lots of scare stories on the net about money grabbing french police targetting brits for missing compolsury items. Ive took my bike on the continent many times and never had a problem, but would like to hear some views
Bike docs .... check
high viz vest .....check
spare bulbs .......check
first aid kit...........check
warning triangle ... on a bike ?????
Gb sticker ??????
headlight defelctors , never ever seen a bike with these and very few cars ??
It's a good idea to carry spare bulbs, Personally I like Tulips :mfr_lol:
First aid kit and warning triangle are not required for a bike, Hi Vis is now compulsory.
I'd haver a GB/EU plate made up.... it all depends where you go, tbh, and how you behave :innocent:
The breathaliser kits aren't compulsory at the moment, i think it's September, but we are carrying them anyway, tis always best to have it all, then ya can't get caught out by French Plod that don't know their own law, oh and don't forget to turn off the speed camera warning on ya sat nav.
Quote from: olde coney on May 15, 2012, 05:44:43 PM
It's a good idea to carry spare bulbs, Personally I like Tulips :mfr_lol:
Only in Amsterdam :banana: :banana:
breathalizer kits ..... you shittin me ??
as for speed warning device, ive got an integrated one on my bike, for some reason i get a sharp pain in my left rib when i go too fast. :cool:
and not just when im on the bike :punk: :banana: ...I thankyou .....
Docs, bulbs, Gb/Euro sticker or plate definitely
First Aid kit is sensible
I always carry a HiViz in my pannier, according to my French friend its not compulsory to wear it but you must have one, as you must for each passenger if you are in your car.
From Jan 2013 a reflective area of 150cm square will be compulsory for all motorcyclists, although this has not yet passed in to law. The decree states a "reflective area" and unless I'm mistaken hiviz isnt reflective per se.
Breathalizer kits are compulsory in cars from 1st July 2012, there is no mention of motorcycles though.
Radar detectors, inclluding those warnings in your GPS are illegal, fines of up to €1600 apparently.
Hope that helps, if you want any more clarification I can always email him again.
Shame the limp wristed, nappy wearing eurocrats are bad enough without every other nation making up their own rules too! Won't be long before we're all dressed as teletubbies in inflatable vests riding three wheeled 125cc scooters....sigh
Just spoken to him again, breathalisers are complulsory for ALL vehicles from July 1st
Reflective armbands, of 150cm square, definitely not compulsory until 2013. The original propsal was for hi-vis vests but after protests was modified.
Quote from: Cartman on May 15, 2012, 06:38:13 PM
Docs, bulbs, Gb/Euro sticker or plate definitely
First Aid kit is sensible
I always carry a HiViz in my pannier, according to my French friend its not compulsory to wear it but you must have one, as you must for each passenger if you are in your car.
From Jan 2013 a reflective area of 150cm square will be compulsory for all motorcyclists, although this has not yet passed in to law. The decree states a "reflective area" and unless I'm mistaken hiviz isnt reflective per se.
Breathalizer kits are compulsory in cars from 1st July 2012, there is no mention of motorcycles though.
Radar detectors, inclluding those warnings in your GPS are illegal, fines of up to €1600 apparently.
Hope that helps, if you want any more clarification I can always email him again.
Shame the limp wristed, nappy wearing eurocrats are bad enough without every other nation making up their own rules too! Won't be long before we're all dressed as teletubbies in inflatable vests riding three wheeled 125cc scooters....sigh
when we talk about high viz, these are to be worn only when you have broken down ??
Quote from: Cartman on May 15, 2012, 06:47:27 PM
Just spoken to him again, breathalisers are complulsory for ALL vehicles from July 1st
Reflective armbands, of 150cm square, definitely not compulsory until 2013. The original propsal was for hi-vis vests but after protests was modified.
what is this breathalyser , what do i need to get
what till you get to france and pick 'em up in the Super U, cost about a euro for a pair, the ones on sale at Halfords are not French compliant
how do the french police expext us to carry all this crap on our bikes,
im sure some french onion seller on his 50cc scooter has all this under his seat ?
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTc0WDgxNA==/$(KGrHqZHJC!E9rRD!vn5BPomoiE!,Q~~60_3.JPG)
It's cobblers isn't it! At least you're not on a 'blade.
Mister is spot on re: breathalyser
The stuff you need to take to meet the actual legal requirements for a bike in France don't actually take up that much room on a bike. Never had any trouble fitting it on this or my previous bike in my recent trips to or through France.
The document stuff you would want to take with you anyway, spare bulbs and a basic first aid kit can come in handy and I always wear high viz.
I know a big fuss is made about the requirements for France but a lot of requirements for France are also required most other European countries.
The AA web site used to do and may still do a very good summary sheet of the legal requirements for European countries
Kind regards
Steve
Quote from: routemaster on May 15, 2012, 08:33:21 PM
The stuff you need to take to meet the actual legal requirements for a bike in France don't actually take up that much room on a bike. Never had any trouble fitting it on this or my previous bike in my recent trips to or through France.
The document stuff you would want to take with you anyway, spare bulbs and a basic first aid kit can come in handy and I always wear high viz.
I know a big fuss is made about the requirements for France but a lot of requirements for France are also required most other European countries.
