Breathalyzer for France
- Thread starter Parksy
- Start date
am hoping to get mine at tunnel They sell pretty well everything else on boat so pretty sure they will.Also you need to turn off speed cameras on satnav now.
The French have stated that they will not enforce the new law until November at the earliest. I will be buying the kit in the local French supermarkets at circa €2.50. Why pay over the odds with the tour operators, prices quoted at around £4.50 / £5.00. Also beware, they have a shelf life!
Another case of Rip of Britain!
Another case of Rip of Britain!
I go to France in June but return 6th July. The question is do I risk not getting a breathalyser kit whilst in France bearing in mind that they have a shelf life. What are the odds of being stopped in those 6 days and if fines aren't being imposed until November what would the consequencies be of not having one ?
Go into the Tools menu or settings. You then should see sub menus which allow you to switch off/on such things as speed cameras, schools,black spots etc. Just untick the relevant item. When you update the Garmin you may have to go through the same procedure again as sometimes it can default to factory settings. If you need further info you can download the User Manual from the Garmin website or via your My Garmin account
Garmin now have an update that removes French safety camera data. Logon to My Garmin and your satnav can automatically update. You will find it in the tick menu under the Text update section. Says 'Proximity to French ,,,,,,'
Hi Eileen
I bought mine on fleabay for £4squid, much cheaper than the AA shop at the tunnel. Plus I felt much happier knowing I already had them.
I guess this is another way of extracting cash from the English tourist, can't see every French citizen buying them !!!
That's my opinion anyway.
Kev...
I bought mine on fleabay for £4squid, much cheaper than the AA shop at the tunnel. Plus I felt much happier knowing I already had them.
I guess this is another way of extracting cash from the English tourist, can't see every French citizen buying them !!!
That's my opinion anyway.
Kev...
I went into Halfords.Whilst they had run out of stock they advised me that I need to purchase a breathalyser that has NF on the box as this is suitable for France and their tollerance levels, which are different to the U.K.
From what I now understand, (and I stand to be corrected), the law has not yet been ratified in France. This will happen on 1st July with it coming into effect in November. If this is so then none of us need worry for this season, especially as the breathalysers have a shelf life. Perhaps someone 'in the know' can confirm this.
HyperU supermarkets have them for 1.10 euros - and another supermarket for 1.40 - so I'd wait. There are plenty here, and as said, the law doesn't come into effect until July - and as it was a 'Sarkozy-special' and they now have a new President who knows what might happen!
Jon P said:Just as a further comment on this, we have all received a notification at work regarding the administration of the new law as we operate a fleet of trucks and trailers which transit through France. We have been advised that all motorbikes, cars, vans, and HGV's must carry a single use, NF approved digital breathalyser, or NF approved breathalyser kit, by law, from 1st November this year. The law was confirmed by decree on 28th February, and will be enacted on 1st July to become effective from 1st November 2012... Only vehicles which are equippped with a breathalyser interlock system will be exempted from this requirement. After the 1st November, the gendarmerie will impose an €11 Euro fine on all drivers not carrying the kit. Paying a fine once, does not exempt the driver paying another fine if stopped again.. ie if the driver is stopped without a kit and is fined, and then is stopped another 5 kms up the road without having purchased the kit in between, another fine (more stringent) is likely to be imposed.. The main aim of the new law is to reduce the death rate in France which is approx 4000 fatalities per year, and drink driving is believed to be a contributory factor in around a third of them.
It is very important to remember that drink/drive limits vary between all EU member states, and all equipment carried in the vehicle must be calibrated to French requirements - i believe the legal blood / alchohol limit in France is 0.5 grams per litre compared to 0.8 grams per litre in the UK.
We have been advised that stocks of French calibrated breathalyser equipment will remain low in the UK until July this year, as the priority is to ensure that the 30 million drivers in France have one first !!
