Motoring Discussion > France - a word of warning   [Read only] Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Mike Hannon Replies: 39
View Threaded 

New Fri 4 Jun 10 10:43 
 France - a word of warning - Mike Hannon
Yesterday I was almost involved in an incident on a main (but quiet) road in SW France. I was with my 6ft 6in son in the Beast when we were flagged down by a guy in the road, with two cars parked nearby - an old Chrysler Voyager and an old Xantia, both on what I realised later were Romanian plates.
The guy who stopped us said he was Dutch (but very suntanned...) and shouted at me in French, Italian and something I didn't recognise that he needed a mobile phone because the baby in his car was ill. He was waving a piece of paper with a number on it so I handed him my (fortunately not expensive) mobile. I looked in the car and the child looked fine to me. Then he demanded money for petrol to take the child to hospital - and men from the other car approached. At that point I realised what I was involved in, grabbed my phone back and beat it. Lucky my son is as big as he is - they didn't try to follow.
I rang the Gendarmerie and told them what had happened but best not to play the Good Samaritan I think. I've since discovered that this sort of incident has become common in my part of the world, sad to say.
If you are driving in France and someone tries to flag you down, unless they are in uniform (NOT just wearing reflective jackets) or you can see an obvious accident - my advice is to drive on.
       
New Fri 4 Jun 10 10:47 
 France - a word of warning - Old Navy
Thanks for the warning, Mike. That scam has also been used in the UK.
       
New Fri 4 Jun 10 11:13 
 France - a word of warning - Mapmaker
I get approached twice a week at least (inner London) by people asking for 60p to make a phone call, or £1.20 for a bus ride. A friend from the country came to stay and was proudly telling me how she had saved this nice lady from being locked out by giving her 60p to phone her daughter...
       
New Fri 4 Jun 10 12:18 
 France - a word of warning - Ted

It's a sad world when you can't stop and help an individual showing distress nowadays.

Hitchhikers...no way now, woman getting a slap in the street......probably a domestic, they'll both turn on you, .someone needing help in the countryside.......might be 2 or 3 guys hiding behind the hedge.

Difficult decisions all round.
A few years ago a freind had just driven away when I heard a crash. I was still at the front door and saw a youth running my way after trying to steal a car and hitting my mate's.
I ran across the road, somewhat nervously, and pushed him over as my mate caught up with him. You realise after that he could have had a knife.
We had to sit on him for about 20mins until the police arrived........all good fun !

Ted
       
New Fri 4 Jun 10 12:30 
 France - a word of warning - tyro
This sort of thing happens in UK, and all over Europe.

See this thread:
www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?t=412

It seems to me that there is often an Eastern European dimension.

       
New Fri 4 Jun 10 13:23 
 France - a word of warning - Alanovich
>> It seems to me that there is often an Eastern European dimension.

And???????
       
New Fri 4 Jun 10 13:34 
 France - a word of warning - Netsur
And?????


I suspect he was just stating a commonly held belief - probably correct - that the geographical origin of these perpetrators is frequently in the east of Europe.

Slightly non-PC but get used to it. I suffer mild anti-semitism in similar circumstances. I have a thick skin.
       
New Fri 4 Jun 10 13:44 
 France - a word of warning - Bellboy
italy had the sense to kick these people out of their country from their cardboard cities under the flyovers in rome last year
all you are seeing now is the fact that they have travelled 800 miles to picking anew
       
New Fri 4 Jun 10 16:42 
 France - a word of warning - jc2
Just like the old days at Calais-a Scouse git asking for a LOAN? of £20 so he could get a ticket home-his wallet had been stolen!.
       
New Fri 4 Jun 10 17:34 
 France - a word of warning - Chris S
A tramp asks a passer-by for a £100 for a cup of tea.

"That's a bit steep" says the passer-by.

"You get cake with it as well" says the tramp.

"That's still a lot for a cup of tea and a piece of cake" says the passer-by.

"And you get dancing" says the tramp.

"Where are you going" asks the passer-by, "The Ritz?"

