french travel 2014

snow

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I have to travel down to Montelimar in the next couple of weeks. I have done the journey a few times in the past but would appreciate an update on, I think, various changes to motoring requirements.

Are yellow jackets now required to be worn at all times

Someone told me my helmet must have reflective stickers on four sides

have to carry two breathaliser kits

I have the usual red triangle/ light bulbs/ hi vis vest

Is it a requirement to have a GB sticker or union flag sticker

Any other words of wisdom appreciated

Anthony
 
Take the ferry/tunnel and ride

You don't need any of that crap stated, it's all bollox
 
JB is wrong.

You must wear a yellow jacket at all times, with a special emphasis on breakfast sittings in Lyon and Nantes. It's the law.

Any other words of wisdom appreciated

Check the weather forecast.

Check the amount of fuel in your tank.

Check your tyres.

Check everything.

Worry less.
 
A couple of things:
Speed camera warnings on GPS and other devices are now illegal. Its not enough to disable the function, the data must be removed from the device.

If you care about such things, many speed cameras now have no warning signs.


Other than that, avoid the autoroutes, take your time and you'll have a great trip - France is a paradise for motos.


One more thing, get your mind around 'priorite a droit' I've been here for a long time and I still get caught out.
 
A couple of things:
Speed camera warnings on GPS and other devices are now illegal. Its not enough to disable the function, the data must be removed from the device.

If you care about such things, many speed cameras now have no warning signs.


Other than that, avoid the autoroutes, take your time and you'll have a great trip - France is a paradise for motos.


One more thing, get your mind around 'priorite a droit' I've been here for a long time and I still get caught out.

A lot of GPS devices now have 'Danger Zones' loaded, I'm thinking just camera locations under a different title??????
 
A lot of GPS devices now have 'Danger Zones' loaded, I'm thinking just camera locations under a different title??????
The French ministry has approved a set of 'Danger Zones' which include camera locations as well as accident black spots - they can be up to 4km in length.

AFAIK these are available in GPS devices sold in France. It would be wise to check with your GPS manufacturer whether your Danger Zones are in fact approved (legal) or whether they are speed camera locations by another name (illegal, and the Gendermes know the difference).

Some will suggest just disabling the speed camera function on your GPS, but this will not persuade a keen GD.
 
If it was not for the internet we would all just ride across France as I do.....

.... which is exactly the same as at home, I ride to the conditions, don't give a toss about speed camera's & traps / removing stuff from my sat-nav, having a full drugs testing kit (I know I am not pissed by day)

I do not take the piss and ride in a smooth(ish) controlled (most of the time) manner and have a great time - even a Police escort to a cash point would not ruin my Euro-trips, I would rather risk maybe having to pay a small fine one day than go whacking stickers on my lid, buggering around with my sat-nav, stocking up on all sorts of crap in case of a tug from Les Feds.....

Who in my French experience tend to either pay you no attention or wave at you in a friendly manner.
 
If it was not for the internet we would all just ride across France as I do.....

.... which is exactly the same as at home, I ride to the conditions, don't give a toss about speed camera's & traps / removing stuff from my sat-nav, having a full drugs testing kit (I know I am not pissed by day)

I do not take the piss and ride in a smooth(ish) controlled (most of the time) manner and have a great time - even a Police escort to a cash point would not ruin my Euro-trips, I would rather risk maybe having to pay a small fine one day than go whacking stickers on my lid, buggering around with my sat-nav, stocking up on all sorts of crap in case of a tug from Les Feds.....

Who in my French experience tend to either pay you no attention or wave at you in a friendly manner.
€1500:blast

Is it not polite to conform to local driving laws when you are in another country?

Do you choose to ignore priorite a driote too?
 
I am with Rasher on this one.

Do correspondents to French forums spend time worrying that it is illegal in the UK to ride with a dark visor that does not permit at least X amount of light through? Do British riders worry about the same thing or do they just ignore it?

Do French bikers hesitate to come to Britain as they have heard from a mate's mate down the Bar du Sport, that it's the law that you must wear so much protective clothing when riding a motorbike in England? "Merde", they say "C'est une infringemont du mon droits!"

Do British riders worry that it's illegal through most European countries to ride a motorcycle whose decibel output through the vehicle's exhaust exceeds by X % the figure shown in on their V5 and / or stamped into the vehicle's 'Type approval' plate? But they do it anyway, on the grounds that their bike doesn't sound right if they don't and it's only manufactured that way to comply with some wanky EU dictat dreamed up by some git in Bruxelles who they didn't vote for.

Do British bikers spend hours chewing their nails that it's illegal in the UK to ride around with a number plate that does not comply exactly to certain very specific specifications on colour, size, shape and spacing of numbers and / or letters? Do they spend sleepless nights, tossing and turning, that their number plate, instead of featuring the post code of the manufacturer, says 'My other rides got tits'? Or do they turn a blind inwards eye, on the grounds that ROG3R or TOS5ER on a cut down, badly spaced plate makes a statement about them, establishing their uniqueness?

