New French Motoring Laws

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(I'll try to update this as I hear of anything)

I realise that most Brits have no regard for the 
laws of any other country - particularly France - but there are a few  which you may - or not - take notice of! 

Basic Requirements:

Warning triangles are compulsory - a minimum of one per car.

Headlamps to be adjusted or masked for driving on the right.

Carry your driving licence, insurance certificate, MoT certificate, and registration document.  Remember that if you cannot show your driving licence - you will not be permitted to drive in France.  Photocopies are not acceptable.  Roadside checks for 'Your papers please' are not uncommon - expect the Gendarmes to loiter near any handy bar!

A fluorescent waistcoat or jacket must be carried for each potential passenger - in other words the number of seat belts - one of which must be inside the car for donning before getting out.  Being on the hard shoulder or slip roads (including those in service areas) while not wearing one is punishable by a 135 Euro fine.

Remember that on an autoroute of dual carraigeway, in conditions of  reduced visibility, such as rain where you need to use the wipers continuously, you are required to put the headlamps on -  and the maximum speed limit is reduced by 10 kph.

Also remember that the name sign at entry to any town, village etc acts as a 50 kph / 30 mph limit sign, until you leave the town, when the name sign will have a black line through it - if the 50 kph limit ends there!  It may not, so take care.

A yellow diamond-shaped sign at the roadside means you are on a Priority road, and traffic on all junctions should give way to you.  This priorite is cancelled at built-up areas by the same sign with a black line through it.  

All roads at junctions on non-priorite roads are NOT minor roads - if on your right, they are subject to the Prorite a Droit rule, whereby YOU must give way to traffic on your right.  Always be prepared to give way, but do not assume it for yourself unless the traffic to your left  has stopped.  Even then, look out for idiot motorcyclists overtaking the cars which have stopped to give you priorite. 

Pedestrians have absolute right of way on a crossing,  if they are about to step onto a crossing, and if they choose to wander on the road in town.  As the French tend to stand and talk to each other at a crossing, this requires a certain amount of body language interpretation . . .

Those who have passed their test less than 2 years ago, or are under 
22,  are restricted to a blood alcohol level of 20 mG/L  - a quarter of the UK level - this really 
means NO drinking at least within 12 hours of driving. 
The generally lower level of alcohol is of particular note on the last night of le Mans etc, when les Gendarmes will be waiting along the road - and in the morning. Any infraction of le loi will result in being breathalised.

Do NOT park in any disabled bay - even by a wheel's width - as this will attract a 135 euro fine, even if you are with your car.

French law requires that number plates are rigidly secured to the vehicle, as a  number plate travelling at 80 mph towards the windscreen of an a 80 mph car could cause an accident, or even decapitate a motorcyclist.

In practice this means rivets - and a similarly secure method of attachment is required for foreign-registered cars, such as self-tapping screws or nuts and bolts.  The popular (in the UK) method of using double-sided adhesive tape is NOT acceptable, and can result in the vehicle being retained by the roadside until the gendarmes are satisfied.  This attitude is particularly prevalent in cases of gross speeding in the 'race' to the ferryports, and can of course mean that you miss your ferry while trying to satisfy a literal-minded gendarme.  If you cannot do so, your vehicle can be impounded (at a charge) until it is rectified.

New Laws/Changes:

The signs warning of radars ahead are supposed to have been removed, but fortunately this requirement has been ignored.  Remember that les gendarmes will soon be able to prosecute you in the UK, and a fine may be on the doormat when you get home.  The cameras are usually set to operate at a level of 5% over the limit, but do  not relay on this - I have been caught by a camera set at 3 kph over the limit!

Pedestrians and cyclists now have right of way if on the road, no matter what they are doing - but they have been told to use a bit of common sense!

Using a hand held phone - up from 35 Euro to 135.

Exceeding a speed limit by 30 mph can now result in a year in prison and a fine of up to 4500 Euros.

Watching a television set or computer screen while driving - 1500 Euro fine 

Posession, carraige, or use of any type of advance radar/laser etc warning equipment - 1500 
Euros.  This includes GPS units with camera site alert warnings, which 
must be disabled permanently (ie a software change) not just turned off. 
There will be no 'But it's legal in the UK and I turned the alerts off when I came to France' type of excuses.  They also know how to interrogate a satnav to find the maximum speed travelled at, as well as the time and place.

Driving on the hard shoulder - 135 Euros, even if you do so with only one set of wheels.

MoT test required for mopeds later this year.

Any trace whatever of 'recreational' drugs - 1 year in prison and 4500 Euro fine.  This will also apply to 'Do not drive or operate machinery' type drugs such as those for travel (sea)sickness, hay fever etc.  Take care, or you may have an opportunity for a free one-year residential course in spoken French, with food provided!

One unused disposable breathalyser to be carried on all vehicles - obviously if you ever propose to use it, that means two, so leaving one unused unit.  The requirement to use your breathalyser has been placed n 'hold.'

Motorcyclists have been  required to use dipped beams in daytime for some time, but car drivers are now 'Strongly recommended' to do so now that daytime running lights are becoming more common.  Such practice is not common, bit it it is possible that this will be soon required by law, which could be the reason for 'Headlamps on' signs being removed from tunnel entrances.

Naturally, in the case of tourists, les gendarmes will use their 
discretion, and multiply the fine by whatever number comes into their 
heads!  They are happy to accept all credit cards.

If you buy a breathaliser in the UK, make sure that it carries the 'NF' Norme Francais marking, wihout which it will not be recognised under French law:

Edited by Mike Fishwick - 04 May 2015 at 6:31pm

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