Tony_B
Member
I'm writing this in my capacity as Wardens' Secretary for the DYO CAC...
Cavers are in the fortunate position of being able to park at the Dan-yr-Ogof showcave complex, whether visiting DYO itself or other caves on the Black Mountain (such as Tunnel Cave and Pwll Dwfn), or even digging or prospecting on the hill. However, the complex is not a public car park and the management does not extend the invitation to park to all and sundry. So that cavers' cars can be identified as such (without compromising their security) you are asked to display a 'dragon' logo on the windscreen or dashboard while parked. There are good reasons for this; when the showcave closes at the end of the day unidentified vehicles have to be viewed as belonging to tourists who have for some reason not left the showcave(s), and the police insist that Ashford Price and his staff unlock and search everywhere to be sure. You can imagine how irritating it is to go through this procedure only to find that a car or cars belong to cavers who didn't bother to display a dragon. Even during the showcave close season, Ashford is entitled to know who is parking on his property and so has asked that this simple courtesy be observed all year round. (A recent incident involving unidentified cars on a Monday morning cost him and his staff several hours and numerous phone calls, although they turned out not to be cavers' cars.)
Most DYO Wardens have at some point been issued with a small laminated dragon logo, but if you don't have one then anything that resembles the dragon on the Welsh flag will suffice: download something from the internet, photocopy from a book or whatever. (For those of you who are SWCC members, your membership card will do.) In the near future there will be pile of photocopied dragons in the lobby at the SWCC HQ - help yourself.
Can those reading this who are members of clubs that cave regularly in South Wales please ensure that the above request is disseminated amongst your members? Many more incidents like the one described above may lead to more restrictions and we need to ensure that cavers are 'whiter than white' on this! Many thanks.
Tony.
Cavers are in the fortunate position of being able to park at the Dan-yr-Ogof showcave complex, whether visiting DYO itself or other caves on the Black Mountain (such as Tunnel Cave and Pwll Dwfn), or even digging or prospecting on the hill. However, the complex is not a public car park and the management does not extend the invitation to park to all and sundry. So that cavers' cars can be identified as such (without compromising their security) you are asked to display a 'dragon' logo on the windscreen or dashboard while parked. There are good reasons for this; when the showcave closes at the end of the day unidentified vehicles have to be viewed as belonging to tourists who have for some reason not left the showcave(s), and the police insist that Ashford Price and his staff unlock and search everywhere to be sure. You can imagine how irritating it is to go through this procedure only to find that a car or cars belong to cavers who didn't bother to display a dragon. Even during the showcave close season, Ashford is entitled to know who is parking on his property and so has asked that this simple courtesy be observed all year round. (A recent incident involving unidentified cars on a Monday morning cost him and his staff several hours and numerous phone calls, although they turned out not to be cavers' cars.)
Most DYO Wardens have at some point been issued with a small laminated dragon logo, but if you don't have one then anything that resembles the dragon on the Welsh flag will suffice: download something from the internet, photocopy from a book or whatever. (For those of you who are SWCC members, your membership card will do.) In the near future there will be pile of photocopied dragons in the lobby at the SWCC HQ - help yourself.
Can those reading this who are members of clubs that cave regularly in South Wales please ensure that the above request is disseminated amongst your members? Many more incidents like the one described above may lead to more restrictions and we need to ensure that cavers are 'whiter than white' on this! Many thanks.
Tony.
