redsmartie
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Does he really need to see the MOT details on my BRAND NEW Triple Black? 
Riding in the Alps (France and Switzerland) - requirements and documentation
- Thread starter redsmartie
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Does he really need to see the MOT details on my BRAND NEW Triple Black?
No. In as much as the brand new bike does not have an MOT document. But, I guess you knew that already.
The model designation (and colour) is only remotely interesting to your bikermates. The foreign police - and most of the even half sensible UK - don't give a toss.
I always believed it a requirement in some countries, and therefore as routine, pack my registration document V5, certificate of insurance (including the second page which shows the european cover). along with my turnip
Deleted account 211025001
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I can vouch for this approach
When I was young(er) & foolish(er) I rode through Serbia with some interesting paper work. It seemed like a good idea at the time....... we'd not long stopped bombing the shit out of them and there were military and Police everywhere. Sometimes the paperwork was given just a cursory glance and on other occasions it'd disappear with the man with a gun for a good twenty minutes or so.
Regardless of how much attention they gave the paper work I shat myself every time.
No issues though and I'm still here to tell the tale
Andres
The Grey One
Registered user
Yes, just a sensible precaution. The chances of these documents being asked for let alone scrutinized is not high. But if the shit really does hit the fan you could make matters a whole lot worse by not having them. In some countries such as were we lived in Austria the policeman stopping you for speeding has the right to fine you according to the circumstances. Stop straight way, take off your helmet, apologise and if asked produce your documents and the fine will drop. We had cases every season where one rider in a group,all stopped together, ended up with a much bigger fine than his mates. Usually this was for arguing with the policeman and led to said policeman taking a close look at the bike and docs. Anyway most continental policemen carry guns and its never a good idea to argue with a man carrying a gun!
John
Staying at a gite in Burgundy, we popped out to refresh the pantry and cellar. At the end of the village was a Gendamerie road block. All the paper work was in the backpack, back in the gite. All we had with us was the booking form and directions to the gite.
Mme La Gendameuse looked at them and decided they were official. I did offer to get the real thing, but she just smiled nicely and waved us on.
Mme La Gendameuse looked at them and decided they were official. I did offer to get the real thing, but she just smiled nicely and waved us on.
redsmartie
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Would it not be better to go native and carry a garlic rather than a turnip?
redsmartie
Registered user
What are the thoughts on reflective stickers on helmets?
Deleted account 211025001
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Reason I mention it is that in France, almost all police roadblocks are for document checks. Normally you just get waved through when they see your an etranger.
However, according to the rules of the dastardly EU its fine to drive a vehicle in any EU country so long as its legal in its country of registration. This is getting harder to prove.
In France the idea that UK registration, MOT and insurance are all done online is met with frank incredulity.
However, according to the rules of the dastardly EU its fine to drive a vehicle in any EU country so long as its legal in its country of registration. This is getting harder to prove.
In France the idea that UK registration, MOT and insurance are all done online is met with frank incredulity.
Are all the police officers called Frank? ...... Sounds a lot like Mrs McCave who had too many Daves (copyright Dr Zeuss)...
Whilst I suspect you are being mischievous perhaps, it's not getting harder to prove at all.
(1) The passport, which (as we have no identity card) is arguably the most important document is always a 'hard' document, as opposed to a 'soft' electronic record.
(2) The driving licence the same, most often now in two parts but with some retaining the older single document.
(3) A British insurance certificate might indeed be issued electronically for the owner to print out. The traveller would, for very obvious reasons, be wise to carry a hard printed out copy. That it could be faked is obvious - and I don't doubt that some either very foolish or very bad people might well create a fake of all sorts of documents up to an including their real identity - but no doubt the faking would be discovered, if the offence committed (or the suspicion) was serious enough to warrant a fuller investigation.
(4) MOT certificates are issued in a hard copy anyway. It is arguable whether the traveller is obliged to have theirs with them abroad. It doesn't do any harm to take it. Not having an MOT does not invalidate the third party section of a UK insurance policy, see (3) above.
(5) Evidence of road tax is held electronically.
Documents (1) (2) and (4) are held in parallel by the UK government in an electronic form, no doubt easily transmittable to another government agency anywhere in the world if required. Similarly, document (5). Document (3) is held electronically by the insurer AND by a UK government agency, easily transmittable anywhere in the world at an 'official' level if and as required, no doubt.
