BIG MAC Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Just watching this programme and saw an unfortunate chap getting his car taken off him by Essex Police.The guy had English plates but French Insurance as he was a French resident,,,,not good enough according to the Police as the French insurer was not affiliated to the motor insurance bureau in the UK.So if the guy had French plates he would have been ok (assuming he had foreign travel cover) however I believe you may have a vehicle in France up to 6 months on UK plates before changing...I believe that if the French insurer was prepared to provide cover and the vehicle met the criteria in terms of controle technique etc.. the Police would have been wrong to arrest him? Discuss..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 It's been on several times but he was not arrested, he just had his car seized. No insurance is not, of itself, an arrestable offence.The 6 month in any 12 rule is an EU one, not UK or French, but only applies to non residents.The cars legal standing in French terms, itself dubious, was irrelevant in this case. His French insurance did not meet the requirement for a UK registered car to be covered by insurance provided by a member of the UK MIB.The one simple but important thing to remember is that any car must be legal in terms of the country whose plates it displays and apart from transitional phases, such as the one month allowed in France for registration, there are no mix-n-match options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted October 12, 2011 Author Share Posted October 12, 2011 So if in it's transitional period it is insured and that insurance covers 'foreign travel' whether affiliated to the MIB (or not) and meets the third party requirements (MIB or not) then he may have been legit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 No.Once you have begun the registration process in France, which effectively starts with obtaining your quitus fiscale, the vehicle is in the French system and as such is not permitted to leave the country until registration has been completed and it's been fitted with it's French plates.Our hapless dimwit was not in the process of registering and depite his protestations about 'living in France and knowing the law' clearly did not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted October 12, 2011 Author Share Posted October 12, 2011 I am wishing I had read this succinct explanation before sending my PM all makes sense now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
602 Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 There are so many people mixing and matching and think they are road legal when in fact they are not. Of course they get away with it because its such a complex issue and few policemen know the exact details.It does annoy me how many UK registered cars I see that have French documents in the window and the owners think all is OK. Of course it all goes tits up when they are involved in an accident.Have never understood the attraction of using a RHD car over here anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 [quote user="602"].......Have never understood the attraction of using a RHD car over here anyway.[/quote]Because the RHD equivalent usually costs anywhere between half and a third of the price for a similar LHD version here in France.When the savings are in the thousands, plenty of people are willing to put up with sitting on the wrong side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Frankly it really makes little if any difference to me and I find RHD no handicap at all. I can switch instantly and seamlessly from my modern LHD car into my RHD MGB, and vice-versa, without a seconds thought and certainly wouldn't class it as 'putting up with'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted October 12, 2011 Author Share Posted October 12, 2011 Likewise I have driven both and dont think about it...it does make me / you plan your overtakes better!602? My old dad flew with 602 City of Glasgow Squadron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I havent tried it in France with RHD, but reversing round a UK McDonalds drivethrough in a LHD car is most definitely frowned upon by the management. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Gotta try that next time I'm there [:D][:D][:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
602 Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 602? My old dad flew with 602 City of Glasgow Squadron602, engine size of Citroen 2CV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I drive my RHD about 27k miles a year and about half in the UK and half in France. My only problem is sometimes thinking 'which country am I in' so as to work out which side of the road I should be driving on.In France it does mean making absolutely sure I can overtake if I do not have my 'spotter'Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 [quote user="602"]602? My old dad flew with 602 City of Glasgow Squadron 602, engine size of Citroen 2CV[/quote]and the romanticism evaporated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted October 13, 2011 Author Share Posted October 13, 2011 In the game of '602 Top Trumps.....Specifications: Rolls-Royce Merlin I Date: 1936 Cylinders: 12 Configuration: V, Liquid cooled Horsepower: 1,030 (0,000 kw) RPM: 3,000 Bore and Stroke: 5.4 in. (137 mm) x 6 in. (152 mm) Displacement: 1,650 cu. in. (27 liters) Weight: 1,320 lbs. (600 kg) There's only a 1028 hp difference....and that's on the original without three stage supercharging etc.Romance isn't dead....bhp is romantic...isnt it?PS. The spit engine is about 45 times the size of the 2CV in terms of volume but 45 2CVs would produce 90hp ish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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