Going to France this year....

Off-topic
1

A bit of a heads up if you are going to/passing through France this year. The French gendarmerie have upped their game plan in terms of hitting easy targets, motorcyclists. Heard some rumours before but now confirmed in the Saturday Torygraph Motoring yesterday.

1: Filtering through slow moving/sationary traffic is now illegal. Be very careful on the peripherique. The Paris fuzz, always a sub species, are reportedly slowing traffic to cause bunching and then using un-marked bikes to nick motorcycles. Substantial fine.

2: The drink/driving alcohol levels have been reduced to 0.5mg/ml. You also have to carry 2 French approve breatherlisers. (Halfords £6 or more from French garages.)

3: You need to carry a full set of bulbs at all times. So if you use one, you need to replace it at the next garage. (If you can’t fit one without a full tool kit, that doesn’t matter but you must have a full set of bulbs.) Oh. LED lights are exempt.

4: Documents. You must have a full set of original documents. That will be log book, insurance certificate, mot, whatever and a letter from the owner if that’s not you.

5: Satnavs. Ones showing known radar cameras are an absolute no-no. (Spain, incidentally, also bans ear pieces for satnavs. Why?)

6: NPR cameras are now in use on toll roads so you will be automatically timed and fined if you are too quick between tolls.

7: They are now enforcing the full size GB plate or an EU plate, so no mini GB stuff from now on.

All the penalties have been upped and fines are now pretty draconian with bike confiscation as the default if you can’t pay.

Happy holidays.

Oh. Next year, high viz of a French design (not match by the GB stuff) become obligatory. If you don’t need to pass through France it sounds like a ferry to Belgium might not be a bad idea.

2

They’ve been doing it for a while apparently:
http://ukfrancebikers.com/2011/03/18/traffic-filtering-in-france-police-dirty-tricks-lead-to-racket/

And how exactly are you supposed to carry all that stuff on a motorbike? Just out of interest, I’d like to know how often motorists of any sort suddenly discover that one of their bulbs has gone and they actually need to use that spare bulb kit. Can’t say I’ve ever had a bulb suddenly just go on me.

3

Oh, and when you say ‘full size GB/EU plate’ what do you mean? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bike with a GB/EU plate.

4

One more reason never to drive/ride there. What a bunch of BS!

5

I’ve had a bulb go on me before, had to ride milton keynes to hitchin on high beam

6

People should hit the French where it hurts.

In their tourist trade.

Agree with the sentiments here, I will always avoid France.

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CjKit O.K. Could have put that better.

“Full size GB plate” is the size of those stick on jobs the car drivers use. An EU plate is a full size UK registration plate with the the appropriate little graphic in the corner.

The latter is the only sensible option for a bike. Even having the big GB sticker on the pannier apparently attracts a stop/fine with the vanceurs in Paris.

Don’t know about having it on the back of a top box. Might be O.K. but it is supposed to be part of the registration plate.

8

surely “full size GB plate” is the one most bikes have fitted by the dealers before y’all go out and get “letterbox” and “display” plates fitted? :smiley: as to the plate with GB in the corner, it has always been my understanding that if this was fitted to a vehicle you didn’t need to have a GB sticker (which used to have to meet size requirements) fitted anywhere else on the vehicle. I went to France recently, and was sold a GB sticker to fit to the bike, no mention of problems arising from it.the filtering law has been about for a long time, and is generally ignored, like all things legal its OK as long as you don’t get caught! be careful where you speed and drive sensibly, and you will most likely have no troubles, loon it around and get caught/fined :smiley: sat-navs with speed camera notification a big no no, as are radar detectors, an interesting question is if maps that show camera positions are also illegal? bulbs, just pick up a cheap set from Aldi,Lidl or Halfords, they are not going to expect you to fit them there and then, and are unlikely to check to see if they fit (throw away any paperwork mentioning models they fit!) the breathalyser kit is the big one they will check for, although the fine is small its the hassle factor, you could just pick a pair up from the first garage you see, they are not expensive, the hi-viz is explained here all in all its not that big a deal.

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So the GB/EU sticker is supposed to be part of the number plate then? That’s very odd. I’ve been driving to France for years and a have always used stick-on/magnet GB sticker on the rear of the car and not had a problem. Looks like I’ll have to get an EU plate then.

10

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/general_advice.html

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/touring_tips/france-monaco.pdf

its all in there somewhere :smiley:

11

Nothing new, and not all correct;)

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got to say i have never had a problem, and if there going to be that stupid they will get to the point where we just won’t stop… have the right to remain silent, or put on a big scottish accent. Either way i would not worry about it to much, you got to get stopped first.

Also how they going to fine you? They cannot as yet send fines abroad for motoring offences, so i cannot see how they can deliver the fine.

13

F.F.S. I post some information in reasonably good faith prefaced by the word “rumours” and some people get hypercritical. Or they just don’t read.

E.g. “full size GB plate OR full size …with graphic”. Not that difficult to understand if you read it.

On the spot fines. Again, not difficult. They stop you, they issue a ticket. You pay in cash or on a debit/credit card. You don’t pay, they confiscate your bike. Been happening in the U.S. for years, happens now in England for “non road worthy/compliant” cars and bikes and it now happens in France but much more trivial offences. This is not an international fines issue, this is a there and then choice.

“Not accurate” is not a helpful post. What’s inaccurate? Issue a correction. That way we learn.

14

Yeah they’ll fine you on the spot over there and march you to a cash point if you don’t have the readies… I’ve also heard that they can confiscate your licence, rendering you unable to ride legally any further.

I rode right down through France and back up again a couple months ago and I did notice the gendarmerie hiding in sly places along the autoroutes with radar guns, and they are regularly doing in the villages to enforce the 50kmph limit, rightly so in my opinion.

I did also see them at a couple of toll booth stations pulling vehicles aside as they came through, although I’m not sure what for.

As for spare bulbs, good, you should be carrying them anyway if you’re touring abroad.
Breathalysers - nobody with a brain will drink and ride anyway, I very much doubt they’ll be pulling up bikers on it. Carry them anyway for peace of mind perhaps?

As for filtering and hi-viz there is no way that can be completely enforceable… Just like all the race cans and smaller plates over here…

My personal ethos is to comply with the law to give the police the least amount of reasons to stop you or dish out a fine… Especially when abroad. Just my 2 pence…

Interesting post though Oldguy, cheers for the(rumoured) heads up…

15

In 5 years of going over every couple of months or so I’ve never been pulled for anything when on the bike, a couple of times never had a GB plate/sticker.

I carry a set of bulbs anyway as I’ve had one go before now, and riding along french country backroads juggling between full beam and no beam ain’t fun.

As above chances are if you aren’t doing anything stupid they won’t pull you as mostly they can’t be bothered with brits.

16

Exactly;)

yes you can be fined on the spot, from 90 euro to a whopping 750 euro for very high speed usually for twice the limit and above. You can also have your bike/car taken off you and crushed, in very exstreme cases.

Simply, go to Europe and enjoy the great roads but use a bit of common sense and you will be fine:cool: