old - Fazer Owners Club - old
General => General => Topic started by: madmondeoman on 19 March 2012, 09:37:22 pm
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Our lovely friends across the sea have changed the laws for anyone visiting that you must by law carry a breathalyser kit.
From 1st July 2012 all drivers visiting France will need to carry a breathalyser kit in their cars, as French drivers will have to and from November 2012 there will be an €11 fine for non compliance.
Strangely they will be available at ferry and tunnel terminals for crossings to France.
Full details here http://www.1st4driving.co.uk/index.php/component/content/article/6/25 (http://www.1st4driving.co.uk/index.php/component/content/article/6/25)
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Wind up - ir is there actually a French industry in making these things?
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Absolutely the case and yes but they are cheaper in France (about 7€ for 3 in the Hypermarches) using UK non 'NF' marked ones no good as the French have a lower limit and the Gendarmes wont accept them. The reason is popularly believed to be proof of 'intent' despite having the means to check whethe rhe was legal Johnny Englander did sally forth after a lunchtime vino and knocked Jean Pierre from his bicycle...just went from having a bad day to having a very bad day
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Probably, it does help the French during the recession.
Why didn't the UK think of this?
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MMM I believe we are working on something similar but resources are still tied up in the self prosecution of speeding fines. The latest scheme is that your speedometer will monitor any excesses of speed in relation to GPS position....you may drive to your destination but the vehicle will not re-start unitil you insert first your chip and pin licence then your credit card. If a ban is issued the car will be dead to anyone using that licence...as will all other cars.
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I wouldn't expect this to find it's way over here, too many unnecessary variables for the CPS to deal with. How would this stand up in court when there's every possibility that the kits can be tampered with?
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Bollocks ter them I'll go through Belgium or Holland. :rollin
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You can add that to your compulsary hi-viz vest combo and don't even think about taking that, older than 2004 bike, in to a town or city with more than 100,000 ppl in it!!!1
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To hell with their stupid regulations!
How have we survived this long without all those "safety" regulations?!?
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I'll be over there on the bike this summer but i'm back in the UK on 30th June so just missed it :D
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erm is it to see if the officer who stops you has been drinking???????????
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DryRob...You miss the point completely The French will not use 'your' breathalyser to prosecute you. The French may stop you and require you to use it...and if you fail at the roadside take this as evidence that you had opportunity to establish whether you were legal and didn't use it (Many French will likely use one after one glass then go on to have another couple) This is why you must have at least 2 unused in the vehicle. The Gendarmes will use the interview period to assess whether they need to test you on their equipment. A fail means you had the opportunity to consider your actions yet still flouted the law...As far as a French Judge is concerned....you are for the big house and not passing go.
It is actually quite a good idea and for many the kits will lie in our glove boxes unused and go out of date (worth noting) This is all about the French 2 hour lunch break which is followed shortly after by kids heading home from school not so much aimed at foreign visitors but rules is rules.
Re the Hi Viz , bulbs, triangle ...all fairly sensible stuff and stuff we would be glad of in an emergency....French motorways at night can be pitch black out in the country with sleepy guys driving lorries through the night some with British plates and lights that don't highlight the verge...
With regard to the older than 2004 bikes in cities I don't think the Gendarmes will be too interested in foreign machines much the same as 100bhp applies to French bikes and matriculated imports
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You have plenty of time to consider your actions before/during consumption of your drink. A couple of breathalysers in a glovebox will not stop people who don't think they will get caught but if it leads to harsher punishment for drink driving then I'm all for it. Although to my eye it's got unnecessary cost written all over it.
Even if the kits were for only designated for self testing, would you trust a piece of kit with a disclaimer on it completely absolving the maker of any wrong doing in the event of a positive roadside test?
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Slaninar - presumably you think drinking and driving is OK then?
