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France: holidaymakers have to carry a


Still Waters

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They have penalised British drivers for not carrying a warning triangle or a fluorescent safety vest.

Now French police have another weapon to wield against holidaymakers – a law insisting all motorists have a breathalyser kit in their cars.

The gadgets, designed so that drivers can test themselves to ensure they are under drink-drive limits, are the latest addition to a list of rules for driving on the other side of the Channel.

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This law I feel is being put onto us holiday makers as they have seen all the things our police and government are charging us for and just know its an easy way to raise revenue .ie: speed cams, fuel prices ,road tax we have fines and charges for everything ,the French I assume think if there stupid enough to pay why not .

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What the heck is the problem with this??

In Mainland Europe you have to carry Luminous vests for each passenger that they can reach from inside the car (If you break down on a main highway you need other motorists to know you are there), a Luminous triangle if you break down (placed c50 mtrs behind your car), and spare Lights for your main driving lights should thery fail

The addition of 2 breathalyser kits is insignificant, but can be used as positive evidence if you are stupid enough to drink and drive.

yet another another stupid thread that only highlights Brits inability to accept basic safety protocols.

I carry all of these things even in Spain, and if my breathalyser says I have had too many then I simply get the bus or a taxi - possibly another life saved!!

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If you are on a main road and discover your headlight is out the last thing you should do is pull over and change it in the dark...even if the person knew how and had the tools. Pulling over on a highway is for emergencies only and some headlights are a bear to get into. With the way most streets are lit up around here you probably wouldn't even know it was out. Except for the vest, I have the rest and more.

I would not be inclined to buy a breathalyser, because I know the equivalent of driving drunk is two drinks where I live. It doesn't take a rocket scientist.

Edited by Michelle
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If you are on a main road and discover your headlight is out the last thing you should do is pull over and change it in the dark...even if the person knew how and had the tools. Pulling over on a highway is for emergencies only and some headlights are a bear to get into. With the way most streets are lit up around here you probably wouldn't even know it was out. Except for the vest, I have the rest and more.

I would not be inclined to buy a breathalyser, because I know the equivalent of driving drunk is two drinks where I live. It doesn't take a rocket scientist.

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It's not a case of Brits inibility of safety protocols my brother and mother were both killed by a drink driver . Now assuming we had the same rules and regs anyone dumb enough to be going for a drink even for the slightest drop if the keys are on them then throw the book at em I guess what I'm trying to say is this breathalyser is just going to be a reason for someone to have a drink use it if it's. Clear they can drive , daft ! Everyone body deals with drink in other ways one glass can still kill penalising people for not having is just raiseing money .

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Just a money making scheme from French gov and the police officer who gets bonus points with each ticket past their required quota

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I am , of course, referring to the fact that a Thread has been opened with the implication that this Law is stupid.

It is not stupid, it places a tiny burden on Motorists, and could save lives....

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I am , of course, referring to the fact that a Thread has been opened with the implication that this Law is stupid.

It is not stupid, it places a tiny burden on Motorists, and could save lives....

It is a stupid law like only the French are capable of.. it's a money making thing, like most law that involves cars. French police are only for making money via tickets. They have a quota to present every month and if they go above they get cash bonuses which of course creates situation when police literally entrqppes motorists and here the french parliament just gave them one more tool.

If the police was really in on the safety of the people they would show up to #17 calls (17 is like 911 in th US) but in most cases they don't; There are several breakins in the entire country particularly on week-end and no call to 17 is answered because cops are on the road giving breathalizer test to partiers.

I do agree there are a lot of stupid drivers but having a breathalizer in the car will not stop a drunk driver to go behind the wheel unless it hooked to the ignition.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignition_interlock_device

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Don't panic I sell hundreds of these mobile breath testers each year. Only £4 each delivered. :tu:

This is precisely my point - the device is very cheap, the French Police or Govt make no profit from it, small business does, and it is not stipulated by the French Authorities that it must be bought in France.

Instead of using the "17" number in France it would be better to use the 112 because it immediately identifies you as a citizen in distress.

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This is precisely my point - the device is very cheap, the French Police or Govt make no profit from it, small business does, and it is not stipulated by the French Authorities that it must be bought in France.

Instead of using the "17" number in France it would be better to use the 112 because it immediately identifies you as a citizen in distress.

Beats the heck out of me which number to call I'm just a stoopid Yannk.... but I know one thing about France: how many tickets foreigners who are unaware of the law will receive? This is the cash cow I was talking about!

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Beats the heck out of me which number to call I'm just a stoopid Yannk.... but I know one thing about France: how many tickets foreigners who are unaware of the law will receive? This is the cash cow I was talking about!

If a foreign tourist gets a ticket (that is not an On The Spot Fine), then they simply do not pay it. The French Authorities do not have the time or manpower to follow up driving infractions overseas.

112 is recognised as the emergency number in ALL EU states and is monitored at EU level for responsiveness.

Edited by keithisco
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I am , of course, referring to the fact that a Thread has been opened with the implication that this Law is stupid.

It is not stupid, it places a tiny burden on Motorists, and could save lives....

Or they could just not drink and drive, that would save even more lives.

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Or they could just not drink and drive, that would save even more lives.

True... but unlike Sweden with zero tolerance to drink - driving, France does accept a tolerable amount of alcohol ("Tolerable" is an entirely fictitious construct however, as different people, WILL react differently to alcohol in their system).

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Or they could just not drink and drive, that would save even more lives.

