Dangerous

[BJSLIV]

By and large I think that PaD is a good thing and can help the flow of traffic.

There are a number of fairly important intersections near to us that in the UK would automatically qualify for traffic lights. The traffic flows quite freely with no more accidents , and  possibly fewer than would occur with lights. Though I would never be brave enough to drive around it myself, the Arc de Triomphe seems to demonstrate how PaD forces people to be more attentive to what other drivers are doing. Driving through a town with PaD forces you to be more alert to what is happening around you rather than concentrating on the Satnav.

What is I do find amusing are the junctions like one near to our house, that though it is PaD, 99% of drivers ignore. So I always stop but then seem to drop for the 1% who do respect PaD and therefore stops to let me out. This then leads to an after you, no after you situation.......This junction is right outside the Gendarmerie.

[Suze01]

[quote user="Ron Avery"]

So you may have different signs to us in the SW, if we don't have the red bordered triangles why would we be aware of them? 

[/quote]

The two nearby 'D' roads to me (in the SW) have several PaD signs.  I frequently exit from one of them.  Though there is rarely any traffic coming there has only been one occasion where the oncoming 'D' road vehicle has stopped for me in nearly 5 years - by the postman.

[Jc]

In our area(34) even very,very minor junctions have a  solid white line(ie. "stop" not "give way") on them.

[Teamedup]

[quote user="Susie24"][quote user="Ron Avery"]

So you may have different signs to us in the SW, if we don't have the red bordered triangles why would we be aware of them? 

[/quote]

The two nearby 'D' roads to me (in the SW) have several PaD signs.  I frequently exit from one of them.  Though there is rarely any traffic coming there has only been one occasion where the oncoming 'D' road vehicle has stopped for me in nearly 5 years - by the postman.
[/quote]

 

Susie24, you don't have to give way in anyway at all, or even stop at these junctions if you have priority, you just drive onto the road, in the same way that you would keep driving on any straight major road without a thought of stopping for anyone. It is up to them coming from the left to stop and if they don't and there is an accident it is their fault. I think that this idea that it is 'one's' road space to 'take /drive onto' is something that is not appreciated. AND that is why they are dangerous junctions.

I followed a friend in Lyons, and she took every priorite a droite without so much as glancing to see what was coming from her left. I was terrified just watching her, but that is how it is done.

IF I have to yield to those from my right, what I don't like is when they are going to turn left and there is traffic coming that hasn't got to give way to them. Too many cars around here pull straight onto the road and stop the traffic from the left, causing hold ups and as there is a constant stream from their right, can't go anywhere. It can all get into a right pickle.

[PossumGirl]

The easiest thing to do is to remember that unless there is a sign giving the road YOU are on priority, then you should assume that there is PaD for all the intersections (no matter how small) you come to if THEY are not marked with a stop sign or yield sign/ground marking.

PG

[Bugsy]

[quote user="Teamedup"]

Susie24, you don't have to give way in anyway at all, or even stop at these junctions if you have priority, you just drive onto the road,

[/quote]

You don't if you're happy to have an accident..................................[Www]

[Suze01]

I was just going to post the same but scrolled down to read your post.

Not worth taking the chance.  The visibility is good so I slow but do not stop so that I can at least check.

[Chancer]

[quote user="Ron Avery"]

Just another point, on a Pa D junction, can a car just drive out of a blind street without having any regard to the proximity of approaching cars?  .

[/quote]

Pretty much all the population around here will take the junction without looking, I had many months of anxiety and near misses before someone explained the signs to me, untill then I viewed every car that presented itself on my right as a threat.

I was also amazed at just how many signs there are that I had not been aware of (through not knowing their significance) I now spend a far greater proportion of my time studying road signs than I would in the UK. I thought that I was an attentive driver until I sat with an advanced examiner, I think in truth we filter out most of the visual information unless we are specifically aware or looking for it.

In those first months the funniest things were the reaction of my french passengers when I sailed past POD's without a glance, they were terrified even if they couldnt see a car to the right, Imaging if you were a passenger with someone that drove across every red traffic light and crossed junctions without looking.

