More fun and games in Calais

[Paul Dishman]

Digga said:

don'tbesilly said:

I'd take issue with "we - us in Europe" are to blame, the blame clearly lies with the French government.

The fact that the French Govt continue to ignore the worsening situation in Calais is as unbelievable to us as it is to the French authorities in Calais, and the residents.

Not entirely, the way in which the UK is perceived as a soft touch, a land of milk and honey is certainly instrumental.

Certainly if you look at the Help Refugees organisation facebook page you'll find plenty there who are encouraging that view and building up expectations

[Digga]

longblackcoat said:

I've driven through the tunnel and used the ferries across the Channel around seven-eight times a year for the last two decades, certainly 100+ journeys. NOT ONCE have I seen anything such as you describe. None of my family or friends, who also travel extensively on the same stretch, have ever reported anything like this. You're either astonishingly unlucky or (and this is just a possibility) you're making it up.

I have, however, had bricks thrown at my car in Birmingham, and been mugged in London

To be clear, are you saying you have no personal experience of this, or that the videos and accounts of drivers - private and professional, car and HGV - are some sort of fabrication or lie? There are a great many videos posted by drivers using the ports; not only UK drivers but other European nationalities too.

Sooner or later there will be a fatality. Innocent people are being put into extremely random, stressful and dangerous situations. A mistake will inevitably result.

[Cupramax]

More from the Daily fail today.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3761132/No...

[dandarez]

longblackcoat said:

I've driven through the tunnel and used the ferries across the Channel around seven-eight times a year for the last two decades, certainly 100+ journeys. NOT ONCE have I seen anything such as you describe. None of my family or friends, who also travel extensively on the same stretch, have ever reported anything like this. You're either astonishingly unlucky or (and this is just a possibility) you're making it up.

I have, however, had bricks thrown at my car in Birmingham, and been mugged in London

Wow!
You're either astonishingly unlucky or (and this is just a possibility) you're making it up.

I've driven in the UK for almost 50 years, and have had cars keyed, driver's giving me the v and me giving them back etc. I have even broken down in worse places than Brum (and overnight!), even once greeted by some friendly Finchley Skins (skinheads), but do you know what I have never had 'bricks' thrown at my car.
Oh, and in all that time I have never once been mugged.

As for friendly Calais, I have two hgv friends who carry pallet loads of books. One, no spring chicken, has had enough of the 'anarchy 20 miles ahead' as he calls it when he leaves Dover, and has decided he's earned enough to retire to B&Q and safety!

[don'tbesilly]

Cupramax said:

More from the Daily fail today.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3761132/No...

Same clip but from youtube, it's outrageous that the French allow this to happen!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-T74DW94Rk

[Cupramax]

Out of interest does anyone go to Calais for pleasure anymore? Used to do a wine/beer run probably three or four times a year in the late nineties early noughties.

[Digga]

Cupramax said:

Out of interest does anyone go to Calais for pleasure anymore? Used to do a wine/beer run probably three or four times a year in the late nineties early noughties.

Last week there was a stat about £1.4bn added to UK GDP as a result of an increase in staycations. Conversely, in the same week, there was talk of reduced tourism in France. Now not all of this is UK, and there are other factors - fear of terror attacks and the recent flooding being two significant ones - but I would be interested to get stats on UK>France channel crossings. I bet they are down.

[Wobbegong]

Didn't they find EU citizens helping them out at the 'jungle'? Anarchist groups if I remember correctly.

Yep

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/no-...

[rich85uk]

Digga said:

o be clear, are you saying you have no personal experience of this, or that the videos and accounts of drivers - private and professional, car and HGV - are some sort of fabrication or lie? There are a great many videos posted by drivers using the ports; not only UK drivers but other European nationalities too.

Sooner or later there will be a fatality. Innocent people are being put into extremely random, stressful and dangerous situations. A mistake will inevitably result.

Sooner or later a driver is going to lose his temper and run them over/attack them and to deny it happens is just plain daft

This is probably the worse one i have seen so far
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ded_1469657887

[sirtyro]

I still don't understand why they don't try and make a life in France for themselves. If they register, they can claim between €350 and €700 a month based on how many are in the family and the circumstances. They can apply for jobs and after a certain amount of years they can apply to be residents.

