Touring and the law

Discussion in 'UK Motorcycles' started by the man with no idea, Jun 19, 2008.

  1. I was looking on the BMF website the other day and got the impression
    that, while touring in Europe, the law requires:
    All documents - originals
    breakdown cover
    spare bulbs
    hi viz jacket/bib etc
    warning triangle
    and possibly even an extinguisher (I may have read that elsewhere)

    Looking at Nige's post before the France trip, the general concensus
    seems to have been that it's all bollocks.

    Does anybody here know what the law actually does require for bikes in
    Holland, Belgium and Germany?
     
    the man with no idea, Jun 19, 2008
    #1
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  2. the man with no idea

    Beav Guest

    Dunno about the law, but I rode in Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and
    Norway without all that guff and had no problems. Mined euuw, I didn't get
    pulled by plod either.


    --
    Beav

    VN 750
    Zed 1000
    OMF# 19
     
    Beav, Jun 19, 2008
    #2
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  3. the man with no idea

    Tosspot Guest

    I take original+copies of relevant documents and spare bulbs. That's
    it. Got stopped by plod in Hungary for 'making progress' and Romania
    cos I think they were bored, both with no probs. Oh, got chased down in
    Germany for slapped wrists as well. Then there was that episode in Spain...

    Nah, just the documents will probably do.
     
    Tosspot, Jun 19, 2008
    #3
  4. the man with no idea

    Greybeard Guest

    Just been checking the same thing, for Spain though.

    The common thing for all countries, seems to be; all original documentation.

    but for most of the EU zone you'll be oh with:

    a] All original Documents
    b] Spare Bulbs...(and the tools to fit them!!)
    c] Hi Viz jacket (Must be accessible quickly)
    d] Headlight conversion to right dip. (most bikes nowadays are neutral)

    HTH.

    --
    Greybeard

    FLHR -03 UK (95 cu-in Stg 2. Big Boy2!)
    Trumpet Trophy 1200-03
    Garmin Zumo 550, To get me home!

    ukrm@foxtails[dot]co[dot]uk
     
    Greybeard, Jun 19, 2008
    #4
  5. the man with no idea

    CT Guest

    Every answer so far has mentioned spare bulbs. Why?

    I don't carry spare bulbs at home[1] so why bother just because you're
    abroad? Is it mandatory?[2] If you did get stopped, would they check?

    [1] I can't remember the last time I had a bulb blow. Certainly not
    since 1992 and since then I've had one fuse failure, which took out the
    brake light.
    [2] Yes, I do realise that this is the same as the OP's original
    question.
     
    CT, Jun 19, 2008
    #5
  6. the man with no idea

    Colin Irvine Guest

    In some countries, such as Spain, yes.

    The AA has some good guidance.
    http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/countrybycountry.html
     
    Colin Irvine, Jun 19, 2008
    #6
  7. the man with no idea

    Ace Guest

    Actually required in the UK as well, but they use the 'producer'
    mechanism if you haven't got them, whereas in some Euro-coutries plod
    may fine you on the spot or take you down the nick if they're feeling
    nasty. Doesn't usually happen to furriners, but I always used to take
    the V5 and insurance cert (or green card) anyway. Not exactly a heavy
    burden.
    No way. I mean, mebbe it's a good idea to have it, but no way is it a
    legal requirement.
    I always used to carry a spare headlight one, but nowt else. No-one's
    likely to check anyway.
    Yes. See above.
    --
    _______
    ..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com)
    \`\ | /`/
    `\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10
    `\|/`
    `
     
    Ace, Jun 19, 2008
    #7
  8. the man with no idea

    des Guest

    [/QUOTE]
    Yes (see below).
    Yes (see below).

    'Les conducteurs de tout vehicule en circulation devront desormais
    disposer d'un gilet de securite et d'un triangle de pre-signalisation'.

    Just called local commissariat, and one cop I spoke to said yes, bikes
    are concerned; another said no, bikes aren't concerned. So the usual
    French efficiency, there. Called the Ministry of Transport, no one
    there able to tell me, either.

    So basically: don't give a ****.

    D.
     
    des, Jun 19, 2008
    #8
  9. the man with no idea

    darsy Guest

    I take my original driving licence, and a photocopy of my insurance
    and V5. I've never had any problems.
    I've never bothered explicitly, though my previous insurers provided
    this.
    **** off.
    no idea - who cares. I've no idea what the law actually does require
    in the UK either.
     
    darsy, Jun 19, 2008
    #9
  10. the man with no idea

    CT Guest

    Yes, but it is here too. I don't do anything differently when I'm
    abroad compared to when I'm in the UK, except for having slightly less
    regard for traffic law in general.
     
