Uninvited visitor.

[Spara4042]

Heads up to anyone returning to UK via Le Tunnel - On Thursday evening I discovered an unexpected passenger on my bike rack whilst Serco were checking the MoHo AFTER passport control

We'd been very careful to about not leaving the MoHo unattended all day &, after 7 hours on the road, thought we'd be safe in the "secure" car park at Coquelles.
How wrong can you be? In the 5 minutes neither of us were with the MoHo someone managed to climb up onto the bike rack & secrete themselves under the bike cover. Serco Security guys had given us the "All Clear" when I spotted what I thought was a hoody on the bike rack. Intrigued, knowing it shouldn't be there, I took a peek & found it was actually a leg
Security were duly alerted, Border Force personnel were summoned & the stowaway was unveiled & marched away for interrogation. Our passports were taken away for examination, before eventually being returned & we were waved off on our merry way

Moral of the story is: If you park up to do some duty free shopping, get food or use the facilities, check your bike rack to ensure you haven't acquired excess luggage before you proceed to embark

 

[EuroTrotters]

I would not stop anywhere near that place, let alone park up.

 

[Minxy]

If anyone does stop better to remove bike racks so at least you can see if you have any interlopers.

 

[TinaLes]

Nothing new unfortunately, can happen to anyone of us, there was a picture somewhere on here showing a guy sat on a bike under its cover, so the idea is catching on, and must be an open invitation to many migrant.
At least he was discovered over there, otherwise he could be asking what's for diner tonight, when you got home.
LES

 

[jongood]

Wouldnt you think that the first place any security guy would check is a covered bike rack.

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[Shrimp]

Servo weren’t awake obviously.

 

[Widge]

I dont think my bike rack would even take the weight of a person as well as a couple of bikes.

 

[L' Hobo]

Nothing new unfortunately, can happen to anyone of us, there was a picture somewhere on here showing a guy sat on a bike under its cover, so the idea is catching on, and must be an open invitation to many migrant.
At least he was discovered over there, otherwise he could be asking what's for diner tonight, when you got home.
LES

Interesting question, when does the very heavy fine etc. kick in??

 

[PaulyP]

I dont think my bike rack would even take the weight of a person as well as a couple of bikes.

I’m sure it would have fallen of doing 60+ on the motorway !

 

[Spara4042]

I dont think my bike rack would even take the weight of a person as well as a couple of bikes.

Unfortunately we only had one bike, as the other was stolen whilst we were away

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[Spara4042]

I’m sure it would have fallen of doing 60+ on the motorway !

That’s how I know he hadn’t been there that long. 7 hours of driving, over 300 miles covered on a mix of country lanes, N roads & motorways, yet he looked fresh as a daisy

 

[Howard B]

Unfortunately we only had one bike, as the other was stolen whilst we were away

Sounds an eventful trip, hopefully your bike was insured.

 

[Spara4042]

I would not stop anywhere near that place, let alone park up.

We were in the, supposedly, “secure” area awaiting to be called forward to board.

The Border Force guys said the illegals are being more brazen, breaching the security fences or climbing over them.

 

[Folkranger]

Unfortunately we only had one bike, as the other was stolen whilst we were away

In order to make way for a passenger?

 

[Riverbankannie]

thought we'd be safe in the "secure" car park at Coquelles.

Do you mean the car park for Cité Europe? There are always chancers hanging around there.
Sorry you lost a bike.

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[Spara4042]

Sounds an eventful trip, hopefully your bike was insured.

It was actually a great trip, marred by the bike being taken whilst SWMBO was doing a Saturday Market run with friends.

 

[Spara4042]

thought we'd be safe in the "secure" car park at Coquelles.

Do you mean the car park for Cité Europe? There are always chancers hanging around there.
Sorry you lost a bike.

No, the waiting area after going through check in but prior to being called forward to Passport control.

 

[Folkranger]

It was actually a great trip, marred by the bike being taken whilst SWMBO was doing a Saturday Market run with friends.

Had my bike stolen in strassbourg. It's a long difficult walk back when your partner still has their bike. Can't get on a bus, have to walk and push one.

 

[Riverbankannie]

No, the waiting area after going through check in but prior to being called forward to Passport control.

I’ve never been to that bit as we go back early morning and just get called straight through.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Had our bikes stolen at Abbey Wood. Been all around Europe without a problem.

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[Minxy]

Had my bike stolen in strassbourg. It's a long difficult walk back when your partner still has their bike. Can't get on a bus, have to walk and push one.

If that had happened to us one would have used the bike to go back and return with the MH.

 

[Googlebot]

No, the waiting area after going through check in but prior to being called forward to Passport control.

That’s useful to know, I have never seen anyone there before.

 

[Minxy]

.

 

[dunnah01]

May remove my bike cover next time I'm over there in June . Our bikes are worthless any way

 

[Spara4042]

May remove my bike cover next time I'm over there in June . Our bikes are worthless any way

Lesson learned, I'll be doing that any time I return through France.

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[Folkranger]

If that had happened to us one would have used the bike to go back and return with the MH.

Not everyone's the same. I couldn't see my wife wanting to be left by herself in a strange country for some hours. Yes when we were younger we would have donee that.

 

[Funnymunny]

Take your saddles off they won't want to sit on the upright post, brings tears to the eyes thinking of it

 

[PaulyP]

Take your saddles off they won't want to sit on the upright post, brings tears to the eyes thinking of it

Ooh, never know they might enjoy it.

 

[GAVLAD]

Good to see that the extra UK money being sent for security in France is helping.
Hope they didn't cause any damage. If someone climbed onto my cycle rack, I think it would pull the rack off the motorhome and probably tear the rear wall.

I think that Caen was our worst experience for the number of migrants hanging around and trying to latch on. Had a group trying handles and looking beneath cycle rack covers in the aire in Dieppe. Both places, we moved on. We no longer stop near the ports now. I'm more concerned about what damage they may cause than anything else.

 

[UptheGas]

I dont think my bike rack would even take the weight of a person as well as a couple of bikes.

Mine takes 60kg max apparently.

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