Breath tests

[anotherbanana]

The Connexion headline ( I dont subscribe) suggests that motorists are twice as likely to be breathalysed in France as in UK.

Does this mean that French police are more vigilant, French folk drink and drive more, that there are many more police on the roads in France, and that the opposites apply across the English Channel?

Have you ever been stopped and had to blow into a bag or whatever? How was it for you!

[Harnser]

A mate and I set out early on motorbikes one Sunday, got to the the outskirts of the next small town/commune and a couple of scruffy gendarmes appeared from behind a hedge to our right next to a mini roundabout, stopped us and proceeded to breath test both of us - negative. You get to keep the disposable mouthpiece they plug into their handheld breathalyser machine.

The reason they had staked out the town early was the town Fest Noz the evening before.

Fest Noz  Breton-  fete de nuit - night party etc  Breton night festival, an excuse for excessive drinking eating and dancing!

I got breathalysed once in the UK in 40 years driving when some silly twerp rammed the back of my Volvo 245 GLT estate with his dinky little Toyota. I was stopped waiting to turn right, he then proceeded to reverse which tore his front plastic bumper off as it had got hooked ever the towbar! The original equipment Volvo towbars then were like something off of a bulldozer.

He accused me of doing the damage and he called the police who breathalysed both of us - negative.

[Harnser]

A mate and I set out early on motorbikes one Sunday, got to the the outskirts of the next small town/commune and a couple of scruffy gendarmes appeared from behind a hedge to our right next to a mini roundabout, stopped us and proceeded to breath test both of us - negative. You get to keep the disposable mouthpiece they plug into their handheld breathalyser machine.

The reason they had staked out the town early was the town Fest Noz the evening before.

Fest Noz  Breton-  fete de nuit - night party etc  Breton night festival, an excuse for excessive drinking eating and dancing!

I got breathalysed once in the UK in 40 years driving when some silly twerp rammed the back of my Volvo 245 GLT estate with his dinky little Toyota. I was stopped waiting to turn right, he then proceeded to reverse which tore his front plastic bumper off as it had got hooked ever the towbar! The original equipment Volvo towbars then were like something off of a bulldozer.

He accused me of doing the damage and he called the police who breathalysed both of us - negative.

That was the standard UK blow into the bag test.

[Harnser]

There seems to be a problem with the edit function - you go to edit and it comes up with a page that says "can't find that post"

Sorry for the double post.  

[NickP]

It does seem that in France you are more likely to be randomly breathalysed than the UK. In the UK you usually have to be committing a traffic offense , where as in France they can just stop anybody for no reason at all. I've been stopped and breathalysed in France 3 times, all negative.  I'm a bit paranoid about driving and drinking, in fact when we get invited to friends etc. for a BBQ or drinks, I always take a couple of my own non alcohol beers. P.S I've never been breathalysed in the UK. 

Edited August 18, 2022 by NickP

[menthe]

Been breathalysed once in the UK and once in France, so as the French say, it's kif kif?

I don't drink and drive, reckon I'm enough of a danger on the roads without the help of alcohol.

[Judith]

Only once in France .. coming back late Satruday night after collecting hubby from  Barcelona airport.  Drove both ways myself It's a least a 3-4hr job and as I  did the  very scenic coastal tour to get there so had set off in good time, stopped for a latish sandwich once back in France, so turned off the motorway at Narbonne ... and got stopped.I'm asmathic especially after a long day and no inhaler yet taken, was tired, and could not blow into the thingymy at all!  Twice they tried. No puff.  At which point I said, in English, I've been driving all day, I'm tired, explained where I'd been,  and said, no way had I had anything  to drink.  They shrugged their shoulders, admitted defeat and I drove on! 

[Ken]

On 17/08/2022 at 19:13, anotherbanana said:

The Connexion headline ( I dont subscribe) suggests that motorists are twice as likely to be breathalysed in France as in UK.

Does this mean that French police are more vigilant, French folk drink and drive more, that there are many more police on the roads in France, and that the opposites apply across the English Channel?

Have you ever been stopped and had to blow into a bag or whatever? How was it for you!

As we live within five minutes of the frontier with Spain the Gendarmes frequently are busy testing all the French who are returning after a very cheap and liquid lunch!!! I was once stopped at 7 o/c Christmas morning and breathalyzed just a few hundred yards from my home. I expressed surprise that it being so early it was unlikely I had been drinking. He said it was common for people to still be drunk from the previous nights celebrations, even after a nights sleep!