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Breath testers mandatory in all vehicles from Spring?


Pickles
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The French manufacturers have already been on the box with dire warnings about buying anything other than their products [:-))]

They say you can only have confidence in their product as it complies with the norme français (N.F.) now I am not a gambling man but I will bet a pound against a piece of **** that there aint no N.F. for disposable blow up breath testers.

Still the PIP breast implants didnt carry an NF mark but the German TUV, at least they do carry out testing though, sadly they are now being targetted by the lawyers of the plaintiffs.

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How are these testers supposed to be used?  Are they a money saving exercise in that the Gendarmerie no longer need to be supplied breathtesting equipment because they will use the devices every driver is required to carry?  Are they purely used as a personal indicator for oneself to give you an indication if you are below the limit before you drive.

If its the former whats to stop someone counterfitting/tampering with the device to give a low reading?

If its the latter then its mainly going to encourage those who normally wouldn't drive at all to drive believing they are under the limit?  Those hardcore offenders won't take any notice anyway... the result more intoxicated drivers than there would have been otherwise

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[quote user="Joe"]I heard yesterday that an article in the paper stated that it comes into force in April.[/quote]

Yes, that is what Sarko said, BUT as of today, no decree has been published. It is quite possible that the date will be pushed back. The requirement for a breathalyser in every car is not yet law, and will not be until a decree has been published. At present it is a statement of intention, and could well be modified once the practicalities are examined, as they probably are being at present. Eg: will a one-use "chemical" breathalyser be sufficient? Or will we be required to carry the more expensive but multi-use electronic devices? The ONLY mention in official legislation thus far regarding breathalysers has concerned making it illegal to circumvent those breathalysers that have been integrated into a vehicle's ignition system to ensure that the driver provides a sample of breath that contains less than the allowed upper limit of alcohol.

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  • 1 month later...

Has this now come about ?

I was just looking into buying one on amazon but most seemed to say it was set to UK levels so I guess they are no good for my next trip to France in March.

Also they say in the small print that they arnt 100% accurate and would not stand up in court as proof.

So where do I get one set to French levels before I go and whats the point if not accurate ?

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It must be true. It must be law. It must be happening.

(I read it in the Daily Mail....)

Actually, I didn't, but it has been posted elsewhere on the interweb by someone who did, so I clicked the link, and it says..."The measure....will come into force in July".

So there you have it: from the French Government's lips to the Daily Mail's ear. Apparently, French Gendarmes will be deploying vast numbers among their ranks with the specific intention of stopping British (note, British) holidaymakers and fining them for non-compliance. Although there's (DM dixit) a grace period till November. (Implied warning that if you get stopped and fined before then, it's racism....)

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[quote user="You can call me Betty"]It must be true. It must be law. It must be happening.


(I read it in the Daily Mail....)


Actually, I didn't, but it has been posted elsewhere on the interweb by someone who did, so I clicked the link, and it says..."The measure....will come into force in July".

So there you have it: from the French Government's lips to the Daily Mail's ear. Apparently, French Gendarmes will be deploying vast numbers among their ranks with the specific intention of stopping British (note, British) holidaymakers and fining them for non-compliance. Although there's (DM dixit) a grace period till November. (Implied warning that if you get stopped and fined before then, it's racism....)
[/quote]

Dont worry Betty, no need to froth at the mouth,after reading the DM,it will all be like the gilets & triangles, a month before the introduction of the measure the entrance to Leclerc & HyperU in Parthenay will be filled full of "bacs" with blow-through-a-tube-into-a-plastic-bag-kits.

Ahh time of introduction, now which are those two months when the Parigots do their annual evacuation practice in preparation for the IV Reich. 

Edit: 16:32 "s" inserted in "platic" to give "plastic"; "p" inserted in "prearation" to give "preparation".

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It is a wonder that the 'yuffs' of the UK have not cottoned on that you can buy electronic breathalysers. Imagine the fun that could be had...'look I am more intxocated than you'.

And the yellow vests - I never see anyone wearing on on the Autoroutes when they have broken down.

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All I can say is that Mrs Q and myself have spent some time searching through Legifrance and can't find anything about this. Mrs Q did however find the following new pieces of legislation that concern the fitting of breath test interlocks on cars. I was just wondering is part of this has been misinterpreted?

http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000024537093&categorieLien=id

 

 

http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000024873348&dateTexte=&categorieLien=id

 

 

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[quote user="Quillan"]All I can say is that Mrs Q and myself have spent some time searching through Legifrance and can't find anything about this. Mrs Q did however find the following new pieces of legislation that concern the fitting of breath test interlocks on cars. I was just wondering is part of this has been misinterpreted?[/quote]

No: the legislation that you have found predates Sarko's announcement, which was what set this whole rabbit running in the first place.