Why would you not head to the south of France and try and make a life for yourself then sit in a tent.

[PositronicRay]

sirtyro said:

I still don't understand why they don't try and make a life in France for themselves. If they register, they can claim between €350 and €700 a month based on how many are in the family and the circumstances. They can apply for jobs and after a certain amount of years they can apply to be residents.

Why would you not head to the south of France and try and make a life for yourself then sit in a tent.

Many aren't entitled to asylum, they're looking for black market labour/housing. Very difficult in France. And if you are seeking asylum you're not allowed to work.

Edited by PositronicRay on Saturday 27th August 17:51

[Alucidnation]

don'tbesilly said:

Cupramax said:

More from the Daily fail today.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3761132/No...

Same clip but from youtube, it's outrageous that the French allow this to happen!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-T74DW94Rk

So what do the fk wits think is going to happen when they have successfully stopped a truck with missiles causing damage, hide out in it, and it pulls up to go through security? Just get waved through?

Tw@ts

[sirtyro]

PositronicRay said:

Many aren't entitled to asylum, they're looking for black market labour/housing. Very difficult in France. And if you are seeking asylum you're not allowed to work.

Edited by PositronicRay on Saturday 27th August 17:51

You can once you've been given the right to stay, which I know can take some time but in the mean time they are still entitled to over €300 a month and France is willing to pay people up to €1000 a month in rent if they take in refugees.

I guess my point is that there must be better options then staying in Calais

[PositronicRay]

sirtyro said:

PositronicRay said:

Many aren't entitled to asylum, they're looking for black market labour/housing. Very difficult in France. And if you are seeking asylum you're not allowed to work.

Edited by PositronicRay on Saturday 27th August 17:51

You can once you've been given the right to stay, which I know can take some time but in the mean time they are still entitled to over €300 a month and France is willing to pay people up to €1000 a month in rent if they take in refugees.

I guess my point is that there must be better options then staying in Calais

And if you're an economic migrant, not entitled to Asylum?

[Laurel Green]

Digga said:

Cupramax said:

Out of interest does anyone go to Calais for pleasure anymore? Used to do a wine/beer run probably three or four times a year in the late nineties early noughties.

Last week there was a stat about £1.4bn added to UK GDP as a result of an increase in staycations. Conversely, in the same week, there was talk of reduced tourism in France. Now not all of this is UK, and there are other factors - fear of terror attacks and the recent flooding being two significant ones - but I would be interested to get stats on UK>France channel crossings. I bet they are down.

I used to go over four or five times a year for baccy and shopping and the hypermarkets around Calais would have a very good percentage of cars with UK plates - now only go over once a year and have trouble spotting a UK plate.

[Alucidnation]

Digga said:

Last week there was a stat about £1.4bn added to UK GDP as a result of an increase in staycations.

As we live near a main route to the South West, I think i can confirm this as the increase in traffic has been huge over the last few weeks.

[Getragdogleg]

I live in Penzance and I have never seen it so busy.

[PRTVR]

PositronicRay said:

Mr_B said:

France and the EU doesn't have the guts to deal with the issue and simply process the people and deport if needed.

Where do you deport them to? ID's lost/destroyed etc.

If the UK tightened up on black market labour it'd make it a lot less attractive.

The UK should do a deal with some poor Africa country, £10000 pounds per passport, you would only have to do it for a few hundred and word would get out, the prospect of risking your life to get to the UK with the high possibility of ending up in let's say Angola would reduce the draw factor.

But it will never happen, weak government and our wonderful legal system will see to that.

[Digga]

Alucidnation said:

Digga said:

Last week there was a stat about £1.4bn added to UK GDP as a result of an increase in staycations.

As we live near a main route to the South West, I think i can confirm this as the increase in traffic has been huge over the last few weeks.

Last Sunday I was at Strensham services (M5/ M50 jct) just after 9am. Quite often stop there around that time or a bit earlier if there's a group of us heading down to Bike Park Wales in Merthyr and it's usually quiet. This time, we had to park the car in the caravan bit - it was heaving.

[don'tbesilly]

Sarkozy seems to think the UK should sort the French mess out.
It's amazing that the French have the front to think that there monumental balls up is the fault of the UK!


http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/704596/Nichola...