UKC

Just arrived back at Leeds Bradford airport from Belfast, which I understand is in the UK. Several plain clothes people (I assume they were police as they were by a "police check" sign, but no identification was visible. Chap asked me to show him some photo ID, so as I was getting my driving licence out I asked "is this new?". "No" he said, so I asked him, politely and quite casually "What's the reason behind it?".

He said "If you'd like to stand ti one side and wait until everyone's gone through I'll tell you." (which I took to mean "I don't have to explain to you, so I'll make it as inconvenient as I can for you to find out"). I didn't want to wait, so I just said "Can't you just give me a quick explanation?" to which the answer was "No, it's very complicated".

So - a couple of questions: anyone know under which legislation a policeman (without identifying himself) can ask me to provide him with photo ID when I'm travelling from one bit of the UK to another? And does anyone know why they do it?

I shall also be asking West Yorkshire police the same question, and also why their officer was at best unhelpful, and possibly verging on the evasive...

In reply to andy:

It's just like Nazi Germany, or perhaps not..

In reply to andy:
So you were not willing to be delayed for an answer but it's okay for everyone behind you to wait.
60 people on the flight with a 30 second explanation each adds 30 mins to the process for the guy at the back.

In reply to Ridge:


I've absolutely no issue with showing them my driving licence (the conversation happened as I was handing it over), I'm just curious.

In reply to andy:

As far as I know, you can ask for police ID before giving them any info/ID. At least I've heard them encourage that to avoid scams with fake police.

Sure the 'officers' weren't Federal Boob Inspectors?

In reply to Dax H:



I think he knew very well I wouldn't want to wait - unless it really IS very complicated he could have explained as he was looking at my driving licence. Like I said, I've no problem with it - but I'd like to know why.

In reply to andy:

Sounds reasonable. Keep the queue moving, wait a few mins if you want to discuss.

Get over it

In reply to Scarab9:



Jeez - I am "over it" - I just wondered if anybody knew what they're checking for! As a matter of fact there wasn't a queue as I was first off and the rest of the passengers had all walked the wrong way!

In reply to andy:

You need off-duty to explain what legislation it's under (maybe Prevention of Terrorism act) because I thought that the UK was reasonably out of the ordinary in that we don't need to carry official ID and the police can't just check your 'papers' without having a reason (they can in other countries) normally. Coming back from Belfast you can see why they monitor even if we find it annoying/object.

I was stopped at Edinburgh airport by a heavily armed officer who was writing people's names and addresses and why they were travelling in a notebook. It seemed a bit bizarre and I did ask him why they were doing it - he explained the law it was under so it didn't seem the right place to go making a big civil liberties song and dance about it. I was kind of interested in the big gun he was carrying anyway, and he was interested in what I had been talking about at a conference I was leaving from (it had been at the centre for study of terrorism and political extremism at St. Andrews so kind of fitting I guess!).

In reply to TobyA:
Yep, like I said I didn't make a fuss, and was genuinely interested when I asked - I was about as non-arsey as it's possible to be, and I felt the response I got was a bit unnecessary - but I take the point about not holding the queue up if it was going to take a while - which is why I thought I'd ask on here if anybody knows.

I wonder if it's because the border with the republic's open so people could come into RoI, cross into the north and then fly over to the mainland - but as you say I thought you weren't obliged to provide ID when travelling round the UK. I certainly wasn't going to say "what happens if I don't", but I'm genuinely interested in the reasons and the law that lets them ask.

In reply to TobyA:

Heckler and Koch G36 perchance?

In reply to andy:

AFAIK, all adults traveling by air within the UK need to carry valid photographic ID, though not necessarily a passport. I think the same also applies to passengers travelling on any UK domestic ferry crossing. Such photo ID is needed in case there are spot checks by police - exactly as in this case.

HTH

Dave

In reply to Dave Williams:


That'll slow things down at Woolwich!

In reply to andy:

Airport byelaws I think. There are some pretty draconian powers that apply specifically in an airport, but I have to say I am not familiar with them all.

In reply to Dave Williams:

You would be wrong. Photo ID is not required for BA domestic flights, for instance.

Neil

In reply to Dave Williams:




Thanks - I know you need photo ID to get on a plane at most airports, but it's the police (I assume they're police and not border control) asking for it when you're getting off the plane I've not seen before.

