riding tips for france?

some say you will get done

the 'some' that say this.. are they saying it because they HAVE been done.. or because they think they will be. theres a difference.

The article quoted seems to be saying on the one hand.. if you own a helmet that didnt come with stickers.. so thats any UK helemt. you will be OK. then it says.. its up to you?

thats clear then isnt it. especially when they end that 'Its up to you?" with a question mark.

clear as mud.

Next time i travel to France.. I wont be putting stickers on MY helmet.. but I will be keeping an eye on the forums and see if the gendarmes lay seige to the tunnel exit and make a mint from fining every biker that comes off the train.. or.. from the ferry port.

personally. i thinks its all bollox. those who say you MUST.. are saying that because they want to sell you stickers. A little like the scam that went on with breathalysers a couple of years ago.

some say you will get done

 

the 'some' that say this.. are they saying it because they HAVE been done.. or because they think they will be. theres a difference.

I do not know anyone that has had a fine for it nor have I seen anyone mention that that have been done

Well.. theres your answer, these laws came into effect on 1st January of this year.. so an entire riding/touring season has passed and silence?

elsewhere in Europe?

"The French law refers to a passage in the helmet ECE 22-05, according to which individual countries may require the use of reflective stickers. according to the legal experts Michael Nissen from ADAC, this Regulation shall only in the distribution of motorcycle helmets in France. When driving in France is only required that the helmets be homologated according to ECE 22-04 or -05 must. subsequent attachment of reflex tickers is not required by the foreign lawyers believes. "

above lifted from a German bike magazine website and translated.

So... ADAC which is the German AA/RAC type organisation are saying it only applies to french riders.. and helmets bought in France (which come with stickers in the box)

I rode through France for a total of 4 days (circa 1300 miles) this year, saw plenty of police but was not stopped and asked about helmet stickers or anything else for that matter.

My advice is ride on the right

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My advice is ride on the right

And when you get to a roundabout/ junction follow a car until you are certain you are riding on the right.....

As for the stickers on helmet thing...

Earlier this year I was following a mate home who had just been to France, he had stuck on the stickers. We road together for about an hour in the dark, the next day I found the stickers that came with my lid and put them on.

If you ride regularly of a night I would recommend them, although my lid has enough white on it to make them hard to see in the day...

Hi viz vest, you only need to carry one, and if you stop at the side of the road, put it on, but you don't need to wear it all the time.

Helmet stickers are only a legal requirement for helmets sold in France, so local bikers need them, but we don't. So much confusion on this one even the AA website gets it wrong, but I speak fluent French, my wife is French, and we have both read the relevant legislation, it's quite explicit.

Need spare bulbs, but that's not really being enforced anymore because so many vehicles need bodywork removed to change a bulb, but it is still the law so if you can change bulbs easily on your bike, carry the bulbs.

Forget breathalysers, they are still required by law, but there is no penalty for not having one.

Google for priorite a droite and make sure you understand how it works and the two types of signage that tell you when its in place.

Speed limits apply from the town name sign, until you reach the same sign with a red cross through it as you leave the town/village.

Don't run yourself too low on fuel if you are using D roads a lot. Plenty of petrol stations on N roads, but not D roads, also sometimes you will find the pump doesn't accept UK cards, so if your range is less than 50 miles and you see a petrol station, get fuel.

Filtering is not legal but nobody enforces it.

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In the countryside weekend afternoons or holiday time, other drivers will have been drinking, just give other drivers a wide berth.

Most important thing about France is to understand that what the law says and how it is enforced, are two completely different things. They care about speeding, dangerous behaviour, not wearing your hi-viz if you are wondering about at the roadside, and head or tail bulbs being out completely (if you have twin bulbs you're OK) but they don't care about an awful lot else. If you follow all the laws and you carry all the stuff, you are more compliant with the law than the locals. My father and brother in law don't have any of the compulsory stuff in their cars except the hi viz.

I've never had any problems filtering in France and I've done a lot. In fact it always seems to be expected and French riders never hang around in queues of traffic. In fact they can be a big danger as they zoom up behind you...

I ride to Beziers in the S of France every year from Calais - the Paris peripherique - Bourges - Millau.

Last year I was filtering steadily through a queue of stationary cars on a long stretch of road heading South from Bourges when I noticed a blue light coming up on the hard shoulder. The cop drove alongside me and gave me in sign language and a very frowny face an order to pull in and stay in lane.

I did and fortunately stayed that way for a few miles. He'd parked further up the road and gave me another frown but a thumbs up.

I found out later that filtering through slow-moving or stationary traffic is actually illegal in France.

You live and learn.