On the 23rd I posted a request for some help, the response has been poor by any ones standards. You all know it goes on, you have probably seen it if not had it happen to you. Today, I had conformation from a journalist friend who has been speaking with a home office executive, that they (the home office) are possitive that the hauliers/drivers are to blame for this problem, not the immigrants. Tell that to the 2 drivers beaten with Iron bars or the driver who was threatened with a knife.
Just before Christmas I was injured by one of three immigrants on my truck and have been off work since. The police will not prosicute them because ‘they technically haven’t broken the law’, apart from the fact that they entered by clandestine methods, willingly avoided authoriies and absconded. I have been banging my head against a wall trying to get someone to listen. Anyway I have finally got the shadow minister for immigration, Damien Green, to listen, and he would like some evidence of any incidents of this nature, if you have had any or know of any incidents of immigrants on vehicles would it be possible to email them to me.
More recently I have been interviewed by the BBC Inside Out team to be aired at the end of September, filmed with and had discussions with Richard Ashworth MEP who is on the European transport budget committee, met and discussed this with Peter Cullum, Head of International Affairs of the RHA, letters of support from Geoff Dossetter and Don Armour from the FTA who have said they will bring this up with the FCO at their next meeting.
Since starting this I have discovered that I came off very lightly on 10th November 2006 two drivers, who’s names I will withhold , were beaten with iron bars and required hospital treatment for broken bones etc, test for herpes and aids because they had been bitten, had all their personal belongings stolen phones, licenses cd players, and to cap it all these ‘people’ used the drivers company phone to call his employer and scream obscenities about England killing their people and Tony Blair killing their people and next time we will kill you. How long will it be before that actually happens, someone is killed because, I have been told by an MEP that he knows their is at any time 1000 immigrants waiting in and around Calais, how many have already got over detected or undetected.
What I would like to happen is the imposition of fines stopped and allow drivers to report these incidents without fear of getting done, Drivers and their companies are the victims not the culprits. I have sent out over 300 emails to anyone who is linked with the Haulage Industry, unfortunately I’ve had back a very few replies. Can you help? Thanks.
you know the risks when you go you should know you are on you re own if problems arise or have you been asleep for the last 12 years
I take it by that smart A*#e reply it has never happened to you, if you have ever been over the water, which for some reason I doubt. When I started over there (1984) I didn’t sign up for anything other than delivering and collecting goods not passengers, if I wanted passengers I would have become a bloody bus driver
Well all I can say is they could simply get a copy of the reports done by ITN ,in Calais, which clearly showed the hoards of illegals trying to board vehicles unbeknowns to the drivers.
The problem is the MMTM tales of exageration have caused a loss of credibility.
It has happened to me. I have had some make it all the way to Liverpool 
(at least there shell suits blended in) , after thoroughly checking the trailer pre boarding at Calais 
I have also turfed them off the trailer countless times in Belgium and France. However back when there were more of us, I would not do it alone or unarmed (cab jack bar) 
Would you care to elaborate on the circumstances of your situation ■■?
Would you care to elaborate on the circumstances of your situation ■■?
[/quote]
I will send you a PM
Yawn
TYPICAL RESPONSE FROM A DON’T GIVE A TOSS DEISELITE. JUST ABOUT PAR FOR THIS INDUSTRY, SOD YOU JACK I’M ALRIGHT
Actually, old chap, I yawned because this topic has been discussed time and time again … of course, you as a newcomer who has not bothered to look back through the Forums would not know this!!!
Might I also add that it is considered poor etiquette to ‘shout’ by using capital letters when replying.
I also wondered why you considered this topic of such importance that you posted it twice in here and also in the main drivers forum?? a total of three posts for a tired subject
The Bear, Please excuse the fact that I shouted but it does seem to be the only way people listen, as for reading back through, I read back far enough to know that , although it has been written about, moaned about and generally ignored. Has anyone actually tried doing something about it. In a few short weeks I have had meetings with Peter Cullum, Head of International Affairs at the RHA, letters from Don Armour, Head of International Affairs at the FTA, Met with Richard Ashworth Mep on the European Transport Commitee and this afternoon I am meeting with Damien Green Shadow MP for Immigration. I have been interviewed and filmed talking with Mr Ashworth for the BBC’s Inside Out programme, who else has tried to do anything like this before. I know you will probably say that no one listens, but I’ve decided I going to become a right royal pain in the preverbials until someone does listen, and your little comment, as I saw it, was just typical of the don’t give a toss attitude which is rife in this industry. We as drivers used to be respected, now we’re nothing than an annoyance to most people, I wonder why?
Sorry if I offend old chap, but at least it’s caused you to enter into a debate about this subject, thank you for your invaluable input.
drivers decide where to park for the night i for one would never park at calais beach i would not ship over, or if on the otherside would park about a hours drive from the port if was gonna be out of hours at calais. Drivers who park at the port know the risks its been well written about on here in the past, if their in that much of a rush to have to park at calais well im affraid its a risk they have to take dont like to say it but thats life
Kingfisher60:
On the 23rd I posted a request for some help, the response has been poor by any ones standards. You all know it goes on, you have probably seen it if not had it happen to you. Today, I had conformation from a journalist friend who has been speaking with a home office executive, that they (the home office) are possitive that the hauliers/drivers are to blame for this problem, not the immigrants. Tell that to the 2 drivers beaten with Iron bars or the driver who was threatened with a knife.
Just before Christmas I was injured by one of three immigrants on my truck and have been off work since. The police will not prosicute them because ‘they technically haven’t broken the law’, apart from the fact that they entered by clandestine methods, willingly avoided authoriies and absconded. I have been banging my head against a wall trying to get someone to listen. Anyway I have finally got the shadow minister for immigration, Damien Green, to listen, and he would like some evidence of any incidents of this nature, if you have had any or know of any incidents of immigrants on vehicles would it be possible to email them to me.
