GB STICKERS

[JAKE]

I've just read on the Expatica site in their driving in France section that for foreign cars in France a sticker is required even if the number plate indicates the origin of the car.      I'm sure I've read several times that a sticker is not required with the Euro plate and  indeed that it was advisable not to have a sticker as it made it more difficult for criminals to spot a moving foreign car.     Any advice?

JAKE

[Sunday Driver]

Expatica are incorrect.  If the vehicle's number plate incorporates the standard EU blue panel containing the country identifier, then an additional sticker is not required.

 

[JDS]

Strictly speaking, the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (to which France is a signatory) states that: "A distinguishing sign of the country of registration must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle. The physical requirements for this sign are defined in Annex 3 of the convention, which states that it must comprise black writing on a white oval background and that it must not form part of the vehicle's registration number."

However, according to Wiki: In practice, the requirement to display the white oval is mutually waived between some countries, for example between many European countries (where the white oval may be substituted by a blue strip on the vehcle registration plate) and between Canada, the US & Mexico (where the state or province of registration is usually embossed on the vehcle registration plate).

So in the true sense of the law, Expatica are right, however, IMHO you would be VERY unlucky to find a Gendarme who would cite you if you had the blue European country indicator on your vehicle. Both our UK cars and our French one have only the blue EU type GB or F identifier and we have never been stopped.

[Steve Last]

This correspondence triggered me to take a look at my brand new Citroen and I am a bit surprised to find it has been delivered with plates without a "standard Euro" GB tag on .  Thought that was basic these days. Will have to get some as we are going back over on Friday!

  

[cooperlola]

Deleted.  Just realised you are in GB.  Doh.

[Paulhogan]

In the last 4 years we have been over to France many times, our car has only the blue EU type GB area on the number plate and we have not had any trouble with Gendarmes even though we have been stopped a couple of times for document checks, along with what seemed like half the population of our local town and once would you believe it at 9:30 on a Sunday morning for a breathalyser test.

But as they say there will always be one!!!!!

Paul

[suzi05]

Gosh! Are we supposed to have a F sticker on our french car when we go to the UK then? Never have done and our number plates haven't got the blue bit.

suzi

www.patiras.com/trinite.htm

[cooperlola]

[quote user="suzi05"]

Gosh! Are we supposed to have a F sticker on our french car when we go to the UK then? Never have done and our number plates haven't got the blue bit.

suzi

www.patiras.com/trinite.htm

[/quote]Yes, you are.

[Ron Avery]

I think that there is confusion here.  What was being suggested originally  - a sticker is required even if the number plate indicates the origin of the car - .was that you do not have to have a GB plate on your car if the number plare identified it as a UK registered car, not that  it had a GB plate incorporated in the number plate.

Anyway, how you would now know that a car was a UK registered car with the mix of plates now in the UK anyway?

 Mind you, few people seem to bother getting GB plates now, the last time I used the Ferry, out of 10 cars I could see whilst waiting only 2 had a GB plate of any description and headlamp deflectors about the same ratio.  No,  these cars were not modern enough to have adjustors fitted,  you don't get them on  K registerd Rovers and L reg mondeos[:D]

[AnOther]

I've got an alternative GB identifier, the steering wheel on the right (wrong) side.

Not too many options there for origin......................[:D]

[IMG]http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p123/biskitboyo/RHD.jpg[/IMG]

[BJSLIV]

Gosh! Are we supposed to have a F sticker on our french car when we go to the UK then?

Yes!

[Sunday Driver]

The Expatica website appears to be directed toward an American audience and states the following with respect to country of registration stickers:

"If you are driving a foreign registered vehicle, it must have a sticker showing the country of origin, even if this is indicated on the registration plate."

Could this be interpreted as saying you must have a separate US sticker even though your vehicle has a US number plate ????  If not, then they don't seem to be aware of the regulations here.

Their list of do's/don'ts also includes the following inaccuracy:

"Talking on a cell phone while driving, even with a hands-free headset, is illegal."

It isn't illegal - according to the code de la route Art R412-6-1:   L'usage d'un téléphone tenu en main par le conducteur d'un véhicule en circulation est interdit.

I suggest we leave that site to the Yanks to get things wrong......[;-)]

 

 

[P]

[quote user="Paulhogan"]

In the last 4 years we have been over to France many times, our car has only the blue EU type GB area on the number plate and we have not had any trouble with Gendarmes even though we have been stopped a couple of times for document checks, along with what seemed like half the population of our local town and once would you believe it at 9:30 on a Sunday morning for a breathalyser test.

But as they say there will always be one!!!!!

Paul

[/quote]

Drink enough the night before and at 09:30 the next morning your blood alcohol level will be above the limit - I know of people in the UK who have been done in this way.

[JDS]

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

"Talking on a cell phone while driving, even with a hands-free headset, is illegal."

It isn't illegal - according to the code de la route Art R412-6-1:   L'usage d'un téléphone tenu en main par le conducteur d'un véhicule en circulation est interdit.[/quote]

Didn't bluetooth headsets used to be banned in France until very recently? Perhaps that's where the confusion is coming from ????

[JDS]

[quote user="ErnieY"]

I've got an alternative GB identifier, the steering wheel on the right (wrong) side.

Not too many options there for origin......................[:D]

[IMG]http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p123/biskitboyo/RHD.jpg[/IMG]

[/quote]Until we brits again upset the balance as my French registered car has a steering wheel on the right .... [:D]

[AnOther]

[quote user="JDS"]....my French registered car.... [:D][/quote]Ergo it doesn't need a GB sticker [;-)]

[JDS]

[quote user="ErnieY"][quote user="JDS"]....my French registered car.... [:D][/quote]Ergo it doesn't need a GB sticker [;-)][/quote]No, but it need an "F" to take it to Spain (wife driving back from there today) or the UK .... [:D]

[Mikew]

I seem to remember that when I bought my last new UK car about 6 years ago, I had to ask specially for plates with the blue GB panel - the garage said that people did not want them, they didn't want to have anything to do with Europe.....