oakbri

I think you are on thin ice here Chez as you were the one who was rude first. SMT is not intimidating you, just questioning if something is missing in your life to make you so abusive. SMT, this forum is a useful tool but if you ask a question, no matter if it is innocent or not, that other people take to mean you are trying to buck the rules you will receive unpleasant replies. It's a shame but that is how it is. There are certain posters (eg SD) who will usually give very accurate advice without the finger wagging but some people immediately jump all over you accusing you of the henious crimes that you are obviously wanting to commit. I know other forums on other subjects are great places to stumble on and ask any type of question you like and usually receive the information you require without anyone calling you a loser. On this forum it is quite different, before you ask a question do as much research as you can using the search function, as there are many long term posters here who get sick of seeing the same thing asked again and again, and I don't blame them, but instead of ignoring the post they unleash the fury !!!!!!

With regard to the remarks about air travel, as this is my field of employment I hope I can put all of your minds at rest. Things have NOT changed. Aircraft are still very well maintained by highly trained people. The quote about needing a degree to fly one but only a high school diploma to fix one is not true. I hold both an aircraft maintenance licence and a commercial pilot licence and I can tell you the maintenance licence is far far harder to pass. With enough money you can go from zero experience to holding a commercial pilot licence in little over a year, to hold a maintenance licence you must have 5 years supervised experience before you can even apply to sit the exams to hold the licence. You will find that whilst the occassional accident is caused by poor maintenance this is usually in poorer countries and the percentage is uncomparable to the amount of crashes due to pilot error. As aircraft becomemore advanced they are taking away a lot of the responsibility of the pilot and this should improve safety.  

Sorry another mundane tax question. I am currently a resident in France and pay my tax monthly. I am selling my house early next year and the way it's looking we will leave France altogether. As I pay my taxes in arrears what happens when I leave? Does the Notaire automatically deduct all my outstanding taxes from my house proceeds, do I have to pay by cheque, or can I continue to pay from my new country of residence on a monthly basis until the bill is settled. Many thanks in advance

I'm jealous Bob At the time of the release of the 999 the only 998's you could get new were my one ( yes its one of the Matrix Ltd editions, I think they built about 150 of them) and the far more desireable 998 Final Editions. However to afford one of the Final Editions I would have had to sell everything, including my soul to the devil. Yours sounds awesome, any photo's?

I'm sure he was on holiday. Be careful Terry or the finger wagging will start !!!!!!!!!!!!!

United is absolutely right. You should write a list of things that are important to you. Then try to find a place that meets as many of those things as possible. I can't stress enough how important research is. I was brought here in 2002 with my job. I couldn't find anything to rent so had a look round at the houses, and, like you, was overwhelmed with the vast amount of fantastic houses on offer. We found a house and fell in love with it, put an offer in and bought it, without, I am embarrased to say, ever doing any reasearch into the area. After the initial elation of finding such an amazing house wore off we began to realise just what we had let ourselves in for. We live in one of those typical French villages you see where life ends at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, all the shutters are closed and you never see a living person. Don't get me wrong, our neighbours are great people and our Mayor is a good personal friend. But French life is VERY different and you can feel very isolated. We also live in Picardie which is famous for it's agriculture, that's because for crops to grow you need rain, and we have endless amounts. Whilst there are a few degrees variation in temperature between summer and winter, it is pretty much without seasons, and a day in January can be pretty much the same as a day in August. We have since made our list of what we want, which includes good weather, mountains, sea and life. We currently have none of them. We are now in a situation where we are selling our house early next year. We don't know where we are going, just not here. We plan to tour the south of France and take a look at Spain. We now know just how much reasearch is needed to find your perfect spot. So my advice is think carefully about what you want and do as many hours research as is physically possible.  

Thanks for the info gail. Our rainy season runs from January through to December.

Definitely go for the weather, it's worth the drive. We have had friends staying with us for the last 3 weeks in the Picardie region, househunting. After the constant cold weather and rain virtually everyday they have decided not to bother, and I really don't blame them. They are going to try again next year in the Carcassonne region.

Hi bugbear Yes I currently live in Picardie but due to the rain 360 days per year I am moving south next year. The point of my posts were as bmt stated " artificially limiting power on more potent machines may not produce good results " I ride as often as possible, weather permitting. I have a road going Ducati 998, a track only Honda CBR600 and a Yamaha XT660. As I keep saying I think the poor statistics here are more down to training, and the governments policy of limiting power will do nothing. That is born out by the fact that after the limit was introduced there was no magic dip in the figures. Nothing can replace training and experience. As Sunday driver mentioned a 54bhp model keeping up with a higher powered machine. On the track when I take my CBR I regularly outpace people on their RSV Mille's, likewise there are many better riders than me who come sailing past me on 400's etc etc. Limiting the cc of inexperienced riders bikes WILL get results. I think you should be allowed to ride higher powered machines as your experience builds, combine that with extra training and you will definitely see the statistics drop.