Wherever the equipment is purchased from, IT MUST BE NF APPROVED and be clearly marked with an expiry date. Failure to have the corrrectly approved / expired kit will also result in a fine
JonP's previous post covers everything................ and since the reson for the new law is to help reduce their death rate of over 4000 in 2011 .........then I think it will be enforced rigorously from November 1st.
Far be it from me but I must ask why people are switching of camera on garmins?
You can buy atlas and road maps which tell you anyway..
I thought it was only illegal to have camera detecting radar systems which are different... I think there now illegal here too or will be soon, but not garmins as they are preset.
You can buy atlas and road maps which tell you anyway..
I thought it was only illegal to have camera detecting radar systems which are different... I think there now illegal here too or will be soon, but not garmins as they are preset.
Gafferbill said:Jon P said:Just as a further comment on this, we have all received a notification at work regarding the administration of the new law as we operate a fleet of trucks and trailers which transit through France. We have been advised that all motorbikes, cars, vans, and HGV's must carry a single use, NF approved digital breathalyser, or NF approved breathalyser kit, by law, from 1st November this year. The law was confirmed by decree on 28th February, and will be enacted on 1st July to become effective from 1st November 2012... Only vehicles which are equippped with a breathalyser interlock system will be exempted from this requirement. After the 1st November, the gendarmerie will impose an €11 Euro fine on all drivers not carrying the kit. Paying a fine once, does not exempt the driver paying another fine if stopped again.. ie if the driver is stopped without a kit and is fined, and then is stopped another 5 kms up the road without having purchased the kit in between, another fine (more stringent) is likely to be imposed.. The main aim of the new law is to reduce the death rate in France which is approx 4000 fatalities per year, and drink driving is believed to be a contributory factor in around a third of them.
It is very important to remember that drink/drive limits vary between all EU member states, and all equipment carried in the vehicle must be calibrated to French requirements - i believe the legal blood / alchohol limit in France is 0.5 grams per litre compared to 0.8 grams per litre in the UK.
We have been advised that stocks of French calibrated breathalyser equipment will remain low in the UK until July this year, as the priority is to ensure that the 30 million drivers in France have one first !!
Wherever the equipment is purchased from, IT MUST BE NF APPROVED and be clearly marked with an expiry date. Failure to have the corrrectly approved / expired kit will also result in a fine
JonP's previous post covers everything................ and since the reson for the new law is to help reduce their death rate of over 4000 in 2011 .........then I think it will be enforced rigorously from November 1st.
I understand their need to make the road safer, but it sounds like a money making exercise.
I don't see the point of having one in the car? The police can't use it to test you obviously. I can see it might be a good self tester if and I repeat if you've had a drink locally on a night out and could leave your car overnight, but that's all.....
So, the only thing left is money...testing just to see if a person has one in the car that they won't use.....
If you get done for not having one, and 5km down the road another nick nick gets you, what happens if your on a moterway?? or the shops are shut?????or bless you've actually use it???? the law doesn't say you have to have several.!!!
Did they think this through?
I'm quite sure there will be lots of answer on this but has anyone actually got a copy of the law and translated it?
On a lighter note they only breathalyze passengers in Brussels ....what does one do if your over the limit, are you not allowed to sit in the front of the car?
I don't see the point of having one in the car? The police can't use it to test you obviously. I can see it might be a good self tester if and I repeat if you've had a drink locally on a night out and could leave your car overnight, but that's all.....
So, the only thing left is money...testing just to see if a person has one in the car that they won't use.....
If you get done for not having one, and 5km down the road another nick nick gets you, what happens if your on a moterway?? or the shops are shut?????or bless you've actually use it???? the law doesn't say you have to have several.!!!
Did they think this through?
I'm quite sure there will be lots of answer on this but has anyone actually got a copy of the law and translated it?
On a lighter note they only breathalyze passengers in Brussels ....what does one do if your over the limit, are you not allowed to sit in the front of the car?
Garmin safety camera alerts are not preset they can be switched off. In fact a recent Garmin software update removes French safety camera data in line with French law.
Well, maybe our Garmin is different. kids bought it for us at Xmas....