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Hi Rob kits of three @ 7€ (La Prix et la meme pour une boutille de vin) priced therefore to be 'affordable' - reliability...if you need to consider using it....you've drunk too much. There's no getting away from it they have put the 'reasonable doubt' arguement to bed....You go to court and claim you passed your own breathalyser...you still commited the offence and were willing to take the risk of being caught for it...that you used the kit proves you thought 'you may' be over. The manufacturers will rightly say 'only indicative' although they are quite accurate. The driver wont have a leg to stand on.
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The easiest way to remove this "reasonable doubt" business would be a 0 limit, I know there is a natural level of alcohol in the blood but this could be accounted for. I also know this is completely off-topic.
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At last..concensus....don't drink and drive
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Two objections: first, I don't drink so why should I pay 2 quid for something? And second this will encourage the drivers who have a small drink and drive - they can blow into the meter and drink until it's at 49 rather than estimate on the side of caution as people currently do.
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Why should you spend £2? because if you don't you will be breaking the law :pokefun.....you don't have to visit France...they will be ok about it :) French limit is much lower than ours so to err on the side of caution would be coca cola. All the rules do is put the breaker of the rules in a much worse position legally from a French Courts perspective.
If a Gendarme stops you and you aren't so equipped..if he is a nice guy (few are) he may accompany you to the cashpoint to get your fine money then wait by your vehicle till you return properly equipped or tell you where to pick your keys up when he is off shift...or even have the vehicle uplifted...all at your expense...£2 seems preferable ..
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http://www.frenchbreathalyzer.com/?gclid=CJuB74ue-K4CFUEOfAodBUrI0g (http://www.frenchbreathalyzer.com/?gclid=CJuB74ue-K4CFUEOfAodBUrI0g)
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Slaninar - presumably you think drinking and driving is OK then?
No. I never drink while driving, I always STOP for a beer. :)
Seriously: I understand that each driver has to carry their own breath alcohol tester? That sucks. The police should have those and use them when they suspect someone is drunk.
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Slaninar - presumably you think drinking and driving is OK then?
No. I never drink while driving, I always STOP for a beer. :)
Technically if you are 'sucking' it wont work...and the link in the pst above explains it better than I
Seriously: I understand that each driver has to carry their own breath alcohol tester? That sucks. The police should have those and use them when they suspect someone is drunk.
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The French police are getting very strict on a lot of things, and they issue on-the-spot fines that are just as they say: on-the-spot. Don't have the cash on you? They'll give you a lift to a cash machine - how you get back to your vehicle is up to you.
If you exceed the speed limit to excess, they can (and will) confiscate your vehicle. For good. Full stop.
And on the subject of speed, if your GPS receiver has speed camera locations recorded in it, that's also now illegal.
I'll be driving through France to get to Switzerland later in the year - must get hold of a breath kit. And a high viz for each person in the car. And all the other stuff we need to carry.
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Annnnd 'the stuff' need to be accessible from within the car....
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wow, has anyone got a theory test for france???
i cant even think to remember half of these rules.... remind me never to go please?!?!
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I have a home there and it's perfectly simple really...get an old biscuit tin or similar and shove a portable first aid kit (can be considered illegal in France not to render assistance - commonly referred to as the good samaritan rule) Hi viz vest - legal requirement is actually only for the driver or persons egressing the vehicle ergo one for each 'seat' Warning triangle ( I carry two) read my comments re French motorways at night earlier (Triangle wont fit in the tin but should under the front seat ditto a fire extinguisher (Lidls about £15 when they have them) spare set of bulbs..some latex gloves and of course one's breathalyser kits. A plastic wallet containing copies of travel docs insurance etc...good idea that way when you open the box plod can see you have come equipped!..To be fair...it's all handy stuff.. On the bike ...hi viz vest...spare bulbs...I carry a mini first aid kit through choice. Hope this helps
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so 'les flic' have been told not to prosecute until november..........
anyone had to produce hi viz, first aid, fire extinguisher and triangle when they've been stopped abroad?
