Driving in France... Breathalysers, Oui ou non?

[inconsistant]

French law states that you must carry one, and another back up one in case the first one doesn't work, but it says here:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/road-safety/9880120/France-breathalyser-fine-dropped.html

 

that plans to fine for not carrying a breathalyser while driving in France have been dropped, which means if I am stopped and don't have one there's no consequence. So is there any point wasting another £5 on some plastic gadget that will get landfilled in 12 months when it goes out of date?

 

BTW I don't plan to do any drink/driving.

 

BTWTW We're driving through France to get to Switzerland so will only be 2 days of driving in France.

 

Your thinks on dis SVP, and try to keep the casual racism funny and innovative please gents.

 

Merci!

 

Obvs, any other French driving/le plod advices or anecdotes welcome even if almost entirely unrelated to the thread.

[DVee8]

The AA says

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

[forddeliveryboy]

Afaik, it was a scam by the previous president whose mate made them. I've been led to believe the law (if it ever was one) isn't acted on, but for a fiver I'd have one, just in case we make a major fuck-up in the Foreign Office over a wine order or we start trying to process used nuclear fuels again - or annoy them in any other way.

 

Remember the spare bulb kit - not sure whether they demand spare headlamp bulbs if you've posh lights.

[inconsistant]

The AA says

 

 

"January 2013 - Drivers in France have been required to carry a self-

test breathalyser since July 2012 with enforcement by fines originally

planned for 1 November but subsequently postponed to 1 March

2013.  Now the French government has announced that the

implementation of the sanction (fine) for drivers not carrying a

breathalyser – a fine of €11 – has been postponed indefinitely.

 

 

So you are still required to carry a self-test breathalyser when driving

in France but there is no current legislation demanding a fine for non-

compliance."

[dave21478]

No breathalyser needed. As above, it was all a big Jobs For The Boys plot to sell loads of them. Demand massively outstripped supply and nobody could get any from anywhere as the shops sold out due to people panic buying so they delayed implementing the law and fine. It has now been abolished. It is still a legal requirement to have one but there is no punishment for NOT having one. Farce.

 

 

What is a legal requirement is a warning triangle and a hi-viz vest. The vest must be accessible from the driver seat - ie not in the boot - so you can put it on before getting out the car.

The Ex-pat forums are full of anecdotes about some guys brother in law's drinking buddy was coming over and there were cozzers checking all foreign cars for compliance just outside the port. Never seen it myself, nobody ever had definitive proof of it happening and the few times I have ever been stopped locally nobody has ever asked me if I have them.

 

 

 

More importantly than all that bollocks, watch out for speed traps. More and more gatsos spring up every day and mobile gatsos in the back of a parked car or van are pretty common too. Sadly, the days of a foot-down blast across France on the autoroutes is a thing of the past.

[mercrocker]

Always remember getting off the ferry in Dunkirk without a GB plate and being directed by Gaston-le-Plod to a suspiciously-convenient little outlet by the dock cafe where said item was about £3.   Bloke behind the counter looked suspiciously related to M. Le Plod......

[Junkman]

I haven't seen a Flic in 15 years.

[mercrocker]

My last encounter with such was being breathalysed at Le Mans Classic in 2002 - hadn't even had a drink because I couldn't find anywhere to park!  The Dunkirk episode must have been back in the 1970s.

[Parky]

For a fiver each from Halfords I would buy two, just in case M. Gendarme du Village didn't get the memo and fines you 500 euros or scraps your car for not having any handy.

 

If nothing else you can always test how much you can drink before it registers that you are too pissed to drive which may or may not be useful

[The Moog]

Took two with us to Grenoble as got some from pound shop. Used them the day after mates reception to check our blood alcohol and we were all under limit

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Defo a load of cobblers, ignore

[AlabamaShrimp]

Just go in a car that's not registered to you a discount tell em your names bob the builder or something

[SambaS]

I thought they were quite fun

[sutty2006]

On the subject of legalities while driving in france.... a few years ago I arrived at Dover docks after a steaming 4.5hr drive through the night. After being awake for nearly 25hours I decided a 20minute nap on the dock before boarding would be a good idea. I was rudely awaken by a pastey-faced 19yr old college drop out employee of dover docks to inform me that my 1987 opel manta didnt have BEAM CONVERTERS fitted to the headlights....... By george I tore the poor lad a new sphinkter right there on the dock. Id got stratigicly placed electrical tape over the markings on the light to delete the left hand "beam kick" and make the headlight pattern flat. A common feature on older cars believe it or not!

 

What really grinds my gears, is that on NO occaison do they try to enforce foreign cars to do the same. Never seen 1 LHD truck or car with beam converters fitted as to not dazzle us fine UK motorists! Utter ball bags. Grrr. 

[Lord Sterling]

Breathalysers aren't a requirement but Hi-Viz vests are and they need to be accessible from inside the cabin. I'm not sure triangles are a legal requirement anymore either though as I heard this had been abolished due to safety concerns over placing the triangle in the road or something. Do take one with you just in case.

 

I got stopped by the French plod (poulet) a couple of months back. All I was asked was to produce my Driving Licence, car registration papers and insurance. Although I was driving a French car I did speak French to them with a (deliberately put on) English accent. Last time I spoke them in more French accent, it didn't end very well. Never really got on too well with the French/Belgian Police/Poulet.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

 

What really grinds my gears, is that on NO occaison do they try to enforce foreign cars to do the same. Never seen 1 LHD truck or car with beam converters fitted as to not dazzle us fine UK motorists! Utter ball bags. Grrr. 

 

Eh? Why would the french police be bothered checking to make sure UK motorists are not getting dazzled.

[Station]

I've never been stopped over there.

 

I've seen several UK cars with a bit of black tape over the headlight glass. It does exactly the same thing and much cheaper than paying £12 for fancy stick on ones at the docks.

[hennabm]

I don't use beam deflectors on mine as it has plastic lenses and the glue may affect the plastic.

 

Instead, I just lower the beams right down on the cabin adjuster. Ok I can't see too far but I've never been stopped by the Gendarme (driven past plenty road checks) and I've never been flashed by anyone when in tunnels etc.As for night driving - I don't do much.

 

I do carry the breathelyser but do question why and I have a hi viz in each door pocket, so easy to hand.

[martybabes]

Take cash for your speeding fine. And Les Flic don't accept Nectar cards!

[richardmorris]

Drive a 2CV  -forget about speeding fines

 

I always use insulation tape. The kit that I bought for the C5 was just a Perspex set of lens covers with black plastic shapes to stick on. Insulation tape is no different to this.