Our instructions say to update it through our pc. Although it shows as good as possible the location of fixed camers ( which are in print on books and paper) it only warns us that the road were on uses mobile cameras but, not the exact location or times. But, I can't see how they would know your using one anyway? unless they drive at your side looking at the car?
We went recently to France and Belgium and ours pinged at some cameras but we went pass other that were not recognised or it was that long since the ping we forgot it ofcourse! It was usefull for Brussels except they were having a concert and lots of roads were closed,
Our instructions say to update it through our pc. Although it shows as good as possible the location of fixed camers ( which are in print on books and paper) it only warns us that the road were on uses mobile cameras but, not the exact location or times. But, I can't see how they would know your using one anyway? unless they drive at your side looking at the car?
We went recently to France and Belgium and ours pinged at some cameras but we went pass other that were not recognised or it was that long since the ping we forgot it ofcourse! It was usefull for Brussels except they were having a concert and lots of roads were closed,
Mines a 1490T and in the Tools menu there is an option to switch off certain alerts such as Safety Cameras, Schools and Blackspots too. But as I have lifetime map updates the safety camera data is updated every 2-3 months as the maps are updated. About 2-3 weeks ago the update also removed French camear locations. I don't know of any satnav or GPS camera detector that will know the times tha speed camerasl are operating......not something that the authorities are likley to publish is it?
France has decided to delay the enforcement of the breathalyser kit legislation.
The French Minister of the Interior has announced a delay until March 2013 in enforcing the mandatory rules on breathalyser kits. France intended to make it compulsory from 1st November 2012 for all vehicles using its roads to carry a serviceable breathalyser kit for the driver. However, the demand for the breathalysers has been greater than anticipated, creating supply problems. In the light of this situation, the Minister has announced the delay.
The French Minister of the Interior has announced a delay until March 2013 in enforcing the mandatory rules on breathalyser kits. France intended to make it compulsory from 1st November 2012 for all vehicles using its roads to carry a serviceable breathalyser kit for the driver. However, the demand for the breathalysers has been greater than anticipated, creating supply problems. In the light of this situation, the Minister has announced the delay.
The French seem to assume that everyone who drives drinks alcohol. We don't so why shoud we carry a breathalyzer?
Gybe said:
Because the law in France requires it.
If you don't want to carry one, don't go to France and you won't have to.
Steve W
I wont be bothering to buy the kit and i will certainly still be driving through parts of France as i have for over 2 decades.If i get pulled over it will be a first and will simply pay the fine but i can assure you it will take me near on an hour to search every nook and cranny of my car for my non exsistent kit before i shrug my shoulders what the hell waste my time over trivial stuff and i will waste theirs .having to carry hi fiz stuff was the last straw for me.....
steve w77 said:
Oh dear. That wan't the point. I do know that and have the approriate kit and our works vehicles all carry them. Out of twenty three drivers we have sixteen teetotaler's, it's just a silly idea. Any driver should know that a couple of drinks makes you illegal in France and most other EU countries with some stiff sentences for those breaking the law. If you have a drink in France and then intend to get behind the wheel you don' really need a breathalyzer to tell you right from wrong!
"0.5mg is equivalent to one small beer, so nowhere in Europe is there much tolerance for drinking
The Blood Alcohol Levels
0.2 mg per ml– Estonia, Malta, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary
0.3 mg per ml - Serbia. For a new drivers (with drivers licence for beginers), profesional drivers, motorcycle drivers, there is zero tolerance
0.2 mg per ml– Norway, Poland, Sweden
0.4 mg per ml- Lithuania
0.5 mg per ml- Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany (Germany is 0.3 if you’re in an accident), Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Serbia/Montenegro, Croatia, Latvia, Macedonia, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Cyprus (North), Switzerland
0.8 mg per ml– UK, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta,
0.2 mg per ml Cyprus (South)"
The French Ministre de l'Interieure, Manuel Valls, today announced that application of the law for compulsory carrying of breathalyser tests in cars has been postponed sine die.
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