Compusory breathyliser in your car

[Losos]

Digits thread about Hi-Vis clothing for bikers made me think about the new law in France (effective July) which will require every motorist (French and foreign) to carry a breathyliser in their car glove box, it must be made to a French standard design, must be 'in date' and must not have been used :roll:

The debate on another forum has also been extremely heated and of course people have gone to great lengths to find faults with the law.:lol:

For example, you come out of your local wine bar, you break open your in car breathyliser and test yourself, the device says you are OK to drive so you do, the local Gendarmes stop you down the road and give you another test which you fail :!: Can you sue the manufacturer :lol:

The fact the device must not have been used also implies you need two of them at least in your car, maybe ten or more if you're inclined to visit the local wine bar every day and you test yourself every day :lol:

Apparently they are quite cheap, about 2 Euro I believe, and the fine for not having an unused, in date, approved make, in your car is 11 Euros.

Something to bear in mind if you are planning a holiday in France in the future. Even if you are teetotal and have never touched a drop of alcohol in your life you still have to have one in your car

 

[Harbo]

The Ferries say they will sell them?

Also no Sat Nav can show fixed camera positions!

Rod

 

[monkeybiter]

'Compusory'? ...... Had a drink this evening have we sir?

 

[Losos]

The Ferries say they will sell them?

Also no Sat Nav can show fixed camera positions!

Rod

Oh yes, that has sparked an even more heated debate on 'out & about live' :lol:

Here's the link to the breathyliser one:-

French breathyliser law

 

[Losos]

'Compusory'? ...... Had a drink this evening have we sir?

:lol: :lol: :lol: Sorry Mike has been a long day, had to get up early to tidy up the workshop :roll: SWMBO had me working for her from 9am :lol:

 

[Digit]

The onward march of regs is unstopable I fear.

Roy.

 

[CHJ]

.....Apparently they are quite cheap, about 2 Euro I believe, and the fine for not having an unused, in date, approved make, in your car is 11 Euros.....

I'm informed they are 4 for less than 5€ in Auchan ... must have NF stamped on it too...

 

[Jonzjob]

And don't forget the high vis jackets that MUST be within reach to put them on before you get out of your car. Loads of French have them draped over the front seats so the damjams can see them. Don't keep them in the boot...

Also, a Stop sign means just that! When you pull up to one you can be 'questioned' if your wheels are not stationary for 2 seconds.

Gendarmes have also been know to tell U.K. motorists that if they have committed a road offense here and it is for more than one point that they need to change their license for a French one. Once again, this has happened and it's a load of old pony. It would be true for me because I still have my U.K. pink paper license and they can't take points off of it.

 

[theturner]

It makes me wonder what is wrong with this country.
The continent have all these rules and regulations that
are enforced but here in good old blighty we have our
own rules that we must keep but alien drivers appear
to be able to ignore. There are millions in outstanding
fines owed by east Europeans alone.
I think the next time I get stooped ill just say I no unerstan
wat u say. I might get away with it. :mrgreen:

 

[Digit]

I did once, I was without my hearing aid, the copper gave up! :lol:

Roy.

 

[Benchwayze]

'Compusory'? ...... Had a drink this evening have we sir?

Well I have Officer... Have you?

In all seriousness, what is the thinking behind motorists having breathalyzers in their car?
Is it :

A) To save the Government money if you are required to give a sample.
B) To test yourself before driving. (If so why the insistence on an unused kit?)
And if it's the latter, isn't this encouraging driving after having consumed alcohol.
The sooner we have a zero limit, as they do in Aussie, the better. :evil:

I think I will corner the market in 'Red Flags'. it won't be much longer before we will have to have one with a car, complete with a man to walk in front of us!

 

[Benchwayze]

I did once, I was without my hearing aid, the copper gave up! :lol:

Roy.

I learned sign language Roy.
If a 'customer' couldn't understand that, then it was down to the Nick to sort it out! :lol:

 

[Benchwayze]

The onward march of regs is unstopable I fear.