"Yes" says the tramp.

"Couldn't you go somewhere cheaper?" asks the passer-by.

"Why?" says the tramp, "It's not my money!"
       
New Fri 4 Jun 10 17:50 
 France - a word of warning - Iffy
....It seems to me that there is often an Eastern European dimension....And???????...

Alanovic,

And nothing.

It is worthwhile intelligence to pass on the fact this type of scam is often carried out by Eastern Europeans.

It is political correctness of the worst sort to deny or somehow seek to censor facts of this nature.

I will give you another fact or two.

In the past couple of years I have been at about a dozen court cases involving the 'skimming' or 'shoulder surfing' of cash cards at hole-in-the-wall machines.

All of the defendants have been Romanians.

Now what conclusion do you draw from that?

Don't tell me - the conclusion you draw is that I'm a racist. Doh!

      1  
New Fri 4 Jun 10 18:12 
 France - a word of warning - jc2
In our local magistrates' court,a defending solicitor stated that it is traditional for Romanian women to have pockets on the inside of their skirts.
       
New Fri 4 Jun 10 19:20 
 France - a word of warning - Duncan
On t'other side, a couple of years back, I posted my experience at a filling station of being asked for money to buy petrol by an er...... individual. he offered his "wife's rings" as surety. I declined. Well, actually I told him I had no money.
       
New Fri 4 Jun 10 19:27 
 France - a word of warning - Ian (Cape Town)
I work in central Cape Town, which is a ghost town come weekends.
Often get approached by the blokes who've run out of petrol...
No problem, I'll give you enough to get home, but will need some security.
aaaah. ok. watch? your spare wheel and tools? your car radio?
They beat a hasty retreat.
One particular scum accosted me one weekday with a sob story about having arrived from X-location, and needing some money to get to Y location, where he had a job lined up etc etc etc.
Politely explained I couldn't help him.
the next day, was walking down the street and saw the same bloke trying it on with some woman. As she reached for the purse, I flat-handed him across the ear, just a tad hard, and sent him sprawling.
Woman looked shocked - I asked if he'd come from X and was going to Y.... yep, same bogus story...

       
New Fri 4 Jun 10 20:39 
 France - a word of warning - Zero
This message has been hidden as many of our users have rated it as offensive.
You may view it by clicking here
>> >> It seems to me that there is often an Eastern European dimension.
>>
>> And???????

Ok lets not beat about the bush. They are mostly Rumanians, and they are the scourge of europe. Every country has them now and every country hates them. ANd they should be put down


There, is that blunt enought for you?
      2  
New Fri 4 Jun 10 20:47 
 France - a word of warning - Iffy
...There, is that blunt enought for you?...

Suits me well enough, but I imagine there might be one or two who don't agree.

As a copper once said to me in court, there's always at least one social worker on the jury. :)

Last edited by: ifithelps on Fri 4 Jun 10 at 20:48
       
New Fri 4 Jun 10 21:41 
 France - a word of warning - bathtub tom
In my experience there's also at least one outspoken, straightforward, straight talking person with their head screwed on right that gets elected as the jury foreman (foreperson?), who can swing most of the sensible jury members in the right direction.

Majority verdicts seem to be usually accepted
       
New Fri 4 Jun 10 22:50 
 France - a word of warning - CGNorwich

I think you go to far with this post Zero. Whilst the line"and they should be put down" is obviously intended to provoke, I think most people with a knowledge of the genocide perpetrated by the Nazis on the Romanian gypsies by the Nazis will find your choice of language offensive. At least I hope they do



       
New Fri 4 Jun 10 22:54 
 France - a word of warning - Zero
-- This message is hidden --
(Considered too offensive)
      2  
New Fri 4 Jun 10 23:03 
 France - a word of warning - Iffy
...Its about the only thing Hitler had right...

Easy does it, Zero-san.

       
New Sat 5 Jun 10 07:10 
 France - a word of warning - Hard Cheese

>> Easy does it, Zero-san.
>>

RF is rather OTT there, I for one cant endorse such comments though perhaps it is the hot weather!


