So much for Border Farce

Stemar

Well-known member
Joined
12 Sep 2001
Messages
22,933
Location
Home - Southampton, Boat - Gosport
Visit site
I wonder what the going rate per person is for being smuggled from UK to France?
Enough to make it worth while, but bringing them over in your boat is the high risk, low profit end. Getting the poor sods to pay through the nose for a place in dodgy and overcrowded RIB and sending them on their way from a country that looks the other way because they'd rather see them go is the way to make money with relatively little risk.

Personally, I'd like to see the people who do that hunted down and charged with manslaughter for every customer that drowns. Then send 'em to serve their sentences in the country of origin of the victims. Western prisons are far too nice for the likes of them.
 

mjcoon

Well-known member
Joined
18 Jun 2011
Messages
4,477
Location
Berkshire, UK
www.mjcoon.plus.com
Enough to make it worth while, but bringing them over in your boat is the high risk, low profit end. Getting the poor sods to pay through the nose for a place in dodgy and overcrowded RIB and sending them on their way from a country that looks the other way because they'd rather see them go is the way to make money with relatively little risk.

Personally, I'd like to see the people who do that hunted down and charged with manslaughter for every customer that drowns. Then send 'em to serve their sentences in the country of origin of the victims. Western prisons are far too nice for the likes of them.
Did you take notice of my eastwards direction? Not that I'm citing a motivation...
 

steve yates

Well-known member
Joined
16 Oct 2014
Messages
3,822
Location
Benfleet, Essex/Keswick, Cumbria
Visit site
We have been asked to report anything suspicious. I can see why reporting a foreign vessel for not complying with the border requirements could be rational - are they doing it because they couldn't be bothered, or because they are gun running/drug smuggling/people smuggling?
A: The op did not think it suspicous, he was just pissed off about the hassle something he voted for causes him and yet some pesky foriegner didnt go throuh the same pain.
B: If I was smuggling on my boat, I’m damn sure I would make sure that I complied with the regs and paperwork for entering france so as not to draw unwanted attention. Which leads me to
C: They want us to report something suspicous, not waste their time getting our own back with petty acts.
Things like arriving at dead of night and several people immediatelyleaving the boat and not returning, or throwing waterproof packages overboard etc etc. are suspicous acts, simply sailing from france to uk without jumping through the hoops and then dotting around chatting to fellow sailors is not a suspicous activity.
 

Momac

Well-known member
Joined
7 Feb 2008
Messages
6,751
Location
UK
Visit site
C: They want us to report something suspicous, not waste their time getting our own back with petty acts.


Making a time wasting report might in itself be considered suspicious behaviour. Especially so if the reporters name is already on a list due to past events.
 

ashtead

Well-known member
Joined
17 Jun 2008
Messages
6,041
Location
Surrey and Gosport UK
Visit site
Curiously given this is peak time for cross channel business we have a large border patrol vessel parked up here but maybe he has his weekends off or he’s keeping his eyes open for French yachts visiting Pompey ?
 

Birdseye

Well-known member
Joined
9 Mar 2003
Messages
28,168
Location
s e wales
Visit site
What I really do object to, is having to fill in intrusive forms when leaving & arriving the UK & then finding that someone from the EU does not have to follow that procedure. Or, if they are supposed to, it is clear that they have no idea & that we, on this side of the border do nothing to enforce it.

When coming back to the UK you have exactly the same opportunities for paper free entry as does the visiting French Yacht that has annoyed you.

I remain to be convinced that checking in and out of EU boats achieves anything at all.
 

Daydream believer

Well-known member
Joined
6 Oct 2012
Messages
19,790
Location
Southminster, essex
Visit site
Some of you are missing the point. If we are going to have a system that is going to be intrusive into our lives then so be it
However, there are gaps in the system & I am aggrieved that I have to jump through hoops whilst border force can operate a lax system. Yes I did report the visitor. It showed to border force that they were not doing their job & I told the chap on the phone .
Here in ramsgate this weekend a lot of foreign visitors have arrived. Some are struggling with the system & I have been only to pleased to help a Belgian chap whose phone would not connect to Yachtline for some reason. What I did find stupid was FIVE people from customs or border force poorly dressed & acting like the crew off a boat on a jolly turned up to see him. It was all very un professional
Someone needs to sort their act out r
 

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC

Well-known member
Joined
15 Jul 2009
Messages
3,311
Location
Bristol Channel
Visit site
When coming back to the UK you have exactly the same opportunities for paper free entry as does the visiting French Yacht that has annoyed you.

I remain to be convinced that checking in and out of EU boats achieves anything at all.
I totally agree. This kind of rules are dictatorial, achieve practically nothing apart from petty bureaucracy and only satisfies the right wing xenophobes; its a hindrance to yachting and have taken the UK back half a century.
 
Last edited:

dslittle

Well-known member
Joined
7 Jun 2010
Messages
1,690
Location
On our way
Visit site
It showed to border force that they were not doing their job & I told the chap on the phone .

I‘m guessing that 10 years ago you were equally efficient in telling the French that they weren’t doing their jobs properly?

Perhaps they now show you that they are, so that you don’t have to admonish them again???
 

lustyd

Well-known member
Joined
27 Jul 2010
Messages
11,399
Visit site
[Inappropriate quoted content removed]
The same thing, you’d just have to check in upon arrival by going to a port of entry. It’s not hard, the French are really friendly and understanding and want to get you checked in.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Top