Having said that however, there IS already a piece of legislation on the books that concerns the mandatory possession by all drivers of a breathalyser:

http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do?idArticle=LEGIARTI000006841067&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006074228&dateTexte=20120221

It's been around since at least 2001 - other references say a similar wording has been around a lot longer. All it needs in order to come into force is for a decret from the Counseil d'Etat giving a date and relevant details (presumably specifying the norm that these would have to meet, etc).

No decret has yet been announced, so it is still not in force, and therefore no date has officially been announced.

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[quote user="AnOther"]

 (and please, let's not get into the 'don't drink at all' debate here)[/quote]

Sorry to ignore your request. But I find the concept of not drinking alcohol and driving at all, very difficult.

Nobody will tell me "officially" when I can drive after having a drink. If I have a beer tonight can I drive in the morning? (Common sense says I should be OK but the nobody in officialdome will confirm this)  How about the morning after that? (Common sense says I should be OK but the nobody in officialdome will confirm this) How about next September??? (Common sense says I should be OK but the nobody in officialdome will confirm this). With the lack of guidelines from officialdome, the only way I can be sure of not drinking with alcohol in my blood is to never ever have had an alcoholic drink.

Officialdome needs to get real, even if they add a rider of "Oh, then double this period of time to be absolutely sure".

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Sorry John but I am not sure what you are on about.  There is a wealth of information on desorption/mutation of alcohol in the blood stream.  Admittedly it has to deal with averages, but it is good enough as a guide.

 

You do however raise an important point that many - probably most - people forget/ignore namely the morning after.

 

Because of the potential dangers we impose a zero tolerance on alcohol at work and spend a lot of time educating the workforce.

So it's Germany versus whoever for an early evening match and you are in the bar with friends watching.  Over the course of the evening you have 6 half litres of "normal" beer, spaced out throughout the match, build-up and final analysis.  You walk home.  At what time tomorrow are you fit to work?

 

The concensus is not before 16:00 hrs - ie zero levels.  At 08:00 that would put you firmly over the driving limit.

 

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[quote user="Pickles"][quote user="Quillan"]All I can say is that Mrs Q and myself have spent some time searching through Legifrance and can't find anything about this. Mrs Q did however find the following new pieces of legislation that concern the fitting of breath test interlocks on cars. I was just wondering is part of this has been misinterpreted?[/quote]

No: the legislation that you have found predates Sarko's announcement, which was what set this whole rabbit running in the first place.
Having said that however, there IS already a piece of legislation on the books that concerns the mandatory possession by all drivers of a breathalyser:
http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do?idArticle=LEGIARTI000006841067&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006074228&dateTexte=20120221
It's been around since at least 2001 - other references say a similar wording has been around a lot longer. All it needs in order to come into force is for a decret from the Counseil d'Etat giving a date and relevant details (presumably specifying the norm that these would have to meet, etc).
No decret has yet been announced, so it is still not in force, and therefore no date has officially been announced.


[/quote]

You see this is what I can't get my head round. I can't find any Decret or other official French government document that says this is law and the date it will be implemented. People can quote the media as much as they like but surely if it has not been passed by Counseil d'Etat and by the General Assembly then as far as I understand the French constitution it cannot become law. I am also of the opinion that the president of France cannot and is not allowed to create new laws and put them in to practice without the agreement of at least on or both of these parties.

So personally I believe that unless somebody can show me proof from a French government website that the Decret actually exists I shan't be rushing out to buy and of these kits for my car. I also believe by the way that in times of austerity that the cost in implementing this law on a day to day basis will be extremely expensive (extra police, cost of prosecution etc, etc). I also believe that the IF this law was implemented it would make very little difference to the number of people killed on the roads in France. In financial terms it will be a very small squeak for the millions of Euros it will cost.

As far as the media are concerned especially the DM and based only on the article I saw on the DM website (I have no idea if it was actually in the paper) I think they have behaved very irresponsibly. Working in the tourism industry I am concerned that such misinformation could result in people deciding not to visit France this year for their holidays and the effect it might have on the industry. Of course you can't say it will or it won't because we will never know.

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