Do all riders spend every minute of their waking day anxious that it is most definitely against the law to exceed very clearly defined speed limits, but they do it anyway; particularly in France, "Where the roads are awesome mate, no cars and the feckers pull over. They love bikers". Of course the answer to that one, is that they only start really worrying about it after they have been caught and possibly prosecuted, as witnessed by the number of threads that start 'I have been flashed, will I get a NIP?"
 
I am with Rasher on this one.

Do correspondents to French forums spend time worrying that it is illegal in the UK to ride with a dark visor that does not permit at least X amount of light through? Do British riders worry about the same thing or do they just ignore it?

Do French bikers hesitate to come to Britain as they have heard from a mate's mate down the Bar du Sport, that it's the law that you must wear so much protective clothing when riding a motorbike in England? "Merde", they say "C'est une infringemont du mon droits!"

Do British riders worry that it's illegal through most European countries to ride a motorcycle whose decibel output through the vehicle's exhaust exceeds by X % the figure shown in on their V5 and / or stamped into the vehicle's 'Type approval' plate? But they do it anyway, on the grounds that their bike doesn't sound right if they don't and it's only manufactured that way to comply with some wanky EU dictat dreamed up by some git in Bruxelles who they didn't vote for.

Do British bikers spend hours chewing their nails that it's illegal in the UK to ride around with a number plate that does not comply exactly to certain very specific specifications on colour, size, shape and spacing of numbers and / or letters? Do they spend sleepless nights, tossing and turning, that their number plate, instead of featuring the post code of the manufacturer, says 'My other rides got tits'? Or do they turn a blind inwards eye, on the grounds that ROG3R or TOS5ER on a cut down, badly spaced plate makes a statement about them, establishing their uniqueness?

Do all riders spend every minute of their waking day anxious that it is most definitely against the law to exceed very clearly defined speed limits, but they do it anyway; particularly in France, "Where the roads are awesome mate, no cars and the feckers pull over. They love bikers". Of course the answer to that one, is that they only start really worrying about it after they have been caught and possibly prosecuted, as witnessed by the number of threads that start 'I have been flashed, will I get a NIP?"
Weeeeeell, when you put it like that . . . . .
And to be honest I do tend to work that system to my personal advantage.:rolleyes:

I'm still very paranoid about priorite a droite though:eek
 
Mods, please make sticky, as an essential reference point when the next time this worrisome question surfaces..... Probably next Tuesday.
 
JB is wrong.

You must wear a yellow jacket at all times, with a special emphasis on breakfast sittings in Lyon and Nantes. It's the law.

Really?

When was this resurrected and put in effect by the French authorities?
 
A couple of things:
Speed camera warnings on GPS and other devices are now illegal. Its not enough to disable the function, the data must be removed from the device.

If you care about such things, many speed cameras now have no warning signs.


Other than that, avoid the autoroutes, take your time and you'll have a great trip - France is a paradise for motos.


One more thing, get your mind around 'priorite a droit' I've been here for a long time and I still get caught out.

I understood the law related to speed detection devices rather than fixed speed camera location facilities in your sat nav ? As your sat nav does not detect speed cameras (unlike such devices as e.g. Road Angel) then where is the problem. I also understood that the French Police have no power to interrogate your sat nav (or I phone for that matter) to ascertain if you have the facility in the equipment? :confused:
 
I understood the law related to speed detection devices rather than fixed speed camera location facilities in your sat nav ? As your sat nav does not detect speed cameras (unlike such devices as e.g. Road Angel) then where is the problem. I also understood that the French Police have no power to interrogate your sat nav (or I phone for that matter) to ascertain if you have the facility in the equipment? :confused:
No, in fact a new law (in 2012 IIRC) makes it illegal to keep databases of the position of fixed speed cameras in GPS and other devices - it, apparently, even applies to paper maps.
From the AA:
Effective from 3 January 2012 French laws prohibiting drivers from carrying devices capable of detecting speed cameras have been extended to include devices able to warn or inform of the location of speed cameras e.g. satnav or gps systems capable of showing speed camera sites as PoI.

There are lots of new speed cameras in France (though not anywhere near as many as the UK) Many/most do not have warning signs, though the presence of a speed advertisment sign (telling you your currnet speed) is an indication, not all of these signs are follwed by a speed camers.

If you're riding a Brit registered bike then there is no need to worry as there is currnently no system for enforcing French speed camera signs in the UK.

I believe that the new law permits inspection of devices in the car.
 
They are nice, one gave me a free ticket for the Rugby World Cup, on the infamous 'Diesel Tour'.... And only hit me five times.
 
They are nice, one gave me a free ticket for the Rugby World Cup, on the infamous 'Diesel Tour'.... And only hit me five times.
GDs are nice too, until you get on their bad side.

I like the way French Police and GDs give you a proper salute very often. I like to think it establishes the relationship correctly, upright citizen and taxpayer vs servant of the state.

Maybe our Bibble could take this onboard.

Have to admit I never saw CRS saluting, generally if you see the CRS, stars is all you see thereafter.
 


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