Frederick Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 The Daily Mail have picked up on the need for Breath Tests kits for driving in France ... and Sat Navs with Speed camera warning ,, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2163782/France-orders-British-drivers-bring-breathalysers-list-holiday-safety-kit-grows.htmlI note in the UK a double Breath Test Kit sells for £4.99 ... E Leclerc supermarket .... where I got mine.... 1 euro 37cents if anybody needs to get one . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judie Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Can some kind person let me know if there is a legal requirement to have headlight converters when driving in France. Our car's headlights can be lowered to reduce glare but I would like to be sure that is legally acceptable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Whilst you might be able to lower your dipped beams they may kick up on the left hand side so whilst the kick up is lowered when driving in France the kick up will be towards the oncoming traffic and not the kerb in the UK thereby still dazzling on comming trafficPaul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 [quote user="Frederick"]The Daily Mail have picked up on the need for Breath Tests kits for driving in France ... and Sat Navs with Speed camera warning ,, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2163782/France-orders-British-drivers-bring-breathalysers-list-holiday-safety-kit-grows.htmlI note in the UK a double Breath Test Kit sells for £4.99 ... E Leclerc supermarket .... where I got mine.... 1 euro 37cents if anybody needs to get one .[/quote]The tone of the article seemed to me to be 'those dastardly Froggies'. They have their laws which also apply to their citizens. It is not like this country (UK) illegal immigrants are not deported, the workshy are given nice handouts, 'knock out' a kiddie to get a house etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Judie,Some cars have vertical dip as opposed to left / right dip, others have the capability of switch-able dip ( my BMW had that function). Check your handbook, if you have neither of those then you need converters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renaud Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Last year queuing for the car ferry, I realised I had forgotten to get headlight deflectors, I looked at all the other cars around me and not one had them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Could be an expensive error, if the Jam-dams decide that the new Govt needs to increase the income by checking Brit cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elamessa Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Shame they dont check them around here, they would make a fortune what with all the illegal brit reg non mot cars... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 [quote user="powerdesal"]Could be an expensive error, if the Jam-dams decide that the new Govt needs to increase the income by checking Brit cars.[/quote]Especially as a couple of pennies worth of black tape would do the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 But some of these things like triangles, jackets etc are needed for other countries in the EU as well. I think I am right in saying that in Spain you need a vest for each person in the car and two triangles.Of course there is one option for people if paying £40 is a problem, don't come to France. [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 [quote user="PaulT"]Whilst you might be able to lower your dipped beams they may kick up on the left hand side so whilst the kick up is lowered when driving in France the kick up will be towards the oncoming traffic and not the kerb in the UK thereby still dazzling on comming trafficPaul[/quote]For years I dutifully used beam adjusters when I went to France. But I was still frequently flashed by oncoming motorists, clearly annoyed that I was dazzling them. Not too long ago I decided just to lower the beam and not bother with adjusters. The incidence of flashing has declined markedly.One problem of using the black tape method with many modern cars is knowing where to attach it - the headlamps are totally smooth with no area designed to produce rising beams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 The Daily Mail? Anyone who believes anything written in that comic book needs a hefty kick in the fud.£40 for the basic equipment? yes, perhaps if you are stupid enough to buy it all at the ferry terminal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCCMB Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Must admit, I have trouble coming up with £40 as a figure.Triangle thingy: came as standard with my carHigh-viz jackets: bought one in pound shop, OH brought one home from workHeadlights: adjustable.Breath test thingy: as many have said, they're about €1 if you shop around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 [quote user="Clarkkent"][quote user="PaulT"] Whilst you might be able to lower your dipped beams they may kick up on the left hand side so whilst the kick up is lowered when driving in France the kick up will be towards the oncoming traffic and not the kerb in the UK thereby still dazzling on comming trafficPaul[/quote]For years I dutifully used beam adjusters when I went to France. But I was still frequently flashed by oncoming motorists, clearly annoyed that I was dazzling them. Not too long ago I decided just to lower the beam and not bother with adjusters. The incidence of flashing has declined markedly.One problem of using the black tape method with many modern cars is knowing where to attach it - the headlamps are totally smooth with no area designed to produce rising beams.