Channel crossings - Page 2

HRSTR5 · 22 Jul 2015, 15:24 (Ref:3560256)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moosehead

I'm thinking for the 6Hour maybe the UK contingent should charter one of the 'unused' ferries from say Southampton to Holland and then we could all get there with no hassle and have a little party whilst on our 'mini cruise'.

Count us in!

FISCracer · 22 Jul 2015, 16:49 (Ref:3560266)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moosehead

I'm thinking for the 6Hour maybe the UK contingent should charter one of the 'unused' ferries from say Southampton to Holland and then we could all get there with no hassle and have a little party whilst on our 'mini cruise'.

I'm in. How many do you reckon we could get together, with racers and all the camp followers?

**Tim Falce** · 22 Jul 2015, 16:54 (Ref:3560267)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FISCracer

I'm in. How many do you reckon we could get together, with racers and all the camp followers?

Richard do you usually have people that follow the camp or camp followers?

Colin McKay · 22 Jul 2015, 17:00 (Ref:3560269)

The old Olau boats that ran from Sheerness to Vlissingen were just a giant floating party every night. 9 hour crossing, start in one of the bars, move to the restaurant, stay around for the live music and finish the night in the disco, which closed an hour before arrival in port, just enough time to find your cabin and have a shower. If you didn't fancy any of that there was also a cinema and swimming pool. We used that route so we could fit in a legal break overnight and thus save loads of time but generally ended up sleeping all day in the port. Ay lad, we knew how to work back then

**Tim Falce** · 22 Jul 2015, 18:52 (Ref:3560288)

I remember the first time I ever went over in a truck, Harwich to Europort in Rotterdam, apparently it was the worst weather they'd had in years but we spent most of the night in the bar trying to keep up with the Dutch drivers drinking habits. I was only 16 so wasn't driving so it was a good night. It was so rough it was like being on a roller coaster and I didn't feel at all sea sick at all which was a bonus

Moosehead · 22 Jul 2015, 22:21 (Ref:3560328)

Had an afternoon like that coming back from Ostend once. Had to lay out in the Channel for six hours waiting for it to calm down before they'd let us in to Dover. Was like riding a bucking bronco, I enjoyed it, was a laugh in the restaurant, I was the only person eating (full Sunday roast) everyone else was puking. Missus thought the ship was going down when she came out the loos to find a load of people on their knees praying - turns out it was their 'religious' time of day thingy, mind you I think they did probably add a few "Oh god help me" or whatever

Mike Bell · 23 Jul 2015, 06:05 (Ref:3560387)

Hardly Channel crossings, but routes I remember! First, Stockholm to Turku (Finland). Due to horrific booze prices in the latter, Finns used the Ferry as a (cheaper, not cheap) party boat during the night crossing from Turku to Stockholm, then would sleep it off on day return crossing. The boats were / are massive and included shopping Mall, night clubs, restaurants, discos, bars..... Also designed for that crossing, which was usually flat calm!

Italy to Greece. Used to be old retired X Channel tubs when I used them, crap food and basic accommodation, but a deck bar. On one crossing we (the Rally team I was with, to remain nameless to protect the innocent) drank it dry, much to the delight of the bar tender!

Italy to Sicily on fast boat. Me and a mate were touring on our GSs, and on way to the Island. The ferry, shaped like a huge powerboat, took off at 30 knots +, which was fine until sea got choppy. The driver chappy kept thottles wide open, until virtually every passenger was using a sick bag, me included. My mate was not aflicted, and spent rest of crossing with our bikes trying to stop further damage- they had already fallen over.....

Some happy and some not so happy days!

FISCracer · 23 Jul 2015, 11:34 (Ref:3560438)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

Richard do you usually have people that follow the camp or camp followers?

Both

Mike Bell · 29 Jul 2015, 17:18 (Ref:3562209)

Soooo, getting worse rather than better! Have heard that one team are transporting with vans and trailers to OldTimer, rather than risk truck getting stuck in OpStack......

grantp · 29 Jul 2015, 18:50 (Ref:3562232)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Hardly Channel crossings, but routes I remember! First, Stockholm to Turku (Finland). Due to horrific booze prices in the latter, Finns used the Ferry as a (cheaper, not cheap) party boat during the night crossing from Turku to Stockholm, then would sleep it off on day return crossing. The boats were / are massive and included shopping Mall, night clubs, restaurants, discos, bars..... Also designed for that crossing, which was usually flat calm!

I think it was only the Stockholm to Turku and return that have the return weekend passengers sleeping things off.

The Turku to Stockholm round trippers, being Finns, were made of sterner stuff in my experience (albeit not experience of the particular route mentioned.)

Mike Bell · 30 Jul 2015, 05:31 (Ref:3562348)

I'm sure you are right. Apologies for the imprecision .....

**Tim Falce** · 30 Jul 2015, 07:48 (Ref:3562378)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Soooo, getting worse rather than better! Have heard that one team are transporting with vans and trailers to OldTimer, rather than risk truck getting stuck in OpStack......

