radio activity
We arrived back at Portsmouth on July 5th on the 22.30 ferry.We cleared passport control and were directed to a border force point where we were told our outfit or our selves were showing signs of radio activity.The lady was very good at her explanation.After several walks around car and caravan a visit inside the van we had to drive through their detector again.This bought a response from border force to fetch in the boffins.We left them at 23.30 non the wiser. We thought at first it was Candid Camera but the delay cost us a late arrival home.
Comments
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A very interesting post! What did they say could be causing it or what radiation they were detecting?
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"The lady was very good at her explanation."
It would be good to know what the explanation was.🤔
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https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/radiation-screening-ports-and-airports
Likely sources might be implanted 'seeds' for treatment of certain cancers, possible decorative paint on glasses which can contain uranium, glow in the dark hands on watches, amongst others.0 -
But surely as described in the link the equipment can tell which is which and thousands of outfits pass through without any problems carrying all the articles described? For example I noticed when I changed the smoke alarm it said it contains radioactive material.
What I find interesting is that they had to go through the checks twice and I assume similar checks were made on the way out(?) and into and out of France?
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Tinwheeler you're right, and the original post worried me, which was why googled it and added some information to provoke some thought and further discussion. I think if myself or my partner, or my outfit, as showing evidence of radioactivity I would want to know why. I hope the original poster comes back and tells us what the explanation was as he was obviously satisfied with it
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The OP mentioned a good explanation but said they left none the wiser. Like you, Val, I’d want to know the full story as it would certainly cause me concern.
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I think all we've got is a half story, which is apt - just like the half-life of whatever triggered the alarm
.I assume as they were allowed on their way it was either a equipment failure or something like that? Anything of real danger would have been stopped.
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Surprised to see so many posts.The conclusion arrived at was that it was probably a faulty reading on their equipment.However there were 3 other outfits behind us ,so we were not the only ones pulled over.They also had to pass through the screening again,and as far as I know,they were left wondering also.We are sun tanned after our 7 weeks away and not green and glowing
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Thankyou for completing the story but did you not establish a definite reason for the double scanning? This was a potentially serious situation and I certainly would have wanted some factual answers.
It's the prospective seriousness of the issue which has attracted people's interest. It's really not surprising.
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Well maybe the reason for so many posts is that you set up a puzzle that you didn't give the answer to, but as I thought it was some sort equipment failure.
Also this is, to my recall, the only time this has been posted on.
Any ideas what type of radiation and what reading they were detecting?
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Sorry but I thought you were given a good explanation?
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Perhaps the explanation was in relation to the reason they were stopped in the first place (quote: we were told our outfit or our selves were showing signs of radio activity.The lady was very good at her explanation.) and not an explanation of the findings?
Only guessing, I'd rather have a full tale as well!
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I wouldn’t worry unduly if you were stopped, especially if there were others who were stopped behind you. Everything is radioactive in varying degrees and the detection instruments have to discriminate between background radiation and radiation levels that constitute a risk to national security. The instruments are very sensitive and need regular calibration since drift over time is a real problem. It’s likely the detection instrument was due, or overdue, for calibration and hence the higher than expected number of vehicles being stopped. It’s unlikely the static instrument could tell which radionuclide was responsible for the alarm, it likely a more sophisticated hand held device would be required to determine that.
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Perhaps he'd been doing a relief run to Chernobyl.
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