# Does size matter



## Evs54 (Mar 11, 2013)

Ferry crossings especially Brittany Ferries . I have noticed by varying the length of the van whilst searching for a crossing to France the price does change . Has anyone made a crossing with the wrong dimensions and got away with it or on the other hand been found out and what happened .:surprise: Cheers


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## robbosps (Mar 10, 2014)

On the short sea crossings, I don't think they worry as you are usually booked within a size range. 

On the western channel and Spain routes, Brittany have measured vehicles before. 

I don't know what the final,result was, but if they short ship a car or truck, it costs thousands, so on busy sailings they get quite particular.


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## Evs54 (Mar 11, 2013)

robbosps said:


> On the short sea crossings, I don't think they worry as you are usually booked within a size range.
> 
> On the western channel and Spain routes, Brittany have measured vehicles before.
> 
> I don't know what the final,result was, but if they short ship a car or truck, it costs thousands, so on busy sailings they get quite particular.


Thanks for the reply , the crossing I was thinking of is Poole to Cherbourg .


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## biggles777 (Jan 18, 2006)

Brittany measured us a few years back on Portsmouth -st malo , but it was Le Mans weekend and we were just in by 1 cm , I think they only get fussy when busy .


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Never seen anyone get measured but clearly it does happen (see above).

I suspect at worst they would make you pay the difference. Of course the easiest thing is just to put the correct length when booking in.


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## Evs54 (Mar 11, 2013)

barryd said:


> Never seen anyone get measured but clearly it does happen (see above).
> 
> I suspect at worst they would make you pay the difference. Of course the easiest thing is just to put the correct length when booking in.


I agree but there is a few quid to save if you get away with it , never made a difference with Sea France and P&O but that was on the Calais crossing , just had enough of the M25 would like to try another route crossing but they are around 4 times the price .


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## blondel (Jun 12, 2005)

They measured us by a quick pacing out on the Portsmouth - Bilbao route last year but we are over 20cm within the under 7 metre class we were booked in so no problem.

Wasn't aware of any length check on the Newcastle ferry but if we had been 10 cm longer our bum would have been sticking over the back!!!


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Never had the rig measured on any ferry crossings, Brittany or Stena Line, but we always keep to the rules, which are fair for most people.

We always go on the lower deck as a rule but without the trailer we have been on the 'tween decks.

We have a booking for May when we go to Holland, then down to France for two weeks then back through Holland again.

Can't use the tunnel as the Discovery is LPG powered, will be able to with the Mercedes.

Peter


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## mgdavid (Nov 27, 2014)

Evs54 said:


> I agree but there is a few quid to save if you get away with it , .... .


I have to say this worries me; if we met through a business relationship or transaction would you also try to cheat me by telling untruths?


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## robbosps (Mar 10, 2014)

mgdavid said:


> I have to say this worries me; if we met through a business relationship or transaction would you also try to cheat me by telling untruths?


I think most business deals are.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

robbosps said:


> I think most business deals are.


After nearly 40 years in business (contracting which doesn't always get a good write up) I can quite happily, and truthfully say that I don't share that view at all.

I certainly never set out to stuff a client and very few clients were ever dishonest with me. Thankfully, Alan.


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## robbosps (Mar 10, 2014)

erneboy said:


> After nearly 40 years in business (contracting which doesn't always get a good write up) I can quite happily, and truthfully say that I don't share that view at all.
> 
> I certainly never set out to stuff a client and very few clients were ever dishonest with me. Thankfully, Alan.


Don't ever do contracting business then with

EON
British Gas
Hilton hotels


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Must admit I haven't done, though my company worked for the MoD, Tesco, Lidl, Whitbread, The Prison Service, Police Authority, Housing Associations, and dozens of architectural practices and builders, to give just a few examples. 

I found that generally all involved were honest and fair. Just my experience of course, Alan.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Ferry crews are quite switched on and carry a lot of knowledge about standard vehicle lengths in their heads. 
Anything nonstandard is likely to a closer scrutiny.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

*Fair is fair*

If everybody cheated by undrestating vehicle length, on busy crossings, some last to board, would not get on😒 would you like that to happen to you? I very much doubt it! Pay the rate or use a different crossing!


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## Brock (Jun 14, 2005)

Having been involved in procuring a range of services over the last 20 years, my first question was always, "What added value will you bring to this business" followed by "What do you want from this." We looked for things like mutual trust and understanding. If the pitch for the work was clearly based on the lowest cost, then it was "No thanks." If you do the research on the firms/people tendering for the work it's easy to work out who is telling porkies.

There is a greater risk of being shafted in a market place with extremes of market pressure such as the near monopoly of the utility market or overly competitive and low margin services/industries. I can understand robbosps being wary of such businesses but they are the extremes.

Measuring every vehicles on a ferry is going to add a great wedge of costs, such as turnaround times, so it may be cheaper to trust those using the service.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

If the ferry companies catch on that a small minority of motorhomers are trying it on they will start checking every motorhome and will start making life difficult for all of us.

This is once again "the minority take liberties and screw things up for the majority" that is how we have ended up with height barriers and overnight parking bans.

I can see the next crunch point might be the "Je suis Camping Car" ploy used to avoid paying the correct peage rate.


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