Adventure Bike Rider Forum

Since Moto Al's discussion on the changes in French motoring requirements has now, understandably, been locked I thought I'd try to start again with a clean slate as the regulations will affect those of us crossing the channel in the coming months.

To kick things off here's a update on a similar thread over in the HUBB site -

GPSs and speedcameras in France

There does seem to be some debate over whether its just active radar detectors or Sat-Navs with POI camera locations that are outlawed, but contributors actually living there say it's only the former.

There's also some info on all the other stuff - hi-viz, first aid kits, bulbs etc. As I understand it, at the moment, on a bike, you don't have to have any hi-viz or carry bulbs or first aid stuff but you do have to have - legal stuff like licence, insurance, V5 log book, GB sticker or Europlate and adapted lights. It's in a car you have to add the other bits.

Anyone know if any of the biking organisations - BMF, MAG or anyone else has tried to draw all of this together through official channels rather than just leaving it for us to muddle through on a self help basis?

It would certainly be nice to have some official stats on these things.

Heresay dosen't help anyone.

Maybe some research and an article in the Mag?

I posted links on the other thread about hi vis and the new law though for whatever reason it was ignored

So, from 1st July 2012 you need to have a breathylser with you. From 1st jan 2013 you need either a hi vis armband or a square etc which is 125cm sq.

You do not need a warning triangle or a hi vis vest

You should take spare bulbs as you can be fined if you have a light out but there is no law which says you have to have bulbs

Your sat nav should have radar and camera locations disabled

You need to have headlight deflectors

Think that's it. All the above are bike related only, rules for cars are a little different.

Well Tom Tom have already removed speed camera warnings in France, they say they are working on warning of Danger Zones, whatever they may be.

Garmin users - if you update to the latest software it will wipe the camera and radar locations for france.

The problem is that there's so many opinions on what the rules mean...

For instance Hi Viz or reflective?

My Jacket has reflective panels/trimming, but I wouldn't say it was Hi Viz... :unsure:

As regards the French hi-viz thing - MAG members will know that we have been advised via our counterparts in France, FFMC it will be a requirement to wear a minimum of 150sqcm located between waist and shoulder. Opinion coming over from ex-pats in France is that two slim'ish arm bands of hi-viz material will suffice... not like the spectre of full sleeve jackets that is still a very real threat in Eire from 2014.

I think as the organisations like MAG and the BMF are primarily concerned with National issues we should not look to them to compile this info on our behalf. We should be able to do it ourselves on sites like this, where there are folk who actually live in the countries and know the way the regs really affect you in day to day life.

nevsey wrote:Well Tom Tom have already removed speed camera warnings in France, they say they are working on warning of Danger Zones, whatever they may be.

As I understand it they are zones that are particularly dangerous because there's a speed camera there. :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:


I could understand MAG and the BMF being nationalistic back in the days of "fog in the channel, Europe cut off" imperial Britain, but now most(?) of the legislation seems to come to us through the fog of Brussels bureaucracy so I'd have expected them to be on the ball with this. Surely their remit goes further than just being another lobby group and it's not as if it's rare for UK bikers to venture across to France.

We can't expect MAG to try to campaign in France, that's for the Frenchies to do.

150cm[sup]2[/sup]?

come on, work it out, its a 6"x4" panel, 2 fag packets. and doesnt have to be in one patch, so can be made into graphics, writing, a logo, whatever. some people are ultra-anal over nothing.

makes me laugh, probably the same people up in arms over the guy's son riding in a shell suit (not smart, but completely legal) are complaining that another country, not even our own, makes you stick a shiny fag packet on your back.

the ever stupider thing about it is between belt and shoulders is exactly where my topbox will hide it!