Drugged and Robbed in France?

[GrannyJen]

seem to recall some animosity about illegal wild camping and driving over 70mph . was a joke. remove my post

Sometimes a smiley helps

Theis medium is very "flat", no facial expressions, no voice tones. Easy to misinterpret.

There never was any animosity about "wild camping" either, if you are referring to the NC500. There was animosity to thoughtless camping, which did not include you as you did say you tried to park away from everyone else, and there was debunking of the oft mistaken belief that the right of access laws in Scotland extend to motorhomes. It doesn't and if people get pissed off with thoughtless camping then the local authority is free to plaster the area with "no overnight camping" thus spoiling it for all. I probably wild camp as much as anyone on this site, just finished 4 days overnighting in a municipal car park, so hardly going to sit in judgement on that.

 

[GrannyJen]

Back to the OP, who has expressed serious concerns:

@Eileen , yes, as a fellow solo traveller often in France I agree that some of these scare stories can be alarming.

I can only quote my position: Firstly the Cali is a difficult vehicle to break into, certainly more difficult than my home. Anyone is going to make a lot of noise and I would be awake. I will not be gassed as in my view most of the stories are simply incredulous and debunked easily by professionals in the business of putting people to sleep such as @WelshGas.

I always try to park close to people and even when overnighting off-campsite, such as in Norfolk these last few days, I still tried to park close enough to houses that the noise I would make if attacked would attract attention. I have a 135Db personal attack alarm in my handbag, which often I would have in my hand when approaching my vehicle, and I have another one hanging from the grab handle above the drivers seat.

If I was alarmed, my lights would be on, my attack alarm screeching away, the car keys would be to hand in a few seconds the vehicle alarm would be making a racket.

I sleep well in my Cali. I am safer in that than at home. The one incident that I did have was on a campsite and again my proximity to other people came to my rescue, or at least a group of big, strapping young Dutch men camping nearby did.

Happy camping Eileen, caution and attention to risk is essential, being frightened to travel because of implausible scare stories promoted by local press is something to be avoided.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Maybe we should have a modified version of Godwin's Law (look it up if you don't know what that is) for this forum. As soon as anyone mentions gassing in an aire, the thread has to be immediately closed.

 

[BikerGran]

Chinese whispers.
Someone raises the subject of people possibly being gassed while staying in an aire (or whatever) and it gets passed on as fact. One of the problems with social media is that these stories spread like wildfire because people just LOVE a bit of bad news!
I spend a lot of time on Facebook and there are many stories that are started either as above, or are deliberate hoaxes. There are a couple of sites that exist to debunk hoaxes and I when an obvious hoax (most are fairly obvious) appeared on mt timeline I would visit Snopes or Hoax-slayer to check, then go back and post the link to their page debunking it. I got so fed up with peoples reactions along the lines of "oh but it's just as well to pass it on in case it's true" that I no longer bother to do that, I just remove the idiots from my friends list. Seems to have worked on the whole.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Back to the OP, who has expressed serious concerns:

@Eileen ,

Happy camping Eileen, caution and attention to risk is essential, being frightened to travel because of implausible scare stories promoted by local press is something to be avoided.

Agree with this...
I hope the general consensus on this thread has eased your fears?
Sure there are an element out there waiting to spoil life for the rest of us but as far as i'm concerned no more likely today than the other 100 trips you've just done.
One story...lacking in credibility into the bargain.

 

[JohnGuppy]

I purchased a caravan a few years ago that had a strange detector fitted that had one part plugged into the lighter socket , I was told it was a gas alarm to detect gas as some people has been gassed as the slept in there vans and where being robbed I am sure if one looked you will find it was a common practice for people to pull over in truck stop to have a nap only to walk up the next day I can remember I think they use the fridge vent to inject gas but if they are injecting after gassing the people this becomes very serious needs extra care perhaps WG would know what puts you to sleep gas wise

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

narcotic gas detector not sure what this is but WG will be able to supply information

It seems its was a very common way of robbing us all so we need to protect ourselves

 

[JohnGuppy]

There seems to be a few alarms available not sure what type of gas these people use as per previous post we have a leading expert on these gases I am happy to be lead by his thoughts but i guess location ? of such a device is important and what happens when you confront 2-3 robbers cant find any incidents happing in the UK so perhaps there's a clue

 

[Ocean Spirit]

perhaps WG would know what puts you to sleep gas wise

I think he would and I think he has done his best to shoot this down as a myth already.

 

[Digger]

John WG has already disproved this myth.

 

[Annik]

I live in France for half the year and there have been numerous reports of the gas attacks on the news over the summer and warnings from the police to avoid certain areas. I am not sure this is a myth to be honest.

