France: compulsory reflective stickers on all helmets

[PCPeteUK]

Hi Guys,
I use you as my sounding board - certainly don't want to incur a 130 Euro fine as I get off the train....Can anyone with their sensible head on tell me if this is now being enforced - I've got  two week touring holiday planned later in the year that includes a chunk of France....

http://ukfrancebikers.com/2013/03/16/france-compulsory-reflective-stickers-on-all-helmets/
....All helmets must have four reflective stickers: one on the front, one at the rear and one on each side. The surface of each sticker must be 18 cm2 and, within each sticker, you must be able to draw a 40 mm diameter circle, or a 12.50 cm2 rectangle with a minimum of 20 mm length.

[MarkyMark]

New one on me. Never heard of this, nor seen evidence of it being used anwhere in France.

[mecki]

Never heard of it and I haven't noticed that French bikers have those stickers on their helmets either.
I go through France at least twice a year and never had any problems with the police there.
The bike gendarmes even give you a wave when you go past one of their roadside patrols.
I know they had legislation to have a small reflective patch on your jacket (smaller than the ones I have on mine anyway) which has been abolished but compulsory stickers on the helmet is news to me. 

[BigAlan]

I know the French are annoyed by bikers and this may well be yet another way to cream money from us but I for one will carry these stickers with me in the top box, my mate runs a site (shakey signs) and for the sake of £2.50 over a £135 fine seems a no brainer to me.

Alan

[Debs]

They can be bought off fleabay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Reflective-helmet-stickers-x-4-Meet-French-Helmet-regulation-law-France-/330892510736?

[O.C.]

Never heard of it, could be a ploy to sell french stickers as opposed to letters 

[Wirralmark]

Was planning a few days down to the Vosges Mountains this year but not now if this is true. Spent a small fortune buying his n hers schuberth c3's and ain't putting crap stickers on just as a revenue raiser for m. Hollande. Besides, I thought aftermarket stickers were detrimental to the integrity of helmets.

Mark

[Debs]

I may go for this... Looks black in daylight but shins white when light is on it..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scotchlite-Black-Reflective-Material-297mm/dp/B009416IYS

[viper]

the french government tried their upmost to bring in the reflective patch on jackets, they met huge resistance and protests and the new incoming government but that law on hold to curry favour with the voters, with all that in mind id be very surprised if this sticker on helmet idea is just that , an idea, they will never get it in before they resolve the reflective jacket issue. Stickers on helemts is not a robust solution, they will wear off/wash off, cant imagine laws based on that

[Debs]

I thought aftermarket stickers were detrimental to the integrity of helmets.

Mark

Hi Mark..

I also have the C3 and have just email Schuberth for their advice regarding this.. 

[Kevin]

This has been law in France for years, since the 90s at least. I have never heard of anyone being stopped for it.

Kevin

[Rusty]

Interesting ... That is the 1st I have read about it.

[viper]

the stickers problem relates to the old polycarb helmets from many years ago,and not the fibreglass ones  plus the stickers for helmets do use an appropriate glue

[mecki]

Interesting ... That is the 1st I have read about it.

If it really has been the law in France for over a decade and you risk a €130 fine without I am sure it would be mentioned on the AA website or similar sites I looked at. They all go on about light bulb kits , GB stickers if you don't have a EU plate, breatherlizers and whatnot but not a word about reflective stickers on helmets.  And in all the years I have been riding in France I have never seen anybody with such stickers.

Or is it April 1st already? 

[Debs]

France: About The Hi-Viz Law For Motorcycles

http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/france-about-the-hi-viz-law-for-motorcycles.htm