Being gassed

[BigMan]

Ahead of our journey to the continent some motorhome friends have warned us against wild camping as we run the risk of being gassed and robbed. I have done some further research on this and it looks like the problem is rife with Eastern European gangs targeting UK holiday makers. I am assuming we should be ok if we stick to proper campsites with gate security?

 

[Hotel California]

Hi Bigman , one can get carjacked when driving to work , homejacked by some croocks who are afther your personal stuff , your wallet can get stolen in Marks&Spencer ......if you only go to campsites and it makes you feel better than do it.
People have been robbed at campings also ....
Don't worry to much or else you end up selling your Cali .
People in big whites to me are mostly diffrent from people in Cali's ....
We like to drive to beautiful remote places and enjoy the outdoors , big whites park up and lock themselfs inside watching satelite tv .

 

[WelshGas]

No one has ever been gassed. The only gas ever used has been tiredness, alcohol and stupidity.
See following thread and read the posts, especially mine and the Statement from the Royal College of Anaesthetics

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/gassing-in-south-france.10373/#post-96974

 

[BigMan]

Thanks but reading loads of news articles on it, I think we will stay at secure campsites that are gated at night. However if we seal all access points into the van we should be safe?

 

[BigMan]

Another one in Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...-by-sleeping-gas-gang-caravanners-warned.html

 

[Hotel California]

Ah ...caravaners a other special species of campers
Read the article....overnight stop on the motorway....do you think it is clever doing this?
TIP:
Try to get this out of your head and focus on plesant things

 

[larrylamb]

I think we will stay at secure campsites that are gated at night

What if the culprits are fellow campers?
Seriously did you read all the article you just posted ?


The Royal College of Anaesthetists said in a statement that despite the increasing numbers of reports of people being gassed in motor-homes or commercial trucks in France, and the warning put out by the Foreign Office for travellers to be aware of the danger, the College considered it a myth.

"It is the view of the College that it would not be possible to render someone unconscious by blowing ether, chloroform or any of the currently used volatile anaesthetic agents, through the window of a motor-home without their knowledge, even if they were sleeping at the time. Ether is an extremely pungent agent and a relatively weak anaesthetic by modern standards and has a very irritant affect on the air passages, causing coughing and sometimes vomiting. It takes some time to reach unconsciousness, even if given by direct application to the face on a cloth, and the concentration needed by some sort of spray administered directly into a room would be enormous.

"The smell hangs around for days and would be obvious to anyone the next day. Even the more powerful modern volatile agents would need to be delivered in tankerloads of carrier gas by a large compressor. Potential agents, such as the one used by the Russians in the Moscow siege are few in number and difficult to obtain. Moreover, these drugs would be too expensive for the average thief to use."

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks but reading loads of news articles on it, I think we will stay at secure campsites that are gated at night. However if we seal all access points into the van we should be safe?

Sorry, but the fact there are loads of news articles doesn't make it true.

So you'll seal the Gas Dropout vent, roof vents, Vehicle Air vents etc: and Suffocate instead.

No one has ever been caught, no one supposedly gased has ever been tested for this supposed gas.
If there was such an agent that could be given in uncontrollable amounts to widely ranging age groups of varying medical fitness without killing anyone then that would have been the best anaesthetic in the world.

As I say, tiredness, alcohol and stupidity + attempted Insurance Fraud.

Oh, forgot to mention, as far as I am aware NO Insurance company has ever paid out for such a claim.

 

[WelshGas]

Another one in Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...-by-sleeping-gas-gang-caravanners-warned.html

Absolute rubbish.
Attempted Insurance Fraud. Absolutely no evidence.

 

[Meoncoast]

Seal yourself in and gas yourself

 

[larrylamb]

Wherever you stay in your Cali follow your instinct and use common sense. Don't camp up at motorway services, too many people up to no good there at night. But campsites, local aires in rural France etc and many beautiful tucked away spots will all be fine, enjoy it and don't worry about such tosh as gassing.

 

[jts46]

Sorry but I agree with @WelshGas . We have spent many nights on auto route service areas in our California and have had no problems.

 

[GrannyJen]

I have travelled all over France, travelling on my own, stopping overnight in Public Aires, and never felt unsafe.

On the other hand, the only time that I have felt remotely threatened, was by two drunk Brits on a "secure" campsite in Belgium. Thankfully a group of young dutch people came to my aid and convinced the two bits of Brit rubbish that they should go and play somewhere else.

 

[Alibee]

Doesn't hang true for me, seems far more like chancers pulling a fast one on insurance. Either way, wouldn't bother us.

