RE: Booze Cruises
Friday 6th December 2002
Booze Cruises
Beware of overladen numpties near Dover
Discussion
If were joining Europe why do we have to go and get stuff from France look at it this way if booze was the same price over here then there would not be a problem, the government's own ledgistration is creating criminals out of us and all becuase the billions they collect from us is still not enough...
I am going on a booze cruise a week next wednesday. i have borrowed a VW sharon thingy. Does anyone know the capacity of such a vehicle in units of wine bottles assuming all the rear seats are missing and the front contains me (255lbs) and my mate (175 lbs). All information gratefully recieved 
Now, that pillock Blair. Is he thick or what? The duty on booze is ludicrous so people go to france to buy it. As for this grand theft auto by the customs idiots they all need a good kicking. Years ago when I was returning from Spain in my nice new Opel Monza GSE a friend had put a toy machine gun water pistol in the back window. Unfortunately we were unaware that some idiot in Hungerford had gone postal with a load of guns. The stupid little customs man stopped us and advised us of that fact and then proceeded to search the car for whatever. He informed me that he had the power to cut my car into bits if he wanted. After a few moments I walked over to him and said "You know, you have all this power. To do all kinds of things but I owe so much money on this car I really don't care. So if you give it back to me with a mark on it, your gonna have a big problem because despite all your legitimate power you have to leave this place sometime and go home alone". After a few more seconds searching he let us go, because I meant it, I was going to rip his head off. Anyway, next week I don't care cos its a company car
Now, that pillock Blair. Is he thick or what? The duty on booze is ludicrous so people go to france to buy it. As for this grand theft auto by the customs idiots they all need a good kicking. Years ago when I was returning from Spain in my nice new Opel Monza GSE a friend had put a toy machine gun water pistol in the back window. Unfortunately we were unaware that some idiot in Hungerford had gone postal with a load of guns. The stupid little customs man stopped us and advised us of that fact and then proceeded to search the car for whatever. He informed me that he had the power to cut my car into bits if he wanted. After a few moments I walked over to him and said "You know, you have all this power. To do all kinds of things but I owe so much money on this car I really don't care. So if you give it back to me with a mark on it, your gonna have a big problem because despite all your legitimate power you have to leave this place sometime and go home alone". After a few more seconds searching he let us go, because I meant it, I was going to rip his head off. Anyway, next week I don't care cos its a company car
Sorry can't help you nonegreen. Look in the handbook for maximum vehicle weight allow 80'ish kg for fluids, probably balanced out by removal of the seats. Then deduct your 180kg (the two of you) and divide the rest by the weight of a bottle of wine.
Moving on, on Saturday saw a right numpty at our local DIY shop, he had bought about 40 boxes of tiles and was trying to load them (plus wife and daughter) into an Opel Astra. Each box of tiles is approx 18kg. 40 x 18 = 720kg plus about 200kg of people! Idiot!
Moving on, on Saturday saw a right numpty at our local DIY shop, he had bought about 40 boxes of tiles and was trying to load them (plus wife and daughter) into an Opel Astra. Each box of tiles is approx 18kg. 40 x 18 = 720kg plus about 200kg of people! Idiot!
northernboy said: So, you threatened a customs official who was examining your car aftera gun was seen in the back window?
And you then think he's the stupid one?
Sorry, I must be missing something here, could you perhaps explain it again?
Ummm - a toy water pistol??? Does that constitute the right to strip the car down??
Ok for a stop in the first place I'd say, but show him that its water then off you go.. No need to get officious with people is there?
Mind you , I don't know nonegreen and he may be as suspicious looking as hell!
I got some info about the weight of booze from www.day-tripper.net. It says that a crate of beer is 17kg, I assumed this was 24x25cl but who knows (they could be specific!). A case of wine (12 bottles) is 15kg.
In the handbook for my car it states the following:
Unladen weight: 1730kg
Max permissible: 2100 kg
Maximum load: 445kg
permitted axle load (f/r): 990/1170
So thanks BMW that's a great help. The combined axle load of 2160 is greater than the "max permissible", this presumably the overall weight of the vehicle. The max permissible of 2100 is less than the unladen weight + the max load (2175). How you work out the front/rear axle distribution I'll never know.
It would be helpful to know how HMCE go about working this out seeing as it's now their primary line of attack (get your pants down and bend over your car's overloaded). I suppose they just see how far the vehicle is sitting down on it's haunches.
I'm going to pre-plan my purchases and write a one pager showing how I believe my load to be within the limits, the annoying thing being that you're encouraged to stay well within the limits. After the cost of the ferry ticket, the petrol, time and general effort involved I'd rather be on the limit and compensating for this with my driving.
It's no wonder there are so many drugs smuggled into this country and illegal immigrants when customs spend all their time nicking day trippers. And interesting that the directive to allow the "allowance" of cigarettes to be increased from 800 to 3200 came from the treasury! I always thought HMCE were under the home office.
In the handbook for my car it states the following:
Unladen weight: 1730kg
Max permissible: 2100 kg
Maximum load: 445kg
permitted axle load (f/r): 990/1170
So thanks BMW that's a great help. The combined axle load of 2160 is greater than the "max permissible", this presumably the overall weight of the vehicle. The max permissible of 2100 is less than the unladen weight + the max load (2175). How you work out the front/rear axle distribution I'll never know.
It would be helpful to know how HMCE go about working this out seeing as it's now their primary line of attack (get your pants down and bend over your car's overloaded). I suppose they just see how far the vehicle is sitting down on it's haunches.
I'm going to pre-plan my purchases and write a one pager showing how I believe my load to be within the limits, the annoying thing being that you're encouraged to stay well within the limits. After the cost of the ferry ticket, the petrol, time and general effort involved I'd rather be on the limit and compensating for this with my driving.
