riding laws in France

[pross]

Now there is something our global modererater and azif  could look into   .
How about a helmet Hi-Viz GTR Forum Sticker a bit smaller than our normal sticker 

[Nitty Gritty]

two penny worth,
Reflective stickers on Helmets;- don't have to be retro fitted to helmets that haven't come with them already fitted, those visiting France from other countries don't have to comply with the helmet sticker rule, those selling stickers near the ports would like to convince you otherwise.
High Viz;- it's compulsory to have it available to put on without leaving the vehicle. i.e I have mine under the grippy mesh that covers the rear part of my seat. Others have their's in a tube fitted to the base of the topbox carrier.
Speeding;- Since May 2017 you can now be traced. DVLA now give out your details to foreign countries trying to track down offenders.
If travelling further afield
As an asside Austria is the only country where you can be found guilty of speeding, without appeal, solely on the opinion of a police officer.
Austria and Switzland have very strict rules regarding photographs and dashcams, read up if travelling that way.

[2kwacks]

Nitty Gritty.....  High Viz;- it's compulsory to have it available to put on without leaving the vehicle. i.e I have mine under the grippy mesh that covers the rear part of my seat. Others have their's in a tube fitted to the base of the topbox carrier.

I assume your Hi.viz is a water proof long sleeve jacket because if it was like the one I use which is a netted breathable lightweight sleeveless Hi.VIZ which most riders use then I can't see why you would not just wear it over your summer jacket. also I find this way I can leave my summer jacket just fastened at the bottom and zip the HI.VIZ up.. this keeps you cool and stops you needing to ring your t/shirt out every fuel stop also you don't stink as much   and you have got to be more visible to other vehicles when wearing the HI.VIZ than having the HI.VIZ under your rear seat.

[Nitty Gritty]

Hi 2kwacks,
I ride in Halvarssons gear which has a yellow reflective removeable bib. I'm not sure if it complies with the French requirement. So keep a sleeveless HiViz in a waterproof bag under the mesh cover of my seat.
I wouldn't have the choice of a summer jacket being so far from home (France) it's three season vented and waterproof gear for me on longer trips.
I think the jury's still out as far as reflective gear goes. "Sorry mate I didn't see you". You may have read an article in ride Mag some years ago, authored by a fighter pilot. Sacades apparently are the reason fighter pilots move about in their cockpits when searching the sky for enemy aircraft. Your eyes take snap shots from scene to scene when moving your head when looking around, this is to stop vision bluring as your head rotates. The brain fills in the missing parts with what it expects to see. If some one doesn't expect to see you, regardless of HiViz, they may just not see you as your in the gap the brain is making up. Moving your lane postioning can eleviate this when approaching junctions. Or as pilots, when at a junction, move your torso to and fro when looking around can help spot something moving which you may otherwise miss. I never stink!

[wildybeast]

Any rule on what colour hi viz in france.?I have an orange vest ime taking As for speeding in france .I was fined for the offence.

[2kwacks]

Hi 2kwacks,
I ride in Halvarssons gear which has a yellow reflective removeable bib. I'm not sure if it complies with the French requirement. So keep a sleeveless HiViz in a waterproof bag under the mesh cover of my seat.
I wouldn't have the choice of a summer jacket being so far from home (France) it's three season vented and waterproof gear for me on longer trips.
I think the jury's still out as far as reflective gear goes. "Sorry mate I didn't see you". You may have read an article in ride Mag some years ago, authored by a fighter pilot. Sacades apparently are the reason fighter pilots move about in their cockpits when searching the sky for enemy aircraft. Your eyes take snap shots from scene to scene when moving your head when looking around, this is to stop vision bluring as your head rotates. The brain fills in the missing parts with what it expects to see. If some one doesn't expect to see you, regardless of HiViz, they may just not see you as your in the gap the brain is making up. Moving your lane postioning can eleviate this when approaching junctions. Or as pilots, when at a junction, move your torso to and fro when looking around can help spot something moving which you may otherwise miss. I never stink!

I'm not saying that wearing a HI-VIZ will make other drivers see you I'm saying that wearing HI-VIZ as got to help other drivers to see you   BUT... of course the best way to be more visible when approaching side roads/pathways/ vehicles overtaking on your side of road heading towards you is to move position side to side a few times every experience rider should know this but remembering to move position every time is a other matter. I for one.. will admit that most of the time I do move position but I would be telling porkie pies if I said I move position every time. the way I see it the more you stand out the more chance of being seen with the netted HI-VIZ I don't stink either but I do after a good curry and a few beers which makes my ter stink

[2kwacks]

Any rule on what colour hi viz in france.?I have an orange vest ime taking As for speeding in france .I was fined for the offence.

I'm not sure if the vest as to be a certain reflective colour but the best colour to go for is the more popular yellow Fluorescent Reflective vest with the white reflective strips something like this would be fine and keep you legal in in Europe.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mens-Motorbike-Motorcycle-Hi-Vis-Viz-Visablity-Vest-Waistcoat/173232314594?epid=2172422415&hash=item28557358e2:m:mAN1c-yjVnH4H3sfHYZIWvA

[Icefever]

I'm with the general consensus.

Reflective stickers on Helmets;- don't have to be retro fitted to helmets that haven't come with them already fitted, those visiting France from other countries don't have to comply with the helmet sticker rule, those selling stickers near the ports would like to convince you otherwise.
High Viz;- it's compulsory to have it available to put on without leaving the vehicle.
Speeding;- Since May 2017 you can now be traced. DVLA now give out your details to foreign countries trying to track down offenders.

[/color]

Nitty is spot on as far as I'm concerned, having chased up every bloody site on the France biking laws last year...when we went on holls there....also..

I'm not saying that wearing a HI-VIZ will make other drivers see you I'm saying that wearing HI-VIZ as got to help other drivers to see you  
The problem with everyone wearing hi viz is that it then becomes part of the scenery and is no longer seen.

If high viz was compulsory and everyone had to wear high viz arm bands and jackets, gloves etc this wouldn't be  problem would it Dave? 

Education, not Legislation!

This is where you become part of the street furniture..just like any other street sign that most folks don't take any notice of..

After all of this just get on the damn bike and enjoy yourself matey.....that's what it's all about....have a good un. 

[nightrider]

Try a bright pink one , sure you will get noticed then 

[2kwacks]

Try a bright pink one , sure you will get noticed then 

yea.. but for the wrong reason

[Robbieben]

Try a bright pink one , sure you will get noticed then 

I'm reliably informed that the pink high vis does stand out most as people aren't used to seeing it. Pink High Vis jacket, Red helmet!!! Riding along like a  surely would get you noticed.