In reply to off-duty:


Cheers - any thoughts as to why they'd be checking? I don't think they were recording any details, so it just seems a bit of a random thing to do.

In reply to Neil Williams:



Ah - I noticed that the other week when I flew manchester to heathrow with BA - do they use the optical scanner thingies instead?

In reply to andy:

I got stopped at East Midlands by the old bill getting on a flight to Belfast. He asked for ID, I showed him my MOD90 (Army ID card) and a pass for Army HQ; this was at the height of the troubles. The cop didn't know what these were, he asked haven't you got a driving licence (back then they didn't have photo's). I shouldn't read to much into it.

In reply to andy:

Probably any number of reasons why they'd be checking (and you probably wouldn't get an answer beyond 'routine checks'..you could be a person they were looking for! or you could tell people they were doing it...).
Could have been training, maybe..

And 'stepping aside' is a decent reason, thinking about it. A queue would have built up behind the pair of you and it gives time for questions, explanatins etc. Would be a pain, if you knew you'd be satisfied with a quick answer, though.

Surprised about not showing ID of some sort

In reply to Neil Williams:


You are wrong too. You need to read my post again.

I never said that carriers such as BA require passengers to carry photo ID. Far from it in fact. I wrote: "Such photo ID is needed in case there are spot checks by police" which is an entirely different thing.

In reply to Neil Williams:

They do say you should carry photo id though.

If you are flying solely within the UK, including Northern Ireland, you do not need a passport but we advise that you carry photographic identification with you when travelling, such as your passport or driving licence. This may be requested at certain points in your journey.

http://www.britishairways.com/en-lb/information/passports-visas-and-api

In reply to Dave Williams:
Is it not the same law they did Miranda under when carrying Snowden (Hi NSA!) stuff in transit at Heathrow.
I got stopped once under that at Edinburgh when being silly enough to try and enter Scotland during the G8. My reply to "reason for visit" was returning home, they did not like this very much. I have always suspected their files were out of date. I was asked for a bit more than ID.

Not sure if it is a requirement for ferries. They did have a crackdown on routes to Shetland and Orkney when the Authoritarians were in power, but no sign of this last Summer on a return Aberdeen - Lerwick run. Never seen this in the Calmac small print.

In reply to Dave Williams:


But if I'm walking down the street a policeman isn't, without some sort of suspicion I'm a wrong 'un, allowed to ask me for any form of ID (I don't think, anyway) - so why would they make (apparently) spot checks on a ferry or at an airport?

I think you're wrong about ferries, btw - we did some island hopping in the western isles and there's nothing in the info that tells you to carry ID in case of spot checks.

In reply to thin bob:



Yes, I guess so - but I didn't get the feeling that was the motivation behind saying it (especially as there was no queue) and it was more "what's it got to do with you, sonny?" - maybe I'm being uncharitable. I'll get me tinfoil hat...

In reply to Ridge:

It was one of new bigger buggers with lots of plasticy space age bits on it. I guess meant to do the same thing as an MP5 but must take up twice the space!

In reply to andy:

Could this be something to do with NI being a backdoor into the UK?

I'm sure I once heard people were able to travel to Ireland first, then cross into NI with ease, then the UK mainland with no check at all. Something along those lines anyway.

In reply to andy:

To be honest, I'd have the same view as you, but my basic view of such things is that the police have so many powers which are so far reaching that they can more or less make your day/life a living hell (as boasted by a police officer recently) and they know it. They expect instant, unquestioning obedience, and if they don't get it are likely to take pleasure in making your life less pleasant.

Whilst enitirely unfair on the law-abiding citizen, its not worth the effort to even ask the question in the first place. The answer "because we feel like it" would probably be the actual correct answer.

In reply to TOS:


That's what I wondered - although I do wonder what a cursory glance at a driving licence does (and as I said, what's different about coming through an airport and walking down the street - but as off-duty says, could be some bye-laws). Although LBIA website has some bye-laws listed but there's nowt about showing ID - it's mostly about parking rules.

In reply to Ridge:

I've now actually spent 10 minutes googling this without a satisfactory answer - newspaper articles about armed response in Scotland have photos of officers with g36s (I think I'm identifying them correctly), but don't know if they are stock photos from 'daan sarfff' or actually from Scotland.

In reply to TobyA:

Here you go.

