Breathalyzer for France

[JonnyG]

You don't need to purchase Breathalyzers now Eileen!

Less of the Hogwash JonnyG.
There are just to many Brits and others travelling and living around Europe today who know better than you and have first hand very recent expriences.
Apart from works drive problems I've been asked for booze and tobacco and had my caravan searched when we said we didn't have any. I got forced to stand aside and enjoyed the look on the officers face as he dragged out two cartons of bottles. His face changed when he found that his booty was Olive Oil. Mine and my wifes grasp of the language didn't need to be that good to understand what he and his colleague wanted.
European Police and officials don't have to be on the take, they can also just be very awkward and pick on foreigners. There are numerous clubs who have numerous members with first hand experience of one sided unfair one treatment on European roads. Our friends who take in Le Mans events every year during their holidays could fill this forum with the truth about French police.
One of the favourites involved all the British motorists who were stopped a mile or so after a roundabout for touching or crossing a white line on the approach to the roundabout as there were so many kids and adults stood in the road photographing and videoing the cars. The French Police at the roundabout weren't interested in the people stood in the road but radio'd numbers of all Brit and non French cars to the mass of police up ahead. No French vehicles were stopped.

hi.
It seems you have changed your tune ! Now it seems the EU is full of traffic cops out to make it differcult on brits by knit picking when offences take place. Yet earlier you said "they were on the take" which is a totally different subject all togeather! or do you not remember what you stated!
As you dont know me can i say you have some cheek to start making claims like the sentence below.I always assumed we used our own opinions and experiences, you seem to think writing the hogwash below is some statistic fact of proof!!!!!!!

"There are just to many Brits and others travelling and living around Europe today who know better than you and have first hand very recent expriences".
Whats too many?
hundreds of thousands of people drive onto the continent from these shores every year, there are hundreds of thousands of ex pats living abroad, how many do you actually know? hundreds? not actually a big number is it. how many different threads can you find that arent duplicate stories concerning what you claim to know better? Lets say you could find hundreds and lets face it even if you could find hundreds or even a thousand different stories per each year, are you suggesting every single one was correct about their treatment? it would only be their version of events anyway. and even a thousand complaints out of the hundreds of thousands who travel to the continent would only make it 1% at best. one percent! and you have the cheek to say" you know people who know better than me"

please do stop with the exagerating heh heh heh.......

 

[MartinLeFour]

Well the breathalyser law has reared it's ugly head again, only this time with a twist.
The official decree says the law comes into effect from March 1st 2013 but there will be no fine for anyone without a kit, but they say you must have one.

Martin.

 

[ValA.]

Typical French logic. A bit like many of the other EEC laws/recommendations/dictats that they somehow manage to not have to comply with either.
From everything from French market stalls selling live chickens, cooked meat, cream from a bowl, and a litter of kittens on the same stall, to smokers quite happily standing at the bar with a cigarette, they somehow manage to 'obey the law' in a very different way to how we do it over here!

 

[JonnyG]

Typical French logic. A bit like many of the other EEC laws/recommendations/dictats that they somehow manage to not have to comply with either.
From everything from French market stalls selling live chickens, cooked meat, cream from a bowl, and a litter of kittens on the same stall, to smokers quite happily standing at the bar with a cigarette, they somehow manage to 'obey the law' in a very different way to how we do it over here!

Thats because they are french,vast numbers flock there every year, because thats there lifestyle and surely its that lifestyle that makes up their culture which is what attracks so many to their shores?

 

[ValA.]

Absolutely, and that's why we go there too!

 

[MartinLeFour]

Of course, that's why i live here, you want to see the monthly market we have at Les Herolles, now that is a real eye opener!!

 

[otherclive]

Typical French logic. A bit like many of the other EEC laws/recommendations/dictats that they somehow manage to not have to comply with either.
From everything from French market stalls selling live chickens, cooked meat, cream from a bowl, and a litter of kittens on the same stall, to smokers quite happily standing at the bar with a cigarette, they somehow manage to 'obey the law' in a very different way to how we do it over here!

before we get another anti-EU series of posts the breathalyser law is French not EU as is the smoking law.

