Driving in France - personal breathalyzer

E39MSport

fyi - from end of Spring, as well as the standard French kit (Spare bulbs, headlight reflectors, 2 x hi viz vests(must be kept in the cabin of the car), warning triangle and first aid kit) you will need to have a personal breathalyzer in the car while driving in France.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0130/1224310944780.html

pred racer

Im not doubting you or the irish times mate, but i live in france and ive heard nothing about this.
I will however make enquirys and get back to you.
Ill be back in france on thursday.

Atlantic Dawn

I can see this causing more problems than it solves, people may get incorrect results and put blind faith in to their device. Would be better to implement a seizure of car and 1 month in jail minimum sentence for anyone caught drink driving.

Gophur

Can't beat a bit of sensationalism, eh?

"Thousands of Irish tourists .......face fines"?

BS

langdang

Like a 2euro breathalyzer is a better tool than a bit of cop on. FFS!

Davidth88

This also appeared on the BBC about 1 month ago.

I can't really see the point in it myself

As for the ' thousands of Irish tourists face fines ' , certainly there was reports when they had the spare bulb thing come in that the French police ' picked ' on British/Non French cars because they almost certainly were not complying .

pred racer

If you are a tourist, i wouldnt worry about it. They are very hot on checkpoints, big ones that stop and breathalyse everybody. Ive been stopped at loads of them. But they have never asked to see the breakdown kit.
And most of the time when i tell them im Irish they just grin, throw their eyes to heaven and wave me through

Davidth88

just to confirm it

http://blog.aaireland.ie/index.php/2012/01/30/uncategorized/alcohol-breathalysers-will-be-compulsary-in-france


And I WOULD trust the AA to have that sort of fact right

E39MSport

... and we all trust you

keithclancy

Yeh ... think i'll be trying to convince a French policeman that a bic biro and a cardboard box is a breathalyser at some point in the future


Did a search and can only see it was the times and some unheard of news sites in the UK that are reporting it though.

Would think it would be big news since its like an hour drive from here.

E39MSport

I've heard and read about it several times at this stage. Gov site would need to update its material.

maceocc2

Anyone have any recommendations for a good breathalyser?

keithclancy

Davidth88 wrote: »

just to confirm it

http://blog.aaireland.ie/index.php/2012/01/30/uncategorized/alcohol-breathalysers-will-be-compulsary-in-france


And I WOULD trust the AA to have that sort of fact right

Well in fairness they only link to the Irish Times website.

Although tbh, I would say a large percentage of people don't carry the mandatory stuff for the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium or France when visiting.

You only get in trouble if you get stopped for doing something wrong, the only time i've been stopped in the last 5 years crossing the border was for Customs checking for Drugs and things and that's happened twice.

Sure allot of French cars wouldn't even have both headlights or tail lights functioning.

langdang

keithclancy wrote: »

Sure allot of French cars wouldn't even have both headlights or tail lights functioning.

I prefer the french disco effect - all lights working in an alternating sequence....

dilallio

maceocc2 wrote: »

Anyone have any recommendations for a good breathalyser?

My missus - one whiff and it's straight into the doghouse

biko

keithclancy wrote: »

Sure allot of French cars wouldn't even have both headlights or tail lights functioning.

Just a tip

So what if they have crappy light etc? It doesn't stop the police from stopping and fining tourists. Or will you stand there at the roadside pointing at other cars with broken lights hoping to get out of the ticket?

CiniO

Davidth88 wrote: »

just to confirm it

http://blog.aaireland.ie/index.php/2012/01/30/uncategorized/alcohol-breathalysers-will-be-compulsary-in-france


And I WOULD trust the AA to have that sort of fact right

I wouldn't as plenty of stuff from their website is incorrect.
Why should I trust they are correct this time?

PS - I don't believe those brethylizers will be required from foreign drivers in foreign cars. The same as spare bulbs aren't.

pred racer

biko wrote: »

Just a tip

So what if they have crappy light etc? It doesn't stop the police from stopping and fining tourists. Or will you stand there at the roadside pointing at other cars with broken lights hoping to get out of the ticket?

In my experience (just around paris) nobody gets stopped for a dodgy light. Speeding yes, breath test yes alot, btw the french nct (controle technic) is a joke it just costs an extra 20 quid for a pass.

Or so ive been told......ahem;)

ToTheSea:

maceocc2 wrote: »

Anyone have any recommendations for a good breathalyser?

I was looking around for a while for one for myself as I plan to trip through france this summer. Got mine here (http://www.mytest.ie/collections/breathalysers/products/drager-alcotest-3000) and haven't had a problem so far.

