I travelled through Caen last night on the 23:00 sailing to Portsmouth, there was an artic on its side at the roundabout at the end of the dual carriageway just past the XPO depot heading in the direction of the port, the Gendarmes and the mobile crane was there just preparing to lift it up but there were also quite a few immigrants hanging around, I travel through Caen quite a lot but have never seen the immigrants at this roundabout, they’ve always been either at the campsite roundabout or in the town centre, where there are also a lot of police.
I may be wrong but I’m guessing that the driver took the roundabout a bit fast in an attempt to stop the immigrants jumping on the back.
Security was hot at the port last night, the police were at the check in booths searching the back of every van, camper or trailer coming through, security before you go through customs checked the vans etc twice, then they had the customs/ passport booths open also checking vehicles.
The Police/Army visible presence seems to go up and down for no apparent reason. Sometimes they will inspect almost everything in the passenger vehicle lanes, sometimes much less.
Anyone risking parking in the small industrial area near XPO would soon end up with a large crowd around them! As you say the clandestines are most noticeable near the slower parts of the town, thats why the traffic lights have been turned off for months now, keep traffic moving. Come through without a lock on the rear doors and theyll likely be opened and swinging wide before you reach the lanes, even in broad daylight with cops everywhere. Walk around the town in the early morning or late evening dark, and youll notice many more than can be seen from the driving seat. Roll over on that first roundabout? More speed than anyone would be capable of running at Id guess.
Bit of an update on the migrant problems in Ouistreham:
The French Authorities have sent notices out about the problems.
Although the traffic lights have been turned off to minimise stopping for trucks entering ports, it doesnt mean trucks can use excess speed and ignore traffic rules to get into the port. Basically the notice says, obey speed and traffic laws, and ensure you have doors on trailer secured properly, and dont stop near the port.
All pretty common sense stuff youd have thought? But I still see trucks coming in, slowing for roundabouts, and clandestines running behind, and opening the doors. Some drivers wont even help themselves it seems. The trucks then drive through the residential and restaurant/tourist area with the doors swinging across the pavements! Incredible that no-one has been injured yet!