 

[JonP]

France Delays Breathalyser Law Indefinately
Interior minister Manuel Valis has indefinately postponed the start of the €11 fine for failure to carry the test equipment. Due to initial supply problems, the start date had already been delayed until 1st March anyway.
The interior minister will wait until the Conseil National de la Securite (CNSR) has reported on what it considers to be the best measures to cut drink driving, which is the contributory factor in the majority of road deaths in France. Deaths in France resulting from drink driving amounted to 3645 in 2012.
The breathalyser kits were proving controversial because of a lack of availability in France and the wider EU, and their escalating cost. Also, it has transpired that no proper evaluation of the kits has been conducted (despite NF approval) and recent consumer group testing has cast considerable doubt on the accuracy of the kits which are currently on sale.
My opinion is that this isnt the last we have heard on the subject, but for the time being, the issue has been placed on the back burner..

 

[emmerson]

So, when I leave for France on April 4th, do I need to take breathalyzers or not?
I'm very easily confused!

 

[MartinLeFour]

Yes you need to get one to comply with the law, but if you don't have one you won't be fined, only the French can could up with that!

 

[emmerson]

I've just read some of Gybe's post about the French police.
Does anyone want to buy a couple of return ferry tickets?
I won't dare to go France ever again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (well, not till next month, anyway!)
What a load of bigotted rubbish!

 

[Gybe]

bigotted

Silly word. misplaced and very over used!

The facts on a variety of EU countries police is they can often work in a different way to UK police.

 

[emmerson]

Gybe, don't see why bigotted is silly or overused. I don't rmember ever using it on here before, and its certainly not misplaced, as you are obviously bigotted against the French police, for whatever reason.It does beg the question though; why do you continue to go to a country which annoys you so much?

 

[anotherDavid]

I don't think picking a fight with a policeman is a very good idea in any country in the world because you are sure to come off worse. There is no vehicle on the road that a spiteful examination can not find fault with. I seem to have been remarkably lucky in my motoring through France probably getting on for 100,000 miles now and never spoken to one yet. However I am under no illusion about the function of speed cameras in the UK either. In Spain and Portugal the is a very effective speed limiting system where passing a sensor too fast turns the next set of lights red much to the annoyance of following motorists, it will never be introduced here though because it does not raise money

 

[Gybe]

I like France very much and we also holiday with French friends as we've also owned a small rental property in Brittany for many years and meet up with our old French neigbours.
My colleagues and I regularly stop in Holland at a freight depot, are we to assume that the Dutch drivers all lie about their dealings with various police forces in Europe.
Our own works outfits are GPS tracked and the GPS satnavs also record our top speed, last week one of our drivers was pulled in France as he entered a service area. Stopped for speeding, but the police wanted to know what he was carrying and wanted the trailer opened. He could hear them talking as he fetched the trailer keys. As he unlocked the trailer door his wife had walked to the back of the trailer and they started to talk together.
She is French and they live near Bordeaux and their conversation was in fluent French, the Police beat a hasty retreat as he told them in his fluent French that his speed was also electronically monitored and logged but they were more interested in getting away.
European and police activity often comes up on the tunnel freight carriages, ferry trucker diners and in stops where Brits and other drivers chat.
I think it was Val who spoke of rough or aggresive treatment by Italian police, not the first person to experience that. My afore mentioned France based colleagues wife also speaks fluent Italian and Spanish they've experienced Italian and Spanish police aggression. When it is obvious that the only reason for being pulled is a UK or non local number plate, command of the local language makes for a quick wave away.
I suggest you read further back to where I mentioned friends who holiday at Le Mans every year. Senior French speaking police officer who worked with interpol. Quite amusing when he's been pulled.

 

[emmerson]

Perhaps you have some strange friends?
I'll restart this silly conversation after I suffer at the hands of the French police!

