PETE'S EURO TIPS

With Pete's (Busaboy) permission I'll post here his tips he sent by email for the Eurotourers. I know we've had them by email but I need to clear sometimes so if anyone is in the same boat they will be archived here.

Gents/Fellow Soon to be Mile Munching Buddies - I look forward to riding some Great European Roads with Ya'll soon - If You're a European Bike Virgin like my two buddies, this will be a great treat, If, like myself you have blessed your British Rubber upon Foreign Tarmac prior - I'm sure you will agree there is no comparison when riding UK roads as opposed to those over the Channel.

Don't forget to get your E111 form the post office (its free and it extends your NHS cover god forbid one of us kisses foreign ashphalt.
Pucture repair kit - essential
If u have RAC/AA cover dont forget to extend youre UK cover or advise them accordingly - Dont forget to take there overseas breakdown number (Potential Nightmare if u dont although my covers extends to any bike I am with))
Tank Bag (this fits on the Tank hence the name)
Maps (France not Kenya)
All the info Steve has supplied, venue address/phone numbers/route etc.
Small can of lube (for the bike not you)
Waterproofs (Yes forYou)
Spare Gloves - Warmer and racing (Not Latex or rubber)
Many Thin Layers is better than 1 or 2 thick layers (Thermals reccomended) - remember we will be riding sometimes for 100-200-300 miles at a time- so keep warm and confortable.
Service or thorough check prior to departure (basics, Chain tension, Oil)
Euros / Credit card (No IOU's on the day Im afraid)
Mobile Phone - I assume it roams on the continent - (must Phone Mother)
Charger or extra Batteries for all electrical bits
etc etc etc etc I could spend hours boring u lol

Laters
Peter BusaBoy Lee

Pete's Continental Bike tips - Part II
* Failure to produce your insurance and proof of ownership (V5) can result in hefty on-the-spot fines in many Continental countries inc France. Don't forget them
* Check your travel insurance covers you for accidental loss, personal injury and third person claims.
* Take out relevant breakdown cover. If you have'nt got RAC/AA cover - MCN is offering a special discount rate with NCI for just £29.99 for 12 months cover and you can add Europe-wide cover for just £26.50.
* You could tape your headlights so you don?t blind on-coming Continental traffic.
* Gaffer tape on the flanks of your bike will prevent bungees and straps from marking them.
* Pack light ? be ruthless, don?t take more than you need
* Watch out when re-fuelling on Sunday?s or late at night in France. Many petrol stations shut.
* Since Oct 2004 - going around 90km/hour in a 50km/hour zone will set you back 90? if you pay the fine within seven days, 135? if you pay it within 30 days and 375? after 30 days. And You'll also lose 3 points off your driver's licence regardless of how promptly you cough up.
* More than 100mph on the peage (that's motorway) will land you with a hefty fine if Caught. Be aware that your average speed is logged between tollbooths ? so if required we should take a break before we go through
* E15/A26 - speed trap on the road coming into Calais from Paris - the French regularly run a scam catching foreign cars racing for the ferry at the last toll booth. There is a car usually sat just after the last exit before the last tollbooth towards Calais normally with its boot open. They radio to the tollbooth and the police stop you there and fine you about 700 francs - no change given and any currency accepted but no plastic! If you argue they impound your car. This is a well-known trap by locals and only foreign cars/Bikes are pulled. Speed limit is 130kph, which is 80mph!!!
* Speeding in villages as we all agree is not done - the gendarmes are entitled to frogmarch (!) you to the nearest ATM and remove wads of cash.
* France has a death rate more than double that of Britain (same population) and recent legislation to combat this means you could lose your licence for travelling at more than 25kph over the proscribed limit.
* Watch out for cars parked on hard shoulder they sometimes hide roadside speed traps. Flashing lights from on-coming traffic is a warning of an imminent trap.
* Familiarise yourself with local speed limits www.drive-alive.co.uk/driving_tips.htm for most Continental limits.

