Stopping for 6 seconds

[AnOther]

I recently read somewhere else that at a junction with a STOP sign one is supposed to completely stop for 6 seconds, anybody know if this it fact or another chinese whisper ?

I know the French do tend to wait for what Brits would regard as an inordinately long time when arriving at a junction and with an approaching car but somehow I don't see them saying..........

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[bigears]

ernie

The gendarmes are very keen on policing stop signs at junctions.  I drive 2 and 4 wheels and always stop before looking for an opportunity to proceed, foot down on my scooter.  The exact number of seconds I don't know, just stop then look and move away when clear.  I have experienced hidden gendarmes policing this rule, they normally look very disappointed when you stop correctly.

[Alex H]

I thought it was 3 - confusion reigns [:D]

[Clair]

The men in blue watch for an actual stop and you're supposed to use your hand-brake, so they also watch the rear stop lights ...

[Anna]

Not so according to my daughter who has recently taken driving lessons and passed her Code as she is learning to drive Conduit Accompagnie (sp?). She isn't required to use her hand brake at a stop and I'm sure it's 3 seconds but would have to check with her on that one...she's in bed now!

[Beemer1150]

I'd also heard it was 3 seconds but can't recall the source. Interesting about the handbrake though Clair, never heard that one before - but what if you have both handbrake and footbrake on... ?

I must admit I have been practicing the 3-second stop since I heard about it (it seems like forever).

The other one which bothers me is the amber light - I heard that it means 'stop' unless your front wheels are past the light. Given the French idea of a safe following distance any rapid stop is likely to collect a couple of Renaults and the odd Peugeot up the exhaust pipe... Opinions please!

[Gardian]

Well I heard 10 secs, and that was from someone visiting us who 'got done' just 15 mins before by the Gendarmerie at one of their favourite spots. She accepted that she was probably still rolling before moving on.

I guess the point is that you have to come to a genuine standstill for at least a few moments.  

[Val_2]

I was told to count to four by a local policeman not a gendarme and put the hand brake on because tell-tale rear lights give it away you are on brake pedal only. Also if stopped and told to move along, always put the seat belt on before turning the key.

[Suze01]

But if you were driving an automatic then you wouldn't take your foot off the brake even if you did put the handbrake on, unless you put it into 'park' as well.  My OH's car doesn't even have a handbrake as such - it gets applied electronicaly when you switch off the engine.  As long as you properly stop then the handbrake isn't necessary, surely.

Often I've stopped at the line and the car behind has also stopped (hopefully!!), I move on and the car behind  goes straight off without stopping at the line.  I wonder if a gendarme would accept that he'd 'stopped' [8-)] I don't think so somehow.

[Boiling a frog]

It is pretty simple.At a stop sign one stops,one does not role forward slowly one stops.Then look left look right look left again and if safe to do so proceed. Now that action will take approx 3 seconds.It is also strongly recommended to apply the handbrake

[Martin963]

My parents were done back in 1975 and fined FF300 (a vast sum in those days).  The gendarmes,  no doubt trying to be helpful,  fixed my father with their beady eyes and said <<En France,  STOP veut dire STOP>>     That's become a family motto ever since.

We always religiously obey the edict,   and in Niort a woman from Chef-Boutonne went straight into the back of us as a result.    There was a queue of cars at the stop,  although visibility onto the main road was good (it was a sort of slip road we were on,  joining the Niort ring road round the south).    My understanding is that EACH car must stop at the STOP.   We were the only one who did,   and Mdme behind us (who could see the road was clear) shunted us gently.

Took over a year to re-establish properly my no claims bonus,   and the UK insurance loss adjusters (DAS) were less than useless for much of the time,   claiming they couldn't find anyone to act as translator between them and Mdme's insurers.   I've never known an organisation with so many offices round which my paperwork was shunted.

Also taught me how quickly witnesses "disappear" and how many people will say <<Je n'ai rien vu>>.    Even a minor accident site is suddenly a very lonely place.

[Sunday Driver]

So, what does the code de la route say.....?   [;-)]

Art R415-6:

A certaines intersections indiquées par une signalisation dite stop, tout conducteur doit marquer un temps d'arrêt à la limite de la chaussée abordée. Il doit ensuite céder le passage aux véhicules circulant sur l'autre ou les autres routes et ne s'y engager qu'après s'être assuré qu'il peut le faire sans danger.

Le fait, pour tout conducteur, de contrevenir aux dispositions du présent article est puni de l'amende prévue pour les contraventions de la quatrième classe.
Tout conducteur coupable de l'une des infractions prévues au présent article encourt également la peine complémentaire de suspension, pour une durée de trois ans au plus, du permis de conduire, cette suspension pouvant être limitée à la conduite en dehors de l'activité professionnelle.

Ces contraventions donnent lieu de plein droit à la réduction de quatre points du permis de conduire.

No statutory time limit or requirement to use the handbrake.  As BaF says, by the time you've stopped and done the left, right, left bit, you've demonstrated that the vehicle has 'marqué un temps d'arrêt'.  If you feel more comfortable pausing for longer, then fine.  No prizes for the quickest getaway.

Remember, stop situations are relatively uncommon in the UK where everyone is used to rolling up to a junction and driving straight out - often straight into the path of oncoming cars.  In France, priority is taken much more seriously, hence the punitive penalties....

 

 

[AnOther]

That'll be yet another handy printout to keep in the car then along with those for the other rules apparently open to individual "interpretation", e.g. must change to French licence etc. [;-)]

A handy pocket reference to the common incidents and relevant articles is so much more convenient and less tedious then thumbing through the book itself at the roadside don't you find [Www] 

[Kitty]

The number of stop signs here is high. They are everywhere.  And often in situations that don't need a definite stop.  It's frustrating.

 

[Phil & Pat]

[quote user="ErnieY"]

That'll be yet another handy printout to keep in the car then...

[/quote]

But does the fine keep rising while you argue the point?

But I stopped for 3 seconds officer!

No you did not monsieur.

Did!

Didn't...