Road Riding in France is so much more fun than anywhere I have ever ridden

[Deej]

Hopefully it doesn't sound silly, but have you been in any other country where you can do what you want (ride but not recklessly) with almost no issues with police or speed cameras?

They don't even have radar in the cars here, just occasional roadside ones. Sporadic and easy to figure out (usually by the flashing lights coming the other way).

But it's not just that. French drivers are typically crazy and red blooded, but they are curtious and well aware of what is going on.

I used to ride in NZ where I would have someone almost weekly have a go at side swiping me only stopping when i was almost in their window, be it in town or on the main roads.

Here cars let you pass, usually a very small gap, and dont get pissed off when you sonic boom them as long as they have seen you first, which they usually have.

I feel so much safer here, in this crazy french traffic and rondponts, than I ever did at home. And it's alot more fun.

Just found out I got hit leaving a Swiss town at 99km/hr where it was posted 80. Hate end of town cameras and cops. Arrrgh.

Im riding an '85 XJ750 which is almost as old as me and although its heavy and needs another gear or two on the french roads, its pretty bullet proof.

Dan

[Sunday Driver]

Welcome to the forum.

Don't get fooled into thinking France is a paradise for speeding..... 

Static radar sites, SPECS style average speed camera zones, roadside speed checks using specially equipped unmarked 'parked' cars, gendarmes hiding behind trees with radars.  If they catch you exceeding the speed limit by 40kph, your licence is automatically confiscated at the roadside. Not a good idea to rely on being flashed by other motorists.

Whilst I wouldn't exactly describe French drivers as typically crazy and red blooded, they do tend to respect the rules of priority.  I suspect that's less to do with being inherently courteous and more to do with the stiff penalties for non-compliance. You also need to be fully aware of the priorité a droite rule.

France may well be a good place to ride, but statistics show that around 18% of road deaths involve motorcyclists so you still need to exercise the same level of vigilance as anywhere else.  Ride safely.

 

[Bugsy]

I was struggling to decide how to word a response to the OP and along comes SD and does it so eloquently. [8-|]

Welcome to the forum Deej

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[LesFlamands]

I've been riding in France for 30 years. It used to be really relaxed especially as the other road users have a much better attitude towards motorbikes than in the UK. Over the last 5 years or so it seems to have become a bit of a nightmare with fixed and temporary radars all over the place. Even if (like me?) you don't exceed the limits, on any sunny day around here you're either being flashed by oncoming traffic or pulled over for a quick 'papiers du vehicule, s'il vous plait'

[BIG MAC]

Isn't it funny how blokes (Or blokesses albeit I haven't seen one on a motorbike) in dodgy blue nylon overalls would be comical in the UK, and not to be messed with in France?

Actually said female blok-ess type may look quite fetching in blue nylon jumpsuit...I digress! lol

[andyh4]

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

Welcome to the forum.

Don't get fooled into thinking France is a paradise for speeding..... 

Static radar sites, SPECS style average speed camera zones, roadside speed checks using specially equipped unmarked 'parked' cars, gendarmes hiding behind trees with radars. 

[/quote]

 

Couldn't have put it better myself SD.

 

My personal score of spotting the G's where you least expect them (and all on motorways):

1.  lying down behind a crash barrier with just his bins poking over the top

1.  Hiding behind an overhead illuminated gantry with just the bins round the edge of the display board

3.  Hiding in the bushes at the side of the road

4.  On over bridges - tcked behind structural bits

1.  hidden in plain view standing uprights aaginst the upright of a gantry - actually almost impossible to spot until way too late if you were speeding.

1.  On a motorway service station overhead walkway.

 

And those were the ones I spotted - goodness knows how many I didn't see.

[Bugsy]

Just to add one to those that Andy has posted.

Out with some of the guys on here, heading to La Rochelle, from memory and we were flashed by oncoming vehicles.

The 'boys in blue' were hidden in the corner of a wood with bloody camoflauge netting over their vehicle. [:@]

We rode quietly by at 89kph with a smile or two hidden under our helmets, quietly hoping that they'd be covered in 'ticks' when they packed up for lunch. [:D]

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[britgirl]

Do you need to speed?  The roads are normally so quiet that you can enjoy the pleasure of being on two wheels.

I rode pillion on my late husbands Yamaha Diversion 900 and the only time I ever felt uncomfortable was when there were adverse cambers on the road, and that was only because I was not aware of them.[:)]