Driving in France - Definitive List of Requirements

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Re: Driving in France - Definitive List of Requirements

Post by Nick65 » Thu Jul 08, 2010 5:57 pm

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Re: Driving in France - Definitive List of Requirements

Post by Keswick » Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:47 am

We are off to France at the weekend and have a Garmin satnav but on it there is some sort of speed detection. It's only detections that have come from software loaded initially - it doesn't 'detect' them in real time, so to speak. However, I don;t speak very much French so don;t really want to get into long discussions with the gendarme. Do we know if these Satnavs are definitely legal over there or is there some question? Ta!
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Re: Driving in France - Definitive List of Requirements

Post by missfixit70 » Tue Aug 10, 2010 1:52 pm

Can you not turn that function off?
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Re: Driving in France - Definitive List of Requirements

Post by Keswick » Tue Aug 10, 2010 2:41 pm

Yes, it switches off but I read even switched off radar detectors are illegal. That's what worried me. I came on here to check and can't see it being mentioned.
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Re: Driving in France - Definitive List of Requirements

Post by missfixit70 » Tue Aug 10, 2010 2:43 pm

It's not a radar detector, it's a passive database system so it should be ok, never heard of anyone having issues TBH.
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Re: Driving in France - Definitive List of Requirements

Post by Keswick » Tue Aug 10, 2010 4:27 pm

That's my feeling. That's the problem with he internet. The same site said we needed high vis for all passengers. Even the Brittany Ferries email re our trip was worded a bit like that (but then they have their shop sales to think about!) All I was doing was looking up what we needed to make sure we had and suddenly we seemed woefully underprepared!
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Re: Driving in France - Definitive List of Requirements

Post by missfixit70 » Tue Aug 10, 2010 5:01 pm

I think Hi viz for all passengers is true, certainly better to be safe than sorry when you can get the vests for @ £1 each, stick the over the back of your seats, plod can see you got them then, less excuses to stop you :wink:
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Re: Driving in France - Definitive List of Requirements

Post by dvisor » Tue Aug 10, 2010 6:19 pm

When I looked into this last year, the legal requirement for France was that at least one high viz jacket must be carried in the vehicle at all times and be immediately accessible. I don't think it was a legal requirement to carry one for each passenger (although its simply common sense to carry one for each). I haven't found anything that supersedes this since.

For Spain, it is not a legal requirement to carry a high viz vest, BUT if anyone leaves the vehicle due to a break down or accident, they MUST wear a high viz jacket. So, effectively, you have to have one for driver and each passenger too.
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Re: Driving in France - Definitive List of Requirements

Post by Nick65 » Mon Aug 16, 2010 11:11 pm

Legality in France says one each
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Re: Driving in France - Definitive List of Requirements

Post by dvisor » Tue Aug 17, 2010 12:31 am

Nick65 wrote:Legality in France says one each
Have you got a link for that Nick?
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Re: Driving in France - Definitive List of Requirements

Post by dvisor » Tue Aug 17, 2010 6:15 am

dvisor wrote:
Nick65 wrote:Legality in France says one each
Have you got a link for that Nick?
I've double checked and still can't find any reliable references to it being mandatory to carry more than one (came into force July/Octobe 2008).
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Re: Driving in France - Definitive List of Requirements

Post by Nick65 » Fri Oct 22, 2010 11:56 pm

dvisor wrote:
Nick65 wrote:Legality in France says one each
Have you got a link for that Nick?
I was told by a local gendarme in Montpellier
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Re: Driving in France - Definitive List of Requirements

Post by dvisor » Sat Oct 23, 2010 12:51 am

Nick65 wrote:
dvisor wrote:
Nick65 wrote:Legality in France says one each
Have you got a link for that Nick?
I was told by a local gendarme in Montpellier
I'd still like to see something official rather than word of mouth. The Foreign Office, The AA, and all other references I can find still state a single vest is a requirement, although the French Société Prévention Routière (Road Safety Department) strongly advise carrying reflective vests for all vehicle occupants.
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Re: Driving in France - Definitive List of Requirements

Post by dave_aber » Sat Oct 23, 2010 7:49 am

£3 per vest, is it worth even thinking about? - just buy one each.
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