Customs

Berty

I work for a Dundalk company and a lot of the guys and girls live on the Border. Not one shops in the republic, they all head to Newry or Armagh.

Some of them are coming to work in NI plate cars. ALL of them have been stopped by customs. Their cars are registered to their mothers address, so is their social security, medical etc etc. The live in the republic and get EURO wages but everything else is UK.

Why everything else? Education for their children and cheaper and quicker hospitals is what they are telling me.

Oh yeah, icing on the cake. They have cheaper cars.

The Gambler 101

clever people

Berty

The Gambler 101 wrote: »

clever people

They will eventually be caught out somehow.

If you spend 6 months or more in the Republic you are considered a permanent resident and you must pay VRT.

Zube

slideways wrote: »

As someone who got away with driving on uk plates for 9 months and saved 1800 euro by not clearing it until after July.

Four Hail Marys and two Our Fathers.

Slidey

Done and Done!

TheNog

slideways wrote: »

They looked like a pack of feckin eejits.

Imagine the shame if anyone outside of Ireland saw the carry on of them with a cordess drill??

I can't see your point here at all. They had their suspicions, drilled some holes and didn't find anything. So what? They did their job and that's it.

Cordless drill??? What do you want them to use.

Slidey

TheNog wrote: »

I can't see your point here at all. They had their suspicions, drilled some holes and didn't find anything. So what? They did their job and that's it.

Cordless drill??? What do you want them to use.

I meant they looked like a crowd of amatuers.

And I would be seriously pissed if they had drilled that many holes in a fridge body and the just slobered some silicon sealer on to repair it.

They could also have easily drilled through a cable going to a temp sensor in the body or one of the internal lights

TheNog

slideways wrote: »

I meant they looked like a crowd of amatuers.

And I would be seriously pissed if they had drilled that many holes in a fridge body and the just slobered some silicon sealer on to repair it.

They could also have easily drilled through a cable going to a temp sensor in the body or one of the internal lights

I agree with ye the slopping of silicon didn't look great but it could be easily wiped off there and then or picked off when it dried.

If they couldn't drill holes then how do you think Customs could find hidden compartments? Their suspicions were spot on to look into it further with the newly painted under carriage and the crack in the roof.

Anan1

slideways wrote: »

And I would be seriously pissed if they had drilled that many holes in a fridge body and the just slobered some silicon sealer on to repair it.

They could also have easily drilled through a cable going to a temp sensor in the body or one of the internal lights

Diddums. Has it ever occurred to you that, without people like yourself, we wouldn't need customs?

patrickc

I saw a X6 BMW last week, on NI plates, but the silly person had such and such motors Carlow on the reg, is that not just asking for trouble?

sk8board

quirke_folder wrote: »

Somebody said that about me and my 06 A4 Sport.

I cannot understand, how old do you have to be to have a premium car?

As someone else pointed out, here was a fella perhaps at most early/mid-30's, driving a car that his dad might get for his retirment, or maybe as a cheuffer-drive.

Its just the perception that these are cars driven by older people.
for example, I rate the E-class and 5-series equally, but prefer the 5-series (or maybe an A6 S-line) as being more in my line of car. No reason why, just perception.

I'd hardly compare a nearly 3 yo A4 'sport' (or even s-line or RS) with a 7-series. thats a bit of a reach

craichoe

quirke_folder wrote: »

I work for a Dundalk company and a lot of the guys and girls live on the Border. Not one shops in the republic, they all head to Newry or Armagh.

Some of them are coming to work in NI plate cars. ALL of them have been stopped by customs. Their cars are registered to their mothers address, so is their social security, medical etc etc. The live in the republic and get EURO wages but everything else is UK.

Why everything else? Education for their children and cheaper and quicker hospitals is what they are telling me.

Oh yeah, icing on the cake. They have cheaper cars.

That is not the case, if you reside in two states you have to register as such and pay partial taxes in both, more so in the one that is your primary residence, it doesn't matter what the currency is.

They are creating a whole heap of problems by not declaring that, the dodging VRT is the least of their worries.

So what if people shop in Newry ? When i lived in cork it wouldn't be economically viable for me to drive all the way to Newry for a shopping trip.