Roy.

Well I have already been 'told' I am old and a potential hazard on the roads, just because I am over 70.

Now some knucklehead at the Home Office wants over 70s to have an 'Assessment Drive' (Not a pass/fail test. Just an assessment! Presumably by Authorised Instructors. ) Whatever, it's still an insult to someone who feels he has the nonce to be fully aware when he is too far gone to drive.

I think I'll spend a bit of cash, and get myself an IAM Certificate. Then they can Assess that! :evil:

 

[Harbo]

The French have a much worse road accident death rate than us which they blame on drink driving.
The idea is if you have drinking you breathalise yourself to see if you are OK to drive.
The stupid thing is that the peak levels occur 45mins after drinking - just when the copper picks you up and not when you are sitting in the pubs car park!

Rod

 

[Digit]

I think all coppers learn some signing John! :lol:

I'm 71 and my family have strict instructions to tell me if they form the opinion that I should stop driving, and I mean it!

Roy.

 

[Benchwayze]

The French have a much worse road accident death rate than us which they blame on drink driving.
The idea is if you have drinking you breathalise yourself to see if you are OK to drive.
The stupid thing is that the peak levels occur 45mins after drinking - just when the copper picks you up and not when you are sitting in the pubs car park!

Rod

That's putting an awful lot of trust in a driver to be sensible and not drive if over the limit. But anyone that drunk, isn't capable of making a proper decision anyhow.

Yes, it takes a while to soak in to your bloodstream, but the only true answer is as I pointed out. A Zero drinking and driving law. No alcohol at all. No need for anything more. Anyone caught has no one else to blame; nor any get-out. But maybe it can be said I am biased. Also, I live virtually next door to my local. Even in my parlous physical condition, I can walk to the pub! It has to be said, I can always walk back too!

Roy,
Not when I was serving. I learned mainly because my Best Man, whom I've known all my life, is a Deaf-mute. But it has often come in handy. I've given my kids the same instruction ref my driving. But at the moment I can make the decision myself, so if it pans out that way, they won't have to tell me!

8)

 

[Digit]

I meant the two fingered type John! :twisted:

Roy.

 

[Jonzjob]

Just in passing cops and damjams over here are not orificers, they are refered to as monsieur.

The French raod deaths are coming down, but they are still worse than the U.K. but the cause of more accidents than anything else is the idiotic 'Priorité a droit' or priority to the right. Near us is a small road in a village that has it. It jions a main road and you have about 2 car lengths of warning before they just shoot straight across in front of you. they have a mirror so they can see to thier right and if nowt is coming they don't stop! That's worse than having to blow up yer own party baloons to see if you can drive in my opinion.

I'll be getting my party baloons soon I expect..

I'll also be getting a French licence soon too because it goes on until you don't and pop yer clogs.. :shock:

The French have another little trick too as far as drink driving is concerned. If you do get knicked for it and loose your licence, or permis de conduire, you can buy a little 300cc diesel twin car that is capable of about 35 to 40 mph and drive that because you don't need a driving licence to do so. They are called 'sans permis'! So when you see one, and there are lots, 1. it gets n the way and 2. you give it a wide berth! Aparently the insurance is quite steep!

 

[Benchwayze]

I meant the two fingered type John! :twisted:

Roy.

Again, not when I was serving.. At least not to my face! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Cowboy _Builder]

There is one of those in the village where i'm working,it sometimes has 3 people in it ,he picks the grandkids up from school and they drive at 15km ,the village kids over take him on their bikes ,the last time i was here in France i saw it in a ditch ,i was told that the driver didn't make it home from the bar and the police found him asleep in the ditch still in the car ... but he's back on the road .

I got my Breath test kits the other day 1.50€ each, valid till 03/2014 ....and i'm T total not had a drink for 43 years ,something the French can't understand they always ask if i'm ill .