    CT, Jun 19, 2008
    #10
  11. the man with no idea

    MikeH Guest

    I thought that was how they made them.
     
    MikeH, Jun 19, 2008
    #11
  12. the man with no idea

    TOG@Toil Guest

    No. I don't care, either. I think I've only ever taken my documents
    with me once in nearly 30 years of riding on the Continent. Oddly,
    that was the one occasion when I was asked for them. Even when nicked
    for speeding, I wasn't asked for paperwork.

    FWIW, I take:

    Credit cards, bare minimum of clothes (you can always buy a cheap T-
    shirt en route if you need to), breakdown card, toolkit plus one or
    two extras like a pair of Mole grips and a roll of insulating or gaffa
    tape (gaffa tape can fix just about anything temporarily), a couple of
    solderless nipples, spare chain link (*waves* at Lady Nina), puncture
    kit. Oh, and a map.
     
    TOG@Toil, Jun 19, 2008
    #12
  13. the man with no idea

    Eddie Guest

    Yeah, but I think here you'd get a defect rectification notice (or
    whatever you call it), whereas in foreign you'd get an on-the-spot fine.
     
    Eddie, Jun 19, 2008
    #13
  14. the man with no idea

    CT Guest

    But you wouldn't need half of *that* lot if you had a half-reliable
    bike.
    But of course (although just a few sheets of the relevant area printed
    from Google maps is what I mainly used on the last trip).
     
    CT, Jun 19, 2008
    #14
  15. the man with no idea

    Krusty Guest

    No - I just take documents, & a spare set of keys/alarm blipper stashed
    away somewhere.

    --
    Krusty
    www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
    Off-Road Classifieds

    '02 MV Senna '03 Tiger 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250
     
    Krusty, Jun 19, 2008
    #15
  16. the man with no idea

    Eddie Guest

    Oh, hah-hah.
     
    Eddie, Jun 19, 2008
    #16
  17. the man with no idea

    TOG@Toil Guest

    Heh. It's more for possible crash damage than breakdowns, actually.
    I've never had to use the solderless nipples, and the spare link has
    come into play once in 1982 and once on the French Run this year. It's
    like insurance, really - you just know that if you don't take the
    stuff, you'll need it.

    I don't think I've ever had a breakdown abroad. A puncture, yes.

    On the Ducati, I've got a spare brake/clutch lever stashed under the
    seat. My model of 750SS uses exactly the same lever for both
    functions: it's reversible, which is smart. If the thing falls over,
    you can get around without a clutch lever for a while, but not if a
    brake lever snaps.
     
    TOG@Toil, Jun 19, 2008
    #17
  18. In some countries, it does. It does not matter. You need the registration
    certificate, and a proof that you can be in possession of the vehicle
    if it's not registered in your name (say, you borrowed a buddy's bike
    or are driving a hire car). That's all.
    Since nobody here brought this up, there's this thing called the
    Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_Convention_on_Road_Traffic

    Regulations in, say, Slovakia may require road-legal bikes to
    carry a small warning triangle and spare bulbs, and I've known
    some Polish bikers who were pulled over and given ticket for
    not possessing this stuff, but it's actually illegal. In the
    same manner, German plod started ticketing Polish cars for
    the lack of a German-regulations-compatible first aid kit,
    then local papers made a lot of noise and it turned out that
    the tickets were illegal and they had to give the money back.

    Basically, all the signatories to the Vienna Convenion agree
    to recognise the legality of vehicles from other signatory
    countries which meet the requirements of the country they are
    registered in. You're registered in Slovakia? Police can
    ticket you in the UK for the lack of a warning triangle.
    (Right, like that'll ever happen) However, when you're registered
    in the UK Slovakian plod can't ticket you for the lack of
    the triangle in question. Not that he won't try, if he thinks
    he'll get away with it. Furriners may be seen as easy prey,
    after all, and good luck in explaining what is the Vienna
    Convention to a non-english speaking Slovakian in search of
    a bribe. :->

    Leslie
     
    Leszek Karlik, Jun 19, 2008
    #18
  19. the man with no idea

    des Guest

    Pleonasm alert...

    D.
     
    des, Jun 19, 2008
    #19
  20. the man with no idea, Jun 19, 2008
    #20
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