TTS:

CiniO

ToTheSea: wrote: »

I was looking around for a while for one for myself as I plan to trip through france this summer. Got mine here (http://www.mytest.ie/collections/breathalysers/products/drager-alcotest-3000) and haven't had a problem so far.

TTS:

You spent over €500 just to have a alcotester for your journey to France?

Where To

ToTheSea: wrote: »

I was looking around for a while for one for myself as I plan to trip through france this summer. Got mine here (http://www.mytest.ie/collections/breathalysers/products/drager-alcotest-3000) and haven't had a problem so far.

TTS:

:eek:
Maybe you meant this one

http://www.mytest.ie/products/drager-alcotest-6510

keithclancy

biko wrote: »

Just a tip

So what if they have crappy light etc? It doesn't stop the police from stopping and fining tourists. Or will you stand there at the roadside pointing at other cars with broken lights hoping to get out of the ticket?

Nah, i'd just pay the fine if I was caught, however the chances are highly unlikely.

People think that theres some sort of Super Policing over on the Continent, they rarely stop anyone and let the Cameras do the Policing.

Only really if you have an accident that they'll show up and if you do get stopped its usually by Customs who don't really care about your Warning Triangle, Umweltzone sticker, spare tyres, bulbs.

F*ck sake like :rolleyes:

The day you'll see me paying for anything beyond whats legally required to have in the car in the Netherlands is the day hell will freeze over.

El Kabong!

I've never been stopped in France or Germany and I've been there for the last 10 summers.

Anyway, I heard that you will be able to pick up sub 5euro testers at motorway service stations.

And I bet the ferry companies and Halfords will be selling them for a bit more.

shawnee

El Kabong! wrote: »

I've never been stopped in France or Germany and I've been there for the last 10 summers.

Anyway, I heard that you will be able to pick up sub 5euro testers at motorway service stations.

And I bet the ferry companies and Halfords will be selling them for a bit more.

5 euro tester or 525 euro tester that is the question. What a road of old rollix , Was in France a number of times and some friends have apt there and they generally say there are few checkpoints. Then one evening we were about to return to Ireland and went out for a meal and had a few vinos. Police pulled up outside in a Renault van and stayed around for around 2 hours until they had a few inside ! breathalysed all around them !
Not sure what the limit is but like here it is really a zero tolerance at this stage , one is only tormenting oneself having a drink and driving

CiniO

No one really knows if they will really be obligatory to drivers in foreign cars.
And we won't find out, until someone exactly checks the French regulations.

Generally nearly all over EU, movement of foreign vehicles is governed by Vienna convention, according to which cars must meet all the technical requirements from the country of registration (and this includes equipment like first aid kits, fire extinguishers, etc).

However in reality it's not so simple.

First of all Convention makes exception, for warning triangles and beam benders, and allow each country to make it's own rules if they want to require it from foreign cars or not. So to find out if some particular country requires it, you would need to check their local regulations.

Some other things might actually depend how is it worded in local regulations. For example requirement to have hi-vis jackets might not be laid in vehicle technical requirements, as then they couldn't expect foreign vehicles to have it, but it might be laid in road traffic regulations, in a form like: "driver must make sure he has a set of hi-vis jackets inside the vehicle for him and every passenger he is carrying". And in this case, no matter if it will be foreign car or local registered, police can enforce it, and Vienna convention has nothing to do with it. Similar situation might be with those brethylisers, but it's not certain. However things like spare bulbs or first aid kit, are most likely to be included in vehicle technical requirement, and though they can't be required from Irish registered car according to Vienna Convention.

Obviously not all police officers know all the rules.
As an example some time ago I drove in Irish registered car to Poland. I know exactly Polish regulations. I had a warning triangle and first aid kit (just in case) as in reality by Polish regulations, even though triangle and fire extinguisher are required, but only as an car technical requirement, so according to Vienna convention it can't be required from foreign cars. Also even though Vienna convention gives them power to require warning triangle and beam benders (where applicable) from foreign cars, Polish regulations don't mention anything about it, so both are not required from foreign cars.
Even though I was pulled over by police few times, and once he asked me if I had warning triangle and fire extinguisher. I showed his a triangle, but I said I didn't have a fire extinguisher. He sad he is going to issue me with a penalty, as extinguisher is obligatory. I told him, that it's car registered in Ireland, and in Ireland it's not obligatory. He told me that he is very happy about that fact, but we are in Poland at the moment and it is obligatory. Eventually he didn't write the fine, but he said that if he pulls me over next time and I still don't have fire extinguisher he will fine me. I didn't argue with him, as there was no point, but if he issued me with a fine, I wouldn't accept it, and I would win the case in court, as rules about it are really clear.

