Scariest experience of my life!!! (Nothern Ireland is still a bit mad)

fippy · 06-07-2009 10:54AM #1

Right so,

Last night went to see a dance show in belfast. I have a few drinks at the show so my girlfriend is driving home (back to cavan).
On the motorway the petrol light comes on so we decide to fill up in craigavon at about 12.30. We cant seem to find a petrol station so we stop to ask a policeman.
His first response to our question is "Can you make it to another town?"

I tell him we wont as we're about to run dry. He very reluctantly points in the direction of a filling station and we're on our way.
We pull up at the pumps (in our CN southern reg car) and notice there is a group of about 8 men hanging about the forecourt.
I get out and walk to the cash window. Im a little tipsy and as a naturally friendly sort of chap i say "Howya can i get 20 petrol?"
and place a 50euro note in the slot. the whole forecourt falls silent. its only now i notice the murals on the wall behind me "NO SURRENDER"
"LVF". The guy working behind the counter says in the most aggressive tone "Sorry sir we dont accept euros".

I rummage through my pockets looking for whatever sterling change i could find all the while notice the group of lads are making their way towards my
car...i threw £9 on the counter and made my way towards the car. The guys walk straight out in front of me and stop about five feet away stopping me from
going any further. I put my hands out in an apologetic motion to try and say this was just a misunderstanding but before i could open my mouth one of them says
"where do ya think your bringing that dirty taig car?".

They started to walk towards me and i was backing away. I could hear my girlfriend shouting from behind them to leave me alone. I was sure i was dead.

Just then the policeman i asked for directions pulls up onto the forecourt and him and another officer get out. All the men walk away and get into a car across the road.
One of the police men walks over and talks in their window as i put the petrol into the car. The police drove behind us until we got back to the motorway.
We made it to monaghan and filled up the tank fully.

Never again......It was the scariest thing ever!!!!

I realise it was as much my fault but i didnt know things were still as serious up north.

Anyone got any other related scary stories??

Gone Drinking · 06-07-2009 10:57AM

Wow, what retards.

kippy · 06-07-2009 10:58AM

Sadly that kinda thing can happen. In fairness, you dont have to be up North for it to happen. Had a similar experience outside a petrol station in Limerick years ago. It was a gang of drugged up scumbags who were doing the intimidation, would have probably robbed me were it not for the fact that a sqad car pulled in, they all scampered.

Rabies · 06-07-2009 10:58AM

fippy wrote: »

I realise it was as much my fault but i didnt know things were still as serious up north.

Not your fault.
Just small minded people that can't let go of the past.

Bazzy · 06-07-2009 11:00AM

Its marching season up there at the minute so tensions are a bit heightened. was there a subway in the garage you stopped at ?

My girlfriend lives in craigavon and to be fair its generally fairly quite i've a broad dublin accent and get on fine as I know the right parts to be in... there certain pubs I wouldnt drink in...

The police oviously knew something was up and you were lucky. Make sure you've plenty of juice next time your travelling.

On my route up from Dublin I get some dirty looks in the southern registered car in some of the villages I go through as I dont go on the main drag. But other than that it does be ok!

StopNotWorking · 06-07-2009 11:02AM

Really that is not your fault at all.

I made a stupid mistake myself once, in carrickfergus I wore my dublin GAA strip outside. Was walking through town with my friends and from what they said I nearly got pulled into a car! Either way they grabbed me and ran me back to our hostel. I was up there for a religious festival. Never again..

partyatmygaff · 06-07-2009 11:03AM

How stupid can they be? Can't believe people still believe in nationalistic bullsh1t.

KTRIC · 06-07-2009 11:04AM

Similar thing happened to myself and the gf in Tyrone in her German registered Saab 900. We were coming back from Belfast and managed to take a wrong turn, hence ending up in Tyrone.

I noticed the flags were getting less friendly as we went and coped we shouldn't be there. We finally seen a sign for Dublin and took that route. At this point we needed Petrol and pulled into what I can only describe as a gravel yard with a couple of pumps in it.