 

[JonnyG]

I like France very much and we also holiday with French friends as we've also owned a small rental property in Brittany for many years and meet up with our old French neigbours.
My colleagues and I regularly stop in Holland at a freight depot, are we to assume that the Dutch drivers all lie about their dealings with various police forces in Europe.
Our own works outfits are GPS tracked and the GPS satnavs also record our top speed, last week one of our drivers was pulled in France as he entered a service area. Stopped for speeding, but the police wanted to know what he was carrying and wanted the trailer opened. He could hear them talking as he fetched the trailer keys. As he unlocked the trailer door his wife had walked to the back of the trailer and they started to talk together.
She is French and they live near Bordeaux and their conversation was in fluent French, the Police beat a hasty retreat as he told them in his fluent French that his speed was also electronically monitored and logged but they were more interested in getting away.
European and police activity often comes up on the tunnel freight carriages, ferry trucker diners and in stops where Brits and other drivers chat.
I think it was Val who spoke of rough or aggresive treatment by Italian police, not the first person to experience that. My afore mentioned France based colleagues wife also speaks fluent Italian and Spanish they've experienced Italian and Spanish police aggression. When it is obvious that the only reason for being pulled is a UK or non local number plate, command of the local language makes for a quick wave away.
I suggest you read further back to where I mentioned friends who holiday at Le Mans every year. Senior French speaking police officer who worked with interpol. Quite amusing when he's been pulled.

Well thats it then " proof" if anymore proof was needed thanks Gybe.!!!! except err what was that proof of? people being stopped? heck it happens all the time, mind you somebody is dumb these days, most hgv lorries have trackers anyway and unless they were the dumbest of police, they would know that,.So did they really leave because they thought "oh gosh they have tracker gps" ? doubt that.and why did your friend wait till he was almost opening the back to tell them this vital info! yawn or maybe it a yarn.
been in the industry on and off for decades, have herd all the yarns.over and over again.. but then truck driving can be boring a yarn or two is good for the spirits.
hey have you ever thought that your friends might be targeted because they are poor drivers? and are unhappy at being caught over and over again? we have 3 vehicles abroad everyday 6 days a week 50 weeks a year and in the 7 years i have been with the company,off the top of my head the drivers have been pulled 3 or 4 times in that period.infact theyve been pulled over ihere in the UK much more often.. hey do you think the brit police have got it in for us too!!
Unfortuantle Val has never stated the reason why they were stopped in Italy,so without knowing the reason why,then its hardly informed of you to use that as an example of police picking on us poor brits.
No doubt there are people from every european country who make claim to being picked on by other polices forces,and maybe they are right.thankfully the vast majority of us seem to be left well alone.statistical thats a well know fact,and i like those odds.
Ever

 

[ValA.]

We were stopped by Italian police, on our first and last camping trip to Italy, because we had two bikes on a bike rack at the back of the car without a Long Vehicle Plaque. I didn't 'do' forums in those days, the internet was in it's infancy, we weren't members of any Clubs, and quite simply didn't know one was required. When we wouldn't pay the instant fine (because we actually didn't have enough money in lira as we were on our way to France which in those days had a different currency), they then found 'other faults' which added to our fine and kept us 'stopped' for about forty minutes whilst they minutely examined everything in/on/around our car. One of the 'faults' they found was that we were overloaded and our ground clearance was too low - because by that time our self-levlling Citroen suspension had relaxed. Others were similarly spurious - including 'insulting a police officer' (I admit to that but how did he understand if he didn't speak English as he maintained!). However, it was impossible to argue in a language we didn't have fluency in, and we had no option but to pay the vastly increased fine, after being marched at (not quite but you get my gist) gunpoint to a bank to change some travellers cheques! The fine increased from £25.00 to over £100 - (we holidayed on a shoestring even in those days) and took nearly all the Travellers Cheques we were carrying. It was a long time ago - I think my youngest son was four - and he was very upset by the whole process.
We've had absolutely no similar occurrences with French police in thirty two years of camping/caravanning holidays. Our only contact with French police was when we were stopped just before an autoroute peage barrier by police, near Beziers. They were simply slowing traffic so that the wine growers of the Languedoc could hand out two bottles of their wine to each visitor before they left the region!

 

[JonnyG]

thank you Val for going to the time and trouble of telling us the whole story. Not ever a nice thing to happen,but i think you have put everything in to a more reasonable perspective concerning travelling in Europe....

 

[Parksy]

I have no experience of touring on the continent, but this Overseas Parks & Touring message board rarely if ever has reports of constant trouble with police in other countries.
It could be argued that British police target drivers according to their nationality because of a perception that there is a higher likelihood that these drivers will ignore British traffic laws.
A serving police officer who sometimes uses our local pub when off duty freely admits that he and his colleagues regularly stop and check vehicles displaying Eastern European number plates to check the drivers documentation, especially during the evenings and nights.
He tells us that the drivers of these vehicles have been known to ignore drink driving laws, or sometimes they do not have insurance or valid driving licences.
The police don't stop these vehicles because of bigotry or racial prejudice, they do it because past experience has given the police a good indication of which drivers might break the law.
The lesson is easy to learn isn't it? Familiarise yourself with and obey the laws of whatever country you are driving in and you are unlikely to get into trouble.