This might be of some help to the teams that run legally, I.E. not those that pretend to be private individuals but run 38 ton artics with commercial historic teams which I would think is more rather than less. https://www.gov.uk/government/public...ustrial-action

Mike Bell · 30 Jul 2015, 11:19 (Ref:3562430)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

This might be of some help to the teams that run legally, I.E. not those that pretend to be private individuals but run 38 ton artics with commercial historic teams which I would think is more rather than less.

Heard that on the noos last night. OT, but thought drivers hour rules were same whether you run a private 38 tonner or have an Operators Licence....

Op Stack is becoming a very serious problem for people living in the M20 area, as well as businesses trying to get trucks across channel!

**Tim Falce** · 30 Jul 2015, 11:57 (Ref:3562443)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

thought drivers hour rules were same whether you run a private 38 tonner or have an Operators Licence....

They are but in one part it says "are driving a commercial vehicle" but it's debatable whether you can count private HGVs as commercial although re-reading it the earlier bit does say "if you are using the tunnel".

Colin McKay · 30 Jul 2015, 13:18 (Ref:3562468)

These are the only relevant exemptions that I can find:

Vehicles or combinations of vehicles (eg van + trailer) with a maximum permissible mass not exceeding 7.5 tonnes used for the non-commercial carriage of goods.

Commercial vehicles that have a historic status according to the legislation of the Member State in which they are driven and that are used for the non-commercial carriage of goods.

In the UK 'historic' = over 25 years old but almost certainly different in other countries, if they have a historic classification at all. This exemption could apply to lots of the transporters I see in paddocks, but at the end of the day it all comes back to the "non-commercial" bit which is where most would struggle to convince a roadside DVSA inspector, never mind a foreign police officer.

I also have my doubts whether a gendarme on the Italian border will believe a driver explaining that the UK Government's relaxation of drivers' hours allowed him to exceed his driving time a month ago in England.

Mike Bell · 30 Jul 2015, 16:15 (Ref:3562521)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colin McKay

I also have my doubts whether a gendarme on the Italian border will believe a driver explaining that the UK Government's relaxation of drivers' hours allowed him to exceed his driving time a month ago in England.

Quite....

Moosehead · 30 Jul 2015, 18:07 (Ref:3562552)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Quite....

Was just about to say the same thing.

**Tim Falce** · 30 Jul 2015, 19:39 (Ref:3562586)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colin McKay

I also have my doubts whether a gendarme on the Italian border will believe a driver explaining that the UK Government's relaxation of drivers' hours allowed him to exceed his driving time a month ago in England.

It wont be a problem, just tell em we're British, that'll put em in their place.

grantp · 31 Jul 2015, 01:17 (Ref:3562670)

You need a ride along lawyer as delta discovered recently.

That or brown envelopes. The exchange rate seems favourable at the moment.

I wonder how much it would cost for a set of Greek plates? Then claim aid.

delta · 31 Jul 2015, 05:44 (Ref:3562703)

P and O are telling me I can truck on down to Dover in the Delta 18 tonner . I'm going to ring Kent police today just to make sure . No lawyer riding shot gun next week .

Mike Bell · 31 Jul 2015, 06:24 (Ref:3562710)

Quote:

Originally Posted by delta

P and O are telling me I can truck on down to Dover in the Delta 18 tonner . I'm going to ring Kent police today just to make sure . No lawyer riding shot gun next week .

Sounds a good plan. Try and get email confirmation to show if needed!

Wish could do the same, although, looking at OpStack, seems it is mostly trucks queuing for Chunnel at moment. As ferry traffic is steered into outside lane maybe delays not too disastrous for Dover! There was talk of 18-20hrs spent in queue on telly last night.....

Colin McKay · 31 Jul 2015, 08:04 (Ref:3562726)

KP are saying 4-5 hours in Stack this morning plus whatever the ferry/tunnel are quoting pre-check in, so you'll whizz through...... relatively speaking.

We booked a Dieppe-Newhaven crossing 48 hours in advance this week, and were 44th reserve!!! Lucky driver eventually got on the 1am boat having been up since 4am, not happy. Seriously thinking of giving up this international lark, we're losing a full day every week and couldn't make any money out of it even before these recent problems. No brainer really, but hate to give in. The crunch will come when the drivers won't do it any more, and I don't think that's far off.

**Tim Falce** · 31 Jul 2015, 08:17 (Ref:3562730)

Quote:

Originally Posted by delta

I'm going to ring Kent police today just to make sure .

Good luck with that one Iain, I think I'd say nothing and keep on trucking, via the A2

delta · 31 Jul 2015, 09:13 (Ref:3562738)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

Good luck with that one Iain, I think I'd say nothing and keep on trucking, via the A2

OK Tim, I got away with it last week but that was with the little 7.5.

chunder · 31 Jul 2015, 09:45 (Ref:3562746)

I have already seen video evidence of immigrants getting into car trailers, onto box trailers and even underneath them.

I would be very wary of this, most of teha re targeting freight areas but if they have any sense (and lets face it most of them are moronic) they would rtarget a different area to qvoid scrutiny.

Lock your trailers and have a good check before you levae the train or ferry is my advice as these scum will do anything, ANYTHING to get into the UK. Lock your van doors, check under, over every panel befoe you leave.

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