The fact is that every country has its scum, we certainly do here, and one of the problems with the EU is that scum can travel freely throughout Europe and perpetrate their particular brand of foul deeds wherever they wish.

      5  
New Sat 5 Jun 10 07:30 
 France - a word of warning - Herr Sandwichmann
I hope the mods remove these extreme posts. They are a disgrace and do the forum no favours whatsoever.
      2  
New Sat 5 Jun 10 07:32 
 France - a word of warning - Hard Cheese

>> They are a disgrace and do the forum no favours whatsoever.
>>

I have to say I tend to agree though over the years I can say it is not all typical of the poster in question.

       
New Sat 5 Jun 10 09:27 
 France - a word of warning - Zero
It doesent require endorsement, It was a comment nothing more. Members can if they wish vote it out into the ether.
       
New Sat 5 Jun 10 09:57 
 France - a word of warning - jc2
My BiL is a taxi driver and a traveller camp had set up near the town where he works.So many of the drivers had been done by their passengers doing a "runner" that they now ask for payment up front-change if less than their estimate.
       
New Sat 5 Jun 10 11:00 
 France - a word of warning - Mike Hannon
I know how you feel RF, I don't think a certain amount of authoritarianism would come amiss.
A couple of years ago I was in Marseille with friends and every meal we had 'au terrasse' was spoiled by Eastern European beggars. We even saw them passing a baby from one group to another.
At one stage, when a little boy came begging at our table, my friend asked him if he was hungry. He nodded so she cut off a piece of her pizza and gave it to him. He licked it, grimaced, then handed it to a little girl who promptly threw it in the gutter.
I thought her gesture was very generous, considering that some time ago her father had his wallet stolen by Eastern Europeans. A woman literally threw a baby at him. As he instinctively reached to catch the child a man went for the wallet. This happened in a French town - her father lived in Monaco and, believe me, the police in the Principality don't have any nonsense about begging in the street.
Just to stir the 'racist' misogynist pot a bit more, we were told that begging in Marseille is mostly carried out by Romanians, organised by Russian gangs.
I might add that when we decided to eat inside at a quite well-known and crowded seafood restaurant a fight started in the doorway between bouncers and customers trying to get in!
       
New Sat 5 Jun 10 11:24 
 France - a word of warning - Iffy
I had a few words with a detective who has investigated several Romanian cash card fraudsters.

He told me the aim is to come to the UK, make about £30,000 and then return home.

That's enough to set you up for life over there, I was told.

So we have the spectre of Eastern Europeans coming to this country purely to carry out crime.

We've got plenty of our own criminals, without importing more.
       
New Sat 5 Jun 10 13:25 
 France - a word of warning - Ian (Cape Town)
>> Ok lets not beat about the bush. They are mostly Rumanians, and they are the
>> scourge of europe. Every country has them now and every country hates them. ANd they
>> should be put down
>>
>>
>> There, is that blunt enough for you?
>>

A horrible, sweeping generalisation there. Probably true though.

We think pretty much the same about Nigerians here.
       
New Sun 6 Jun 10 05:01 
 France - a word of warning - R40
Oh dear, and things on here seemed to be going so well. Is this the kind of carp they wanted rid of from HJ?

If so I'm beginning to understand more.............

R40 ;)

       
New Sun 6 Jun 10 06:44 
 France - a word of warning - Herr Sandwichmann
>> Ok lets not beat about the bush. They are mostly Rumanians, and they are the
>> scourge of europe. Every country has them now and every country hates them. ANd they
>> should be put down
>>
>>
>> There, is that blunt enough for you?


Is this blunt enough for you, Zero?

tinyurl.com/2v7q7ed

Apologies offered in advance for continuing what has become a thread far removed from the purpose of this forum. However, some of the views expressed here are in my opinion beneath contempt. I am astonished that the moderators seem to have gone AWOL in the last 24 hours or so. Is the quote above really 'courteous' and 'respectful'?

