Chief

[quote user="Quillan"]Trouble is they don't give you any slack if you are not French. If he just told me I would never do it again but then he said he has told people in the past and they take no notice so I suspect he has a point. I don't know about them banning GPS in France,. I say this because the Gendarm's round here have TomToms fitted to their cars and vans.[/quote] No need to ban GPS.  Just make the buttons inactive while the vehicle is moving.  I had a pioneer setup in a previous car, and once the vehicle was moving above 10MPH the buttons became inactive, so it could not be fiddled with unless the car became stationary, at which point the buttons became active again. I think you will find that the problem lies with the fact that governments make too much money out of people breaking the law, and so simple measures like forcing manufacturers to have systems like the pioneer one, never get the light of day.

[quote user="Quillan"]I am not particularily proud of the fact but I got done 29 Euros last year for using my mobile phone to tell somebody I would be late collecting them from Carcassonne airport whilst I was stationary, with my engine turned off, stuck in a traffic jam because there was a serious accident half a click up the road. It would appear you must not only be stationary but actually off the road (in a layby or carpark) if you want to use a mobile phone here in France. Alternativly perhaps I should have got out of the car, I do both now just to be sure.[/quote] I think you have to be out of the car.  A friend was done in the UK for drink driving, and all he did was get into THE BACK of the car a go to sleep. The fact he was in the car, with the keys, meant it was viewed as using the vehicle.  Seemed strange to me and i understand he was appealing, but not sure how that went

[quote user="Gary aka Bugbear"] That said, you should perhaps try riding a bike because you would very quickly realise the added danger bikers have to face,caused by thoughtless moronic individuals chatting away on their mobiles whilst driving. That's all I was trying to say. [/quote] I have owned (and ridden)  Bandit 1200S, Rocket III, and now ride a BMW 1200S, quite often in France as well as Holland, and will be in and around Germany quite soon.......aware of the dangers, just have a different atitude to them.

[quote user="Gary aka Bugbear"][quote user="Chief"] And so mad anti-biker might jam yours while your stood by the roadside trying to call an ambulance for your injured spouse or friend.....but using it would be wrong then i guess.......... [/quote] At least I would be using mine legally, as in NOT when driving........................[:@] [/quote] Imagine the scene   Plonker drives down the street, decides he/she has call to make and reaches for mobile phone. Whilst driving (perhaps now erratically) he/she attempts to dial number. Driver gets connected and proceeds down road oblivious to others while he/she chats merrily away. Driver proceeds down road, raising the danger to themselves and others. Technically astute and law-abiding motorcycle rider spots said driver and blocks signal. Drivers call is terminated (but not his/her intent to finish the chat) Driver moves out of the jammers frequency range, and Driver revisits all the previous dangers, only this time has to explain to recipient of call, that “sorry about that, I got cut off.  Probably one of those plonkers with a jammer somewhere, anyway where was I, ahh yes……” etc etc GOTO 1 above   So Bugbear….are you helping the situation.  Why not take down the licence number of the driver instead, report it to the police, and be prepared to stand up in a court of law and testify…..or do you not want to get involved J   PS:  Not a flame, just don’t see that you can use someone else’s lawbreaking as a justification for breaking the law yourself.  

[quote user="Gary aka Bugbear"][quote user="Chief"] And so mad anti-biker might jam yours while your stood by the roadside trying to call an ambulance for your injured spouse or friend.....but using it would be wrong then i guess.......... [/quote] At least I would be using mine legally, as in NOT when driving........................[:@] [/quote] Well that will be comforting as you listen to the last rites.....not...