Ok its flickr so may be unreliable since reliant on the person posting correctly.
http://www.flickriver.com/photos/85306730@N00/790253427/

non file pic.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/crime/edinburgh-armed-police-guard-gangla...

In reply to TOS:


Not a lot of difference with Ireland itself though. For example I have never been checked on the ferry from Dublin to Holyhead(although I know others have).
For UK and Irish citizens you dont need a passport to travel just photo id.

In reply to andy:

Maybe they are just a bit mad at Leeds Bradford Airport. I arrived there from Nice once and a sniffer dog walked past us. Then I was pulled aside and had my bag searched, I asked why and he said that drugs came in from Nice. Time to sack the dog?

In reply to andy:

Under Sched 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000, Police have the powers to stop you at a port.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/11/schedule/7

Steve

In reply to TobyA:

I'd noticed a few forces have upgraded from MP5s to something with a lot more wallop. Dunno if body armour is getting more popular with the criminals or it's an anti_terror thing.

In reply to dissonance:

Advise, not require. Presumably the Police would have a means of dealing with the absence of it.

Neil

In reply to Dave Williams:

But I disagree that it is needed. There will be a means of dealing with its absence.

Neil

In reply to Ridge:

I know in the US there were some case in the 90s of bank robbers using body armour (where the ideas of the scenes in HEAT came from IIRC) and police not having the firepower in response, but I'd be interested to know if ever there's been a UK police firearms team who found the person they were upper against had body armour? Not sure how easy/economical it is to get in Britain.

In reply to dissonance:

Mad google skillz! Yes, those would be the evil looking blighters. Seem bigger when you're stopped by a chap toting one!

In reply to andy:

I'd suggest that you were stopped under either:

Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000, given the origin of the flight

Or a Leeds-Bradford Airport by-law.

In both cases the copper can require that you cooperate fully, answer questions, produce ID etc and of you don't, you'll get nicked.

Sched 7 is a particularly controversial piece of legislation...with strong arguments on both sides of the fence.

In reply to Colin Moody:


No. That's a clever dog if it knew you'd flown in from Nice.

In reply to andy:

Given the length of this thread it would probably be quicker to wait a couple of minutes and get the answer from the horses mouth next time....

In reply to andy:

As a general rule Special branch officers carry out checks on certain flights to and from the UK (this does include flights to and from certain parts of Ireland - for obvious reasons).
There is all sorts of legislation under the terrorism act, and as stated before wide ranging powers under most airport bylaws (which include a power of arrest if you fail to give various information).
All police officers should carry their warrant cards and should show them if asked. However in order to be airside you need a special security pass (again for obvious reasons). So if someone who wasn't an authorised person was actually able to get airside do you honestly think he/she would go to all that trouble just to play bogus cop (they would probably be doing something far more sinister).
So yes, it is a bit of a pain having to give up a few moments of your time, but sometimes we all have to do things we don't necessarily want to - but hey that's life.
As you say you can always take it further with the relevant police force if you feel aggrieved - hope that helps.

In reply to Fat Bumbly2:



Northlink brought this in in about 2008 I think, but the Gills Bay ferry didn't follow suit. It has never been a requirement with Calmac. Seems to have been more of a company policy than a legal requirement, but I can't remember the background.

In reply to andy:

Having flown NUMEROUS times back and forth from Belfast (George best and international) to Birmingham and East Midlands, Both on my own and with my now Husband.

Regularly we get sent through a 'viewing channel' filtered by staff to only allow 4-6 people at a time, my husband - if flying on his own will be searched, if together he wont.

NI is still suffering the aftermath of the troubles and the recent flare ups are not helping.

So you got stopped... you had to carry ID anyway for the flight, what's the biggie?!?

In reply to andy:


If they're not recording details or cross checking against a list then presumably they're looking for someone specific, their ID, people without papers or people with fake papers.

Most of those would account for an unwillingness to discuss the matter in front of the crowd potentially containing what they're looking for.

jk

In reply to andy:

I don't know about airports but I do know that when you are driving for example, only police in uniform can stop you:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/163

In reply to andy:

By the way I am sure there must be some legislation around requiring people to have ID with them when flying and also, I would be really surprised if undercover police weren't required (by law) to show you their ID if you asked them to.