 

[RealMrPorter]

Some interesting comments in here that support sceptics http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33821661

Surprised no-one has mentioned Rohypnol (widely known for it's use in date rape crimes).

Rohypnol is still legal in France - I was given it to reset a broken / dislocated shoulder in a French ski resort.

Based on my experience having taken it, it would be better the gassing people for committing such a robbery: I appeared to be conscious (according to my girlfriend present at the time) and I did whatever was asked of me without question. Afterwards, apart from the pain of the injury I had no memory of what happened in the hospital. Evil stuff.

It'd be easy to slip into peoples food etc at local restaurants and then follow people back to their vans.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

I live in France for half the year and there have been numerous reports of the gas attacks on the news over the summer and warnings from the police to avoid certain areas. I am not sure this is a myth to be honest.

Well,
I'm with WG on this one.
If there is 'gas' technology out there that can do the job it's strange the criminal element have got their hands on it first. Someone much higher up the chain than the common criminal could be making a legal fortune on it since it appears to leave people unharmed with no traces left for medical evidence.
I'm not buying it though that doesn't mean i'll be throwing caution to the wind.

 

[frenchie]

The Russians are the world leaders in gas for military use. A knockout gas that you are unaware of does not exist. Both USA and russian forces have at times looked at using gas in hostage missions in the past, but the results would of been hostages and bad guys both killed. Its always interesting to see the types of people who say they have been attacked,low rent motorhomes, wild camping, with lots of cash money taken. And always nearly upto the insurance limit.I wonder why they dont add in food poisoning to round it up.F

 

[WelshGas]

I purchased a caravan a few years ago that had a strange detector fitted that had one part plugged into the lighter socket , I was told it was a gas alarm to detect gas as some people has been gassed as the slept in there vans and where being robbed I am sure if one looked you will find it was a common practice for people to pull over in truck stop to have a nap only to walk up the next day I can remember I think they use the fridge vent to inject gas but if they are injecting after gassing the people this becomes very serious needs extra care perhaps WG would know what puts you to sleep gas wise

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

narcotic gas detector not sure what this is but WG will be able to supply information

It seems its was a very common way of robbing us all so we need to protect ourselves

A Narcotic agent detector, as used in Anaesthetics, is the best part of £5000+ for a stand-alone. The ones available on the web for caravans and Motorhomes sell for about £40, so you can read into that what use they are.
To Anaesthetise someone to an unconscious level using a closed circuit breathing system with a volume of about 4L costs about £40. To Instill enough Narcotic vapour into a California of about 5m x 2m x 2m volume, ie roof down, to render an occupant unconscious would cost well over £20,000 and would require at least 100 x 100 ml bottles of the cheapest agent and a liquid air gas tanker.
So if you see a van followed by a liquid gas tanker draw up alongside your California/ Caravan or Motorhome and a man get out wearing a Scuba divers mask and air tanks then maybe you just might have something to worry about.
For a medium sized Motorhome or Caravan then you’ll need 2 if not 4 times as much and the gassed occupants have a 50% + chance of never waking up.

 

[WelshGas]

Some interesting comments in here that support sceptics http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33821661

Surprised no-one has mentioned Rohypnol (widely known for it's use in date rape crimes).

Rohypnol is still legal in France - I was given it to reset a broken / dislocated shoulder in a French ski resort.

Based on my experience having taken it, it would be better the gassing people for committing such a robbery: I appeared to be conscious (according to my girlfriend present at the time) and I did whatever was asked of me without question. Afterwards, apart from the pain of the injury I had no memory of what happened in the hospital. Evil stuff.

It'd be easy to slip into peoples food etc at local restaurants and then follow people back to their vans.

These drugs could be used AND can be detected in a blood test upto 72 hrs after injestion or injection. None of the supposed victims have even had a test.

Would love to know how many Insurance companies paid out on such claims without any substantiated medical evidence, as all of these agents linger in the body for a prolonged period of time. None of the supposed victims were ever hospitalised .

Also, if it is so common with holidaymakers, why don’t we hear about it in the normal population?
Because the local police are less likely, if at all, to actively investigate than if it was a local resident.

 

[Amarillo]

Would you really carry around all that dosh?

Yes - we went away with 6000 Euros and 5000 Norwegian Krona, all in cash and all but £1000 uninsured. Sadly, all spent now except 27 Euro cents and a 10 Krona coin. (I also have two old £1 coins).



Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Velma's Dad]

I live in France for half the year and there have been numerous reports of the gas attacks on the news over the summer and warnings from the police to avoid certain areas. I am not sure this is a myth to be honest.

