French police warning

[Piglet]

God I must be sad, I carry a high viz vest in my car at all times and spare bulbs and a first aid kit!

[Hepatic]

this is an odd one, hi-vis vests are a common sense thing to take in a car, so why do they feel the need to make it a law? It's like they're saying their drivers have no common sen.....oh yeah!!!!

Saying that, isn't it still law in the UK that taxi's must carry a bale of hay? Personally i don't mind sticking to other peoples rules if they make sense, but the speed camera thing is a real sticking point with me. A lot of them i've seen are in pretty dangerous pieces of road and to me make sense that they are there, but one on the outskirts of Preston is a joke. It's a straight piece of road (duel carriageway) with no junctions or turns for about 0.5miles, yet they slap a camera right there. I can't remember one accident ever happening there, it's just a cash machine...

Whilst we're on the topic, what other odd laws are there in mainland Europe that we should know about? Just in case i get adventurous and make my way to le mans thiis year.

[Eddy V]

Some other laws:
- speedlimits obviously and foreign drivers have to pay the fine on the spot. Luckily they accept major creditcards. I know by know!
tip: in belgium and holland you get filmed from the back, in germany from the front. All have a tendancy to hide their cameras in the most difficult places, even in bins.
- snowchains in Switserland and Austria in wintertime.
- first aid kits in almost every country
- warning triangle (belgium)
Could go on, but by then our cars look like trucks

[Piglet]

Isnt' there one country where you are supposed to carry 2 warning triangles - Spain or Portugal spring to mind?

[Eddy V]

God, I hope not!
Will try to find out.

[Daimlerman]

Originally Posted by Piglet

Isnt' there one country where you are supposed to carry 2 warning triangles - Spain or Portugal spring to mind?

I believe that's Spain. They demand HiViz jackets as well

[Stephen Green]

France if you are towing a trailor or caravan you have to have two warning triangles.

[ensign14]

They put in all these asinine regulations yet their accident casualty rate is far higher than here.

I question how bona fide many of these things are.

[1200Datto27]

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?

Is this ever going to be answered????

[Stephen Green]

Yup, it means the cheap skates can't afford flowers for the side of the rod so they stick nice sparkly things there in stead. Very tasteful

[TimD]

Originally Posted by 1200Datto27

Is this ever going to be answered????

Okay, here goes - I'm a little spooked that it's not just me that didn't know this one though.

Basically, a little yellow diamond near a junction means you're entering a zone where your main road has priority over the side-road. Remember the old "priorite a droite" which always used to catch people out, where the traffic emerging from the lesser road has right of way over the stuff on the main road?

So the little yellow diamonds are the sign which tell you you have right of way. But a diamond with a line through it means that priority ends and that you've to be cautious of emerging traffic from the side. Now, as yet, the scariest moment I've ever had over switched priorities was when I braked before emerging onto an N-route from a junction and the Frenchman behind didn't expect me to, but you can see how the risk is there for unsuspecting Brits whizzing along the N138 or something.

Fab, if I've got my interpretation of that system wrong, do please offer clarification!

Incidentally, K-B, I agree wholeheartedly with your comment about observing their rules. The trick is in being appraised of what the rules are in the first place!

[Eddy V]

Well TimD, you are right. Now I know which diamonds you mean (you caused me some brain damage trying to think of what you meant) (on the other hand I haven't got a brain), we have them as well in Belgium. Doh!
And you are right: a non crossed diamond means you have right of way (main road), a crossed one means your right of way ended.

[Happy Snapper]

Originally Posted by Piglet

God I must be sad, I carry a high viz vest in my car at all times and spare bulbs and a first aid kit!

SO what about the fire extinguisher? Sorry you wouldn’t be able to get the tag off!!!!

[Eric Falce]

Did you know that if you are driving along a jungle road in Africa and you come upon a line of banana leaves laid across the road just befor a bend,slow down because just round the bend will be a bloody great truck broken down,just to keep thing simple and in perspective!

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by TimD

Basically, a little yellow diamond near a junction means you're entering a zone where your main road has priority over the side-road.

'Passage protegé', they call it!

Next question: how do you know where the 50km/h speed limit starts & ends when driving through a small town or village?

[Aysedasi]

All too bloody complicated for me - I'll let someone else drive, methinks.......

[Mark Mitchell]

Just had a look at the Foreign Office website.


Nothing about Hi-Viz stuff, but warnings about speed radar detectors etc!

[Mark Mitchell]

According to http://driving.drive-alive.co.uk/driving-in-france.htm
the use of Hi-Vis vests is compulsory onlt in Spain & Italy at present but is expected to apply to the whole of the EU soon.

Also, vests are required for every potential passenger!

[LYNX]

Sorry about delay replying - been trawling through past threads before posting!

There are 45 major differences in the road laws between member states in the EU and people are just not aware of them.

To obtain a free copy of GEM's driving in Europe booklet call 01342 825676 or visit www.motoringassist.com

Hopefully that will help to keep us all on the right side of the law and not aid the coffers of the country we visit.

Happy and safe driving!

[ss_collins]

french junctions - priority to the right etc.. just be a bit cautious and you'll get the hang of it - driving over the water isn't too bad but just go a bit slower and think a bit more, especially when turning right - make sure you turn onto the right side of the road

[GORDON STREETER]

The hire car firms in this part don't supply hi viz jackets, and the law seem to use their loaf, also I haven't heard of any short term tourist being clobbered for it.

[LYNX]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

french junctions - priority to the right etc.. just be a bit cautious and you'll get the hang of it - driving over the water isn't too bad but just go a bit slower and think a bit more, especially when turning right - make sure you turn onto the right side of the road

Take care when exiting garages and restaurants as brain may not engage and you find yourself on the wrong side of the road. Even in Hampshire I commonly see and hear of people driving the wrong way around a roundabout and they're driving UK reg cars!

[John Elwin]

Priority at French road junctions is relatively simple to understand. If the junction sign is an X (ie multiplying) sign it means traffic from the the right has priority. A + sign means the main road has priority.

[ensign14]

What happens if the sign says + but it is bent at a 45 degree angle?

[Asp]

Originally Posted by ensign14

What happens if the sign says + but it is bent at a 45 degree angle?

Stop, get out of your car, and go and see if the people in the car that has hit the sign need any help?