Paging the hardened Euro travellers.

It works until you decide to go a bit too fast.

 

Defo no for Spain, last year.

 

Didn't we do this last year ?

 

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/touring_tips/compulsory_equipment.pdf
See footnotes 6 & 11.

Michelin roadmaps often come with a little card that lists a few
requirements, but it's not clear how or if they apply to bikes.

 

Anecdotal evidence, which may be bollocks, suggests French plod have been
issuing fixed penalties to UK drivers. There again, the fuckers have form
for enforcing the law in ways that could be considered dubious e.g.
stopping drivers en route from Belgium to Calais and enforcing their
tobacco import laws[1]. It seems the EU has stepped in on that one
http://www.day-tripper.net/tobacco-in-belgium.html#anchorfrenchlaw

[1] c2005, there were long queues being checked by customs as I approached
Dunkirk. I was waved through on the bike.

 

Which is either quite sad or the sign of a Chav.

 

Err, Mr Wilson is right, ALL vehicles driving on French territory are required
to have the triangle/hivi vest. It's even the first line on the French gov
road saftey website:

http://www.securiteroutiere.gouv.fr/article.php3?id_article=3153

In Spain, you're required to have 2 triangles (in the event of a problem, to
put one in front of the vehicle, one to the rear). Spanish Plod are tolerant
of foreign vehicles though and will let you get away with one. French police
may not be so forgiving.

 

Well the AA are talking out of their arse.

 

What have the Merkins got to do with it?

 

If it's in the boot, you can't put it on before getting out the car -
which is a legal requirement. I'm quite surprised that a Frenchman's
forgotten that bit...

 

The French think they liberated France :-/

 

But it doesn't say "all vehicles driving on French territory". I know
your French isn't great, but I thought it was better than that ;-)

I can't find a reference, but this specific question was well debated
at the time, and it was clear that this, just like any other
country-specific regulations, would only apply to French-registered
cars. Like the regs on the Contrôle Technique, for example, and even
more specific stuff like headlight colour. Remember when French cars
had to have yellow lights - did this rule apply to foreign cars on
French soil? No, it did not.

No, the general rule applies here - a vehicle must comply with vehicle
regs in the country in which it's registered. That's all.

 

Yes, but Cab seems to have forgotten. He's not been sleeping well,
apparently...

 

The Carabinieri hit me for 38 yoyos and gave me the equivalent of a
produce.

 

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/touring_tips/compulsory_equipment.pdf

 

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/touring_tips/france-monaco.pdf
http://www.rac.co.uk/driving-abroad/france/
http://www.brittany-internet.com/BrittanyNews/DrivingFrance/tabid/155/De
fault.aspx

All say you must carry a reflective jacket.

 

Bad form but it seems this was due to a law change in 2008.
http://www.motoring-into-europe.co.uk/Content/reflective-vests-legal-inf
o.pdf

 

And why would I choose to believe them? Nothing wrong with their
advice, but I wouldn't trust a couple of foreign motoring clubs and a
ferry operator to interpret French law for me, TYVM.

Don't forget there's a huge difference between the actual requirement,
which in this case cannot properly be applied to foreign vehicles and
what the police might think, so as I said we do actually carry one
such jacket, although I've never been asked to show it. It's likely
that plod round here (I'm at home today[1]) are aware that they can't
enforce it on Swiss cars, so don't bother asking.

Yes, we know. That was the "at the time" to which I was referring.

Odd that the only references google comes up with date from around the
time the law was introduced, and I can't find whatever discussions I'm
remembering, so I'll not argue this any more, except to say that I was
happy, as one who drives in both France and CH most working days, that
the rule would not apply to us.

 

I think *you're* wrong.

All the research I did for my trip to France last year said that a hi-viz
jacket and warning triangle were mandatory (for cars).

 

Yes, well you need a break from fleecing the NHS occasionally, eh?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/aug/24/avastin-too-expensive-for-patients


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