when we went to le mans we were stopped 3 times, once was the full document, noise levels etc, not one biker (english or french) was asked to produce the above. now i would have thought that if they were going to the trouble of a dB meter then they would spend 30s looking for an easy collar for an infraction.
these views are purely my opinion and should not be relied upon in a court of (french) law as a definitive defence :lol
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it all sounds perfectly reasonable, but to my mind its incredible red tape .At what point does it stop? I mean, will you have to carry even more spare parts ?, or a portable drugs test kit , a portable heart attack detector, or a dementia detector ! :lol ...on cars where for many models its impossible to change a bulb at the roadside...has anyone changed a bike headlamp at the roadside ? I never have.....I just wonder how many can.
TBH I have never carried spare bulbs, and in any case, how do they know they are correct for your vehicle ?
Is the high viz rule in force for bikes now ?...or do you mean carry one for passengers if you breakdown?
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Bikes tend to get left alone unless being twats...I carry a hi viz anyway so no hardship...soon going to be compulsory to wear it though however I think this rule applies to French riders principally...(worth checking) Yes I can change headlight bulbs....however for my car its difficult without removing the lamps....but I changed them all to vision plus ok and carry the old bulbs as spares. Bike headlamp bulb change on an FZS 600..if it takes longer than three minutes start to finish I would be surprised...piece of pee
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I have carried the same bulb kit for 10 years and a friend gave it me after he had a clear out , I have no idea what it fits as I have never opened it lol.
I always have everything to hand in my tank bag for if and when I get stopped ,docs ,bulbs, first aid kit etc
I have been stopped for speeding twice in France and having all my docs,a hang dog expression and my smattering of French language have resulted in a tap on the Speedo and a wave on my way ..............so far
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news from across the water
http://ukfrancebikers.com/2012/03/25/90000-angry-bikers-bring-france-to-a-halt-in-demand-of-new-road-safety-measures/ (http://ukfrancebikers.com/2012/03/25/90000-angry-bikers-bring-france-to-a-halt-in-demand-of-new-road-safety-measures/)
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Is it a requirement for a motorcycle to carry a hi-viz?
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And an update: the breathalyser rule has been put on hold.
Ditto the requirement for us to wear HV jackets at all times.
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And an update: the breathalyser rule has been put on hold.
Ditto the requirement for us to wear HV jackets at all times.
As a Frenchman, perhaps I can shed some light.
1) The hi-viz rule was vehemently opposed by the French biking community. As a result, you need only to have reflective patches on your jacket & helmet (sizes escape me ATM).
2) France has run out of breathalysers, hence the pause. Also, the French are sure that there's a finger in a pie there, so I doubt that'll hold for long, if at all. The proof: it isn't being enforced at all. As of July, you were OK as long as you knew you *should* have them. Officially, it *should* have been enforced since September 1st 2012.
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According to the AA the size is 23 square inches. One of those Sam Browne reflective belts should be ok.
http://shop.theaa.com/content/driving-in-europe (http://shop.theaa.com/content/driving-in-europe)
New regulation – motorcycles – effective from 1st January 2013 All drivers and passengers of a motorcycle over 125cc or a motor tricycle over 15 KW/h must wear reflective clothing when riding their vehicles. In the event of an emergency stop, the reflective clothing still needs to be worn. The ‘reflective clothing’ must have a minimum reflective surface of 150 sq. cm (approx 23 sq. in.) in total either in one piece or in several pieces, and must be worn in the upper part of the body (between the neck and the waist). A fine will be imposed for non compliance.
Whilts trying to find out some more info I came across this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Browne_belt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Browne_belt)
Sam Browne belts were originally intended fo carrying swords.
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and now the law has been 'repealed' as the bloke that suggested it (a mate of Sarkosy), was the bloke going to make the most money from it!
read all aaaaaaaabaaaaaaaaaaahhhhttttt (http://www.connexionfrance.com/Breath-test-fines-Valls-Perrichon-road-deaths-CNSR-14429-view-article.html) it