I'm with you on this TreizeVents The main topic of the thread was the legislation introduced by the government here, which does not exist in the UK. If France is so free why does everyone I know see France as becoming an increasingly nanny state.

[quote user="Bob T"]If any biker wants to wear full leathers and gloves then that is their choice, and I would not try to persuade them not to. But if I chose to go out in a T shirt with no gloves then that is my choice and anyone who does not like it should mind their own business. In over thirty years of riding I have ridden in shirtsleeves many times, but not had an accident, so I have not affected the statistic at all. [/quote] Hi Bob T I must admit this is the first time I have heard a biker actually promote the idea of wearing anything but the correct kit, but as you said it's your business and we should mind our own. However the point I was trying to make was trying to explain the poor statistics for bikers in France. No matter on your personal choice it is an undeniable fact that if you have a crash in full leathers, boots and gloves you are far far far more likely to walk away than the guy who crashes in shorts, t-shirt and flip flops. I am sure you will have seen the incredible crashes suffered by Rossi and the likes at immense speeds, and they more often than not get up and walk away. When you hit the road and start sliding the road will grind away bone at a rate of 1mm per second. So a fifteen second slide can lose you 1.5cm of bone, is it worth it? At the end of the day wearing the correct gear does not make me go faster but it does make me feel that if I crash they will be less likely taking my body parts home in a carrier bag. I, too, have many years riding without an accident, points or a speeding ticket, so I have not affected the statistics, but whats to stop my next ride being my last one when some guy in his company BMW on his mobile phone takes me out jumping a red light. When that day comes I will be at least a little protected. But each to his own.  

[quote user="Sunday Driver"] Given that the statistics suggest that most fatalities result from mature riders on higher powered motorcycles going too fast on 'interesting' back roads and losing control, it could be argued that the power restriction levels are not low enough.... [/quote] Hi Sunday Driver I would have thought that if limiting the power of a bike had any positive effect we would have seen even a hint of a fall in the death toll. The fact it has had no effect whatsoever surely shows how flawed this method is. The fact that the majority of the deaths happen on the D roads again I think points to a lack of training, leading to the riders riding way outside their ability. As I said the riders in the UK use poorer quality, more over crowded roads on higher powered bikes and the death toll is less. The fact that France on the whole enjoys drier weather than the UK makes it even more difficult to understand the figures. As a side note, I have also noticed that French riders AS A PERCENTAGE seem less educated in what they should wear on a bike. Over here I notice far more riders in jeans and even WITHOUT GLOVES !!!!!!!!!!!! Personally I always wear leathers and gloves, even if that makes my pinkies sweaty.  

Hi bmt I don't suggest that bikes have to be ridden with their throttles wide open. But as I said the engine power is taken into account at every stage of the design process. If you think that engine power is anything other that a fundamental part in the whole bike design process try riding say a GSXR 600 and then getting on a GSXR 750. If you think that riding the 750 with the throttle say only half open is the same as riding the 600 with the throttle full, l I can tell you, from experience, you will be very very surpprised. The 100 bhp limit is not misguided or misinformed, it is an attempt at a quick fix to a problem which is now backfiring in the governments faces as the death tolls are not falling.

[quote user="TreizeVents"] Is there a movement within the bike community to do something about these few renegades?  Certainly in the cycling world, there is much debate and discussion about the (usually) young lads on mountain bikes who tend to wind people up.  There ahs been no answer as to what to do about them.  Of course in urban areas, there is the problem of the young lads on little motor bikes, but those of you in rural areas won't have that problem. [/quote] Hi TriezeVents There is certainly a lot of bad feeling between bikers regarding the fools who ruin it for the rest of us. There are different ideas, which have support from different people. You will have heard it already on this thread when people have mentioned more training and a licence that goes up in stages. These are just some of the ideas currently supported by the biking community. There is a difference however between a system that is supported by those it affects and a system that is forced upon us, which looking at the statistics, is totally ineffective and does nothing to solve the problem.

TreizeVents I don't think the majority of bikers believe they can break the laws with impunity. As I said, I don't speed through built up areas and only pick up speed when I am away from ALL other traffic and pedestrians. I consider cyclists other traffic with as much right to be on the road as me. However as any biker will tell you there are few things to compare to seeing a dry, totally empty road open up in front of you and its those few moments of pleasure that are what biking is all about. The death notices you talk about are what the government call " single bike accidents" And it is those jokers who do believe they are "kings of the road" and are causing the governmets to impose the ridiculous laws like the ones we see in France. Sadly these laws will do little to reduce the accidents but will slowly squeeze the enjoyment out of biking altogether.

