this week before ive gone into the dectectors in the ports ive stopped in the queue and had a good look round under the trailer and alos open up the trailer and had a good check inside.
i never stopped anywhere near the ports in fact my last stop was for fuel at alveringem then a couple of clicks up the road at real tobacco, then straight to the port.
being my first week of european i got well away from the port on sunday but did see one of our drivers parked at pidou dunkirk which i though would have been a no go zone, as is the waste ground coming out of dunkirk which looks like afganistan and no sign of any english trucks.
You can get a UKBA checklist on stowaways, but essentially, try to watch the trailer being loaded, seal it if you can, lock it if you can, check seals and locks as often as possible, check beneath the trailer (they have been known to sit on the axles), and try to avoid parking anywhere near Calais.
When parking up on the way back to the port, spin it around and park on a service area going away from the coast, to convey the impression that you are on the way out
The buggers are climbing aboard further and further from the ports these days
Inselaffe:
When parking up on the way back to the port, spin it around and park on a service area going away from the coast, to convey the impression that you are on the way out
The buggers are climbing aboard further and further from the ports these days
Of course, you can always reverse this operation and take them halfway to Italy…
The Immigrant problem isn’t so bad at the moment, that said I did pick 2 up at Pidou in Calais on my spare wheels a few weeks ago. I ususally seal the trailer after loading and wouldn,t park at or near Calais on my way back to the UK but regularly stop at the dunes on my way out with no problems. When fuelling I just keep a check all round the trailer with a quick look underneath before I leave. Dont forget under your cab roof spoiler if you have one
Inselaffe:
When parking up on the way back to the port, spin it around and park on a service area going away from the coast, to convey the impression that you are on the way out
The buggers are climbing aboard further and further from the ports these days
Of course, you can always reverse this operation and take them halfway to Italy…
Yeah, but then your load will be rejected as they will have crapped all over it…
Inselaffe:
The buggers are climbing aboard further and further from the ports these days
Yep, I had to kick some Iranians out of my trailer at Drongen services in Belgium a while back, which I would previously have thought was far enough away to be ok.
I had a fridge trailer on, locked and sealed. They had forced the padlock and re-closed it, and cut the seal and re-glued it. So it’s obviously organised because somebody had to do that from the outside.
As I’ve said here before, all’s well that ends well because in their haste to get away from the nutcase British driver raining blows on them with a metal bar, they left behind a wallet containing, among other things, £75 in Sterling.
Good advice about turning round and facing away from the Channel too.
The 2 I had on my spare wheels were Iranian. With a curtain sider it isn,t just the mess they leave inside, once they realize you are going the wrong way your trailer is going to have a nice big hole cut in it. The most Ive ever had left behind is a few full bottles, no wallets.
I think I could make a mint if I opened a truck wash just before Calais. ■■?
High pressure jet wash to all areas of a vehicle using an acid based highly irritant acid that is guaranteed to remove all crap, kind to paint etc, but avoid breathing in or getting onto skin.
4 mad Jack Russel’s trained to sniff out any crap and attack on sight, 2 to scurry around outside the vehicle & 2 that will be popped into the trailer as part of the wash deal.
All drivers to sit in the viewing area while the vehicle is being washed that has complimentary tea/coffee etc, and boxes of Kleenex to hand.
When I was in TDW we had a checklist we had to do from picking the load up. Check the load at time of loading then several times during the run back. Last one would be at say just before the port where you then seal the TIR cord record the seal number and off you go to the port. RHA i think it is has that list on their website. One drive from S&K followed the rules and still got broken into by cutting of the TIR cord then someone else melted the join back together but as he followed the ‘guidelines’ got off lightly.
Problems with putting the TIR cord through and sealing at time of loading is that there are ways they can still get in such as a strap over the trailer ratcxhet it down clips off in they got and then the process is reversed or jumping onto trailer roof from birdge and in through the roof. (it has been done lol)
And DO NOT try to get them out yourself, if you suspect you’ve got some.
Drivers have been injured and one or two have apparently been killed while trying to.
Take them to the port, get the security bods to get them out, thats what they are paid for.
If you’re sure you’ve got stowawys, don’t accept their tests either.
I got through all the checks with no problems. They got quite shirty when I insisted on a physical check, but the trailer had been left overnight at the IDS. They pulled 6 out.
Inselaffe:
When parking up on the way back to the port, spin it around and park on a service area going away from the coast, to convey the impression that you are on the way out
The buggers are climbing aboard further and further from the ports these days
This is a good ploy. I allways keep an out going ferry loading card to pop in your windscreen to make it look even more realistc.
Inselaffe:
When parking up on the way back to the port, spin it around and park on a service area going away from the coast, to convey the impression that you are on the way out
The buggers are climbing aboard further and further from the ports these days
This is a good ploy. I allways keep an out going ferry loading card to pop in your windscreen to make it look even more realistc.
Used to do that with swinging beef for USAF in Southern Italy, spin round & park on the otherside of the autostrada-still got busted into.
