Tent camper run over in caravan park horror

Published: February 1, 2019

A man sleeping in a tent at a Tasmanian van park has been inadvertently run over by a caravanning couple.

According to media reports, a couple who had been camping for several days at the West Parade grounds at Deloraine had been routinely leaving their car beside their caravan while they explored the local area on foot.

However, earlier this week, the couple took off for the day in their car and did not return until after dark.  Unfortunately, after they had left their campsite, another tourist had unknowingly set up a tent near where the couple had been parking their car.

“When the couple returned about 10pm, the driver pulled into the usual parking spot,” said a Tasmania Police spokesman. “However, they did not see the newly erected tent!”

A 46-year-old man who was inside the tent was run over and remained trapped under the couple’s car for a short time.

State Emergency Service crews attended the scene and the man was freed.

The injured man was taken to the Launceston General Hospital with minor chest injuries.

He remains in a stable condition.

  • Have you ever been caught out – or nearly caught out – by an unexpected change in the set-up at a caravan park or camping ground? Comment below.
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At Gregory Downs Qld was camped down by the river. We had our caravan awning extended and a couple placed their camper trailer tent into our awning area.

That’s why they need to separate caravan and tent areas in caravan parks. Small things like tents shouldn’t be next to cars and vans.

Bazaar

Have been to greggory, that is inconsiderate, there is plenty of room ,perhaps they wanted to use your space plus their camper use.

That’s a bit rude.

Must have been a real shock for all concerned and hopefully the camper is OK?

This prompts a travel story I experience in a free camp in Western Australia. There seems to be a dangerous trend of O/S campers setting up too close to other campers. After finding a quiet spot for my rear door opening slide-on camper well away from others by 5:00pm I settled in for the night.

You could imagine my surprise as I climbed down the stairs the next morning when I actually tripped over the tent ropes of the tourist camped next door.

Why tourist seem to have to be so close to others in a camp site remains a mystery. But I think it must make themselves feel safer somehow for many are guilty of this dangerous practice.

In this instance they too would have been in a precarious situation if I had of revered back, instead of going forward!

I’ve seen tenters tie their tent lines onto the A-frames of caravans. They get told to set up close to caravans for security. The said caravan owner did the right thing and drove off without telling said tenter to undo the tent strings.

They must have been moving when they didn’t see a tent and run over it. However having said that why do people want to park so close to others.

Leave small light on in or top of tent

In National park left chairs etc while went out in motor home.Came back to find some one set up tent and using our things.

Fortunately we have not caused any grief with other campers ,that we know of ???, but we have had the experience of tent campers, and usually European backpackers setting up camp almost under the awning. On one occasion, behind the pub in Triabunna, Tas., we had a trio of girls from France set up their tent so close to our awning that if we stumbled coming out of our van, we would have ended up in their tent.
When questioned (nicely), as to why they were camped so close, they told us that when making arrangements in Europe to travel Aust., their main concern was of being attacked or harassed so they were advised to camp very close to “people like us”, and I suppose we should take that as a compliment but ????. Wasn’t an isolated incident either as we had a group of 3 couples set up within metre’s of us when camped at the Western end of the Gibb River Road in an area big enough for a football match, so ??????.
Anyway, we hope the caravaners (and of course the tent dweller), are all o.k.
Cheers Sundy

Charter boat! Charter boat! How could you not see a charter boat?

when in a camp ground there is zero excuse for not seeing a tent regardless where it is pitched.

Spec Savers !!!

Yes this type of camper seem to think they are entitled to security or weather protection by camping up against your van. Then wake at 6am turn the radio on, selfish bastards. Traveling through Europe can be a constant vigil to avoid them

Some people have No respect for others I see it all the time when reasonableness is apparently not an option – we have a huge country and yet so many really do still want to encroach on others space

Half. The people caravanning don’t have a clue how to tow or drive and reverse ,also load their vans ,disgraceful.

When driving expect the unexpected! Oh yes, and have your eyes tested now and again….

I served with 1st Armoured Regiment. SOP, no sleeping just anywhere on the ground for obvious reasons. Imagine being driven over by a tank. Body bag, no ambulance ride to hospital !

This is something that has always concerned me, as a camper, the safety of sleeping in something as flimsy as a tent, without four solid walls to protect myself and family!! Now as a caravan owner a senario like this one sometimes crosses my mind!! Disaster waiting to happen!!

My tent got tagged by the family that set up next to us. When told that one of their precious monsters had vandalised my tent I was told “s..t happens.

You couldn’t see a tent !! Really, maybe go to spec savers…..

Set up in a VERY large short term camp area and found a small tent had been set up with it’s back so close to our car we couldn’t open the driver’s door.

Yes came backto some very rude & inconsiderate people pitching a huge tent across where i parked my 4×4 . They had also moved our chairs & were putting guy ropes around my touring tent.. They were not willing to remove themselves from our site, they then were moved by park owner, then spread themselves across 2 other sites. Each site was very generous in size, so no need for this. Not only were they disruptive & rude, they had a tinnie they were using for water toboggan sports, often speeding in ammonst swimmers along the beach. This was some years back at 1770.

Was the driver drunk or blind or driving with no lights? How the heck do you driver over an erected tent and not see it?

Take the bloody licence away! Forever! A driving licence is a privilege and not a right.

At Hall’s gap in Victoria I was camping on Mt zero Road camping ground this camping ground is so big I was the only one camping at that time when I went out for the day when I got back to my area there was someone put up there tent next to me I’m talking about right next to me still from this day I still can’t believe it when this camp ground you can easily fit into 50 caravans and upto 500 tents on this site it is a free camping site

Really, cannot see a tent.
Should have gone to spec savers

They must have been driving to fast to not have seen the tent, and how inebriated was the driver. Camping grounds are constantly changing with comings and goings. Tragic!!!

Maybe jt would be a good idea for tent users to have a red flat on there tent perhaps on a light pole so that it could be seen in the headlights seeinv as they are us uhally a dark fabric which cant be easily seen in the dark.

Who said Caravan Parks were safe???

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