 

[Amarillo]

Doesn't hang true for me, seems far more like chancers pulling a fast one on insurance. Either way, wouldn't bother us.

More likely bemused victims of theft trying to excuse their heavy sleeping.

 

[Trailertrash]

Ahead of our journey to the continent some motorhome friends have warned us against wild camping as we run the risk of being gassed and robbed. I have done some further research on this and it looks like the problem is rife with Eastern European gangs targeting UK holiday makers. I am assuming we should be ok if we stick to proper campsites with gate security?

The media never let the truth get in the way of a good story! Their one and only concern is filling content with whatever poo they can. The Beano and Dandy gave me a more accurate view on life than the Daily Mail which specialises in "Middle Class Angst" . Believe nothing which you have not witnessed with your own eyes. Never give anyone the benefit of the doubt and until you know differently assume the guy in front of you is a complete and utter moron and you will not go far wrong. And I mean that in the loving Christian way!

 

[sidepod]

We've not had this one for a while.

 

[Loz]

new addition to the shop maybe?

 

[Yorkie]

Before all this gassing talk started, parking in French motorway Aires was my method for getting long distances.

This year in my Cali I thought about giving them a miss and as darkness falls driving into a nearby French village and sleeping incognito on the main road because if I recall; French towns shutter up and look deserted after nightfall.

Does my plan sound sane?

 

[steve and lisa]

Beware of some aires, especially in South of France as they are targetted by Easten European gangs in the summer, not so much gassing but when we were at an aire near Nice last year the motorhome next to us was robbed whilst they were out for the day, they forced the door open and stole a laptop and a TV.

 

[BerndRos]

Before all this gassing talk started, parking in French motorway Aires was my method for getting long distances.

This year in my Cali I thought about giving them a miss and as darkness falls driving into a nearby French village and sleeping incognito on the main road because if I recall; French towns shutter up and look deserted after nightfall.

Does my plan sound sane?

The Motorway areas with a 24 hour open petrol station I would stay at overnight. But I would never ever stay overnight at one of the aires on motorways that are simply large lay by areas, in my view asking for potential trouble. Rather as you say pull of into a nearby village.

 

[Amarillo]

Beware of some aires, especially in South of France as they are targetted by Easten European gangs in the summer, not so much gassing but when we were at an aire near Nice last year the motorhome next to us was robbed whilst they were out for the day, they forced the door open and stole a laptop and a TV.

It can happen anywhere by people of all countries of origin. Blaming migrant gangs is easy, but may or may not be true.

Someone tried to rob me of my pitched tent at the Celyn Brithion Caravan and Camping Site in Dinas Mawddwy while I was in the pub. I had pitched it properly, and the fools couldn't find all the pegs to remove, ended up trying to force it out of the ground, and ruined the tent in the process. They took nothing, but caused a lot of damage. I didn't have cover away from home on my home contents insurance, but my free travel insurance with Lloyds bank paid up all be the £50 excess. I very much doubt that a migrant gang was responsible.

 

[MattBW]

Yup knew of a guy who had travelled all around the world fon motorbike, got back to M6 and went to motorway services, they stole his bike.

Likewise guy in London who spent 3 years going around the world on his motorbike, got home, stolen.

It can happen anywhere sadly.

 

[Amarillo]

It can happen anywhere sadly.

Yes - but what is even sadder, and dangerous," is the often incorrect assumption that "Eastern European Gangs" are responsible, and the perpetuation of this often incorrect assumption.

I have been warned that "campervanning" in the eastern Balkans dangerous, even foolhardy. Nowhere have I found any evidence of this. Yes - there are some places more dangerous than others, but is Bucharest any more dangerous than Barcelona? Probably not.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Bucharest

 

[BerndRos]

Yes - but what is even sadder, and dangerous," is the often incorrect assumption that "Eastern European Gangs" are responsible, and the perpetuation of this often incorrect assumption.

I have been warned that "campervanning" in the eastern Balkans dangerous, even foolhardy. Nowhere have I found any evidence of this. Yes - there are some places more dangerous than others, but is Bucharest any more dangerous than Barcelona? Probably not.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Bucharest

Agreed, I went all through Eastern Europe in my Cali and mostly wild camped. Very hospitable people and always felt safe. Parked right in the middle of Bucharest for a few nights, just by revolution square and it was great. Paid the young son of the car park attendant to watch my Cali during the day while I was exploring the city, then slept in it at night.

Barcelona on the other hand....