[/quote]Absolutely but a couple of odd triangle shapes and the gendarmes wouldn't know either [:D] I do prefer the beam benders as they actually work and do through more light out rather than just blocking it but with frequent visits gets a tad silly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 If the Gendarmes can be taken in by a couple of pieces of black tape, would they equally believe you if you said ....'My headlights are adjustable Officer'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 Why are you all going out in the dark ? Nothing good on the telly ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 LOL - I have 9 fluorescent jackets in my collection so far and there is only me in my car.Groupama gave me two, the new car came with two,I already had four in the old family car and three from our lorry from last year. As for triangles, again I have three sets of those, now all I need are the breath testers which we cannot get anywhere around here currently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 [quote user="Quillan"]But some of these things like triangles, jackets etc are needed for other countries in the EU as well. I think I am right in saying that in Spain you need a vest for each person in the car and two triangles. [:D][/quote] Well yes and no. Strictly in France the jacket should be yellow (I believe to distinguish you from autoroute and rescue personel who use orange), while in Spain they should be orange. Germany just wants a high visibility jacket - but only if the car is a company car, private cars do not need one. Italy - no idea, except that the hire car ones were yellow. I have never heard of anyone being pulled for having the wrong colour though. In fact I have never heard of anyone being pulled for not having one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 [quote user="andyh4"].....I have never heard of anyone being pulled for having the wrong colour though. In fact I have never heard of anyone being pulled for not having one.[/quote]Me neither.I paid a bit of heed for a while, and assuming that the port area and surroundings would be where I was most likely to be stopped, made sure to have the necessary every time I brought a car over. (did you know that Ryanair wont allow a warning triangle in hand luggage?)However given the complete lack of any controls in any direction, I could have a car full of explosives, drugs, under-age Albanian hookers and rabid dogs and get away with it, never mid a non-conforming safety jacket. (having said that, there was that one time I was stopped at Rosyth ferry terminal and all my bacon was confiscated, but I suspect that was more to do with the customs chaps fancying bacon butties for lunch than any security measures)The times I have been stopped locally by the plod, they have not been in the slightest bit interested in all that nonsense either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 [quote user="andyh4"]I have never heard of anyone being pulled for having the wrong colour though. In fact I have never heard of anyone being pulled for not having one.[/quote]and whenever a car is broken down at the side of the Autoroute and the driver is out of the car I have never seen them wearing a jacket.Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 I have only once seen French Customs Officers doing anything at the Ports, that was at Caen in the departure lanes for the ferry to England. They were inspecting the boots of cars - but only the English registered cars !!!!!!!It seemed a strange targeting scenario. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 [quote user="PaulT"][quote user="andyh4"] I have never heard of anyone being pulled for having the wrong colour though. In fact I have never heard of anyone being pulled for not having one.[/quote]and whenever a car is broken down at the side of the Autoroute and the driver is out of the car I have never seen them wearing a jacket.Paul[/quote] Most of the breakdowns I see on the A6 and A7 seem to have one person with a jacket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 I think you only need one in France but not sure. As we go to Spain shopping now and again I always keep four anyway. To be honest if my car broke down on the autoroute or at night anywhere in France I would wear one and insist my passenger wears one just for safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 I have always thought the hi-vis vest rule was ''one for every passenger'', I certainly had 7 in the car when we had a 7 seater, I 'think' only the driver needs his accessible inside the car but even so, I carry one in each door pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sid Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 I'm pretty sure it's for the driver only, and he has to put it on before exiting the vehicle so it must be stored inside the passenger compartment.EDIT: Clair posted a sticky at the top of this section in 2008 when the law came into force. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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