derek pringle Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 Hi all, Just returned from 7 weeks in Provence via Hull/Rotterdam ferry. We expected some thorough checking to take place at the ports but encountered nothing at all at Hull and when we disembarked at Rotterdam we were met by a huge team of police/customs all armed with roll of tubes breathylizing EVERY driver. We have never seen this before and thought the resources could be put to better use.Nothing at all on the return journey. Any thoughts? cheers derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 derek pringle - 2018-07-11 8:46 AM Hi all, Just returned from 7 weeks in Provence via Hull/Rotterdam ferry. We expected some thorough checking to take place at the ports but encountered nothing at all at Hull and when we disembarked at Rotterdam we were met by a huge team of police/customs all armed with roll of tubes breathylizing EVERY driver. We have never seen this before and thought the resources could be put to better use.Nothing at all on the return journey. Any thoughts? cheers derek I can only assume that there is a huge problem of drunken tourists getting off ferries in Rotterdam ? :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 Maybe getting rid of old stock! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 Maybe the football and the reputation of some fans has something to do with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 ...have you seen the amount of booze consumed (well into the night) by some of the passengers on the crossings from Hull?...... 8-) They won't all be non-drivers, and, of course, in line with much of Europe, the limits in the Netherlands are lower than the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colinsburgh Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 PLEASE REMEMBER the Drink Drive limit in Scotland is lower than the rUK. As of 5th December 2014 the drink driving limits in Scotland have been reduced. Before the change if a person was breathalysed the limit was 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath – that figure has now been reduced to 22 micrograms per 100 ml. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 We have just got back from Netherlands, but we went Dover Calais. Going out was the usual nothing, although as we got to end of the fenced road out of Calais some police where on side of road and just off of it a bigger contingent where braking up a small camp. On return, at Calais all vehicles where being checked for migrants by French customs, and a little further on random vehicles where being stopped by UK border force. At Dover it appeared random vehicles where being pulled over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmac Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 Hi went to the Moto gp at Assen in Holland two weekends ago. Left the campsite 10am Monday morning and was stopped and breathalized when turning onto the main road. The cars before me and after me were stopped as well Regards David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laika.brian Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 Just returned from great trip to UK, sailed Rosslare / Pembroke return. Renewed passports for children at a cost of nearly €100, never took them out of the folder, did not speak to anyone after check in at Rosslare or coming off at Pembroke. On return two very nice police people asked for milk and two sugars in their tea as we were going to the ramp for the ship and on Irish side we were asked what nationality all the passengers in the MH were. However I suspect that the authorities have marked the people of interest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek pringle Posted July 12, 2018 Author Share Posted July 12, 2018 Hi, I did ask one of the officers what happens if somebody was over the limit,her reply was they would be made to park to one side until the reading was normal.We are talking circa 15 officers deployed. cheers derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 I cant understand why they are not put before the next court after all it is a criminal offence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 Randonneur - 2018-07-12 9:48 AM I cant understand why they are not put before the next court after all it is a criminal offence. Not as I understand it: they were still within the port, not on public roads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 derek pringle - 2018-07-11 8:46 AM Just returned from 7 weeks in Provence via Hull/Rotterdam ferry. We expected some thorough checking to take place at the ports but encountered nothing at all at Hull and when we disembarked at Rotterdam we were met by a huge team of police/customs all armed with roll of tubes breathalysing EVERY driver. Nothing at all on the return journey. Any thoughts? Yes......you should have refused. Police need 'reasonable cause' to suspect drink/driving and breathalyse drivers and stopping every single driver is unreasonable cause. How long was disembarkation before you exited the port? I'm amazed everyone was daft enough to sit in a queue waiting to be breathalysed. They must have all been British? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 Randonneur - 2018-07-12 9:48 AM I cant understand why they are not put before the next court after all it is a criminal offence. Not if under the limit it isn't. However UK has a higher limit allowance than most European countries.....some even have zero tolerance which is where i believe we should be. At least that saves any arguing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 Laika.brian - 2018-07-11 10:50 PM Just returned from great trip to UK, sailed Rosslare / Pembroke return. Renewed passports for children at a cost of nearly €100, never took them out of the folder, did not speak to anyone after check in at Rosslare or coming off at Pembroke. On return two very nice police people asked for milk and two sugars in their tea as we were going to the ramp for the ship and on Irish side we were asked what nationality all the passengers in the MH were. However I suspect that the authorities have marked the people of interest! Let's hope, that when we leave EU, they WILL check all vehicles from Ireland, as that will be the way the illegals will get here! I hope you people living in Ireland , will not object to being asked to show passports! Hopefully the illegals trying that route, will NOT have passports I have no problem with people coming to UK, after Brexit, just that they are genuine visitors . I see in the papers that more University places in Uk are being requested by Eu and other countries students. So they must think it will a great place to live, even if only tempory PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 PJay - 2018-07-12 6:30 PM Laika.brian - 2018-07-11 10:50 PM Just returned from great trip to UK, sailed Rosslare / Pembroke return. Renewed passports for children at a cost of nearly €100, never took them out of the folder, did not speak to anyone after check in at Rosslare or coming off at Pembroke. On return two very nice police people asked for milk and two sugars in their tea as we were going to the ramp for the ship and on Irish side we were asked what nationality all the passengers in the MH were. However I suspect that the authorities have marked the people of interest! Let's hope, that when we leave EU, they WILL check all vehicles from Ireland, as that will be the way the illegals will get here! I hope you people living in Ireland , will not object to being asked to show passports! Hopefully the illegals trying that route, will NOT have passports After the mither i had getting a new passport when mine was stolen in Spain.....good luck to anyone who 'gets in'. I have no problem with people coming to UK, after Brexit, just that they are genuine visitors . I see in the papers that more University places in Uk are being requested by Eu and other countries students. So they must think it will a great place to live, even if only tempory PJay Visitors won't 'cut it' Malc. We need people to work here and they used to come from EU countries but since Brexit many won't return. They have no security and had enough of the racist abuse. Govt have already had to re-think their immigration policy in order for the NHS to survive. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/immigration-rules-nhs-foreign-doctors-nurses-home-secretary-sajid-javid-a8397921.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 Bulletguy - 2018-07-12 7:06 PM Visitors won't 'cut it' Malc. We need people to work here and they used to come from EU countries but since Brexit many won't return. They have no security and had enough of the racist abuse. Govt have already had to re-think their immigration policy in order for the NHS to survive. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/immigration-rules-nhs-foreign-doctors-nurses-home-secretary-sajid-javid-a8397921.html We don't 'need' people from EU to fill NHS places, it's just the government finds it easy to fill slots with those trained abroad instead of training those who already live here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 Bulletguy - 2018-07-12 6:23 PM derek pringle - 2018-07-11 8:46 AM Just returned from 7 weeks in Provence via Hull/Rotterdam ferry. We expected some thorough checking to take place at the ports but encountered nothing at all at Hull and when we disembarked at Rotterdam we were met by a huge team of police/customs all armed with roll of tubes breathalysing EVERY driver. Nothing at all on the return journey. Any thoughts? Yes......you should have refused. Police need 'reasonable cause' to suspect drink/driving and breathalyse drivers and stopping every single driver is unreasonable cause. How long was disembarkation before you exited the port? I'm amazed everyone was daft enough to sit in a queue waiting to be breathalysed. They must have all been British? In the Netherlands the police have the right to random stopping for breathalysing, and it is actively pursued by them as a policy for reduction of drink driving and according to polls is approved of by the populace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandy Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 Brian Kirby - 2018-07-12 4:53 PM Randonneur - 2018-07-12 9:48 AM I cant understand why they are not put before the next court after all it is a criminal offence. Not as I understand it: they were still within the port, not on public roads. I'm sure it varies between ports, and even more so between countries, but traffic laws can apply in port areas. The Eastern Dock at