It's no wonder there are so many drugs smuggled into this country and illegal immigrants when customs spend all their time nicking day trippers. And interesting that the directive to allow the "allowance" of cigarettes to be increased from 800 to 3200 came from the treasury! I always thought HMCE were under the home office.
northernboy said: I think it's very very stupid, though, to then threaten the person doing the check.
It's about the same as threatening a policeman who's pulled you over for a defective headlight.
It's also very uncivil.
er um it was a very long time ago 18 years in fact. The gun was indeed obviously a toy even from 20 yards away. The, ahem official was a right little prick. Far from threatening him directly (bearing in mind it was he who threatened to cut my car up) I merely reminded him of his vulnerabilty if I were to be left in Dover docks with nothing to show for my holiday but some bits of chopped up car lying around. I wonder what you would do in that position? In the present day I am sure the years have added better judgement on my part. Faced with the same scene now I would probably just call the guy a stupid childish little twat for even mentioning the gun. As for the threat, I am sure I would just remind him how foolish he was going to look when he found nothing. Partly because it would be effective and partly because when I was 25 I could easily have sorted him out and now I would struggle
someone correct me by all means.
i think a litre of water weighs 1kg
ere 'tis
www.onlineconversion.com/density.htm
>> Edited by chimburt on Monday 9th December 23:48
i think a litre of water weighs 1kg
ere 'tis
www.onlineconversion.com/density.htm
>> Edited by chimburt on Monday 9th December 23:48
Time the customs and excise to be brought to answer for their illeagal actions in confiscating vehicles for offences that don't exist in law.
the e.u. is a free trade area and as such you can shop anywhere in the e.u. and return home with the goods providing that are not a banned import or for resale.
they don't seem to abide by british law (innocent until proved guilty) but act as judge jury and executioner befor any offence is carried out.
I was threatened with confiscation of my vehicle whilst at a british customes post in france. I asked how they could arrest me and confiscate my vehicle when I wasn't even in the country I needed to be in to commit the offence that they accused me of.
We were railroaded into the common market and whilst it seems we have to put up with all the disadvantages without being able to take advantage of the advantages.
Is it perhaps that this and previous governments are overtaxing the public and don't like it when we find a legitimate alternative to save money.
I thought that only other countries employed bully boy tactics but it seems not.
Time to vote them out I think.
the only thing they seem to have got right is the economy, everything else has just been broken promises.
health, schools, transport, and on and on and on
trouble is who do we repace them with......all the partys seem to be equally inept.
the e.u. is a free trade area and as such you can shop anywhere in the e.u. and return home with the goods providing that are not a banned import or for resale.
they don't seem to abide by british law (innocent until proved guilty) but act as judge jury and executioner befor any offence is carried out.
I was threatened with confiscation of my vehicle whilst at a british customes post in france. I asked how they could arrest me and confiscate my vehicle when I wasn't even in the country I needed to be in to commit the offence that they accused me of.
We were railroaded into the common market and whilst it seems we have to put up with all the disadvantages without being able to take advantage of the advantages.
Is it perhaps that this and previous governments are overtaxing the public and don't like it when we find a legitimate alternative to save money.
I thought that only other countries employed bully boy tactics but it seems not.
Time to vote them out I think.
the only thing they seem to have got right is the economy, everything else has just been broken promises.
health, schools, transport, and on and on and on
trouble is who do we repace them with......all the partys seem to be equally inept.
northernboy said: I think it's very very stupid, though, to then threaten the person doing the check.
It's about the same as threatening a policeman who's pulled you over for a defective headlight.
It's also very uncivil.
normally I'm with you on this, noerthernboy, but in the case of HMCE I make an exception. nonegreen, you were right to react that way.
alan1 has said a lot of what I want to say, but I'll say it a lot more forcefully.
UNDER EU LAW THERE ARE NOT LIMITS TO WHAT YOU TAKE INTO THE COUNTRY AS LONG AS ITS FOR PRIVATE USE.
We live in a FREE TRADE ZONE.
What the government and HMCE have done is set an ARBITRARY limit. If you stay below this limit, you are presumed innocent of smuggling, above you are presumed guilty.
If this country was a democracy, you would assume that HMCE are expected to prove that the booze etc. is NOT for your private use. But no, a HMCE officer can, AT HIS OWN DISCRETION, decide that you are, or are not, a smuggler, and impound your vehicle with contents.
AT HIS DISCRETION.
This is totally illegal under EU law, but the effing EU is so slow that they are still in the process of reacting to it.
I cross the channel 20-30 times a year. I now hate HMCE so much that I only look straight ahead when going through. If I look at one of these commie bastards I don't know how I can stop myself getting out and smashing their faces in.
Rgds, WalterU
alan1 said: Time the customs and excise to be brought to answer for their illeagal actions in confiscating vehicles for offences that don't exist in law.
the e.u. is a free trade area and as such you can shop anywhere in the e.u. and return home with the goods providing that are not a banned import or for resale.
they don't seem to abide by british law (innocent until proved guilty) but act as judge jury and executioner befor any offence is carried out.
spot on, alan1. I just had to let off steam ...
I'm sure you understand
Rgds, WalterU
by the way, the Police are now allowed (again, arbitrary decision of a Police officer) to impound your vehicle if you are "deemed to be causing an annoyance".
You have 21 days to pay, or your car will be auctioned. If you want the money back, you have to take the Police to court and prove your innocence.
I've asked Petrolted to open a thread on this subject.
Rgds, WalterU
You have 21 days to pay, or your car will be auctioned. If you want the money back, you have to take the Police to court and prove your innocence.
I've asked Petrolted to open a thread on this subject.
Rgds, WalterU
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