Peter Hayabusa Lee

Hi, most of Pete's ideas and thoughts are correct no doubt from experience, I have only three points I wish to add
1) since fast bike mag made videos showing ridiculous speeds and riding manners on french autoroutes the french minister has issued an order to all the gendarmeries that this behaviour will not be tolerated so be sensible on the autoroutes, reasonable speeding will be tolerated but total stupidity can result in your bike being confiscated on the spot and you left on an autoroute in the middle of nowhere with only shanks pony to find some accomodation. The police are not obliged to take you away from the autoroute!
The police do not time you between autoroute toll booths, this myth was created by those returning to the uk and getting stopped at the last toll booth before calais (some 45k before calais) The police have a radar site located about 2 miles before this last toll booth and it is manned most weekends and they simply radio ahead as you pass to the gendarmes who are waiting with open arms at the toll booth where you have no chance of escape. Over the years I have seen hundreds stopped here in this manner and was once given the finger by a biker when I tried to make him slow down by waving my arm up and down, needless to say he was being frogmarched off when I arrived at the toll booth.
Lastly be very aware of the drink driving laws here especially if you drive at night. The gendarmes put up roadblocks most evenings especially in the summer season. the limit here in France is much lower than the Uk in fact half a glass of wine will probably put you over the top, so the rule is if you plan to ride you dont drink. The gendarmes have been known to sit outside supemarkets after various public holidays and breathalise you on the way in, in the morning ! when there is a good chance you are still over the limit

E111 was replaced by the EHIC from 1st Jan 2006 people.

You need to apply in advance but can do this online.

OK most of this is common sense but if it helps one person writing it was worthwhile. The key to it all is planning ahead!
The current regime in France is very much antispeeding with swingeing fines even confiscation of bikes an option and even imprisonment in the worst cases, so one must be aware more so now than ever that there are times when you can lengthen the odds dramatically in your favour.
Firstly if you want to go fast do not do it near a motorway junction, Bridge or "Aire" (picnic area) the nice men in blue regularly stop on the bridges over the motorways with radar guns and a pair of bikes on the slip roads (and these guys can ride! unlike their uk counterparts) however this gives you many miles where you can let your hair down.
Be very shy of cars "parked" on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere on rte nationals, when did you last see a modern car broken down?, especially if it has a blacked out rear screen if in doubt back it off, it can only take a pic and speed check when you are less than 50 meters away and if you are wrong you can soon open up the taps again.
Be aware that oncoming cars that "flash" you are not saying hello get your speed down immediately the reason for the flash may not become evident for several miles but all will be revealed in time, it may only be a couple of rozzers checking papers at the entrance to a village but there again it may be a well hidden speed trap.
All fixed radar sights are signposted with a dirty great signpost which if you are paying so little attention to miss it you deserve to be "done" There is a website http://www.radarsfixes.com/ where one can see all the fixed camera sites so note them down on your planning maps many gps's have their locations in their memory but when was the last update dated? 2006? if in doubt use the website above it also tells you if they are forward or rear facing. One can have a lot of fun with the front facing ones
The national speed limit is 90kph with 110 kph allowed on most dual carriageways 130 k is only allowed on peages (toll roads) so if you leave a toll road as one does near calais the last 40 odd kms are under a 110k limit !! rte nationals are 90kph but drop to 50 kph at the entry sign to any village.
From my experience most gendarmes are quite pro bike unlike their Uk fraternity and will give you some lee way unless you are taking the p--s but be aware fines are on the spot and the first fine for say 15kph over the limit in a 50 zone is 90 euros and it goes up from there so have a reasonable amount of cash on hand for any unplanned events otherwise they will disable the bike and you walk to the nearest hole in the wall which may be 30 kms away over fields!!
The Spanish feds for that matter take credit cards ! how nice

However all is not doom and gloom because there is one cast iron time of day when you can do what you want except for fixed radars, and that is between 12 and 2 because the french man and his brother go to lunch and even a nuclear war here would stop for lunch!! the added bonus is that there is an enormous reduction of traffic at the same time so you get a bonus clear roads and no old bill, LUVERLY !!

here is a heads up, french law makers have passed a law so that it is now illegal to filter through traffic on a bike. it remains to be seen if this will be considered un-enforceable by the police. here in the south it is business as usual but bear it in mind when going around Paris if all the bikes are following cars there may be a reason for it.
all we need now is some uk eurocrat to get hold of the idea because the uk fuzz would love to have this to enforce to further fill the coffers of parliament.

[DarrenSV650S]

That sucks. Hope it doesn't take off here. Thanks for posting