[quote user="Quillan"][quote user="Gary aka Bugbear"] Now if I could find one that I could fit on my bike that would jam the morons phone that's being used in the car in front of me, that I would definately buy. [/quote] They have been around for years. I bought one in Japan about 8 years ago and it still works very well. I used mine on the train or in restaurants because I got fed up with having my private space invaded by people shouting (increases the ange does shouting) down their mobile phones. They also used to jam Walkman's as well. Nothing worse than being on the London Underground next to somebody emitting music that sounded as if it was being played in a tin can. If you want one you can look here http://www.globalgadgetuk.com/Personal.htm as they are now available in the UK. Mine has a range of around 5M but do be aware they are totally illegal in the UK under sections 1 and 13 of the 1949 Telegraphy act. Having said that it is said that one or two top restro's in London have static versions fitted but I have no idea if it is true. As for stopping the trackers well they are always on and the ones I saw years back in Japan (they have been using them there for years for congestion charging) they were checked once a year during the 'MOT' test which is when they were down loaded and your bill sent out. If there was a gap in their record questions were asked. UPDATE - GPS jammer http://www.globalgadgetuk.com/yo50G.htm   [/quote] So, the site won't allow you to name and shame scam artist tenants in the gite owners forum, but will allow you to advertise illegal goods to members on the site........so much for looking after each other. I just hope that anyone using one of these jammers, might consider the poor soul nearby trying to call an ambulance or the fire service, the guy around the corner trying to contact his missing child, etc etc...but hey, what should be allowed to interrupt your private space. Not wanting to flame you, but i am reading into this that you are one of the types who expects the rest of us to listen to your banal conversations though, as no doubt in your mind, its the most interesting thing anyone could listen to.......it strikes me as amazing how so many of the live and let live, so called free thinkers, etc etc fail to do just that.....

[quote user="Gluestick"] One technical point. The absolute accuracy of GP systems, depends on whether you use two or three source fix. Three is much more expensive. Even with three, the accuracy is not pinpoint, thus any speeding offence could be easily challenged. After all speedometers only have to be accurate to -10 + 10%. [/quote] You may find this statement inaccurate.  polioceman friend tells me that the speedo can be upto 10% out, only if they are showing you travelling faster than you actually are.  They are not permitted to show a speedo reading that is less than the actual speed being travelled.

[quote user="Gary aka Bugbear"] It's of no interest to me either. It's also fairly well known that devices are already being developed to jam the signals on those trackers. Now if I could find one that I could fit on my bike that would jam the morons phone that's being used in the car in front of me, that I would definately buy. [/quote] And so mad anti-biker might jam yours while your stood by the roadside trying to call an ambulance for your injured spouse or friend.....but using it would be wrong then i guess..........

I would have thought that in order to successfully sue, the litigant would have to prove defamation.  So, if they are stood in court saying i am respectable and law-abiding, and 5-6 gite owners are testifying to the fact that the litigant is in fact a serial con artist who carries out the trade of deception as described by the OP, are you suggesting that the litigant would still win.....surely the french are a bit more savvy than that...aren't they :-((..................

[quote user="Gary aka Bugbear"]Why don't you simply create a thread asking for people involved in letting etc, to contact you by email, set up a database and communicate by email. This avoids involving this site completely.[/quote] Correct.....................................

Why not have a section on the forum where members can ask .... "Does anyone know of these people called XXXXX" and if so please PM me or email me privately. That way nobody knows what was said. Surely this forum shouild be as much about protecting each other as it is about sharing useful information.....or perhaps the great british trait of close your curtains and pretend you saw nothing is alive and well in france.... don't know really.

[quote user="Clair"]The law in France seems to be skewed against the landlord, so I suggest the court would see any attempt by the landlord to make the tenant uncomfortable as just that, regardless of the landlord's loss... [/quote] Go up to the bathroom, look in the mirror, and if you see a decent hardworking, honest person looking back at you, then you are going to get shafted by the law will shaft you...simple

[quote user="Benjamin"]Can I just clarify a point? You don't run the gite business you solely rent out the buildings to a SARL that does? In other words you are only the property owner. If that is the case you may have difficulty in getting a clear answer. [/quote] Not sure that response actually adds anything. But point taken by OP i am sure. :-))

cheers for that mate, and the www.  I will keep that handy.  Lets hope they install the tech soon. Chief

This might be worth checking with your banks (In England at least).  Apparently if you are ever forced by an assailant to go to the cashpoint and remove money from your account, if you enter your pin number in reverse (ie: your pin is 1234, so you enter 4321), the machine recognises your card, realises that the pin is exactly the reverse of the real pin for that card, automatically alerts a security system in the bank, which in turn alerts the police to the robbery.  The machine (to protect the victim) will still issue the money, but in theory the police should be en-route to the location. This story was carried by a local newsround team on TV, as there was concern over a series of such thefts, and that people did not know of the proceedure. Not sure if it is true as i have not had time to get to bank and ask, but it might be something you want to ask at your own branches.....