In reply to TOS:



It's not a backdoor, Ireland is not in Schengen so it's not possible, there is a passport check to get to Ireland in the first place.
The problem will occur if the UK leaves the EU, then they'll have to create a border with passport checks between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

In reply to Simos:



I think this applies only on the road. There might be a different set of legislation for airports.

In reply to RomTheBear:



The Uk isn't in Schengen either so it would make no difference at all, unless we left the CTA.

In reply to Sir Chasm:

But an in-Schengen Scotland next to a out-of-Schengen RUK would throw up difficulties.

In reply to MG: Yes, that's the way you dance the hokey cokey.

In reply to jkarran:

Agree, most probably they are looking for someone specific, and because most people do carry photo ID on flights (because most airlines require it for commercial reasons, i.e. to prevent transfer of flight bookings, though as noted BA do not) the easiest way is to check ID, while the best way to avoid it being obvious what profile of person you're looking for is to check everyone's.

Neil

In reply to MG:

An in-Schengen Scotland is very unlikely. It would most likely follow the same path as the Republic of Ireland, joining the UK Common Travel Area instead.

Indeed, there would I think be many similarities between an independent Scotland and the RoI. Except, hopefully, the Troubles.

Neil

In reply to RomTheBear:
For anyone who's flown into a large UK airport from Ireland, there *is* a vulnerability (a little like the "Lille loophole" in principle, but not in how it appears it'd work). Next time anyone does it, think what it might be. To me it'd be quite easy to use it if you knew what it was. (For that reason I'm not going to post what it is here).

Neil

In reply to malky_c:

It's very often a commercial decision based on trying to avoid transfer of cheap advance-booked tickets - i.e. touting, effectively.

Neil

In reply to Simos:
"By the way I am sure there must be some legislation around requiring people to have ID with them when flying"

Well, there isn't! Obviously there is legislation requiring you to carry a passport or EU ID card on *international* flights, but there is nothing I am aware of for domestic flights, and indeed as noted BA does not require photo ID for domestic flights.

Neil

In reply to Little Brew:




Jesus - where did I say it was a "biggie"? I have said, several times, I had no problem with providing it - I simply asked what legislation allows them to ask for photo ID at an airport (but apparently nowhere else - terrorism legislation applies elsewhere, but afaik police aren't entitled to see photo ID as I'm walkign down the street - but if they asked and I had my driving licence with me it wouldn't be a "biggie" then either). I also asked why they're doing it, as I couldn't understand why a cursory glance at my driving licence achieves much.

For the last time: It's not a "biggie". I asked politely why they were doing it. My feeling was he didn't want to tell me - but I accept he might have been wanting to keep the non-existent queue moving. That is not a "biggie" either.

In reply to andy:

I think there is specific anti-terror legislation that provides them the ability to do that in an airport. However, because ID is not required by law for a domestic flight, they could not arrest you for not doing so. But they might well need to spend some time verifying your identity some other way, which would probably be a little inconvenient. How inconvenient they make it would I imagine depend on whether it seemed you genuinely didn't have it or were being deliberately awkward.

Neil

In reply to andy:

I flew to Derry a couple of years ago and had a similar experience, plain clothes cop asked me aside, asked for my ID and reasons for my visit, then took my number and my friend's number (who I was visiting). Seemed a bit mad, but it's a good story.

In reply to Neil Williams:
You might be right but there is usually some over-arching 'umbrella' legislation for security matters (that often get passed in a rush after some event) that can be used and supersedes everything else.

It usually is also vague in nature to allow the police freedom/discretion and obviously could be abused too.

Let's put it this way - I am sure that if you keep failing to provide ID and satisfactory information for the police checking at the airport and they want to keep you there or make your life difficult in another way, they will under some pretense that they had reason to believe you posed a threat etc. Of course if you took them to court they'd have to explain themselves but not many people would do that.

Otherwise it would make absolutely no sense for them to even be there or check if everyone (and any dodgy in particular) could just refuse to give them any info and walk away.

In reply to Neil Williams:


Doesn't matter what the law says, if it's a condition of carriage with the airline, so making that argument won't get you on the flight

In reply to RomTheBear:


is it not fair to say someone could be wanted by the authorities in the UK, but NOT wanted by the authorities in Ireland?
That being the case, that person could enter Ireland unhindered as they're not a wanted person, then onwards the UK (via NI) with no border check.

