]

And the Government want us to stop and take a 15-20 minute kips at these places to reduce tirdness.
They must be F***ing joking. You'd wake up to find yourself asleep on the grass verge totally naked apart from a week old newspaper, car gone and only a hitchhiker for company!!
The food is all overpriced crap, last time I stopped for a breakfast in one I almost died of a heart attack and needed a coronary bypass before I could continue my journey!! Most of people who work there look close to brain stem death through boredom or are suffering from frontal lobotomies, and to top it all of you have to fight through fields of sunglass, watch, coat and finance sellers to get through the front door in the first place.

:climbsofsoapbox:

[Superflid]

pete_w said:

Somebody wrote a book listing pubs within 1 miles drive of M-way junctions.

It's called "Off The Motorway", lists petrol stations, main shops, pubs etc, got a copy in the glove box. Got no gloves.........

[nubbin]

Here you go.....

[incorrigible]

tyke said:I was told that my suggestion for the next name change to 'Dick Turpins' was highly offensive.

ROTFPML

[corozin]

tyke said:

---

Yeah, considering that the vast majority of BK's in service stations are shut by 10pm that's a bit rich really innit.

I also do a lot of motorway driving, often late at night or during the morning, and for the majority of our "Service Stations"
1) You cannot get a hot meal of any kind after 11pm or before 8:00am, or where it is served it's clearly been drying out under a hot lamp for 5 hours
2) Where they are staffed for travellers wanting breakfast (i.e. the meal which is served before about 10am when most Services "wake up") there is often only one poor sod serving 30-40 people single handed.
3) And then they charge you £8 for breakfast, and £2 for Coffee...

I can vouch though for the quality of the M6 services up in the Lake District though, whether it's Tebay, Westmoorland or Shap... they are always open & serving away 24/7, and the people in them are particularly cheerful and friendly, which is fantastic when you're hungry at 5am.

John

[Simonelite501]

These places have the audacity to charge HGV's between £10-15 to park over night, yet provide little or no security, and when the enevetable happens, claim they carry no responsibility or duty of care. The breaks that the drivers are taking are rigourously enforced by the police and ministry of transport , with massive fines and threats of imprisonment for offenders and yet there are no suitable places to stop, without either fear or fee.