Obviously we all have to make our own minds up about how we comprehend the world, but I try to start with the plausibility of a reported phenomenon, not the number of times it's repeated. Myths are myths because lots of people believe them, not because they are true.

In this case (non-lethal knockout gassing of people in a van) WG and others including the expert professional body have pointed out that the supposed mechanism of action is scientifically/technically so improbable as to be implausible. And there is no actual properly-evidenced case where it has happened.

But I guess a lack of actual evidence has ever got in the way many things that people believe, just because lots of other people already believe them. Homeopathy? (Dons steel helmet ).

 

[GrannyJen]

[QUOTE="WelshGas, post: 242282, member: 6823"
To Anaesthetise someone to an unconscious level using a closed circuit breathing system with a volume of about 4L costs about £40. To Instill enough Narcotic vapour into a California of about 5m x 2m x 2m volume, ie roof down, to render an occupant unconscious would cost well over £20,000 and would require at least 100 x 100 ml bottles of the cheapest agent and a liquid air gas tanker.
So if you see a van followed by a liquid gas tanker draw up alongside your California/ Caravan or Motorhome and a man get out wearing a Scuba divers mask and air tanks then maybe you just might have something to worry about.
For a medium sized Motorhome or Caravan then you’ll need 2 if not 4 times as much and the gassed occupants have a 50% + chance of never waking up.[/QUOTE]

I think that this needs framing

 

[Keith Smith]

There is one glaring possibility that everyone has so far misssed and that is, not alcohol no, it's aliens . I've seen them on TV, they drug you, stick probes up your bum, steal your flip flops and take any cash while they are at it. They have obviously moved on from small town America to European campervaners. Watch the skies, the truth is out there!!

 

[Rich20]

These drugs could be used AND can be detected in a blood test upto 72 hrs after injestion or injection. None of the supposed victims have even had a test.

Would love to know how many Insurance companies paid out on such claims without any substantiated medical evidence, as all of these agents linger in the body for a prolonged period of time. None of the supposed victims were ever hospitalised .

Also, if it is so common with holidaymakers, why don’t we hear about it in the normal population?
Because the local police are less likely, if at all, to actively investigate than if it was a local resident.

After having a Genaral Anesthetic, I felt groggy for several days which I was told is not uncommon. Thank you for dispelling this myth.

 

[Velma's Dad]

There is one glaring possibility that everyone has so far misssed and that is, not alcohol no, it's aliens . I've seen them on TV, they drug you, stick probes up your bum, steal your flip flops and take any cash while they are at it. They have obviously moved on from small town America to European campervaners. Watch the skies, the truth is out there!!

LOL. Well, the police will know if that's true. Plod (French or otherwise) is always one step ahead of the criminal mind:



I especially loved 'Previously Burgled'. The criminal classes are SO public-spirited...

(I assumed this must be fake news, but was gobsmacked to find that it seems it really did get cross-posted by GMP: https://twitter.com/GMPUrmston/status/876454865349877760)

 

[bigmac77]

LOL. Well, the police will know if that's true. Plod (French or otherwise) is always one step ahead of the criminal mind:

View attachment 26672

I especially loved 'Previously Burgled'. The criminal classes are SO public-spirited...

(I assumed this must be fake news, but was gobsmacked to find that it seems it really did get cross-posted by GMP: https://twitter.com/GMPUrmston/status/876454865349877760)

Just draw the symbol for too risky on your house and you'll be fine.

 

[Hotel California]

I would go for the "nothing to steal" code ...


Just checked : we have been giving 4 pages comment in 24h time , while up till now the OP has not been checking her own tread out since she posted this....
Could someone go and check on her ! Maybe she's has been drugged....

 

[Digger]

I would go for the "nothing to steal" code ...


Just checked : we have been giving 4 pages comment in 24h time , while up till now the OP has not been checking her own tread out since she posted this....
Could someone go and check on her ! Maybe she's has been drugged....
View attachment 26675

As long as th OP (Eileen)has not been put off as we make light of the gassing as she may be truly frightened. Hope she understands we are merely trying to re assure her and others that she should not be frightened.
We mean well and will do our best to advise and boost her confidence ( with
a little light hearted banter)

 

[GrannyJen]

[

As long as th OP (Eileen)has not been put off as we make light of the gassing as she may be truly frightened. Hope she understands we are merely trying to re assure her and others that she should not be frightened.
We mean well and will do our best to advise and boost her confidence ( with
a little light hearted banter)

I have tagged her with a hopefully reassuring post a few above this one.