Another French law for motorcyclists

[embee]

This cropped up recently. Just something else to be aware of on your jaunts to foreign climes.

Link to French moto site http://www.moto-journal.fr/news/le-gile ... vier-2016/ (http://www.moto-journal.fr/news/le-gilet-jaune-obligatoire-pour-les-motos-a-partir-du-1er-janvier-2016/) and the AA guide for France and Monaco here http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/ov ... untry.html (http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/countrybycountry.html)

quote from AA

Other rules/requirements in France and Monaco:
* Motorcycles – reflective jackets – a proposed regulation requiring motorcyclists to wear reflective jackets was abolished on 2 January 2013 but will now be reintroduced from January 2016 after which date it will be compulsory for all motorcyclists (two or three wheels) to wear reflective jackets in the event of an emergency.

I guess for the strict interpretation (EN 471 standards etc??) you'd need to go to the French regs themselves, but I think we all know what it means in practice.

Note the fine for not having one with you is €11, the fine for not wearing one when necessary is €135.

[Trev B]

Same here in Spain for the car,there must be 1 reflective waistcoat in the car for each person,it must be within the vehicle and within reach ( not in the boot ).also 2 reflective triangles put at ( 200 metres from the Back of any vehicle stood on the carriageway,(broken down,puncture etc)and 1 at the front.Of course you will be wearing your hi viz so you don't get skittles putting them out.Also you cannot tow another vehicle here on the carriageway with a rope or bar !!!

[DJ123]

This cropped up recently. Just something else to be aware of on your jaunts to foreign climes.

Link to French moto site http://www.moto-journal.fr/news/le-gile ... vier-2016/ (http://www.moto-journal.fr/news/le-gilet-jaune-obligatoire-pour-les-motos-a-partir-du-1er-janvier-2016/) and the AA guide for France and Monaco here http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/ov ... untry.html (http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/countrybycountry.html)

quote from AA

Other rules/requirements in France and Monaco:
* Motorcycles – reflective jackets – a proposed regulation requiring motorcyclists to wear reflective jackets was abolished on 2 January 2013 but will now be reintroduced from January 2016 after which date it will be compulsory for all motorcyclists (two or three wheels) to wear reflective jackets in the event of an emergency.

I guess for the strict interpretation (EN 471 standards etc??) you'd need to go to the French regs themselves, but I think we all know what it means in practice.

Note the fine for not having one with you is €11, the fine for not wearing one when necessary is €135.

The answer to this is if you break down remove one wheel. Then the regulation no longer applies to you :D

[Red Herring]

I think you also need to consider the definition of an emergency.... Pretty much the only time you might be vulnerable is if it was a breakdown on the motorway. Any other time my motorcycle isn't going to be in the road and/or I'm going to be in an ambulance.......

[embee]

Good luck arguing that one with a stroppy Gendarme.

[chris8886]

Good luck arguing that one with a stroppy Gendarme.



I certainly wouldn't fancy my chances! :smt071

[Popy Fresco]

Good luck arguing that one with a stroppy Gendarme.

I certainly wouldn't fancy my chances! :smt071

I got stopped by the environmental police because i was ridding without db killer. The Gendarme saw my plates and started speaking english, asked a few questions and let me go with a 'warning'.

Am I lucky or french police is not as bad as you might think?

[MattCollins]

I found the Gendarme to be good when we were there a couple of years ago...

We got pulled a couple of times for minor infractions and got off by being nice. We were stopped a few more times, but it was just curiosity and a chat... they wanted to know about our Au reg bikes (which were looking a bit ratty and well travelled by then), the places we'd been, that sort of thing.

Attitude test... Play nice with the Gendarme (or any cop abroad) and they play nice back. Fail the attitude test by acting like an obnoxious pr*** and I reckon they'll act like any cop in that situation... and it's all downhill.

[fizzwheel]

Moved to Bike talk

[Red Herring]

Attitude test... Play nice with the Gendarme (or any cop abroad) and they play nice back. Fail the attitude test by acting like an obnoxious pr*** and I reckon they'll act like any cop in that situation... and it's all downhill.

Spoken like a true expert...... and it works with your home brew as well.

Of course, there may be risks attached to developing this kind of expertise....:)

[MattCollins]

Expertise? I'm not talking about trying to play them for a fool. That'd be stupid fail of the attitude test.

[embee]

I've never had any grief from any Europlod in nearly 40yrs of touring, like you say the attitude test is pretty much universal.


As with all these things, the only way to be 100% sure of the exact meaning of laws is to go to the official French law written in French, it's no use trying to interpret the meaning of the word "emergency" when the original text probably says "urgence" and may have subtly different connotations anyway.


I think we all know what it means in practice, just have a hi-vis vest/gilet/jacket with some reflective bits on with you and you'll almost certainly be fine. Wear it if you need to stop on a carriageway anywhere, job done. I doubt very much they'll be inspecting it for CE/EN471 labels etc.