If a person was wanted by both Ireland and the UK, then I'd agree with your point, they'd simply be caught entering Ireland.

In reply to imkevinmc:
As noted above, it is NOT a condition of carriage on a British Airways domestic flight. Photo ID is NOT required to take a BA domestic flight.

I think BA are the only ones, though. The others require it for commercial reasons.

As the discussion surrounds what the Police may or may not do, however, the commercial decision of an airline is of little relevance.

Neil

In reply to TOS:




Ha yes that's a good point for wanted persons.

In reply to andy:

I'm suprised no one has mentioned the police doing this at stations. Increasingly common on London stations, and I've seen it in the sticks before now, though granted they are in uniform (usually plus dog)

In reply to Sir Chasm:


Schengen is only about border control not immigration. If the UK leaves the EU then EU citizen would be able to sneak illegally into the UK without visas via the Northern Irish border, even though they are perfectly entitled to enter RoE legally with no other document than an EU id card or passport.

In reply to andy:


no, if you weren't making a deal of it you'd have simply asked out of curiosity why the checks were in place, not had a whine about how horrendous it is that the officer doing the checks had asked you to wait for a few minutes before explaining.

Also if you were first off and they'd walked the wrong way, is it not obvious that there shortly would be a queue made up of those people catching you up?

In reply to RomTheBear: It's amazing that the Swiss cope.

In reply to andy:

On one occasion when flying there out of Glasgow many years ago, they swept in like a bunch of heavies in a bad movie. When a copper asked for my ID, I said that I'd show him mine if he showed me his. He did: no problem. Even a tiny hint of a smile (not something Strathclyde were known for).

In reply to Sir Chasm:

They have bilateral agreement with the EU on the free movement of persons. So EU citizens can live and work in Switzerland. There are simply a few more restrictions, a bit the same way as we had transition controls for bulgaria/romania.

In reply to Scarab9:

I don't think I used the word "horrendous", did I? I'm not sure "whining" is terribly accurate either - I was there, you weren't, so had he simply asked me to "wait a few minutes before explaining" then I'd have said so - but the strong impression I got was that he didn't want to explain (backed up by him saying "oh no, it's very complicated" in a rather sarky way), which I must say I thought was unhelpful, given that I was doing exactly as he'd asked and was scrupulously polite (as others have pointed out there's no point antagonising them as they can make my life a whole lot more difficult) - but as I posted last night, I might have been wrong and as the whole conversation took place as I was handing over my driving licence to him I thought it reasonable to ask - which clearly you don't.

But thanks very much for your input.

In reply to RomTheBear: In other words, even with the EU on all their borders they cope perfectly well.

In reply to andy:


I'd have asked him to show me some ID first. As far as you've described here, he could have been anyone.

In reply to Neil Williams:
The specific legislation is Sched 7 TACT.

Under this legislation they could arrest a passenger for failing to cooperate. This includes not showing ID (or providing some kind of verifiable information that would allow them confirm you're identity), failing to answer questions or provide pass codes for IT equipment. It's very Orwellian and very controversial.

The alternative to arrest, as you've said, is for them to detain a passenger in order to carry out enquiries to establish his identity. The detention period can last for 9 hours max.

It's pretty much down to the passenger to decide how inconvenient the whole process is, a 5 second flash of a photo drivers licences VS hours spend sitting around while the special branch police have their coffee break.

They do have to tell you that they're police officers, but they don't have to show a warrant card or provide any information about their identity other than a reference number. Most carry identity cards with a photo and a number, others use false identities. This is a safeguard against being identified by terrorists.

All of this only applies to Special Branch and only at airports, the North/South Irish border and international ferry and train ports. The power extended into the arrival ports of the destination country - meaning that British police are based in France, at Euro Star terminals.

In reply to THE.WALRUS:
Indeed, if you are being awkward.

If you are not carrying photo ID, that isn't being awkward. Some people don't have photo ID. If you don't I guess you'd show non-photo ID like a credit card as a starting point.

Neil

In reply to Neil Williams:

I'm sure they'd be happy with that - if the name matched the boarding pass or some other document you has in your wallet or baggage. I imagine most people carry countless forms of ID with them, without realising it.

I suspect that people who have no documents or cards on them whatsoever would be subjected to more time consuming checks.

In reply to THE.WALRUS:
Really helpful, thanks.

