denzil77

anyone driven in europe with red diesel. need to make a trip in a van from france to southern germany. cosidering taking a few large cannisters of red diesel with me from england?

not using it until i'm in france obviously?

any thoughts

dmu

Hi, red diesel is illegal in France except for certain vehicles. I haven't found an official site, but the unofficial
http://dictionnaire.sensagent.com/red+diesel/en-en/
indicates the only vehicles using it allowed on the public highway and the sanctions if you're caught.
Not recommended to pass through France!
Maybe via Holland and north Germany? I'd ask on the Netherlands and Germany forums, rather than the general Europe one.
All the best!

Domino

Isn't it also illegal to own\hold red diesel when not entitled?

Surely the carriage of dangerous goods regulations would also come into this and take priority over the colour\use. This would be further compounded if travelling on a ferry.

Mitzyboy

HMRC will be interested in the revenue loss. For one thing you will have to declare it when you go out of the country as a hazard. This will alert the powers that be.

Our trucks, believe it or not, used to be pulled at the ports on the way IN, because we had super tanks full of foreign fuel!

Red diesel is red for a reason. Its tax free for agricultural use, and I assume you aint going to be ploughing the roads up

anonimouse

When I came over on the ferry it said on the paperwork only to have half a tank in the car, so doubt you would get away carrying any.

It is illegal anyway, more chance of getting away with it just by filling the cars tank, one tank full will give you a saving.

How much is it in the UK now? I used to get it for 9p about 7 years ago. Last time I saw it it was around 50p. If it's more than this I doubt it's worth taking the risk, might as well use white.

uk_vette

Never used Red,

So, on your returnm you guy's never fill up to the neck, when returning from France I always do.
I take mine right to the max.
Then I start filling the 4 x 25 liter containers that I have.
The LC doesn't even feel the extra 100kg in the back.

A couple of my internet friends, have long range tanks fitted.
These long range tanks carry an additional 170 liters, in addition to the 100 liters in the normal tank.

Filling up at Carrefour is normally done the evening before departure, .

vette

Mitzyboy

And if HMRC actually twig this as they come through the border, they could well be stung for it.

As I mentioned earlier, large tanks fitted to trucks were frowned on a long time back, because the UK authorities saw it as revenue loss

anonimouse

I don't have large tanks, they must cost a few bob, I don't commute to the Uk or it might be viable, it's ok until you get caught I guess and then it depends on how long you get away with it for as to whether it costs you or not after the fine.

I had a large boat that used Red, but they were saying they were doing away with it and making the price the same as white, I'm afraid I'm well out of touch now so don't know what they actually made legal or illegal with it. at one time we had to fill forms in to say it was for marine use and give our home address.

I have a petrol car at the mo.

Domino

insurance company informed of the alteration to original specification.

as I said earlier the Carriage of Dangerous Goods regulations may well come into play on this.

I sent a hand gel approved for swine flu to Belfast from UK and was advised it had been impounded - the gel contained alcohol and was classified under Dangerous Goods, so many gallons of Red would be even worse.

Mitzyboy

Are people aware that the Customs & Excise Management Act allowed HMRC to seize vehicles used for smuggling / drugs / revenue fraud I wonder?

Im_and_Er

Diesel of any colour carried/stored in properly designed tanks fitted to a vehicle would not fall under IMDG Dangerous Goods by Sea regulations. Jerry cans and other containers however would and would be refused carriage if found.

Your alcoholic hand gel was presumably sent by post so is an an entirely different matter.

Domino

yes, sent by post - as I said, to Belfast. That means the package has to go by sea or air and therefore is defined as Dangerous Goods.
the galling part was it actually says so on the box, very small logo hidden in amongst all the other info and we missed it.
too busy using it !!

Im_and_Er

You'll know to look for and remove or obscure such marking in the future then

I didn't say that BTW, who ME ?

Domino

nope, its on The List as a product.
probably have a dog trained to sniff it out.

cognitivLib

You might want to have a cover story.. perhaps load several bags of menure into the van, and dress like farmer.

I have no idea about the rules on transporting dangerous materials, but it would be silly to treat diesel with with as much caution as gasoline or alcohol. It would be like buying cooking oil from the grocery store in bulk. If you drop a lit match in bucket bio-diesel, it will put the match out.. and probably the same for petroleum diesel.