Best thing to do with junk mail is to post it back to the sender in the envelopes they provide, that way they are charged the postage because the envelope has been used.  If the junk has been addressed to 'The Occupier' (is it les occupiers in French) still post it back. In England, the Royal Mail make money from delivering the junk mail, hence no hurry to stop it, but if between us we can regularly block up the postboxes with their junk, they may think twice, as might some big businesses when they realise they are getting nothing through in terms of orders etc from genuine customers.

shotgun.......works everytime..... (Yep, i was joking)

Read some of the threads regards evicting tenants, bad payers, etc, and it may explain the reluctance of some gite owners to engage you.  By all accounts, the rules in France are heavily disposed in favour of the tenants, particularly in winter months. Not saying you won't get anywhere, but may be difficult obtaining a long let, without some heavy security be put down first.  Expect to have to supply verified references, good sized deposit, etc etc.  There are people here who know a lot more about it than me, but just as a starter for 10, it might help.

This has been a good and informative thread for me.  Thanks to all those who have contributed.  It has certainly helped me and my wife in planning what, when, where and how.....Thanks again

[quote user="Bugbear"] Gerndarmes No 3.   Parked in a car as we went past. ( Came out and followed us for over five miles, then overtook us badly on the approach to a roundabout, and then turned off right, right across the front of us) W******!! I would add, before any comments, that we ride responsibly, and adhere to speed limits. [/quote] Chief (K1200S) here.  It wouldn't be motorcycling if it didn't happen....as the last post intimated...keep on ridin :-)

language like what Dick.......and i shudder to think what favours you hand out................. :-))))))))

Okay, maybe it was a bad idea you d*ckheads.....oops...sorry :-))))

Shall we all take a step back, myself included, and reflect a little on why so many threads posted in the forums seem to end up getting personal.  Are we all taking ourselves and our opinions a little bit too seriously...not sure.  It seems that at times we have difficulty expressing ourselves without insulting or attempting to belittle each other, often by trying to allude to some superior intelligence, or greater subject specific knowledge. I am therefore making the following commitment to you all. I will no longer (not sure if i have or not) make anything that might appear to be a personal slight, insult, flame or generally derogatory remark about any forum member in the future, regardless of how distasteful or otherwise i find their views.  If i inadvertently do so, and the said member makes the perceived slight clear, i will duly apologise without reservation. I will attempt at all times to conduct myself (through the threads) with dignity and respect for myself and others.  Anyone else fancy joining me. chief

i thinki some may be missing my point. My issue is that things never change if you allow the kind of attitudes that appear pervasive in France to persist. If someone cannot be bothered even responding to an email, or telephone call, even if only to say 'sod off i am too busy', then why are people here persisting with that particular artisan. Granted you will have to go to someone, but my point is that, eventually, manners will overcome. this supply and demand thing will eventually turn around, always does and always will. survivors in the marketplace are those who care about their customers. take for example UK banks. Not many different branches, captive customer base and yet plenty of people wiling to walk if the service isn't there. I accept things may be different in France, but when you here things like, use local artisans as it helps with the integration process, and yet those very same artisans that so readily expect your business by virtue of the fact you live round the corner, treat you like sh*t, seems strabge to me. As alluded somewher else in this thread (i think), i would rather pay a german gang to travel south and do it on time, at standard, to price, and with a smile...ish. If enough did that, i hazard French attitudes to paying customers might change

btw: comments not meant as a flame. just my thoughts and fingers working in harmony...which is quite a feat given the size of my hands. Appreciate upon second read it does look like a flame...apologies