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The UK's Foreign Office says: "Single use breathalysers are obligatory in all motorised vehicles as of 1 July 2012.

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"Motorists and motorcyclists travelling to France should purchase a kit complying with French regulations and carrying the 'NF' label. Road users are advised to carry at least two breathalysers at all times."

Anyone caught without a breathalyser will initially be cautioned. From November, there will be an €11 fine (£8.80).

Reports state French police will conduct random searches on vehicles at ports.

Breakdown firm Green Flag warns many products are being sold as French breathalysers, but these won't necessarily satisfy the French police.

Green Flag suggests motorists carry at least two NF-certified breathalysers; one that can be used, the other to produce if requested by police.

It says single-use breathalysers can cost just 40p.

Anyone driving in France is already required to carry a warning triangle and a fluorescent safety vest.

flatlander wrote:
Green Flag suggests motorists carry at least two NF-certified breathalysers;

Why are the National Front certifying breathalysers? Also, what on earth is the purpose of having to carry one? Surely the act of carrying one does nothing apart from filling up luggage space and boosting profits for breathalyser sales companies and the National Front's Breathalyser Certification Service ...........

flatlander wrote: Anyone driving in France is already required to carry a warning triangle and a fluorescent safety vest.

Are you sure? The regulation I saw said nothing about fluorescence but did specify a reflective area of a minimum size on the upper body (and I'm presuming that this doesn't include slap-heads due to the encasing effect of helmets).
I honestly don't know what is correct as I have often seen people mentioning fluorescent vests.

I've been warned about the fluro vests needed in France in the past, but respectfully ingnored it, IIRC there was also a need to carry spare bulbs, ignored that one too.

TBH I used to treat France like my stay out of jail free card, all good behaviour was left on the UK side of the channel and provided I didn't actually go to jail Mr Visa helped settle all my little indiscretions.

The Gendarmes were usually less than interested in the little things that they would have to do lots of paperwork on and chase internationally so overlooked them. Unless the speed was extreme they just gave out warnings.

This was about 5 years ago though, thy might be a bit more Euro Naziesque now

Falcopops wrote:I've been warned about the fluro vests needed in France in the past, but respectfully ingnored it, IIRC there was also a need to carry spare bulbs, ignored that one too.

TBH I used to treat France like my stay out of jail free card, all good behaviour was left on the UK side of the channel and provided I didn't actually go to jail Mr Visa helped settle all my little indiscretions.

The Gendarmes were usually less than interested in the little things that they would have to do lots of paperwork on and chase internationally so overlooked them. Unless the speed was extreme they just gave out warnings.

This was about 5 years ago though, thy might be a bit more Euro Naziesque now

Indeed they are and they will come after you even if you're out of the country. Also I'm sure if its true but with the new law in about carrying a breathaliser, you will more than likely get pulled if its a nice car/bike and woe betide if you have had a drink.

Gio wrote:Indeed they are and they will come after you even if you're out of the country.

They will only come after you if you have hired a car with French plates. There is currently no reciprocal sharing of DVLA-type information between France and the UK or indeed any European country and the UK. If you get flashed on a UK registered bike/car in France you can safely forget about it.

However if you get caught in a radar trap it's an entirely different matter. If you don't have enough cash on you they will escort you to the nearest ATM. Don't ask me how I know...

mangocrazy wrote:

Gio wrote:Indeed they are and they will come after you even if you're out of the country.

They will only come after you if you have hired a car with French plates. There is currently no reciprocal sharing of DVLA-type information between France and the UK or indeed any European country and the UK. If you get flashed on a UK registered bike/car in France you can safely forget about it.

However if you get caught in a radar trap it's an entirely different matter. If you don't have enough cash on you they will escort you to the nearest ATM. Don't ask me how I know...

I have a letter here sent by the french government to my son who lives in Dubai, its a demand for payment of fines he recieved there and decided to ignore. Don't know how they got his address, but we do have extradition to all EU countries in force (well thats what i've been told)

my top tip when you sign any papers aleays put " I do not undeerrstand what I am signing it invalidates the signature which means you werent there used to work in spain ... you can ask me how I know but it involves an overweight communist sympathising jesuit educated layer and that was the good end of the story

Gio wrote:

mangocrazy wrote:

Gio wrote:Indeed they are and they will come after you even if you're out of the country.

They will only come after you if you have hired a car with French plates. There is currently no reciprocal sharing of DVLA-type information between France and the UK or indeed any European country and the UK. If you get flashed on a UK registered bike/car in France you can safely forget about it.

However if you get caught in a radar trap it's an entirely different matter. If you don't have enough cash on you they will escort you to the nearest ATM. Don't ask me how I know...

I have a letter here sent by the french government to my son who lives in Dubai, its a demand for payment of fines he recieved there and decided to ignore. Don't know how they got his address, but we do have extradition to all EU countries in force (well thats what i've been told)

If they nailed him for a fine on French soil and he decided to ignore it, then that's rather a different matter. If you get flashed and ignore it, the French have no means of finding out your UK details.

And extradition is an entirely different can of worms to reciprocal database-sharing agreements. (which doesn't yet happen, to the best of my knowledge).

When does your son get extradited and forced to serve in the Legion d'Honneur?

the rest of us would use a lawyer, but if geoff was forced to rely on one of his lays then....

Gio wrote:

mangocrazy wrote:

Gio wrote:Indeed they are and they will come after you even if you're out of the country.

They will only come after you if you have hired a car with French plates. There is currently no reciprocal sharing of DVLA-type information between France and the UK or indeed any European country and the UK. If you get flashed on a UK registered bike/car in France you can safely forget about it.

However if you get caught in a radar trap it's an entirely different matter. If you don't have enough cash on you they will escort you to the nearest ATM. Don't ask me how I know...

I have a letter here sent by the french government to my son who lives in Dubai, its a demand for payment of fines he recieved there and decided to ignore. Don't know how they got his address, but we do have extradition to all EU countries in force (well thats what i've been told)

i think my reply would be along the lines of 'Enculé vous, Merci beaucoup'