Anyway I was fine, as Poland is my home country and I was OK to talk with Policeman, explain something, and in worst case go to court, even thought I was right. However I wouldn't like to be in such situation somewhere in foreign country which I don't know and the worst I can't speak their language.

Generally those things does happen to foreign drivers that even something is not required from you, police might try to fine you for not having it.

About 8 years ago, there was some dispute between Germany and Poland, as after Poland joined EU in 2004, traffic of Polish registered vehicles increased in Germany, and German police were pulling them over and fining for "no first aid kit" as it's required in Germany but not required in Poland. This was obviously illegal for them to do, and case was highlighted in Polish media. After hearing it, Polish police started pulling over German registered cars in Poland, to issue them with fine for not having fire extinguisher, which is required in Poland, but not required in Germany.
In the end, embassys of both countries agreed that both practices were illegal, and forced police to stop doing it.



Generally then - unless you know the local rules exactly and you are ready to show to the policeman that you are right and convience him not to fine you, it's always better to have your car equipped with things which legally are not obligatory from foreign drivers, but in reality it's an easy way for local police to try to fine you.

pred racer

I can confirm that drivers in france will be required to carry a breath test kit soon. I cant find anyone who knows how this will affect tourists.

Btw if you get stopped in france (esp by the gendarmerie) you will have to pay the fine, if you dont have the money, they will escort you to an atm!

I must buy a couple of these and test them next time i have a few pints.
Ill try to get an exact date.

CiniO

pred racer wrote: »

I can confirm that drivers in france will be required to carry a breath test kit soon. I cant find anyone who knows how this will affect tourists.

If you could find any legislation in relation to this, we would be probably able to find out if it applies to tourists as well or not.

Btw if you get stopped in france (esp by the gendarmerie) you will have to pay the fine, if you dont have the money, they will escort you to an atm!

That's common way of fining non-resident drivers all over Europe.

pred racer

CiniO wrote: »

If you could find any legislation in relation to this, we would be probably able to find out if it applies to tourists as well or not.



That's common way of fining non-resident drivers all over Europe.

Sorry, just found out by asking my mates in work, ill ask one of them to hunt out the legislation for me. I can just about get by with my french, i wouldnt be able to read legal documents. And google translate mangles the language even worse than i do:eek:

Pkiernan

I have been stopped at checkpoints in France.

Never asked for the hi vis or bulb kit.

Good job too, as I couldn't be arsed.

I have found if you speak German to the cheese eating surrender monkeys then they drop whatever is in their hands and run off crying.

Worried-in-WW

Over the past 6 months, the breathalyzer rule underwent a wobble and was very nearly scrapped. In the end, though, they're still required in every car driving through France.

It doesn't matter if you drink or not. In theory - though I really can't see a cop pushing the point - it doesn't matter if you are an observant Muslim or an alcoholic humanist.

But it did unleash a massive political soap opera - of the type we can relate to here in Ireland. You see, the French producer of the breathalyzers had political connections. Which probably didn't harm the passage of this law in the first place. Then, the shifting sands in politics led to the new transport minister announcing the law would be scrapped. And then came the worker uproar in the jobs blackspot near Montpellier where the tests were produced. And then some backtracking by the Minister.

In the end, the law has been confirmed.

The French weren't thinking about anyone but themselves. But any Scandinavian, German, Belgian or Pole who wants to holiday in Spain (or Ireland) has to drive through France too. So everyone's producing them now. They are all required to match the French standard (all qualifying tests carry a blue NF logo) so at least they're of comparable quality and the really crappy ones are probably no longer in the market.

b318isp

Worried-in-WW wrote: »

In the end, the law has been confirmed.

Source please?

CiniO

Worried-in-WW wrote: »

Over the past 6 months, the breathalyzer rule underwent a wobble and was very nearly scrapped. In the end, though, they're still required in every car driving through France.

It doesn't matter if you drink or not. In theory - though I really can't see a cop pushing the point - it doesn't matter if you are an observant Muslim or an alcoholic humanist.

But it did unleash a massive political soap opera - of the type we can relate to here in Ireland. You see, the French producer of the breathalyzers had political connections. Which probably didn't harm the passage of this law in the first place. Then, the shifting sands in politics led to the new transport minister announcing the law would be scrapped. And then came the worker uproar in the jobs blackspot near Montpellier where the tests were produced. And then some backtracking by the Minister.

In the end, the law has been confirmed.

The French weren't thinking about anyone but themselves. But any Scandinavian, German, Belgian or Pole who wants to holiday in Spain (or Ireland) has to drive through France too. So everyone's producing them now. They are all required to match the French standard (all qualifying tests carry a blue NF logo) so at least they're of comparable quality and the really crappy ones are probably no longer in the market.

The question is what's the price of brethyliser and what's the fine for not having one?