Dover, for example, is a public road for the purposes of the Road Traffic Act, and the rules concerning seat-belts, drinking etc apply within the Dock area just as they do outside. As far as I recall the only one that doesn't apply is VED, which is because the relevant legislation differs from the RTA in its definition of a road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinM50 Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 I used to regularly use the Harwich - Hook overnight ferry and was routinely stopped at Hoek at 7:00 and breathalysed as was everybody else. Asked one of the very pretty police officers if it was worth their while and she said they get a minimum of twenty over the limit every time they check. Drivers on the ship have been drinking till the wee small hours and this is one of the ways they combat it. So a good safety measure. I'd rather be held up for ten or so minutes than be in accident due to a drunk driver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldi Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen, We too have experienced this at Rotterdam, the only time we have travelled that route, BUT this was at least 28 years ago, It took us 1.5 hours to clear the port. every driver was breathalysed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek pringle Posted July 14, 2018 Author Share Posted July 14, 2018 Hi Bulletguy, I was,t asked if I would mind giving being tested. I am of the nature that I go along and knew I was below the limit anyway, although I like a drink like many people I only drink when I know I won't be driving, and if it stops a number of passengers staring off their journey already over the limit then the testing serves a purpose. I just thought maybe in the port they would have been checking for other things--pets/people-drugs? cheers derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted July 14, 2018 Share Posted July 14, 2018 colin - 2018-07-12 7:52 PM Bulletguy - 2018-07-12 6:23 PM derek pringle - 2018-07-11 8:46 AM Just returned from 7 weeks in Provence via Hull/Rotterdam ferry. We expected some thorough checking to take place at the ports but encountered nothing at all at Hull and when we disembarked at Rotterdam we were met by a huge team of police/customs all armed with roll of tubes breathalysing EVERY driver. Nothing at all on the return journey. Any thoughts? Yes......you should have refused. Police need 'reasonable cause' to suspect drink/driving and breathalyse drivers and stopping every single driver is unreasonable cause. How long was disembarkation before you exited the port? I'm amazed everyone was daft enough to sit in a queue waiting to be breathalysed. They must have all been British? In the Netherlands the police have the right to random stopping for breathalysing, and it is actively pursued by them as a policy for reduction of drink driving and according to polls is approved of by the populace. Random testing is one thing Colin but breathalysing every single driver is a tad OTT!! I have a NL family in motorhome next to me and talking to them about it he said random checks on NL drivers do happen but the target group tend to be young drivers. Apparently NL have a drink problem which Govt are trying to tackle, eg increasing price/tax. We do the same only not on drink but tobacco. In fact i remember one Budget where Osborne or Hammond decreased the tax on alcohol and paid for it by increasing tobacco tax by the same amount. Crazy.....and then we wonder why UK has a drink problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted July 14, 2018 Share Posted July 14, 2018 derek pringle - 2018-07-14 8:44 AM Hi Bulletguy, I was,t asked if I would mind giving being tested. I am of the nature that I go along and knew I was below the limit anyway, although I like a drink like many people I only drink when I know I won't be driving, and if it stops a number of passengers staring off their journey already over the limit then the testing serves a purpose. I just thought maybe in the port they would have been checking for other things--pets/people-drugs? I only ever have a drink when out of UK and never if driving the following day. Just isn't worth the risk. UK should go to zero tolerance as it makes life much easier for everyone who then knows exactly where they stand re. the law. NL have a 'peculiarity' about drugs. As you will probably know cannabis is on open sale there. Go into a coffee bar and you get a 'menu'. Like UK they have a ban on smoking in public places but when it came to 'pot', that's now only allowed indoors. You have to go to cafes/coffee bars which have a cannabis leaf sign outside. Germany has a public place smoke ban, but many bar owners ignore it. Here in Bulgaria it's commonplace to have a fag sitting at tables outside fuel stations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wirehaired Posted July 14, 2018 Share Posted July 14, 2018 I have used the Hull crossing many times for over thirty years and never been breathalysed,but once they checked every car with a drug dog,will be going from Hull to Holland in September so might get breathalysed,i don't drink much on the ship maybe one beer after dinner,might not drink anything on the next trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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