French Bin the Hi-Vis Proposals...

[Cook1e]

Hot off the press from MAG:
We've just heard that the French interior Minister Emmanuel Valls has decided to withdraw the 150 square centimetre hi-viz rule.

Apparently he has acknowledged the protests from riders and that there really isn't any basis for the move.

MAG highlighted a few months ago, that apart from setting a dangerous precedent and creating the possibility that responsibility for accidents could be automatically shifted toward those riders not wearing the hi-viz as required, the French Government had also found itself in possible breach of a Directive which stipulated minimum quantities of hi-viz IF hi-viz was being prescribed.

If you read French:
http://motomag.com/Derniere-minute-Emmanuel-Valls-suspend-le-brassard-jaune-des-motards.html


--
Paddy Tyson
Campaigns Coordinator
Motorcycle Action Group
www.mag-uk.org
01926 844064

 

[Steptoe]

You're luke warm. It's already been [URL="http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=320452"]POSTED[/URL]

And it hasn't been "binned". It's been suspended.

 

[Wapping]

It makes it twice as good

 

[glenn2926]

And there I was

Thinking it was a reflective thing and not a high vis thing.

 

[Cook1e]

Correct on 2 Counts

Old News and Suspended... However, I was just passing on information, not interpreting it.

MAG's source translates (via Google) as:

"Last minute: Manuel Valls suspends wearing yellow armbands bikers!!
Manuel Valls announced the suspension of the obligation to wear the reflective armband at January 1, 2013, Tuesday, November 27 at the National Council for Road Safety (NCRP). Another victory for the French Federation of Angry Bikers (FFMC).

The Interior Minister seems to have heard the discontent of users of 2-wheel motors, motorcycles and scooters alike. The arguments of angry bikers have done enough to fly that the government does not impose a measure that is more of a folklore of communicating that policy effective road safety.

It therefore defer the decision and subjected to consultation with representatives of users. As this dialogue has not taken place, more reflective armband!!

A follow Motomag going back in the day on this information."

 

[ymfb]

Never ever use google translate !

It will get you into trouble

 

[Cook1e]

Never ever use google translate !

It will get you into trouble

Whenever I use it seriously (e.g. for work), I always run the translation back into English - just in case...

Good tip though.

In the infancy of machine translation, a computer was used to translate between English and Russian. When translated back, the phrase "out of sight, out of mind" had been rendered as "invisible idiot".

 

[Mick-B]

Hi Viz and France

Old News and Suspended... However, I was just passing on information, not interpreting it.

MAG's source translates (via Google) as:

"Last minute: Manuel Valls suspends wearing yellow armbands bikers!!
Manuel Valls announced the suspension of the obligation to wear the reflective armband at January 1, 2013, Tuesday, November 27 at the National Council for Road Safety (NCRP). Another victory for the French Federation of Angry Bikers (FFMC).

The Interior Minister seems to have heard the discontent of users of 2-wheel motors, motorcycles and scooters alike. The arguments of angry bikers have done enough to fly that the government does not impose a measure that is more of a folklore of communicating that policy effective road safety.

It therefore defer the decision and subjected to consultation with representatives of users. As this dialogue has not taken place, more reflective armband!!

A follow Motomag going back in the day on this information."

Hmmm... that is as maybe but has anyone informed Les Flics (en réalité, Gendarmerie nationale, Ministère de l'intérieur)? Their website FAQ still carries the following (with apologies for Google's answer to "Allo, Allo"):

"Motorcycles, reflective vests will soon be compulsory?

The decree of January 3, 2012 imposes with effect from 1st January 2013, the port facilities retroreflective all drivers or passengers of a motorcycle with a cylinder capacity exceeding 125 cm 3 or a vehicle of category L5e a power greater than 15 kW.

This equipment, in one or more parts must be of a total area of at least 150 cm 2 . It must be worn on the upper body, with the exception of the helmet from the belt to the shoulder line, so as to be visible to other road users.

NB: A retroreflective element is based on the principle of the reflector. It is used to reflect a light beam in the direction of incoming light flux, and whatever the angle of incidence. On equipment with high visibility, these parts are often gray."

For those Francofiles among us, original text is as follows:

FAQ sécurité routière

Motocyclettes, les gilets rétroréfléchissants bientôt obligatoire ?

L'arrêté du 3 janvier 2012 impose, à compter du 1er janvier 2013, le port d'équipements rétroréfléchissants à tous conducteurs ou passagers d’une motocyclette d’une cylindrée supérieure à 125 cm3 ou d’un véhicule de la catégorie L5e d’une puissance supérieure à 15 kW.

Cet équipement, en une seule ou plusieurs parties, doit être d’une surface totale au moins égale à 150 cm2 . Il doit être porté sur le haut du corps, à l’exception du casque, à partir de la ceinture à la ligne des épaules, de manière à être visible des autres usagers de la route.

NB : Un élément rétroréfléchissant est fondé sur le principe du catadioptre. Il sert à réfléchir un faisceau lumineux dans la direction du flux lumineux entrant, et ce quel que soit l'angle d'incidence. Sur les équipements à haute visibilité, ces parties sont le plus souvent grises."

I guess that it might be wise to comply, if only to avoid having one's collar felt.

 

[Riders Rest]

Definitely been binned and everyone in France knows...

 

[John Armstrong]

Definitely been binned and everyone in France knows...

And the breathalysers?

 

[ebbo]

Sounds good to me stupid law to impose in the first place