# Be aware and vigilant



## 97751 (Feb 17, 2006)

We have spent the last 6 months travelling round France Portugal Gibraltar and then the Southern coast of Spain(never again-but as newbies it had to be done). We have wildcamped wherever we have gone. Always been careful and security conscious and never had a problem (even in Spain - where we spent a month). However because of the awful weather we decided last Monday whilst in Javea to come home for Xmas. Also the fact that we left our 19 year old son "Home Alone" and missed him drove us on. So off we set. Drove for approximately 5 hours a day(always made sure we're parked up before it gets dark) but that only means pulling off motorway to nearest village/town and parking up. Anyway to cut a long story short, whilst travelling round Barcelona, we heard a bang which sounded lilke something had happened to motorhome. The next thing , this car a BMW came past us with front passenger waving and shouting and pointing to motorhome and flagging us down he pulled onto hard shoulder and we followed. He jumped out of passenger seat and rushed to drivers door and got my husband out pointing and shouting to the back of vehicle. Me(being a lazy sort, sat there). I looked into wing mirror and saw my hubby come round back of vehicle looking for something and obviously could not see what was wrong. I opened my door to ask hubby if he could see anything and then the man then came to me shouting (I think -as I do not know what nationality he was) "FIRE FIRE" and waving a bit of toilet paper with oil and a burn mark and pointing to the back of the vehicle. Because I could see my husband in wing mirror still looking and couldn't see anything wrong and this man was so insistent on getting me out, I shut the door and locked it. The next thing he disappeared and i looked in front and saw him and another man( who I had not even been aware of) jump in to the car and watch it zoom off. My hubby then came back round to drivers door (unaware that they had gone) and i said "It was a hoax" . it happened so quickly (all of this within the space of a couple of minutes if that) , and we were in a state of shock. Please be aware. We were lucky.


----------



## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

delandave said:


> i said "It was a hoax" . it happened so quickly and we were in a state of shock


Well played. Very nasty thing to happen, and I'm sure it shook you up. It's a tough call weighing up whether the person flagging you down is genuine (what if it IS on fire...) or not. Picking up the mobile phone & pretending to make a call, or pretending to take a photo with a camera, or making a show of writing down the car's registration number, seems to act as a deterrent, and by all accounts, they usually zoom off.

Dougie.


----------



## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*As it happens*

Hello,

Glad you made the right move.

If you look at my post

Click Text

I had similar incidents. Though never actually stopped.

Don't let it put you off.

Trev.


----------



## eddied (May 9, 2005)

*Hoax 'accident'*

:roll: mmm, looks as though this little trick is finding its way into Italy too, unfortunately. It was tried a few years ago, and then seemed to die out. Now reports of this sort of thing happening on congested city ring roads, even to Italian motorhomers.
They tried it on me last September as I was driving up to Tuscany on the Rome Ring Road. Was just cruising along in the middle lane, since I didn't want any of the turn offs, when a a fast black car drew up alongside, with a smartly dressed young man gesturing wildly through his open window, flashing a large card with 'Police' written on it in English, easily leggible even by me. That immediately told me that it was a hoax, because Italian police, either uniformed or not, just don't carry large cards with 'Police' in English written on them. Gave the 'up yours' sign with a big grin, and they sped off. I understand that they try to 'escort' you off the motorway onto a slip road, and then a quiet layby, where they either rob you, or take the vehicle, or possibly even both.
Anyway, don't be taken in by any of these scams. Extremely unlikely in any country that police will try to flag you down in fast moving or intense traffic on motorways or ring roads, unless you yourself are aware that you are blatantly breaking the law.
saluti,
eddied


