riding in France

[patrick]

from tomtom website:

Changes to the law in France

Since decree n°2012-3 was introduced on 3 January 2012 it has been illegal to be warned about the position of fixed or mobile speed cameras while you are driving in France. If your TomTom navigation device has the Speed Camera service and you continue to use the service, you risk a fine of up to €1500.
New update: TomTom Speed Camera service becomes Danger Zones in France
TomTom had a meeting with the Road Safety Ministry to clarify the situation regarding new and upcoming legislation. As a result, TomTom is introducing a 100% compliant Danger Zones service available in a free download for compatible products.

[O.C.]

Thanks for the clarification patrick, I'll be the first to admit it when I'm wrong   

[patrick]

I only knew as I recently bought a new tom tom live   

[Kurt]

Hi

I'm new to the forum but have done many miles in europe and france. my best advice is ride sensibly and don't worry about what can go wrong. Sometimes the best times are when things don't go to plan. In sept 2012 we went to spain on the Brittany Ferry but on our return the ferry was cancelled. we had 1 hour before we where in france with no planning and no accomodation. over 1000 miles later we where at calais. The GTR made the journey easy

[O.C.]

Hi

I'm new to the forum but have done many miles in europe and france. my best advice is ride sensibly and don't worry about what can go wrong. Sometimes the best times are when things don't go to plan. In sept 2012 we went to spain on the Brittany Ferry but on our return the ferry was cancelled. we had 1 hour before we where in france with no planning and no accomodation. over 1000 miles later we where at calais. The GTR made the journey easy

Kurt, its great to have new members on this friendly forum

There's plenty advice available on here, so don't be afraid to ask, as you will have seen there's also a fair bit of piss taking too 

I see that you are in Wigan which puts you in the North not the South where the Southern shandy swilling softies reside     

That should get them going 

[Debs]

Southern shandy swilling softies reside     

That should get them going 

Oi 

[skill]

Excuse me the TOONS north where your broon ale is. The north isnt owt above Watford.
  My theory is from the Scottish boarder to Brighton is approx 400mls so 130mls ish below that is the north.
  The next 130mls midlands therefore the last 130 must be the south.
Berwick-Carlisle to Ripon-Lancaster NORTH. Then all places below to Leicester-Wolves- Norwich MIDLANDS
and below that the SOUTH. 
  The middle middle is Derbyish, and by the way cloth caps and greyhounds/whippets are long gone as are the pits, thats mines
for the Southerners   

[Ros]

Hi all,

2 things 

1)  you are not allowed to have speed camera locations relayed to you via your GPS etc.  However, you will find that you can get "zones à danger" instead which give about 2 - 5km of zones where there might [read will] be a speed camera.  This is perfectly legal 

2)  Please please please be aware, if you're not used to driving / riding in France, of the "priority à droite" law.

BY DEFAULT traffic coming from the right has priority.  This means that unless otherwise stated (by means of give way signs for the other road etc.) you could be going through town or a country road - even on a larger more 'important' road, and traffic will just join your road because they have priority over you. 

In general, people do tend to look, and those not letting them out will get lots of gallic shrugs / beeping of horns etc. but sometimes, they force their way out or don't look at all.

Sometimes you will see this sign to warn of 'priorité à droite' at the next junction:



Sometimes you won't.

To explain:

The red car here has priority to turn left across the blue car to join the stream of green traffic.  He has no give way sign and there may or may not be a 'priorité à droite' sign for the blue car.



Here are some examples of what it looks like for real:


The guy looking out of the junction on the right has priority over you and is perfectly in his right to pull out at any moment.  You must give way.  Here there is a nice big sign.  But on country roads, and up the mountains in less urban areas, there are fewer of them.


If you see this, SLOW DOWN and be prepared to give way to someone pulling out from the right:


Remember, the 'priorité à droite' rule is there BY DEFAULT, so unless road signs say otherwise, that's how it is.

Car park exits / driveways do not count.  Even in France there is some debate about what constitutes a 'priorité à droite' and what doesn't...

Just be careful 

Enjoy!

Cheers

Ros

[mecki]

This rule does not only apply in France.
In Germany it is also 'Rechts vor Links' unless a sign gives you the right of way.
I wouldn't be surprised if this is the rule in most European countries.

[JohnnyTh]

Same in norway. And the right of way when comming from right is never posted with a sign.
When this sign is used it mean: dangerous junction, normaly some exit hidden by trees, buildings or other things.

[O.C.]

It also seems to apply in Grange -over-Sands which is a local retirement town in the Lake District   

Thanks for the heads up on that Ros....valuable advice 

[Lonewolf]

There's a similar system operates in Bradford as well. It applies to every junction & drive way.
To survive you need these    and ideally one of these...

[mecki]

Now I am confused.
So how does that work in the UK?
If two roads meet and there are no signs, who has the right of way? 

[BigAlan]

Now I am confused.
So how does that work in the UK?
If two roads meet and there are no signs, who has the right of way? 

GTR riders of course.

Alan

[mecki]

GTR riders of course.

But what if two GTRs are approaching the intersection at the same time?
Well, I suppose both stop and have a yarn first anyway, but purely hypothetical?