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Going to France? BEWARE!!!

  • Thread starter ChazUFO
  • Start date
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ChazUFO

Guest
Hi All

Just found something that I don't think has been mentioned on here yet (not in the touring section anyway, as far as I can see)

We all have probably heard of the high viz law that came and went in France a little while ago. We we all breathing a sigh of relief. HOWEVER another law which wasn't really being enforced is now being used by French police to issue 90 Euro fines,,, and it's reflective areas on helmets.

See this link
http://ukfrancebikers.com/2013/03/16/france-compulsory-reflective-stickers-on-all-helmets/

So, riding in France without these this summer could get you a stiff fine plus 3 points off your licence.

I did a bit of browsing and found the following UK guy's eBay link via another forum and purchased 2 sets this morning.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261209835007?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
 

Tinytim

Registered User
Hi All

Just found something that I don't think has been mentioned on here yet (not in the touring section anyway, as far as I can see)

We all have probably heard of the high viz law that came and went in France a little while ago. We we all breathing a sigh of relief. HOWEVER another law which wasn't really being enforced is now being used by French police to issue 90 Euro fines,,, and it's reflective areas on helmets.

See this link
http://ukfrancebikers.com/2013/03/16/france-compulsory-reflective-stickers-on-all-helmets/

So, riding in France without these this summer could get you a stiff fine plus 3 points off your licence.

I did a bit of browsing and found the following UK guy's eBay link via another forum and purchased 2 sets this morning.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261209835007?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

LOL. Lot of "if"s "maybe"s "could"s. Scaremongering at it's best. I would take that shite with a pinch of salt. It's what you want to seein the article when you read it all aint it.

:wank:
 
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stevefatnfastCBR1100xx

Guest
just posted that link on a French forum see what they say Im guessing its usual scaremongering
 
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ChazUFO

Guest
The AA have it up on their website as well now.
Interested to see what the French site comes back with.
Guess it's every individuals choice on whether they put reflective stickers on or not. Personally, I'll fit them just in case.
 

robsbird

red ones are faster
Club Sponsor
that's all bollocks that can stick it up the ass..........

as we all know and has been said before putting stickers on helmets is not a good thing in-less there on there when it was made.

as my helmet is EC approved they can fook off if they think I'm putting stickers on it to please them

:dunno:
 

Mikeyzf

Registered User
It was talked about on another forum a couple of months ago..The general consensus was not to worry..A couple of the guys on there live in France,haven't bothered and never had any problems with the Gendarmes.

The proper stickers are supposed to be permanent so they damage the paintwork if you try to remove them..Buggered if I'll be sticking them on my new Arai.

Anyway.I'm off to France and Spain on the bike in a couple of weeks.I'll report back if I have any probs.@tu*
 

Jono

Super Sponsor
Read Only
Never had any problems at all over there, no reflective stuff on me, wife or helmets, I have lights on my bike, if peeps can't see them why would they see anything else :dunno:
 
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ChazUFO

Guest
Anyway.I'm off to France and Spain on the bike in a couple of weeks.I'll report back if I have any probs.@tu*

I'll look forward to hearing how it goes.

I'm off on the 9th June to Bilbao, through de mountains into France near Andora, then up through France to Le Harvre on the 16th.

So,,, could be fine, could find a pain in the ass copper,,, I'll let you know too
 
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SkimpyWan

Guest
As has previously been said. There is no way that I am putting a sticker in my helmet when it can weaken the structure of the helmet and in turn mate the helmet useless. I'll risk the fine and keep my head in a spill!
 

Tinytim

Registered User
As has previously been said. There is no way that I am putting a sticker in my helmet when it can weaken the structure of the helmet and in turn mate the helmet useless. I'll risk the fine and keep my head in a spill!

An opposite to the OP hysterical OTT view.

Fekk me Darwinism is really rife in here these days.

:wank:
 
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stevefatnfastCBR1100xx

Guest
I'll look forward to hearing how it goes.

I'm off on the 9th June to Bilbao, through de mountains into France near Andora, then up through France to Le Harvre on the 16th.

So,,, could be fine, could find a pain in the ass copper,,, I'll let you know too


And Im off to South of France on the 8th June then back up through Western France from the 19th will let you know how we all get on

plus I'm not putting stickers on my brand new CARBON lid !!

I've Emailed Caberg for their views
 

Dark Angel

Still kickin' it!
So, riding in France without these this summer could get you a stiff fine plus 3 points off your licence.

I?m fookin? goin? - they can 'ave the money... :-:

3 points off yer licence?? :eek:

3 trips an? Im clee-ee-ee-eennnnnnn, bebbe...!! :yo: :-0)
 

Howard

Registered User
Another reason not to go to France! It used to be great, but with big fines for speeding, risk of your bike being confiscated, hi vis, breathalyzer kits, etc it's no fun anymore. :cry:

Six of us are off on the Hull - Rotterdam crossing in just under 3 weeks (30th May), We will head South through Holland into Germany and then just cut off the top of France through Alsace...should take less than an hour in France which is long enough!

Then down to Baden - Baden and the Black Forest, Stutgart and back up to the Ring before heading home.
 

robsbird

red ones are faster
Club Sponsor
keep up old boy, hi vis, breathalyzer kits have been dropped if you did not know

@tu*
 

Howard

Registered User
keep up old boy, hi vis, breathalyzer kits have been dropped if you did not know

@tu*

Yes Rob I know, What I am saying is that they change the laws every other day which just adds to the confusion! I think you still need to carry a hi-viz vest on the bike though?
 

ScottyUK

Filtering Through
Read Only
I'm doing a long weekend in June (Spa trackday & Nurburgring). We're all in the South East so Calais is where we'll enter the continent. We would normally go down via motorway to Cambrai (to crack off a chunk of miles) and then have fun cross country.

I'm pondering heading towards Brugge to start with just to get out of France as quick as possible. Would be a shame though.

Having said that after all the discussions it does seem like nothings changed :

no hi vis requirement
breathalyser - no enforced (for the fine I'd risk it anyway!)
helmet stickers have been required for ages.

hhmmm stuff 'em. We'll go the way we like @tu*

AA's guide :http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/touring_tips/compulsory_equipment.pdf

How many people put beam deflectors on?
 
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Jono

Super Sponsor
Read Only
For what its worth, we actually got stopped at a French police road check crossing from Spain into France last year, there were about 8 overtly armed cops that flagged us down. The Gendarme doing the checking walked around the bike, looked at the number plate, smiled, gave us the thumbs up and waved us on @tu* no hi-viz, no bloody stickers, on either of us, Autocom leads everywhere, GPS plainly visible on the front like a mini TV :eek:
So in the best British tradition folks, "keep calm and carry on" :-0)
 
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SkimpyWan

Guest
An opposite to the OP hysterical OTT view.

Fekk me Darwinism is really rife in here these days.

:wank:

WTF are you on about?!

Adhesives have been proven to reduce the strength of the shell and therefore making wearing one useless. So your point is what Einstein?!
 
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