True you couldn't refrain of drinking however you would get the ticket regardless if you didn't have the breathalizer.

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  • 4 months later...

What the heck is the problem with this??

In Mainland Europe you have to carry Luminous vests for each passenger that they can reach from inside the car (If you break down on a main highway you need other motorists to know you are there), a Luminous triangle if you break down (placed c50 mtrs behind your car), and spare Lights for your main driving lights should thery fail

The addition of 2 breathalyser kits is insignificant, but can be used as positive evidence if you are stupid enough to drink and drive.

yet another another stupid thread that only highlights Brits inability to accept basic safety protocols.

I carry all of these things even in Spain, and if my breathalyser says I have had too many then I simply get the bus or a taxi - possibly another life saved!!

As for breathalyser kits in a car, you dont need them. If you drink, you dont drive. It's that simple. The problem is that not all 'Off the shelf'' breathalyser kits will give an accurate result. You could take a test before you drive and think you are safe and within the limit, but by the time you are stopped by the police your blood/alcohol level has risen to above the limit. The test only gives you a false sense that you are within the limit thus safe to drive. Wrong.

As for beinig a ''stupid Brit', I am offended by this remark. The reason being is this. The French are very good at getting money out of British drivers in fines etc, which are 'on the spot' fines. whereas in the UK the French can do as they please and if stopped by the police merely give their details then drive on back to France. they then ignore any fine which may or may not arrive through the post.

I agree that flourescent jackets are a good thing but to have them available in a car for all passengers and within reach is just not practical. What next. Lifejackets just in case the vehicle ends up in a lake?

Warning triangles are also a good thing,,,,,,or would be if other motorists took any notice of them!

As for spare headlights in case your own fail?,,,,sheeesh. What do you do,,,,get the passenger to hang out of the window holding the lights?

When will it stop? Spare tail lights in case they fail?...I would suggest tail lights, specially brake lights, would be far more sensible than headlights.

Maybe a law that states you must carry a survival kit incliuding water, food, warm blanket etc just in case you are caught in some snow would be a good idea.

The list could go on and on!

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As others have said, items like the warning triangle, high visilbilty vest and spare light bulbs should already be part of the basic kit. They're in my car's boot, along with an amber flashing light. Heck, I even carry a high vis vest when out rambling.

My only question is this though:

I don't drink alcohol. Never got used to it, so have no interest in it. So since I don't touch the stuff, would others like me (there must be a few!) be able to get allowed NOT to carry one if going through France? I mean, there's no need for me to fork out any extra cost for something I'd never use!

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I am , of course, referring to the fact that a Thread has been opened with the implication that this Law is stupid.

It is not stupid, it places a tiny burden on Motorists, and could save lives....

you're kidding yourself keitisco

this is extra tourism tax.

It's not a coincidence ppl suddenly need all these extra lil things to go into countries where there are no boundries in theory.

in germany you need a sticker on your car which you can only buy in germany.

in france you now need those breathalysers..which you have to buy yourself, and since a couple of weeks ago you suddenly have to have 2 at a minimum

and the stupid thing about it is , since you bought them it's your property and no one can make you use it...it's completely up to you.

and another stupid thing is , France knows many families cross france to spain by car ... and of course they're not gonna drink, and still you need to buy those damn things

AND they've officially ran out of those stupid breathalysers in practically every place, except in france itself ... (so to compromise they're not gonna make it a big issue until november.)

it's nothing about safety, it's everything about extra tourism tax

and yanno, they have to do something to get some extra cash in these times .. so i wouldn't be surprised if some extra "necessities" are suddenly mandatory over the next couple of months/ years

Edited by Render
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you're kidding yourself keitisco

this is extra tourism tax.

It's not a coincidence ppl suddenly need all these extra lil things to go into countries where there are no boundries in theory.

in germany you need a sticker on your car which you can only buy in germany.

in france you now need those breathalysers..which you have to buy yourself, and since a couple of weeks ago you suddenly have to have 2 at a minimum

and the stupid thing about it is , since you bought them it's your property and no one can make you use it...it's completely up to you.

and another stupid thing is , France knows many families cross france to spain by car ... and of course they're not gonna drink, and still you need to buy those damn things

AND they've officially ran out of those stupid breathalysers in practically every place, except in france itself ... (so to compromise they're not gonna make it a big issue until november.)

it's nothing about safety, it's everything about extra tourism tax

and yanno, they have to do something to get some extra cash in these times .. so i wouldn't be surprised if some extra "necessities" are suddenly mandatory over the next couple of months/ years

Dude every body is s'posed to have in France not just tourists.. and if you had read the link I posted above the guy who proposed the law to former pres narkozy works for the cie that was in financial trouble before the law

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I once drove through France and into Paris...never again...!

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I once drove through France and into Paris...never again...!

I can understand why

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If a foreign tourist gets a ticket (that is not an On The Spot Fine), then they simply do not pay it. The French Authorities do not have the time or manpower to follow up driving infractions overseas.

Years ago, my husband was detected driving above speed limit on the Paris périphérique ring. Within weeks he got his ticket where he was working in the middle of the Nigerian jungle! Never underestimate the tenacity of the lumbering French bureaucracy, if they want you, and especially if there is money involved, they will reach you wherever you are. Yes one should not drink and drive, and in theory the breathalyzer sounds like a good idea, but I agree with Paracelse, it is mainly a scheme to add a bit more revenue particularly from summer tourists. Neighboring countries do not have such a requirement and that does not seem to have an adverse effect on their rate of road accidents.

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