Bob T I don't know how many bikers in France. In the UK there are 5 million bike licence holders with an estimated 1.1 to 1.3 million active. I would guess France is similar, but I really don't know, I am sure that information would be available on the web somewhere. However in the UK the bikers ride on much worse roads, and, as the weather is generally wetter and colder than France it figures they also ride is harsher conditions and on higher powered motorbikes. And yet Frances death rate is approaching twice the UK's. Something doesn't seem to add up ????? Modern motorbikes are highly tuned and finely balanced machines. The power available at the back wheel is taken into account at every step of the design process, and has an effect on things such as the length of the swing arm, the stiffness of the frame, even the size of the tyres. The bike manufacturers spend millions on research and development to get this just right. Then some faceless French politician hacks off 40% of the power that was used in all those calculations. Could it be the reasons the French manage to kill so many of their bikers each year could be aggrivated by their meddling, not made better. I read in another post where someone compared riding the full power machine to the restricted and said the restricted machine did not feel right. I don't know what is involved in the French bike licence, is there a problem there maybe?. I did my licence in the UK. I hold a car licence, a bike licence, a power boat licence and a commercial pilot licence. I felt the bike licence was the hardest of all them to pass. That said, I have many years of riding without an accident. I NEVER speed through built up areas, but if I am on an empty road away from buildings, pedestrians and other traffic I can be a very naughty boy. When I need a real speed fix I visit one of the two tracks near my house.

I am all for training. The 100 bhp law simply doesn't work. If you have a crash at 160kph you will most probably die, doesn't matter if the bike has 100bhp or 180bhp. At the end of the day France has a woeful death rate for bikers. Much worse that say the UK, which does not have the BHP limit. And yet strangely France has superior roads and as I have said before, in my opinion, car drivers which show you much more consideration. According to the latest figures (for 2005, as it takes a while to process) France had 892 motorcycle deaths while the UK had 561. Check http://ec.europa.eu/transport/roadsafety_library/care/doc/annual_statistics/2005_transport_mode.pdf It must be a real bummer for the bureaucrats who make these stupid laws when the statistics just won't comply!!!!!

[quote user="Gluestick"] Thanks, Will. From all the stories I've read and heard in research in particular concerning Provence, it seems that few French nationals there work for anything much other than cash! Pool maintainers, gardeners, decorators etc.     [/quote] Seems in some places the new system still has to kick in.

If I were you, I would bring your friend over. If the locals don't want the work so be it. A year is long enough to be trying. As far as I understand most of them are probably too busy earning plenty on the black anyway. DO NOT employ your friend, just bring him over to help you do the work. Nothing illegal there. If, after he gets home, you want to send him a financial "gift", just don't tell anyone.  

[IMG]http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee56/oakbri/BikeBoat.jpg[/IMG] My first go at posting a picture so I hope it works. My two great loves together. I bought the bike new here in 2004. I know Ducatis are supposed to be red but I wanted a new one and in 2004 the 999 was already out so this was the only new one I could get. I have 2 tracks within 40 minutes of me. One costs about 60 euros per half day, the other one is FREE on friday, saturday and sunday and just 18 euros per hour at other times, so I regularly go there and take the bike by the scruff of the neck and give it a good ragging.

I have heard the DOM/TOM have the same problems as France. A friend of mine just came back from holiday on one of the islands, forgive my poor geography I don't know which one it is but it is half french half dutch. Anyway he was in a hotel on the french side and it was totally boring. He rented a car and drove to the dutch side and found it alive, full of bars and restaurants and much much cheaper. He ended up checking out of his hotel and spending the remainder of his holiday on the dutch side.

Many thanks Bob T Sorry for imposing on your original thread. I will go to the prefecture and look at importing my car. Do you know if the French insurance companies do an equivalent of the permanent green card insurance so I don't fall foul of the UK law if it stays there 8 or 9 month next year.

Chez Not looking for reassurance as I already asked " what do I have to do to be legal both in France and the UK", surely that implies I want information to act on. If there is no fix then if someone can say so, at least I know. My car is here in my garage, covered in dust, where it has been since early May, I probably won't drive back until christmas time. It will then sit in the UK until I want to drive it back again. While I am here I use my french car and bike. I like having the second car so I only have to drive one way at a time. If I had only 1 car I would always have to make a return trip by road which just eats too much of my time off. If the only way to be legal is to drive the car all the way back even when its not convenient then I will accept that. It means there is no legal way for me to keep the car here at my convenience. I also usually fly back and forth, but as I said occasionally drive if I want to transport something.

Hi Bob The car is taxed, MOT'd and insured in the UK. I pay the extra for the permanent green card status as my insurance originally had a limit for how long the car could be overseas. For the insurance company how would they define my residence ? I live in France and pay tax here etc. However if I had a bump on my way to Calais I am a UK passport holder, driving on a UK licence a fully insured UK car to my UK house. How do the insurance company decide on your resdidence? I am not tying to justify it, as I originally said, how do I do it legally?  I am just asking if anyone else has similar experiences and knows how to stay on the right side of the law in both France and the UK.

Hi sue I am a resident in France. I saw that Sunday driver said it would be illegal for a french resident to drive a foreign registered car. What confuses me is if I put the car on French plates and then it ends up parked in the UK for 8 months will I then be breaking UK law when I drive it down to Dover to come back. Basically what I am asking is what can I do to remain legal on both sides of the channel or is it a no win situation.