 

[Gafferbill]

........if you drive in Europe it is obvious you will notice you have to drive on the opposite side of the road than we do here in the UK

That is a big difference and so is the fact that it is very common for police officers to be armed with a firearm.
Both these things should concentrate the mindset of a UK driver that things are different and care must be taken to conform.

A police officer over there is empowered to be prosecutor, judge and jury and issue an on the spot fine for an infringement.
My personal opinion is that because of their extra responsibilities and training, officers are unlikely to take kindly to any form of argument and as another David says, this is very unwise course of action.

It must be realised that rules that seem petty to a UK mindset can be very important over there.
For instance there is no obligation to carry a fluorescent yellow vest in the UK........in most countries in Europe one must be easy to reach within the vehicle and be worn at all times should you leave the vehicle when stopping on the open highway (all occupants).
Failure to do this can result in an on the spot fine as they choose to attach importance to this rule!

Thinking the officer that imposed such a fine on a UK driver was out to get the British is ludicrous.

 

[DianneT]

We have been travelling in Europe now for over 35 years with and without caravan. Been stopped in Spain when everybody was being checked on waved on as soon as they saw the GB sticker. In Germany near the Luxembourg border police were charming and wanted to see our paperwork for car and licence etc said they were checking for money laundering. In Austria when husband was doing couple of km an hour over the local speed limit. Very courteous, checked paperwork etc and, told the reason for stopping us,warning and wished us a d good day. The only problem we have had with police is in France when we hit metal debrie strewn across the motorway with the Caravan wheel which blew the tyre (luckily we have a twin axle) so made for the nearby lay by. The police followed us in, drew alongside, Sian's we had a flat, then out their foot down and were gone. No help offered at all. We did not think much of this.

 

[otherclive]

........if you drive in Europe it is obvious you will notice you have to drive on the opposite side of the road than we do here in the UK

That is a big difference and so is the fact that it is very common for police officers to be armed with a firearm.
Both these things should concentrate the mindset of a UK driver that things are different and care must be taken to conform.

A police officer over there is empowered to be prosecutor, judge and jury and issue an on the spot fine for an infringement.
My personal opinion is that because of their extra responsibilities and training, officers are unlikely to take kindly to any form of argument and as another David says, this is very unwise course of action.

It must be realised that rules that seem petty to a UK mindset can be very important over there.
For instance there is no obligation to carry a fluorescent yellow vest in the UK........in most countries in Europe one must be easy to reach within the vehicle and be worn at all times should you leave the vehicle when stopping on the open highway (all occupants).
Failure to do this can result in an on the spot fine as they choose to attach importance to this rule
Thinking the officer that imposed such a fine on a UK driver was out to get the British is ludicrous.

And UK police aren't prosecutor, judge and jury? We don't have fixed penalty notices? Cautions aren't criminal records? Why are magistrates and county court judges concerned that our police are closing such a high number of offences out without reference to the criminal justice system? And don't get me started on the numerous other officials able to levy fixed penalties.

 

[Gafferbill]

And UK police aren't prosecutor, judge and jury? We don't have fixed penalty notices? Cautions aren't criminal records? Why are magistrates and county court judges concerned that our police are closing such a high number of offences out without reference to the criminal justice system? And don't get me started on the numerous other officials able to levy fixed penalties.

UK police officers only have the power to prosecute.
Fixed penalty notices can be challenged in a court of law if you are not prepared to accept them.
Cautions if given, mean you have admitted the offence so it seems only right to me that the offence is recorded.

 

[otherclive]

Yes but cautions can be offerd under duress from the police and people will be led to accept them as the better alternative than going to court with the attendant risk of a more severe outcome. Given that they are generally for minor offences if the defendant decided not to accept the caution the chances are the CPS would drop the case. Giving cautions to youngsters can affect their future opportunies in life. No justice should be seperate from the police.