Their reaction confirmed to me that drivers around my rural area never look to see if it is safe when traversing their POD's.

[Loiseau]

I've been in the same position as you, JR, when friends and relatives have accompanied me on some of my trips to northern France and done some of the driving.  They must think me paranoid, keeping on telling them to look to the right, but my toes are curling as they drive gaily along (as I obsessively scan the right-hand side on their behalf).

Conversely, it often surprises me when oncoming traffic approaching on what I have taken to be a more major road than my own has stopped to let me out!  And of course you *have* to take the priority when it's yours; they would be in the wrong to go ahead without. 

Angela

 

[Sunday Driver]

Another reason why everyone should understand priorite a droite......

code de la route Art R415 -5

Whenever two drivers arrive at an intersection by difference routes, the driver coming from the left is required to give way to the other driver, except under other conditions specified in this section of the code.

Any driver who does not respect the rules of priority as defined in this article is punishable by a fine as laid down for class 4 contraventions*

Any driver guilty of this infraction incurs the complimentary sanction of suspension of their driving licence for a maximum period of three years, this suspension may be limited to driving other that for the purpose of employment. 

This contravention involves the reduction of four penalty points from the driving licence.

*135 euro fixed penalty/penal fine of 750 euros.

 

[allanb]

[quote user="Loiseau"]

Well, I do think they should be more consistent with this rule throughout the country - or better still, junk it and invest in some pots of white paint!  Does it apply in any other European country?[/quote]Are we talking about the rule that says "in the absence of an indication to the contrary, you must give way to a vehicle approaching from your right"?

If so, it applies in most other European countries.

British people seem very reluctant to accept that they may be a minority.

[Gardian]

Well, I'm glad that after 5 pages of that little lot, there's no absence of doubt in any of our minds over what the rules are. 

[Dick Smith]

Ha![:)][:D]

[andyh4]

The presence of "Pad" or "no-Pad" signs on traffic lights happens a lot around me in Germany. 

 It seems very strange doesn't it? 

Until you realise that the traffic lights are switched off every night between midnight and 5:30.  And that's when the priority signs come into force.

You'll probably find it's the same with yours Ron and that they are not 24/7 lights

[Ron Avery]

Went out for lunch yesterday in the Tarn, the other side of St Antonin towards Caussade, (passed from the Aveyron through the Tarn and Tarn et Garonne then back in the Tarn again) complete with my I spy Book of French roadsigns, not one to be seen on 60 Kms of roads, but after lunch, on foot returning to the car,  I  saw my first and only red triangle with enclosed black cross in front of me, it was before a blind bend that had a road entering on the crown of it, so I asked all three people with me, all drivers, all resident here for some time, what the sign meant,  and they all said "crossroads".  So when if we ever see another one, we will all know what it really means now.

[Iceni]

It also means "t" junction (at least, it does here in 46).

John

not

[Graham Smith]

Before driving in France, which I didn't do until quite recently, I was VERY apprehensive about ALL aspects of it, having heard all the horror stories about PaD in particular. Consequently I have always been pretty careful about roads joining from the right. I always look for the white lines across the junction, and even when I see them I'm cautious if I see a car approaching. Better safe than sorry. Incidentally, I haven't actually come across any specific PaD's around the area I drive in - the Indre area around the La Brenne.

[Chancer]

There seems to be a general consensus on the dangers of driving here with ingnorance of P.aD.

If there is now also a consensus on what the signs actually mean could the photos together with an explanation be anchored at the top of this section?

[max]

Morning,

Probably the question has already been asked,  but im a bad reader. bad eyes you know. I know you can drive at 16 accompanied and need to be 18 to take your testin France, however can a English driver with with a full permit drive in France at 17?

Max.

[Bugsy]

You can get a copy of the leaflet that Cat identified to carry with you in your vehicle. I picked one up from a local driving school and it was free, thank you.

http://www.securiteroutiere.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/depliant-signalisation.pdf

 

[Sunday Driver]

[quote user="max"]

I know you can drive at 16 accompanied and need to be 18 to take your testin France, however can a English driver with with a full permit drive in France at 17?

[/quote]

In short, no.  Minimim age is 18.