French police warning

Eddy V · 16 Feb 2005, 21:12 (Ref:1227633)

Not quite sure if this is the right place to start this, but:
to all drivers, marshals or spectators who are planning a trip to France or beyond:

as of Jan 1 it is mandatory to have one of those yellow or orange safety vests (in case of a breakdown) in your car. The french police are targeting the foreign drivers and impose huge fines if you're not carrying one of these vests. Fines are as high as 100 Pound +
No chance to escape the fine by telling that you are not french, their reply is that it is your duty to find these things out.

It happened to a friend of a friend, he went only shopping just 5 km into France: 140 Pound fine, thank you very much!

Rich R · 16 Feb 2005, 23:13 (Ref:1227736)

is that one for each person in the car or just one per car?

**Aysedasi** · 17 Feb 2005, 08:38 (Ref:1227963)

Blooming heck......

Fab · 17 Feb 2005, 08:43 (Ref:1227968)

Never heard of it...

You've to have a yellow jacket if you drive a truck, just in case of maintenane, that's all.

**Stephen Green** · 17 Feb 2005, 08:46 (Ref:1227970)

Yet another example of the French police targeting English people who are in France spending money and helping the French economy. The number of times I have driven from the south of France to Calais only to encounter a speed trap on the road into Calais catching all the English as they head home. I'm not saying speeding is acceptable, but the way the French target tourists and not their own people rather annoys me.

Rant over.

Ian Sowman · 17 Feb 2005, 09:12 (Ref:1227988)

But why wouldn't you target the people who are most likely to be breaching the law?

**Stephen Green** · 17 Feb 2005, 09:14 (Ref:1227991)

Ian, my point was that you can drive from one end of France to the other, be overtaken by hundreds of French people, no speed traps. Then the road into Calais that carried around 90% tourists has a speed trap. This has happened year after year so it's obvious who is being targetted.

jase · 17 Feb 2005, 09:25 (Ref:1228002)

Well, I notice this little law change hasn't made any news items that i've seen, you'da thought that as it's a safety issue travellers would need to know. If I stop a Frenchman, will he be carrying a HiViz vest?

BTW, I agree with Stephen, the amount of Police out around the ports, it's clear who is being targetted.

**Aysedasi** · 17 Feb 2005, 09:28 (Ref:1228005)

Well, the one Frenchman who has posted so far in this thread has never heard of the new law....... (time to do some research Fab......

)

I'm with Stephen on his rant. But we both know full well that cameras and traps are situated so as to generate the best income, not to achieve any kind of serious safety need, so pitching them where they catch exiting Brits makes perfect (if thoroughly foul) sense......

Truckosaurus · 17 Feb 2005, 09:50 (Ref:1228019)

I've heard that Spain had brought in the hi-vis vest rule, so if one of our French friends could confirm the situation then I'm sure we'd all be grateful.

Ian Sowman · 17 Feb 2005, 10:11 (Ref:1228030)

To be fair, I did some driving in France last year. As it was my first time, I read up. In doing so, I noted that the hi-vis vest rule does apply in Spain, and that it was due to be introduced in France.

Surely before you drive in another country you'd make sure you knew the rules of the road anyway?

**Stephen Green** · 17 Feb 2005, 10:36 (Ref:1228055)

Of course Ian but I have been onto the RAC website and there is no mention of it being law in France there. Needless to say I have e-mailed the RAC to ask for clarification.

**Tim Falce** · 17 Feb 2005, 12:44 (Ref:1228178)

What's the problem? I carry a hi viz in my car all the time, they aren't expensive and are a good safety aid in the event of a breakdown in any country.
How many of you who go to France carry a spare set of bulbs?

jase · 17 Feb 2005, 12:54 (Ref:1228189)

Nope, didn't carry spare bulbs last year, but then the car was 6 months old, so I wouldnt expect to need to.

**Tim Falce** · 17 Feb 2005, 13:15 (Ref:1228209)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jase

Nope, didn't carry spare bulbs last year, but then the car was 6 months old, so I wouldnt expect to need to.

It's another law for motoring in France that you have to carry a set of bulbs wheter you think you need them or not

Truckosaurus · 17 Feb 2005, 13:18 (Ref:1228213)

No mention of Vest on the AA site

But then again don't you have to have spare spectacles in certain places, and there is no mention of that.

Eddy V · 17 Feb 2005, 14:15 (Ref:1228283)

Well, it is true about the fine. The guy who got caught is still ******* angry. The vests are law as well in Italy. It seems that the police are targetting ALL foreign drivers, so even poor me!
To be safe I have a yellow vest in the car now.
Anyhow, my concern was only to warn everybody. Better be safe then sorry.

Eddy V · 17 Feb 2005, 14:17 (Ref:1228284)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich R

is that one for each person in the car or just one per car?

Don't know really. I'll ask my friend!

josvandeperre · 17 Feb 2005, 15:25 (Ref:1228340)

I've heard about the jacket and now carry one - as an aside here are their speed camera details

this official site lists all their various cameras and their locations so you can’t say you have not been warned :

http://www.securiteroutiere.gouv.fr/...s/csa/csa.html

**Stephen Green** · 17 Feb 2005, 15:27 (Ref:1228342)

And.....the bloody French confiscate your Road Angel if they catch you with one in the car, whether it's connected or not!

**bella** · 17 Feb 2005, 20:00 (Ref:1228656)

i spent about a week and a half in europe last year, and i've got to admit, we didn't have a gb sticker on the car, or a warning triangle. i think i had a tool kit, but no spare bulbs or anything... i had a european aa card instead

the french are actually targeting their own kind speeding wise as well. if you drive around the south now, not even the french will do over 130kmh. there's stupidly high fines, and it's not worth the risk.

TimD · 17 Feb 2005, 20:24 (Ref:1228684)

Have to say, the road back to Calais is notorious. There's just no point in speeding because the patrols are as certain as death and taxes.

I have to admit to a certain wry amusement two years ago when an Ultima passed me at about 130mph outside Abbeville and was next seen with two Renault-fuls of Gendarmerie surrounding it at the next peage.

I have to admit to being puzzled about that HiVis vest issue. I can't find any information on it at all. But I did find a stipulation that a UK licence has to be carried when driving in France (no problem there - I always do) but that an old, green one won't do. It has to be the pink one or a photo version. Well, some of us have had no reason to change licences since the design changed. International Driving Permit this summer, methinks.

Incidentally, I've been driving in France six years now and only just discovered what the little orangey-yellow diamonds on sticks mean. Before I say (because it shocked me what I didn't know) anyone else been curious about those?

redshoes · 17 Feb 2005, 20:36 (Ref:1228698)

The new licences have been around a good few years now. You must have moved house since then?

Kicking-back · 17 Feb 2005, 21:30 (Ref:1228771)

Drive in another country, abide by their rules.

aprescott · 17 Feb 2005, 22:43 (Ref:1228828)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimD

Incidentally, I've been driving in France six years now and only just discovered what the little orangey-yellow diamonds on sticks mean. Before I say (because it shocked me what I didn't know) anyone else been curious about those?

Do tell please, its sooooo anoying when you don't know!!!

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