----------



## C7KEN (May 27, 2005)

This is a bit of info I have intended to post for some time. A friend from England used to live 6 months in the US and six in England. When he decided to sell up in the USA he thought he would buy a MH and tour in Europe for a few months every year. He has now been doing this for five years and has been attacked in two of them. Both times in France and one of the times in a Campsite where they local brats were throwing stones and broke his windows.The other time was in an Aire So please dont get the idea that this only happends in Spain. Although it obviously can happen here it seems that great care is necessary anywhere in these times. I have been flagged down by police both in France and Spain but fortunately they were genuine. With the French ones all armed I put my hands up in the air and said "OK youve got me" and they all laughed. The Spanish Garda had a quick glance then said continuar. We have also had the Garda lend a hand when we had a puncture coming back from the MotoGP. with bikes passing at high speed which was good as they kept the traffic well clear of us. Maybe the answer is a big dog? Our dog is not keen on strangers and they are not keen on him. He thinks the MH is his and lets no-one get close unless we tell him its OK


----------



## 97751 (Feb 17, 2006)

Yes we realise this doesn't only happen in Spain, but we have learnt a great deal from this experience. It hasn't put us off and although we are now back home in Blighty we are planning going off to Greece next year. We are glad in a way that this has happened because you can become complacent with such an easy-going way of life and the fact that we were lucky. We think about the possibility of us stood there watching our beloved home disappearing out of sight and us stood there on the hard-shoulder with nothing but the clothes we stood up in. We also think about if we'd had children in the van - what would have happened to them - and so it goes on. Must be shock. We have discussed getting a dog on many occasions but because our van is not very big we keep umming and arrhing. what we need is a medium sized, short haired dog that barks. Any ideas. We may go to the nearest dogs home in the new year and see. i believe that christmas is the time (sadly) when a lot of dogs need rehoming. 
Just to re-iterate : Please be aware and vigilant!


----------



## wobby (May 1, 2005)

Its not just Motor Homes that are targeted a mate of mine had the same experience in his car however he wouldn't stop and they drove off. Just shows you can't be to careful.


Wobby


----------



## tel999 (Aug 17, 2007)

Hi
On one of the Caravan forums they had printed a A4 sheet of paper that said in Spanish that you would not stop or open the doors, but would follow them to the nearest Police station.
It seemed to have good results
For us the cost keeping and buying a larger RV to enable us to keep our 2 Alstions is well worth it, The feeling of confidence when travelling or settled for the night is worth every penny, they allso make great child substitutes now are two have flown the nest.
Regards
Tel


----------



## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Hiya thanks for pointing this info out, it is something to keep in mind.

The first time ever we took our MH out in this country a car going in the opposite direction to us pointed at the roof and flashed at us etc, we pulled up to have a look further down the road, I am not saying they were going to do anything to us (as I say they were going in the opposite direction) but nothing was wrong and my friend said similiar things have happened to them several times, but your post has made me more wary of anything like that.

We have two Welsh terriers and the boy is very protective of his property they are quite a rare dog now, but he is just the right size and they don't loose hairs as the curly coat can be stripped or clipped.........the girl is a lot smaller but def barks when anyone comes near.


----------



## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

Latest scam here is if you are parked up when you come back you jump into car,start up, check rear view mirror and see leaflet under rear wiper,jump out of car leaving motor running to remove leaflet,scumbag jumps in drives off and leaves you with leaflet in your hand.


----------



## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

hogan said:


> Latest scam here is if you are parked up when you come back you jump into car,start up, check rear view mirror and see leaflet under rear wiper,jump out of car leaving motor running to remove leaflet,scumbag jumps in drives off and leaves you with leaflet in your hand.


An urban legend from 2004
http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/carjack.asp


----------



## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

ScotJimland said:


> hogan said:
> 
> 
> > Latest scam here is if you are parked up when you come back you jump into car,start up, check rear view mirror and see leaflet under rear wiper,jump out of car leaving motor running to remove leaflet,scumbag jumps in drives off and leaves you with leaflet in your hand.
> ...


May be legend to you but I could give you the names and add of 2 people it has happened to here in Valencia, this year,lost everything as insurance would not pay up as keys were left in ignition.Makes me wonder who posts these as urban legends


----------