Marcus.Aurelius

quirke_folder wrote: »

Somebody said that about me and my 06 A4 Sport.

I cannot understand, how old do you have to be to have a premium car?

Premium? :pac:

Premium is over 3.0 Litres Audi A6-A8, BMW 5-7 Series, Lexus GS/LS and Mercedes E & S class.

Premium he says That made my day.

JohnCleary

A bit OT, but does anyone else think that the particular Custom's officer who lifted that 7-Series is putting on a bit of a show for the camera?

I've watched pretty much every episode of Customs since the start, so my perception has nothing to do with him seizing an un-registered car. Just the words he uses, and the way he speaks - sounds as if it's re-hearsed (which I understand quoting laws etc. is, but I mean in general) tripe he's spilling out and doesn't understand what he's saying himself half the time?

Maybe it's just me

hoganpoly

mickdw wrote: »

See on customs tv show, they fined driver of bmw 7 series 5500 euro for no vrt. 18000 vrt also charged.

where did they get the fine of 5500 from, customs fella was a happy chappy, must be a well paid job judging by his own vehicle:)

whiterebel

hoganpoly wrote: »

mickdw wrote: »

See on customs tv show, they fined driver of bmw 7 series 5500 euro for no vrt. 18000 vrt also charged.

where did they get the fine of 5500 from, customs fella was a happy chappy, must be a well paid job judging by his own vehicle:)

Up to 10% of the Open Book Price, I think.

ROVER

You can view the programme on the RTE website until 9.11.08. http://www.rte.ie/tv/customs/av_20081019.html
the BMW scene is about 8.45mins in.

zoey

MYOB wrote: »

It goes to the state, and reduces other areas where they take taxation from.

Would you prefer another 2% on your income tax there instead?

Is income tax in the UK not 20%?
What do they pay a higher rate of tax on than us?
And if even if they do at least they have something to show for it- decent health and education services and infrastructure!

L1011

zoey wrote: »

Is income tax in the UK not 20%?
What do they pay a higher rate of tax on than us?
And if even if they do at least they have something to show for it- decent health and education services and infrastructure!

Their PRSI (NI) is higher
Their lower tax rate is 20% and the higher is 40% but the bands are entirely different - you pay tax on more of your income.
Their fuel duties are (still) higher.

Their infrastructure is crumbling - motorways with potholes/drainage problems for one; railways that kill people for another. Their education system is absymal and you pay many many times more than here for college. Their health service has as bad an MRSA problem as ours.

What UK are you thinking about, cause it sure isn't the one we're joined on to/beside

zoey

MYOB wrote: »

What UK are you thinking about, cause it sure isn't the one we're joined on to/beside

I'm taking about the one who has statutory preschool provision, the one with smaller class size than Ireland and OK they pay to go to university but many of the people you are paying to educate in Ireland today are for export as a result the current economic climate which means no return is made on them. Does it not make sense to charge them like the UK?

MRSA is not the only problem in our health service you know. If the UK health service is so bad why are people in border counties crossing the border for treatment/diagnosis. There was a recent case of a lady who did this and was diagnose AND treated for her cancer in Belfast by the time she was even called for diagnosis here!

Ah here, drive in the likes of Donegal, Mayo- anywhere outside of Dublin basically and then through the North and tell me our roads are better than theirs!

The UK has a much much wider rail network than us so I don't think you can fairly compare the number of accidents!

Since this is the motors forum, yes i agree fuel costs are higher in the UK! It still does not justify us having to pay VRT and a higher level of road tax when IMO we are not getting anything extra to show for it!

L1011

The North's road network is about as varied as Donegals - horrific country tracks with 30 year old surfacing and similarly old filthy signage all the way to high quality DCs. When you venture in to the traditionaly Catholic areas the main roads are single carriageway with no hard-shoulder - below the standard of many of our national secondaries.

You've got an immense 'Grass is always greener' attitude there. Its not. Don't delude yourself - cause its clear you're trying very hard to.

zoey

MYOB wrote: »

The North's road network is about as varied as Donegals - horrific country tracks with 30 year old surfacing and similarly old filthy signage all the way to high quality DCs. When you venture in to the traditionaly Catholic areas the main roads are single carriageway with no hard-shoulder - below the standard of many of our national secondaries.

You've got an immense 'Grass is always greener' attitude there. Its not. Don't delude yourself - cause its clear you're trying very hard to.

Delude myself?
Have you ever used the roads in Donegal because if you have i'm sure you'll agree their conditions are not exactly what you would called varied! They are either bad or...worse. I wouldn't exactly call their dual carriageway "high quality" unless it's changed from the last time I ventured up that way.

L1011

I'm FROM Donegal!

Compare the N15 around Ballyshannon/Bundoran to the regional roads in the county.

Thats varied. Last time you 'ventured up that way' was clearly many years ago. The N15 in nearly its entirety is better than Northern Irish A standards. Its better than the main road from London to Edinburgh is after it goes off motorway at that.

keefg

JohnCleary wrote: »

A bit OT, but does anyone else think that the particular Custom's officer who lifted that 7-Series is putting on a bit of a show for the camera?

I've watched pretty much every episode of Customs since the start, so my perception has nothing to do with him seizing an un-registered car. Just the words he uses, and the way he speaks - sounds as if it's re-hearsed (which I understand quoting laws etc. is, but I mean in general) tripe he's spilling out and doesn't understand what he's saying himself half the time?

Maybe it's just me

Accurate description of that Martin guy IMO. You can see that he absolutely loves catching people out and yeah....he does put on an act for the camera.

Slidey

MYOB wrote: »

I'm FROM Donegal!

Compare the N15 around Ballyshannon/Bundoran to the regional roads in the county.

Thats varied. Last time you 'ventured up that way' was clearly many years ago. The N15 in nearly its entirety is better than Northern Irish A standards. Its better than the main road from London to Edinburgh is after it goes off motorway at that.

Its good enough that 3 bikers got caught doing 161mph on it recently...

Must have a look for a link, or has it been mentioned here already?

L1011

slideways wrote: »

Its good enough that 3 bikers got caught doing 161mph on it recently...

Must have a look for a link, or has it been mentioned here already?

106mph - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/7660699.stm

The ability to speed on a road has nothing to do with how 'good' it is. Doesn't change the fact that the recommended route from the capital of the UK to the capital of Scotland winds through villages, has 20mph zones on it, and for much of its length, lacks a hard shoulder. I'm sure you could do 106mph on a bike on most of our R roads - for short bursts - if you were nuts enough.

Slidey

MYOB wrote: »

106mph - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/7660699.stm

The ability to speed on a road has nothing to do with how 'good' it is. Doesn't change the fact that the recommended route from the capital of the UK to the capital of Scotland winds through villages, has 20mph zones on it, and for much of its length, lacks a hard shoulder. I'm sure you could do 106mph on a bike on most of our R roads - for short bursts - if you were nuts enough.

No, it was 161 mph on the bundoran Bypass, one of the lads was from Dromore West in Sligo, the other 2 from the north. They didnt catch them til
Donegal Town

L1011

slideways wrote: »

No, it was 161 mph on the bundoran Bypass, one of the lads was from Dromore West in Sligo, the other 2 from the north. They didnt catch them til
Donegal Town

Oh right

Thats a coincidence that I found that article then!

The Bundoran Bypass is a great road, although people do drive far, far, faster than the speed limit on it as you get lulled in to a false sense of safety compared to crawling through the towns.

driveshaft

To go back to the high horse merchants. How many of you have gopt away with the extra litre of spirits at the airport, or the extra 200 cigarettes?

People in greenhouses shouldn't throw stones.

That customs programme is a (terrible) attempt to scare the public while massaging the ego of some of those customs lads (namely shaven headed attitude man and annoying cork accent man) . What I'd love to see is a warts and all version, where they leave in the edits (the 7-series owner being brought back with the key card/the claims process with the lorry owner whose fridge unit was drilled pursued).

L1011

I don't smoke and I've never brought booze back from further than Coleraine. Even if I had, there is a hell of a difference between 15 quid and 5000 quid, don't you think?

Don't assume everyone is the same as you (or you think).