Personal Breathalysers kits in France
- Thread starter PeterR
- Start date
HI Peter
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I think your post is about this
( Every car in France will have to be equipped with a breathalyzer from the spring of 2012 )
Looks like you are on IE9 & your comments have failed to load onto the forum page.
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I think your post is about this
( Every car in France will have to be equipped with a breathalyzer from the spring of 2012 )
I do not have a problem if such a law is introduced. Last year I was stopped for a random breath test at 1100h and it was quick and efficiently carried out. No request for any licence,insurance etc. no form filling which would add to a British policemans burden. If UK police could introduce French style random testing it would have my support. The likely cost of do it yourself kits is cheap and if the law helps keep drink drivers who are over the legal limit off the roads it is a good measure.
Does that mean French registered cars or all cars entering the country. And where are you supposed to buy one from as you get off the ferry with caravan on tow
Buy it before you go I suppose. A quick on line search showed a few suppliers with a wide range of prices. Halfords do one for £2.00Willi-Wonti said:
No doubt all the shops at ferry terminals will stock them the same as they stock, beam benders etc.
From Caravan Club website:France – Obligatory alcohol breath test kitsPublished: 21 December 2011
Recent press reports have suggested that it will be compulsory from the 1 January 2012 for drivers in France to carry an alcohol breath testing kit.
The legal department of the Automobile Club de France (ACF) have confirmed that no new law has been passed, and the French Highway Code has not been changed.
Recent press reports have suggested that it will be compulsory from the 1 January 2012 for drivers in France to carry an alcohol breath testing kit.
The legal department of the Automobile Club de France (ACF) have confirmed that no new law has been passed, and the French Highway Code has not been changed.
Well done Ray, here we go again with 'chinese whispers', a rumour starts, and before we know it, we will all be stocking up with breatherliser kits that are totally not required.
The simple moral is DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE, and you will not be committing any offence.
The French police will not enforce laws that are not in there statue book regarding carrying 'breatherliser kits'. It will not happen.
The simple moral is DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE, and you will not be committing any offence.
The French police will not enforce laws that are not in there statue book regarding carrying 'breatherliser kits'. It will not happen.
I wouldn't be too confident just yet of not needing a test kit in France this summer. Any of the French press reports I have seen speak of this being introduced in the Spring of this year with either April or May being suggested dates. Caravan Club report was dismissing the reports of introduction on 1st January. Time will tell.
http://www.thelocal.fr/1920/20111201/
http://www.thelocal.fr/1920/20111201/
I guess this will be against there human rights.... because they still smoke in public places !!!
Breathalyser regs to now start from July and fines for not complying to start in November.
According to http://www.thelocal.fr/2487/20120206/
According to http://www.thelocal.fr/2487/20120206/
Just to throw another spanner in the works, you will now also get fined if you eat or drink behind the wheel of a car, and a law that is in the book but very very rarely acted on is smoking while driving, it's a no no.
MartinLeFour said:
Eating or drinking whilst driving has been against the law in this country for a few years
Do you remember the case of the driver done for eating a chocolate bar, that was posted all over the front pages of the press
Many thanks Sir Sproket. I have followed your instructions. As usual the Practical Caravan readers are extremely helpful with their knowledge.
Regards
Peter
Regards
Peter
I have Just returned from working in France last week (1st week in May), picked up 5 packs (twin) from local pharmacie 2.50 euros each pack,(£4.99 at Halfords for the same) date of expiry Nov 2013.
So at least the 2 couples who we go to France on holiday with will be legal from 1st July on.
The French are starting to stock up ready for the 1st July start date. The Police have stated they will not handout fines until November 2012, but as I visit France regularly for business and holidays I will ensure they can not request any funds from me as some police officers may enforce it earlier.
So at least the 2 couples who we go to France on holiday with will be legal from 1st July on.
The French are starting to stock up ready for the 1st July start date. The Police have stated they will not handout fines until November 2012, but as I visit France regularly for business and holidays I will ensure they can not request any funds from me as some police officers may enforce it earlier.
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
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
……I had an incident in France near Angoulême on the N10 in February in snowy conditions.
It was attended by 2 Police patrol cars and 4 Gendarmes and they could not have been more helpful.
They are not the ogres some people make them out to be.
They of course did their job and checked everything on the car/ caravan and I was breathalysed.
What struck me was the fact that they used a blow up balloon device which I have not seen in the UK for years….the result was negative!
Just as well we do not have to buy and carry a digital device as used in the UK.
The new requirement to carry two balloon devices is simple and cheap.
I will be buying 4 from a French Pharmacie to make sure I comply with any eventuality.
It was attended by 2 Police patrol cars and 4 Gendarmes and they could not have been more helpful.
They are not the ogres some people make them out to be.
They of course did their job and checked everything on the car/ caravan and I was breathalysed.
What struck me was the fact that they used a blow up balloon device which I have not seen in the UK for years….the result was negative!
Just as well we do not have to buy and carry a digital device as used in the UK.
The new requirement to carry two balloon devices is simple and cheap.
I will be buying 4 from a French Pharmacie to make sure I comply with any eventuality.
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