The AA web site used to do and may still do a very good summary sheet of the legal requirements for European countries
Kind regards
Steve
yes i agree with most of that, just trying to work out what is law and what is just rumour. The aa site seems to be for cars , cant find anything official for bikes. Fire ext and triangles dont sound very practicle, and i thought high viz was just in case you break down.
how many bikes bother with headlamp deflectors , thats the one im undecided on
AA site is for cars!! on a bike you dont need a warning triangle or a fire extinguisher, and hi-vis is for when you brake down. Compulsory are hi-vis (break down), bike/insurance documents,bulbs,breathalyser from July 1st (although only cautions until november).
Took 140 bikes to France in 2010, and not one had any problems.
I have ridden 1000s of miles all over Europe in the last few years and have never used headlight deflectors, just used the headlight adjusters so they don't dazzle. During this time I have been stopped twice, once in France for speeding (yes I know :rolleyes:) and once in Germany for filtering (didn't know you couldn't) but at no time have I been inspected, or my headlamp queried.
Enjoy the trip :biker3:
Quote from: Cartman on May 15, 2012, 09:13:06 PM
AA site is for cars!! on a bike you dont need a warning triangle or a fire extinguisher, and hi-vis is for when you brake down. Compulsory are hi-vis (break down), bike/insurance documents,bulbs,breathalyser from July 1st (although only cautions until november).
Took 140 bikes to France in 2010, and not one had any problems.
I have ridden 1000s of miles all over Europe in the last few years and have never used headlight deflectors, just used the headlight adjusters so they don't dazzle. During this time I have been stopped twice, once in France for speeding (yes I know :rolleyes:) and once in Germany for filtering (didn't know you couldn't) but at no time have I been inspected, or my headlamp queried.
Enjoy the trip :biker3:
thanks for the concise and confident answer. The high viz thing is law from next year while riding the bike, but it only needs to be a patch thats 150cm,
personally im having this on my jacket
(http://img4.hostingpics.net/pics/314464395268297544300297069126818787369622957733177475542n.jpg)
The one on the AA site is for both cars and bikes, you just need to read the footnotes as things like triangles (6) are excluded for two wheeled vehicles.
I have attached a copy - which is dated April 2012
Steve
Breath analyser checks will only be enforced Nov 1st, 2012 the fine is 11 Euro if biker fails to provide one.
Anyway, with this new president, who knows what will actually come into play...
BTW, what are the compulsory requirements for the UK?
Quote from: frenchbiker on May 21, 2012, 03:33:44 PM
Breath analyser checks will only be enforced Nov 1st, 2012 the fine is 11 Euro if biker fails to provide one.
Anyway, with this new president, who knows what will actually come into play...
BTW, what are the compulsory requirements for the UK?
erm ...crash helmet :huh: ... mind you go on any council estate and you'd swear that wasn't the case with all the yoofs riding about on scooters..
The blue 'GB' logo on numberplates is only valid for EU member countries. If you go outside the EU then technically you need a black on white 'GB' sticker on the vehicle.
Quote from: frenchbiker on May 21, 2012, 03:33:44 PM
BTW, what are the compulsory requirements for the UK?
Your bike has to be road legal in the country it is registered in and you must have all the paperwork with you (insurance, registration document, etc)
Other than that the rider must wear a crash helmet (ECE approved).
You can have as much horsepower as you like (or can get) :punk: :banana: :clap:
If you get stopped don't try insulting the policeman in another language.
We Brits are not know for our language skills but many people know bits of other languages.
I told a Greek cop, in Dutch, that his mother sucked Turkish :censored: for money,...... he didn't know exactly what I'd said but knew it was an insult and probably understood mother and Turkish,....and as a consequence I had to submit to a 45 minute roadside bike and paperwork inspection.
Hey I was 21 and stupid! Luckily I was sober and completely legal.
Quote from: doebag on May 22, 2012, 01:48:51 PM
The blue 'GB' logo on numberplates is only valid for EU member countries. If you go outside the EU then technically you need a black on white 'GB' sticker on the vehicle.
In general this is right but AFAIK EU plates are also sufficient in Norway and Switzerland.
Quote from: mecki on May 22, 2012, 05:43:01 PM
In general this is right but AFAIK EU plates are also sufficient in Norway and Switzerland.
I stand corrected, plus I had not realised how far the EU border now stretches !
Quote from: Boomer on May 22, 2012, 02:29:04 PM
Your bike has to be road legal in the country it is registered in and you must have all the paperwork with you (insurance, registration document, etc)
Other than that the rider must wear a crash helmet (ECE approved).
You can have as much horsepower as you like (or can get) :punk: :banana: :clap:
If you get stopped don't try insulting the policeman in another language.
We Brits are not know for our language skills but many people know bits of other languages.
I told a Greek cop, in Dutch, that his mother sucked Turkish :censored: for money,...... he didn't know exactly what I'd said but knew it was an insult and probably understood mother and Turkish,....and as a consequence I had to submit to a 45 minute roadside bike and paperwork inspection.
Hey I was 21 and stupid! Luckily I was sober and completely legal.
Ok, fairly easy then to compare to the damn French BS...
My bike, bought in Singapore is a UK model, so it will be riding home !!