CM




       
New Sun 6 Jun 10 07:02 
 France - a word of warning - Pat
No it isn't, but neither is the content of the link above.

It's something that I don't wish to be reminded of on a sunny Sunday morning.

Pat
       
New Sun 6 Jun 10 07:46 
 France - a word of warning - Iffy
...It's something that I don't wish to be reminded of on a sunny Sunday morning...

Don't worry, Pat.

It didn't happen anyway - anyone who looks on the internet knows that.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust_denial

       
New Sun 6 Jun 10 07:48 
 France - a word of warning - Dog
>>Is this blunt enough for you, Zero? <<

I didn't find Mr Zed's post offensive in any way, shape or form, but I find your post offensive,
And I have marked it as such.
      1  
New Sun 6 Jun 10 08:09 
 France - a word of warning - Iffy
...I didn't find Mr Zed's post offensive in any way, shape or form,...

Nor me.

But I am offended by people who squeal 'snip it' as soon as they see something they don't like or don't agree with.

      4  
New Sun 6 Jun 10 08:58 
 France - a word of warning - Pat
Me too, rightly or wrongly I prefer to voice my opinions instead of anonimity.

I was born in 1946 to elderly parents (43&53yrs old). My three brothers were all 17yrs old an above and one in the Army, Navy and RAF, so in effect I was like an only child at home.

I remember before school age, that the only topic seemed to be the war, and what to me were tales of things that scared me to death and had me have many nightmares.
I don't know if they were true or not, but I've somehow never had an urge to try and find out.

Pat

       
New Sun 6 Jun 10 09:13 
 France - a word of warning - -
I haven't been following this thread and i'm troubled by some of the generalised postings above.

I sometimes work with a 30 something Romanian HGV driver living here who has an English lady partner and family.

A more polite decent and respectful chap you'd travel many a mile to meet, during our extended conversations he is just as concerned at the deteriorating standards of manners/behaviour in his own country as we are here, he's obviously been raised in an old fashioned way and none the worse for it.

I'd sooner work and live near him than many of my countrymen i've had the displeasure of knowing through the years.
       
New Sun 6 Jun 10 09:21 
 France - a word of warning - hobby
Actually Breendonk (in Belgium for those who don't know) is well worth a visit, though its quite a long visit... although Jews were there it was also used as a political concentration camp (I believe Dachau was similar)... the "people" who ran the place were in the main Belgian... it just proves that there are bad ones in every country... and the danger of letting the extremists get in charge of running things...
       
New Sun 6 Jun 10 09:58 
 France - a word of warning - Netsur
Re-GBs post

Just goes to prove that every nation/race/religion has stereotypical modes of conduct that are usually the act of a visible minority, whereas the invisible minority are: -

a) decent respectable human beings; and
b) horrified by the action of their fellow nationals (etc).

The acts of Germany post WW2 towards Jews and Israel is an example of how people show their true feelings once they are able to act as they wish without threat to their own lives. Many years ago, I would not have flown Lufthansa from Manchester to Tel Aviv on my regular trips to Israel. Now, they are clearly the best airline for me, offering a very good service and most important managing to make the life a reasonably observant Jew quite easy. I am happy to use them and good luck to them.

So yes some Romanians are despicable, just as some Germans were 70 years ago. It will eventually change, but it will require something significant to happen before the silent majority of reasonable Romanians become tied of their criminal fellows and deal with them.
       
New Sun 6 Jun 10 10:04 
 France - a word of warning - CGNorwich
I am truly shocked that there is anybody on this forum that believes any group of people should be "put down" and are prepared to state that they believed that in some areas Hitler's genocidal policies were justified.

That others do nor find these views offensive I find deeply disturbing.
       
New Sun 6 Jun 10 10:19 
 France - a word of warning - smokie
As this has strayed well off topic I am locking this thread. Obviously a thread straying off topic isn't always going to get locked but given the direction this one has taken it seems a wise thing to do.

If someone wants to revive the original topic this can be done in a new thread.
       
Latest Forum Posts