She got out and as she did one of the lads beside the pump came up and told her it was £20 before she even put petrol in the tank. I overheard this and spotted the UVF flag on a post. I jumped out of the car and told her in German we should go. The lads presumed we were just a bunch of stupid tourists and let it go.

Scared the sh!t out of me when I realised what was going on.

Rowley Birkin QC · 06-07-2009 11:05AM

Fair play to the cop for keeping an eye on you.

topper75 · 06-07-2009 11:11AM

Wearing a GAA jersey in Carrickfergus or driving into Craigavon in a CN reg car are not bright things to do. In the trade we call it "asking for it".

I don't recall any clause in the Good Friday Agreement saying southerners can now go about hardcore loyalist towns unhindered.

Common sense people.

The north has improved an awful lot, but you don't have license to do what you want, nor will you for a while to come I fear.

06-07-2009 11:13AM

It's ridiculous. My parents live in the north and I came up with my bf once in his D reg car. Didn't have any real problems but a lot of aggressive beeping and gestures (he's a good driver, we weren't doing anything stupid and I know the route well). I was surprised that this still happens.

ETA - Craigavon is NOT a hardcore Loyalist town. Plenty of Catholic estates round there. How is driving your CN reg car 'asking for it'? The car park of the shopping centre there is full of southern reg cars.

NOGMaxpower · 06-07-2009 11:18AM

topper75 wrote: »

Wearing a GAA jersey in Carrickfergus or driving into Craigavon in a CN reg car are not bright things to do. In the trade we call it "asking for it".

I don't recall any clause in the Good Friday Agreement saying southerners can now go about hardcore loyalist towns unhindered.

Common sense people.

The north has improved an awful lot, but you don't have license to do what you want, nor will you for a while to come I fear.

So its ok for sectarian yobs to pick on innocent people like this and anyone who comes into contact with them is "asking for it".

Jasus thats a load of ol rubbish, why is it only in these predominantly Loyalist areas that are so dangerous that your car reg will get you killed? You wouldn't find that happening in West Belfast or Ardoine for example.

And people think its the catholics who insight hatred and kill people based on their origin, religion (car)....

Put simply they are no better than the KKK lynching people for no reason other than their own ignorant racist beliefs.

StopNotWorking · 06-07-2009 11:19AM

Careful now.

NOGMaxpower · 06-07-2009 11:23AM

StopNotWorking wrote: »

Careful now.

of?

OP just add you were very lucky the cops turned up when they did!

mal1 · 06-07-2009 11:24AM

topper75 wrote: »

Wearing a GAA jersey in Carrickfergus or driving into Craigavon in a CN reg car are not bright things to do. In the trade we call it "asking for it".

I don't recall any clause in the Good Friday Agreement saying southerners can now go about hardcore loyalist towns unhindered.

Common sense people.

The north has improved an awful lot, but you don't have license to do what you want, nor will you for a while to come I fear.

What are you talking about? The man did nothing wrong. You phrased the above as if to say that it's his fault. These thugs are dim-wits. WHat do you mean by 'in the trade'?? We shouldn't tolerate things such as this or else it will be generations until things improve. It's Ireland here we are talking about, not the bloody Congo.

The good Friday Agreement doesn't say that southeners can go about hardcore loyalist towns unhinered?? The law of the land says that southereners or whoever chooses should have the freedom to enter any town unhindered.

Dr Strange · 06-07-2009 11:25AM

Well, if they want any tourists to spend their money there they really have to have a change of attitude. Really sad behaviour. :rolleyes:

Fink Goddie · 06-07-2009 11:26AM

I was in Belfast in Feb, everyone was nice except one taxi man, he was nice and cheerful until he heard our accents he refused to talk to us, ignored us for the rest of the journey.

Another taxi man was askin why we bothered visiting the place, that its full of hatred.

