Ever been stopped at security at the ferry port?

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iandriver
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Ever been stopped at security at the ferry port?

Post by iandriver »

Last Friday while heading to checking for the ferry at Dover, myself and my two friends were waved into the security check area at Dover. The one to check if you have illegal items such as knives or guns.

The look on the faces of the people doing the search was pretty priceless ( bemused, what are we supposed to do with bicycles, why did the idiot wave these in here kind of looks).

They put our hand baggage (contents, 1 passport, 1 wallet, 1 phone) , not our panniers, through the scanner and waved us off. Had to laugh.

I got the impression it's pretty unusual. Is this a one off, or has anyone actually had to put all their panniers through the scanner, or been stopped?
I should imagine some of the more international travellers in far flung places have had some interesting border stops.

(No Brexit comments please, that's a different thread :D )
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Psamathe
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Re: Ever been stopped at security at the ferry port?

Post by Psamathe »

Every time departing UK on my bike, which has always been at Portsmouth. Security have stopped all cyclists and do what must be the most stupid security check on the planet. They say they need to check one of your panniers and that you should chose one and take it in to their x-ray machine. So you chose the one that does not contain your ..... and no problems. How daft unless all your panniers are stuffed full of illegal drugs you chose the one that has only legal stuff, and they call it security.

Initially I thought it was an "access the person" exercise to watch how you react and then work out if you need a closer check but they can do that without bothering to x-ray anything - just ask you a few questions and judge your reaction. It would make sense if they said "chose a pannier" but then they x-rayed the other pannier but no, you get to select which piece of luggage they scan.

Ian
Mike Sales
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Re: Ever been stopped at security at the ferry port?

Post by Mike Sales »

I was once waved over into one of those car bays.
"Got any gear" said the customs man, no doubt hoping to catch me out!
My first thought was that he was talking about my derailleurs.
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mercalia
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Re: Ever been stopped at security at the ferry port?

Post by mercalia »

Yes once long time ago when a kid did a short stay to Paris. Came back and they had to rummage through my sack of dirty clothes and underwear. Rather embarrassing as then just called out of line while all the other pasengers looked on. :shock: :lol: :oops:
mattheus
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Re: Ever been stopped at security at the ferry port?

Post by mattheus »

I don't (yet) have any amusing anecdotes, but I was warned recently that some ports/routes are now checking bikes more carefully:

The issue was with tools (i.e. pen-knives really); you can leave such things in your car, but not on the bike as they may now search the bike and/or luggage - this was on England-> Spain ferry (not sure if Santander or Bilbao?)

I need to know more details of this by October!

(friend solved it by taping tools under his saddle out of sight).
iandriver
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Re: Ever been stopped at security at the ferry port?

Post by iandriver »

mattheus wrote:I don't (yet) have any amusing anecdotes, but I was warned recently that some ports/routes are now checking bikes more carefully:

The issue was with tools (i.e. pen-knives really); you can leave such things in your car, but not on the bike as they may now search the bike and/or luggage - this was on England-> Spain ferry (not sure if Santander or Bilbao?)

I need to know more details of this by October!

(friend solved it by taping tools under his saddle out of sight).


The picture he showed me asking if I had anything like this was pictures of Rambo style knives and things like that. I'd be surprised if Swiss army knife or multi tool was a problem. They didn't ask to see any tools at all.
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mattheus
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Re: Ever been stopped at security at the ferry port?

Post by mattheus »

Thanks Ian.

(which route was that on? This year?)
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mjr
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Re: Ever been stopped at security at the ferry port?

Post by mjr »

iandriver wrote:Last Friday while heading to checking for the ferry at Dover, myself and my two friends were waved into the security check area at Dover. [...]
They put our hand baggage (contents, 1 passport, 1 wallet, 1 phone) , not our panniers, through the scanner and waved us off. Had to laugh.

I got the impression it's pretty unusual. Is this a one off, or has anyone actually had to put all their panniers through the scanner, or been stopped?

I was stopped at Dover 2018. They seemed to know what they were doing and I was made to walk through one of those Eurostar-style red/green light arches. No bags attached to the bike were scanned, nor the bike. One bag contained tools but no knives. Seemed odd to me (all panniers could have been stuffed with explosives) but maybe they were looking for something specific.
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Psamathe
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Re: Ever been stopped at security at the ferry port?

Post by Psamathe »

mattheus wrote:Thanks Ian.

(which route was that on? This year?)

Portsmouth->Ouistreham (UK departure). Both last year and this year (a few months ago) - exactly the same both times.

But it's no problem. Does not delay you much and you've plenty of time anyway. You don't have to unpack anything, they just x-ray your chosen pannier. No queues for the x-ray machine

Ian
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Re: Ever been stopped at security at the ferry port?

Post by rjb »

Some years ago we came into Poole from a weekend in France. We were directed away from the foot passengers and to the front of the vehicle queue and directed towards a large covered area. We arrived there first without a sole to be seen so just rode straight through on the tandem and out the exit, when out attention was drawn to someone running and shouting but too far away to interpret. We decided that as we were already on the main road we would just put the hammer down and keep going. :lol:
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iandriver
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Re: Ever been stopped at security at the ferry port?

Post by iandriver »

mattheus wrote:Thanks Ian.

(which route was that on? This year?)


Last weekend, Dover -> Dunkirque
Joust rode straight through a month ago for Harwich -> Hook of Holland.
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Toffee
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Re: Ever been stopped at security at the ferry port?

Post by Toffee »

Yes at Harwich a few years ago. Luckily they asked Mrs T whether she had anything dangerous and not me as the sharp knives were in my front paniers and the meths in a bottle on my bike. :D :D
mattheus
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Re: Ever been stopped at security at the ferry port?

Post by mattheus »

iandriver wrote:
mattheus wrote:Thanks Ian.

(which route was that on? This year?)


Last weekend, Dover -> Dunkirque
Joust rode straight through a month ago for Harwich -> Hook of Holland.


Sounds like it's now like airports - you never know what you're gonna get!

(Dover-Dunk was my last trip with the bike - in 2017. Straight through then too.)
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Paulatic
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Re: Ever been stopped at security at the ferry port?

Post by Paulatic »

Must be 15 years ago...we had a club run over in Northern Ireland with Belfast CTC. Cycling back onto the ferry at Cairnryan our Secretary was pulled over for a search. He had a large size Carradice saddlebag carrying all sorts of unnecessary items which might come in useful. Oh how we laughed at the thought of what the search would find. :lol:
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Re: Ever been stopped at security at the ferry port?

Post by al_yrpal »

Yes, several times. And, by the HM Customs cutters in our yacht whilst approaching Weymouth and the Solent. But, that was before the present wave of illegal immigration. There are not enough resources now.

Al
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