In reply to aln:

I'd have to guess it was a Nice Doggy

In reply to Sir Chasm:


Well yes, but basically by having close to the same freedom of movements the other EU countries have. So they cope by playing by the same EU rules. I don't think anti-EUs in the UK would see it that way as their main argument is immigration.

In reply to THE.WALRUS:



The old tradition of having no mandatory IDs in this country is backwards.

In reply to THE.WALRUS:


To clarify, you're saying if some random bloke wanders up and says "I'm an undercover copper, I don't have a warrant card, but my reference number is is MI5-2458964, show us some ID", I have to comply or be nicked? Unless he's got some uniformed bods with him, (or pulls out something black made by German or Austrian arms manufacturers), I wouldn't be playing.

In reply to andy:

I guess if you'd asked the policeman he would and could produce an ID card. They are perfectly entitled to ask you to produce ID without them showing you theirs!!

Its no different than if a policeman (in plain clothes and without ID) asks you to accompany him down to the police station for questioning regarding some crime. If you comply then you've gone voluntarily, in the same way as you voluntarily produced ID without him having to produce his warrant card and insist you produce yours.

As for why? Its complicated. Many, many situations I'm sure can't be explained simply or quickly. Surely you've the imagination to work out a few rather complex reasons why a policeman dealing with many, many travellers catching flights, would prefer not to explain why the're having to ask for ID.

In reply to Dave Perry:

Actually, the reason I asked the question is because I don't think that normally a policeman can ask me to produce photo ID whether he shows me his, or whether he's in uniform (well I suppose he can ask, but there's nothing that says I have to produce it) - that was sort of the point of the question.

I will admit I was slightly irritated by his manner, especially as I made an effort not to be confrontational about it and just asked politely, whilst complying with his request, why he was asking - but as several people have pointed out, that's not really an issue in the grand scheme of things. But my main questions were (and I think one's been answered) under what legislation are they asking people travelling from one bit of the UK to another for photo ID (and the answer seems to be Prevention of Terrorism Act - it's not a LBIA bye-law, or if it is, it's not written down with the rest of them) and what do they accomplish by checking photo ID but not making a note of who anybody is. I don't think they can be looking for specific individuals, as my colleague who was also on the flight says they're there pretty much every time he flies into Leeds from Belfast - so I'm still curious as to the purpose of the check.

In reply to andy:

10 Minutes in. The USA I know, but I still think the law here is the same. If you've done nothing wrong, you don't have to give anyone your ID.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1CjZN2H5-8&feature=g-high-rec

In reply to Ridge:

Yes, that's pretty much the long and short of Schedule 7 TACT...although he would have to produce 'an ID' and identify himself as a police officer (the ID wouldn't identify him by name or rank, but would confirm his role as a special branch copper)...and this particular law only works for people attending international air/sea/train ports for the purpose of travel, and can only be invoked by Special Branch Coppers, who have presumably received extra training.

And yes, if you decided not to cooperate you'd be arrested and charged with failing to comply with the requirements of Schedule 7, for which you wouldn't have much of a defence!

As I said, highly controversial. There's plenty of information about TACT law on the internet, mostly in the lefty press.

In reply to andy:

You're quite right, a normal police officer can't usually do this kind of thing. Only Special Branch and only if you're at a port for the purpose of travel.

As to why they were checking ID's. Who know's, but I doubt they were there for the sake if it!

In reply to THE.WALRUS:



I guess not - but it sounds like it's a regular thing now. I used to fly to NI a lot, and there was often a bobby sat behind a little desk, but not a reception committee of three of them checking everyone out.

It does always make me laugh on these forums, if anyone asks anything at least 50% of the answers are from people with huge egos and zero capacity to be the slightest bit helpful! - Not everyone admittedly but it is frustrating the amount of unhelpful answers you get from people like the one above...

In reply to Jordangask:

Agreed.

In reply to Jordangask:


Which 50% do you think your post falls into?

In reply to Sir Chasm:

^^ Another example of some of the egotistical people who can't help but say anything to get some peculiar kick...

In reply to Jordangask:


Dude, you're so unhelpful.

In reply to andy:


I never came across any such checks on the Ferr From Scotland to Ireland , so seems strange that they are doing them every time, on one particular route , anyone that is trying to avoid such regular checks would just get to a port and go by Ferry. ( or am I missing something?)