Personally i think they should ban the marches, what do they achieve now, they only cause trouble. Like the one the orange men or somebody had in O'Connell street a few years ago.
they knew there would be trouble, but they had to do it, why, when they knew it would cause sh1t!

ghostdancer · 06-07-2009 11:34AM

never had any trouble up north in many visits over the last few years.

there's parts of Dublin, Limerick, Cork, Sligo, etc, even my own home town that you could get that sort of behaviour regardless of where you're from.

giving over euros for your petrol is a pretty ignorant thing to do though.

mukki · 06-07-2009 11:35AM

topper75 wrote: »

Wearing a GAA jersey in Carrickfergus or driving into Craigavon in a CN reg car are not bright things to do. In the trade we call it "asking for it".

I don't recall any clause in the Good Friday Agreement saying southerners can now go about hardcore loyalist towns unhindered.

Common sense people.

The north has improved an awful lot, but you don't have license to do what you want, nor will you for a while to come I fear.

when a small child starts telling his/her parents lies it is in fact a major breakthru

it shows the child has realised what he/she knows is different to what his/her parents know

I wonder why you never realised that

scary story OP, glad i never cross that border

topper75 · 06-07-2009 11:36AM

[quote=[Deleted User];61013003]...

Plenty of Catholic estates round there. [/quote]

There are also Catholic estates in Ballymena, Coleraine etc. but that doesn't encourage me to go in to those towns in a GAA jersey/southern reg car!!! Know your towns.

NOGMaxpower wrote: »

So its ok for sectarian yobs to pick on innocent people like this and anyone who comes into contact with them is "asking for it".

Put simply they are no better than the KKK lynching people for no reason other than their own ignorant racist beliefs.

No it's not OK. And yes they are a bit KKK in their outlook. You want to go reason with them? Go ahead. In my view - yes you are asking for it.

mal1 wrote: »

What are you talking about? The man did nothing wrong. You phrased the above as if to say that it's his fault. ... The law of the land says that southereners or whoever chooses should have the freedom to enter any town unhindered.

A guy crossing a river of crocodiles is not 'doing anything wrong' either is he? The law says you are not to steal cars. Doesn't mean I am leaving it unlocked on some rundown inner city street. If you fail to recognise reality then you suffer the comeuppance.

WindSock · 06-07-2009 11:36AM

Gone Drinking wrote: »

Wow, what retards.

Preusse wrote: »

Well, if they want any tourists to spend their money there they really have to have a change of attitude. Really sad behaviour. :rolleyes:

Exactly. NI is clearly in need of a boost from the tourist industry. It has a lot to offer and is a right shame that these half-witted cunt heads deter anyone from visiting.

But then again, meh. I suppose you get that **** all over. I was intimidated by a bunch of guys in a local petrol station a few years ago. It wasn't under that guise of political motivation, they were just local skangers in a big group thinking they were all billy big balls.

Slow Motion · 06-07-2009 11:40AM

topper75 wrote: »

A guy crossing a river of crocodiles is not 'doing anything wrong' either is he? The law says you are not to steal cars. Doesn't mean I am leaving it unlocked on some rundown inner city street. If you fail to recognise reality then you suffer the comeuppance.

So what you're saying is that those guys acted like a bunch of prehistoric animals? Sounds about right to me, maybe someone should tell them about evolution!

fippy · 06-07-2009 11:44AM

topper75 wrote: »

Wearing a GAA jersey in Carrickfergus or driving into Craigavon in a CN reg car are not bright things to do. In the trade we call it "asking for it".

I don't recall any clause in the Good Friday Agreement saying southerners can now go about hardcore loyalist towns unhindered.

Common sense people.

The north has improved an awful lot, but you don't have license to do what you want, nor will you for a while to come I fear.

do you think i wanted to stop there????

it was fill up there or spend the night there!!!

topper75 · 06-07-2009 11:45AM

NI is still a good tourist destination. Belfast and Derry are cool towns and the north coast is beautiful. But you need to be aware where you are going - find out beforehand. Certain towns are not welcoming to southerners, and if this comes as a surprise to you then the outcome could well be Darwinian.

For the sake of common sense, do not betray or advertise that you are a southerner. Do not wear a GAA jersey. If you have a southern reg, do not drive into a town with loyalist estates. Don't broadcast your thoughts loudly in a southern accent whilst wandering around towns.

