On our way out from Dover to Calais last week we were stopped and the car was searched, when I asked what they were looking for I was told "Weapons".,
this is the 4th time this has happened in the last couple of years, I know that we are a desperate looking couple, but I find it hard to believe they were looking for weapons, especially as I could think of at least a dozen places to hide guns, explosives, Etc. that they never went near, so they are either very inept at searching, or lying and just trying to put the frighteners onto travellers.
Dave

We were searched very thoroughly on the way out last year at Portsmouth which I thought was very unusual. The lady searching let it slip that she had a quota to fulfill and thought we would help get her numbers up. As she left I neglected to say ‘mind your head’ which I try to say to every visitor....she gave herself the most almighty thump across the forehead!!!!
Maybe she will avoid Eribas in future.

TonyP

Probably looking for stowaways. Even in a Eriba you could hide a few😂

For the last 2-3 years now we and nearly everyone else queued to return from Roskoff to Plymouth have had the car, van or trailer searched for ?? It tends to be a cursory look and I think more for Stowaways than weapons as when looking in boot and van they do not delve into the kitchen sink items we have stored there.
As with Frantone we had the same incident with Jonnie Gendarme when exiting the van and wearing a baseball cap he managed to encounter an "Eriba kiss"

Quote: Frantone wrote in post #3

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As she left I neglected to say ‘mind your head’ which I try to say to every visitor....she gave herself the most almighty thump across the forehead!!!!
Maybe she will avoid Eribas in future.

TonyP

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Why would they stowaway to get out of the country?
Dave

But we were leaving the country not entering and just the car, no caravan.
This was after both French and British border controls
Dave

Reminds me many years ago I used to perform in a medieval re-enactment group (for want of a better description), jousting and hand combat. I was the groups armourer making most of the group's weapons and transporting them to the gigs as I had a van.
We had just got off the ferry in Calais to go to a gig when stopped by customs.
My over-enthusiastic passenger wanted to try out his french and when asked what was in the van, instead of saying theatrical props it came out as "swords and axes "
A couple of hours later we were still at the quay re-loading all of my van which had been completely stripped

This year coming home from Calais we were stopped by customs for the first time ever. They looked in the car, then in the boot, then in the topbox, made us open it, then moved on to the Eriba, they hardly glanced at it. We had the bed down but they never looked under it, neither did they look in the washroom. Left us scratching our heads over what it was all about. They were most unfriendly, with attitude , makes you wonder what they think a couple of 70 year olds get up to.

We were "searched" a few years ago on the way out at Portsmouth (at least the Eriba was) by a friendly female official who asked me if I had any knives with blades over 5 inches long. I said yes.....a breadknife. She asked if she could look in a couple of cupboards and we obliged and that was it. I had a large collection of militaria at the time which consisted of edged weapons (bayonets). Perhaps she had a sixth sense.

I was asked the same question and totally forgot about the filleting knife I keep under the front dinette seat, fortunately my No was accepted without a search

Quote: eribanaut wrote in post #8

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Why would they stowaway to get out of the country?
Dave

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