That the French and for all I know the Swedes and the Czechs, find it extraordinary that the British issue electronic documents is not something to concern the average traveller. I find it extraordinary in the 21st century that the French are still in love with the facsimile, as opposed to an emailed PDF - and have evidence of insurance stuck to their windscreen or fork tube - but I can temper my incredulity if it suits me, quite easily; as I am sure you can too.
They look the dog's.
Garlic is useless in cannons, the Code Napoleon demands a turnip. Take great care, some websites and forums mistranslate 'navet' (turnip) as swede. This promotes swathes of kidnapping of Nordic people, Britt Ekland in particular getting very bored with it.
I think that you forget that CCTV/ANPR is nothing like as common in Europe so paper and stickers rule. And, trying to get a PDF to policeman that has just staggered out of the restaurant, having eaten three courses with the half litre of Château Migraine thrown in aint going to work, is it
Only partly mischeviousWhilst I suspect you are being mischievous perhaps, it's not getting harder to prove at all.
(1) The passport, which (as we have no identity card) is arguably the most important document is always a 'hard' document, as opposed to a 'soft' electronic record.
(2) The driving licence the same, most often now in two parts but with some retaining the older single document.
(3) A British insurance certificate might indeed be issued electronically for the owner to print out. The traveller would, for very obvious reasons, be wise to carry a hard printed out copy. That it could be faked is obvious - and I don't doubt that some either very foolish or very bad people might well create a fake of all sorts of documents up to an including their real identity - but no doubt the faking would be discovered, if the offence committed (or the suspicion) was serious enough to warrant a fuller investigation.
(4) MOT certificates are issued in a hard copy anyway. It is arguable whether the traveller is obliged to have theirs with them abroad. It doesn't do any harm to take it. Not having an MOT does not invalidate the third party section of a UK insurance policy, see (3) above.
(5) Evidence of road tax is held electronically.
Documents (1) (2) and (4) are held in parallel by the UK government in an electronic form, no doubt easily transmittable to another government agency anywhere in the world if required. Similarly, document (5). Document (3) is held electronically by the insurer AND by a UK government agency, easily transmittable anywhere in the world at an 'official' level if and as required, no doubt.
That the French and for all I know the Swedes and the Czechs, find it extraordinary that the British issue electronic documents is not something to concern the average traveller. I find it extraordinary in the 21st century that the French are still in love with the facsimile, as opposed to an emailed PDF - and have evidence of insurance stuck to their windscreen or fork tube - but I can temper my incredulity if it suits me, quite easily; as I am sure you can too.
Whilst it is true that, with sufficient diligence, the GD may b able to verify that the vehicle is legal in the UK or not, I was more thinking of the roadside interaction, rather than drawn out checks on UK databases.
I agree that, if you get to this point, there is probably something else that has interested the GD rather than just the documents. Often this is the attitude of the rider/motorist affronted at the temerity of johnny foreigner demanding to see his documentation.
The French do love their paper documents. In the absence of a 'livret de famille' I am still trying to prove that my deceased wife had no children so that I can inherit our property in France.
Troppo
Bemused observer
I have had no problems with Gendarmes.
I just need to say the magic phrase:
Je suis australien
I just need to say the magic phrase:
Je suis australien
So far I have always enjoyed my interaction with the police in France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. The circumstances have varied between simple document checks, two random breathalyser checks, crossing an unbroken white line (doing a U-turn into a petrol station, instead of riding 100 meters, going around a small roundabout - which I couldn't see - and riding back) speeding, a noisy exhaust, overtaking a tractor and failure to observe a stop line.
Each time the encounters have been courteous on all sides, often resulting in a laugh.... Even if the going rate seems to be 45 or 90 euro.
Have I 'got away with' or been let off more than I've had to stump up for? Definitely, yes. Have I always had all my papers to hand and helped them understand them? Always. Has it helped? I'd like to think so, yes.
Each time the encounters have been courteous on all sides, often resulting in a laugh.... Even if the going rate seems to be 45 or 90 euro.
Have I 'got away with' or been let off more than I've had to stump up for? Definitely, yes. Have I always had all my papers to hand and helped them understand them? Always. Has it helped? I'd like to think so, yes.
The Grey One
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