Learn some political geography - it could save your life.;)

keano_afc · 06-07-2009 11:47AM

You ended up in the wrong place OP. I agree that the North has come on in leaps and bounds in the last few years. My wife lived up there for 5 years before we were married and I can honestly say I never had a problem, and a couple of her workmates were real hardline loyalists. Unfortunately there's always gonna be a couple of bad apples.

topper75 · 06-07-2009 11:50AM

fippy wrote: »

do you think i wanted to stop there????

it was fill up there or spend the night there!!!

Fine - you got away with it Fippy - lesson learned?

BTW - there are three 'runs' I do in the north. Runs for which I always ensure that I have full tank and everything is in working order:

1. Belfast Newry - a few hardcore areas here you don't want a puncture in. Motorway itself is OK (apart from some aggressive behaviour from other motorists pointed out already by one poster).
2. Strabane to Derry - I go this way cos it is a better road surface but I always pray for no breakdowns. Union Jack city.
3. North coast towns - nice run from Derry over to Bushmills but I daren't show my taigness at any point. This is the bible belt.

getz · 06-07-2009 11:50AM

yes there are a lot of idiots still around ,on both sides od the border.i aways go to the republic on my holidays and stay in cottages in wicklow [ive a big love for the irish and ireland,]this year i intended to travel up to donegal ,just to see whare my irish ancestors came from,untill my wife said she met a english family who went there last year and had their english reg car burnt out,maybe in a couple of years i will give it a try.

the_dark_side · 06-07-2009 11:55AM

about 20 years ago, we were driving through a part of Fermanagh one night on the way back from Dublin. We were stopped by 4 armed men who were dressed in dark clothes which didnt seem to be official uniform. They were standing in the middle of the road, and appeared to be waiting for someone. They asked my dad who he was and where he was going, then they waved us on. I remember mum saying, who was that? That it wasnt the army or the RUC. We listened to the news the next morning but there was no reports of any incidents that night... I do remember my dad being a bit shaken after driving away from the group of men. That was my scariest experience in the North.
Nowadays, you probably wont ever see this kind of thing, but there are parts of NI that you do not wear anything Irish, speak Irish, or drive a southern reg car. Ive been in and out through East Belfast lately in a Southern reg, but during the day, and didnt have a problem.

mal1 · 06-07-2009 11:57AM

Topper, I think you’re missing the point. There's a difference in recognising the dangers in life and the idle acceptance of them.

We all acknowledge the dangers with entering certain areas in the world and the possible consequences of doing so (crocodiles infested swamps aren’t necessarily included in that). We should never simply accept that this is a fact of life and that we should strive to avoid such dangers, instead of tackling the problem and condemning the plonkers for the thick morons that they are.

I had a bad experience with a RUC officer years ago in Belfast while up there on business. He refused to help me find my way back to the M1 and was fairly insulting. Thankfully it looks like the new police force are a lot better.

skyhighflyer · 06-07-2009 11:57AM

topper75 wrote: »

Wearing a GAA jersey in Carrickfergus or driving into Craigavon in a CN reg car are not bright things to do. In the trade we call it "asking for it".

What fcuking trade are you in, assassain-for-hire?

the_dark_side · 06-07-2009 11:59AM

getz wrote: »

yes there are a lot of idiots still around ,on both sides od the border.i aways go to the republic on my holidays and stay in cottages in wicklow [ive a big love for the irish and ireland,]this year i intended to travel up to donegal ,just to see whare my irish ancestors came from,untill my wife said she met a english family who went there last year and had their english reg car burnt out,maybe in a couple of years i will give it a try.

I have a good many English friends that live in Donegal, and have been for years. Whoever this was that had theor English reg car burnt out was very unlucky, alot of my neighbours up here drive English and Northern reg cars as they buy them in from the UK and use an address in the North so they wont have to pay VRT.

Scariest experience of my life!!! (Nothern Ireland is still a bit mad)

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