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Time to end this bribery
Page 43
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?uestion: When is a bribe lot a bribe?
thswer: When it's a gift to a -..'ustoms or police official to 'How you to continue your ourney.
ritEQUENTLY ONE hears ibout operators who have to iay bribes or heavy fines to ifficials of the various bodies onnected with international oad transport abroad.
Unfortunately, it is not posible in every case to ascertain he truth because it appears ommon practice not to give eceipts for any payments landed over.
I have discussed this subject . vith several reputable interational road hauliers and everal facts have emerged vhich could act as a basis for ,fficial inquiry. However, !though a number of other Lauliers know a great deal lore about the subject they re not prepared to give inforlation.
ourney preparation
For established internatioal road hauliers with careful ehicle preparation, detailed river briefing, complete doamentation and adequate armgements with the forwardag agents at the various Customs posts no great problems should arise.
With the other type of operator who has no intention • of abiding with all the legal formalities of the various countries then this is the time when troubles arise as the driver has to negotiate a bargain with each Customs or police official encountered.
Basically, traffic movement : is smooth for the professional operator in most European countries. Turkey, Iran, and Italy appear to be the cause of most aggravation, owing, apparently, to the general temperament of their inhabitants.
Because the UK driver is not familiar with the police carrying weapons it can be unnerving to the first-time driver abroad to see a loaded gun glistening in its holster.
Again, provided the documentation is correct, translated into various languages of the countries of transit and prior arrangements made with the forwarding agents to pay any local taxes, then even in these countries no serious problems should arise. However, it is not unknown for a forwarding agent to also be in on the act — but this now appears to be rare.
Insurance against loss and Customs seizure is important _because in Turkey it is not _ unknown for the officials to read the mandate, decide it will be necessary to take off a sample of the load and inspect for authenticity. Then it's Inever seen again.
, There are, however, some hauliers who for their own ireasons find it quicker and less 'bother to by-pass Turkey and go via Greece on their journey to the Far East.
Alternative penalties
Some countries including Iran have stopped fining drivers on the spot for minor traffic misdemeanours. Instead they impound the vehicle for a period of time, as this is considered to be more of a deterrent than a fine. Loss can vary from a few days to 85 days.
The unwary driver can be caught by alleged police of-• flcers in civilian clothes stopping a vehicle and inspecting the vehicle and load documents and the driver's passport, then retaining them until a sum of money is paid over to buy them back.
In Turkey small boys can be a nuisance as some have a habit of saying to the driver: 1"Give me a few cigarettes or I'll put a stone through yc windscreen." Discretion be1 the better part of valo drivers say it's best to thr, down a few cigarettes.
Experts tell me that it's latively common for the dril to carry a number of pack, of cigarettes and even bE Point pens to give away emergency negotiations.
Provided that no traffic la are broken then any financ claims should be dealt with the forwarding agents or ev with the British Embassy the country concerned. should not be necessary i drivers to have to pay oN sums of money direct to t official.
• However, this is all right theory — but what actua happens in practice is anott matter.
Review situation
Gathering information such a subject is difficult a therefore any readers who f■ that they have specific e peiiences to narrate on ti subject are invited to write so that the whole situation c be reviewed and some sei blance of order brought intc much spoken about problen • Passenger transport is 1 exempt from frontier agg vation, but this usually tal the form of long dela, Turkey does not appear present the same sort problems to coach drivers a. does with goods vehicles, India seems to be over-rm culous with documentati and passengers' passports. Customs officials want t carnet in the driver's name a not that of the owner/ope. tor.
For coach operators tray( ing in Germany the police E particularly enthusiastic log books and tachograp being used correctnly.
Fuel tank dipping at t French Customs posts becoming more frequent a heavy fines are being impos for quantities of more than litres.