More recently I have been interviewed by the BBC Inside Out team to be aired at the end of September, filmed with and had discussions with Richard Ashworth MEP who is on the European transport budget committee, met and discussed this with Peter Cullum, Head of International Affairs of the RHA, letters of support from Geoff Dossetter and Don Armour from the FTA who have said they will bring this up with the FCO at their next meeting.
Since starting this I have discovered that I came off very lightly on 10th November 2006 two drivers, who’s names I will withhold , were beaten with iron bars and required hospital treatment for broken bones etc, test for herpes and aids because they had been bitten, had all their personal belongings stolen phones, licenses cd players, and to cap it all these ‘people’ used the drivers company phone to call his employer and scream obscenities about England killing their people and Tony Blair killing their people and next time we will kill you. How long will it be before that actually happens, someone is killed because, I have been told by an MEP that he knows their is at any time 1000 immigrants waiting in and around Calais, how many have already got over detected or undetected.
What I would like to happen is the imposition of fines stopped and allow drivers to report these incidents without fear of getting done, Drivers and their companies are the victims not the culprits. I have sent out over 300 emails to anyone who is linked with the Haulage Industry, unfortunately I’ve had back a very few replies. Can you help? Thanks.
It would have been easier to have said “I don’t like darkies”.
malcolmj. Yes you are right, with all the years of expierience I’ve got under my belt I should have known better, regardless of the fact it’s still a problem that needs resolving, and if it takes a stupid misjudgement on my part for someone to try and do something, then I will try and do it.
Harry Monk, you wag you!! I,ve nothing against ‘darkies’ as you so deseptively put it… just these ones. Let them come in, let them work here, let them claim assylum just let them do it properly, through the correct channels.
Keep em coming I’m begining to enjoy this!!!
When, in your original post you said
these “people”
I wonder why you felt it necessary to use inverted commas about those “people”. Do you consider that they aren’t people for example?
Kingfisher60:
to cap it all these ‘people’ used the drivers company phone to call his employer and scream obscenities about England killing their people and Tony Blair killing their people and next time we will kill you. .
Is anybody else having difficulty in believing this?
Harry Monk:
Kingfisher60:
to cap it all these ‘people’ used the drivers company phone to call his employer and scream obscenities about England killing their people and Tony Blair killing their people and next time we will kill you. .Is anybody else having difficulty in believing this?
I’ve heard this one from at least 10 different drivers so far, always about ‘their mate’ so yes I am having a little difficulty. 
these “people”
Because I was told that I had to be careful on how I refered to them, oh god there I go again, some might deem it racist if I called them afgans or iraqis etc becuase you don’t know where there from, oh hell I just can’t win can I I’ll stop digging now, please don’t send the PC brigade after me , it wasn’t my fault sir, I didn’t know any different. Joking aside how can you discribe persons unknown?
Coffeeholic:
I’ve heard this one from at least 10 different drivers so far, always about ‘their mate’ so yes I am having a little difficulty.
Next we’ll be having “The stowaways gassed me and stole all of the money that I won on the fruit machine on the ferry”
Kingfisher60:
The Bear, Please excuse the fact that I shouted but it does seem to be the only way people listen, as for reading back through, I read back far enough to know that , although it has been written about, moaned about and generally ignored. Has anyone actually tried doing something about it. In a few short weeks I have had meetings with Peter Cullum, Head of International Affairs at the RHA, letters from Don Armour, Head of International Affairs at the FTA, Met with Richard Ashworth Mep on the European Transport Commitee and this afternoon I am meeting with Damien Green Shadow MP for Immigration. I have been interviewed and filmed talking with Mr Ashworth for the BBC’s Inside Out programme, who else has tried to do anything like this before. I know you will probably say that no one listens, but I’ve decided I going to become a right royal pain in the preverbials until someone does listen, and your little comment, as I saw it, was just typical of the don’t give a toss attitude which is rife in this industry. We as drivers used to be respected, now we’re nothing than an annoyance to most people, I wonder why?
Sorry if I offend old chap, but at least it’s caused you to enter into a debate about this subject, thank you for your invaluable input.
When the immigration and asylum act came into force I wrote a two page article in trucking international, wrote to my MP, Dover’s MP The prime Minister and Jack Straw. I also wrote and asked some very tough questions to the HSE about how I could safely climb all over the loads in the back of my truck looking for possibly armed clandestine people without fear of attack or falling and sustaining injuries on loads not meant to be climbed over. The responses were pathetic.
We have all been sold down the river by HMG, but don’t expect any support from other truck drivers unless it directly involves them. As an industry we are full of people who are too busy looking after their own arses to worry about anyone else, but will still be loud in their complaints about Great Britain going down the toilet because of “all these foreigners”
Harry Monk was out of order with his comment
It would have been easier to have said “I don’t like darkies”.
This has nothing to do with colour, but is about drivers being persecuted because our governments immigration policy is inadequate
Having difficulties beleiving me are you? Names:- Colin Minster of Bywater transport, Dover… Darren Mayer of Oliverz Transport, both pulling for Heritage, Dover. Assault took place in the small hours of 10th Nov 2006 Calais both assaults took place about two hour apart. See Truck and Driver Jan 07. Daily Express also did an article at about that time as well. I, on the other hand didn’t find out this happened until about two months ago, from Colin Minsters boss, who was good enough to beleive me and help me out. It was the boss who told me about the phone calls. Hope that helps clear up a few doubts on your parts.
Personally I would be surprised if any immigrants make it to Britain through Calais-Dover any more. I can’t remember the last time I shipped in without having heartbeat and CO2 tests at the very least, and usually a physical search as well.