Where to Stick It

BX Tech talk
KevR
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Post by KevR »

Right then, a few facts rather than 'horror stories' from the telly...

1: French law only stipulates a hi vis jacket for the driver. The text of the law doesn't specifically say it has to be in the passenger compartment - it just says it has to be ' à portée du main' - ie within reach. You have to put it on before you get out of the car, and the next move is to immediately put your warning triangle 30m behind the car.

2: Police/gendarmes can't just make up fines/punishments. France is possibly the most bureaucratic country on earth and everything's laid down in the legal code. For example failure to carry/wear a hi vis jacket is an offence of the fourth class, punishable by a fine of between 90-135 euros.

3: Yes, radar detectors are illegal in France under article R413-15 of the Code de la Route. Not allowed to use one, carry one in the car (even turned off), or whatever. Max 1500 euro fine, 3 year ban, 2 points. Detector will be confiscated, and they have the power to confiscate your car as well... On the other hand Radar warning devices (for instance GPS based ones that operate on published info of fixed sites) are legal.

4: Having British plates doesn't make you a specific target. If anything you're more likely to get away with minor offences as generally they don't want the paperwork or the hassle of dealing with non french-speaking foreigners. You should see the amount of rattly old rustbuckets being driven around illegally and with apparent impunity by ex-pats over here - UK plates with (or often without) french Controle Technique, no tax etc.

5: Spare bulb kit isn't compulsory, so they can't fine you for not having it and certainly not for a missing bulb. What they CAN do (and they use it as an excuse to stop and check papers) is fine you for a burned-out bulb on the car itself, and insist you repair it before you drive on. So if you haven't got a spare, you're stuck.

6: Here's a tip to avoid speeding fines on the motorways. Because of on-the-spot fines, the Gendarmes like to trap you near to a cashpoint! That means they're usually parked up near a motorway bridge, a couple of km before a large service station. It'll either be a static radar and a couple of BMW bikes to chase you down, or a dark blue Subaru saloon with radar fitted. os take it steady for a few km before big service stations.
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Philip Chidlow
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Post by Philip Chidlow »

Excellent clarification there. It's amazing - going oniine at least - how conflicting advice is given.

I love driving in France and I must say, generally the roads are more pleasant to be on than here, so knowing the law over there and - as might have been mentioned elsewhere - knowing the meaning of road signs will make it even better.

So this is useful:

(By the way, the yellow diamond sign* - and the corresponding one with a line through it deserve special attention - as does the crossroads sign where all lines of the cross are of equal thickness: this means you do not have priority: you must give way to traffic entering on the right)...

Image
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*yellow diamond sign

This is very common on all but the smaller roads. It means you have priority at intersections. On other roads, (ie except those which have the yellow diamond sign), ASSUME the driver emerging from the rightmost road at an intersection has the priority to cross that intersection first, or even to turn onto another road. (However, often there will be a solid white bar and/or STOP sign on the road to your right so that helps clarify that you have priority). You may find a driver stops on a larger road to allow a car waiting on a side road (to the right of the main road) to turn onto the larger road. This happens less and less these days but it pays to be aware.


yellow diamond sign with a line through it

This means “this road does not have priority”, that is cars coming from the right onto this road have the priority: priority from the right [priorité à droite]. As someone said: surely a skull-and-crossbones sign would be more fitting!

Roundabouts are generally exempt from this rule (cars should not just drive out onto the roundabout on the basis that they are to the right of cars already going round, although often they do) - note the cedez le passage/give way signs.
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rayfenwick
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Post by rayfenwick »

Philip Chidlow wrote:
rayfenwick wrote:That's another one on the list... as is retrofitting a S1 engine compartment light to my S2 XM... damn fine idea IMHO.
A brief O/T diversion: I didn't know the S1 cars had a light there: If you do do the modification, please make a record of it for the benefit of fellow S2 owners. Like you, I think it's a bloomin' good idea.
Yes, and it worked great. I think I know where the light is (the boot of an XM I sold to a friend as a project) and as soon as I liberate it I will have a go. I'll certainly write it up somewhere.
Ray

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2000 Citroën XM 3.0 24V V6 Exclusive Auto (pre-MOT)
1997 Citroën XM 2.0 TCT Exclusive Auto (for sale)
1979 Citroën CX 2.4 EI Cmatic Prestige (slowly being restored)

1992 Alfa Romeo 164 Lusso 3.0 v6 12v Manual (on the to-do list)

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macplaxton
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Post by macplaxton »

KevR wrote:2: Police/gendarmes can't just make up fines/punishments.
True, but it doesn't stop them trying it on. Not necessarily with the private motorists, but I have certainly heard of strong anecdotal evidence of it happening to lorry drivers and tacho rules.

Thing of the blue meanies that issue out parking tickets here. How many people pay up rather than challenge it (often successfully)?

Thanks for pointing out that actual rules though.
KevR
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Post by KevR »

macplaxton wrote:
KevR wrote:2: Police/gendarmes can't just make up fines/punishments.
True, but it doesn't stop them trying it on. Not necessarily with the private motorists, but I have certainly heard of strong anecdotal evidence of it happening to lorry drivers and tacho rules..
In a lot of cases the plod here don't actually know the rules in the first place...
I've been stopped a few times for document checks and told I need to swap my UK licence for a French one as I'm resident here. I then show them a copy of the relevant law that says no I don't! A friend had the same problem but was actually fined on the spot. I went with her to the Police station, explained the situation and she got an apology and a refund.
macplaxton
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Post by macplaxton »

KevR wrote:In a lot of cases the plod here don't actually know the rules in the first place...
Agreed.

It's always worth knowing the rules of wherever you are going. Saves getting unintentionally fleeced by keen polis who haven't a scoobie. :lol:
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