Off to France next week on the Multi. Does anybody bother wearing a high viz jacket/waistcoat or will the Gendarme pounce if you don't.
Went in May, did not wear hi-vis, but had one with me, think you need them if you breakdown ? Disposable breathalysers are cheap in any case so rather buy them and saves hassle if stopped.
Are these (hi viz, breath test kit, helmet stickers and red triangle) required in France or all of Europe?
You must carry one as well as a spare bulb kit. Plod will fine you €10 for not having a breathalyser kit, you don't need to carry a warning triangle on a bike. I always carry a headlight lamp and hi-viz. They take up virtually no room at all.
Have a look on the AA site, it has a handy reference table of what is required in each European country, sorry, can't seem to post the link for you. Oops - Just looked and it may be more relevant to cars though thee is a bit on m/c's
No fine for not carrying the breathalyser and the Hi Viz law has been abolished, I've been through France several times and never had any problems with the police, never been stopped for not having helmet stickers.
You need hi viz for a car only (all occupants). Not needed for bikes, not even in the original law despite what was quoted in UK press. Dont bother with bulb kits. I used to carry a kit, but never needed a bulb myself, and when I checked some had been broken in the box due to vibration. In practice you will likely stop every 100 miles or so, and can buy a bulb at a service station if necessary. No need for breathalyser kits now. Remember too that if you bought some a couple of years back they will now be past their expiry date. If you turn your headlight off you will get stopped. Not a problem for new bikes as you cant turn the headlight off, but on older bikes you can. My advice, always get down to speed for villages as they like to hide on entry to villages. Stay off the autoroutes and nationals, and you probably wont see a copper anyway. Have a good trip
I always carry a Hi-Viz on the bike, not for wearing but in case you breakdown, IF the police turn up you will be expected to be wearing one especially if it is on an AutoRoute. Also carry a spare bulb (probably broken now) but just in case - "it must have just broken officer it was alright this morning!". Breathalyzer not needed. Helmet stickers only seem to be worn by the French riders in large cities (i.e. Paris) - a good cash cow for the gendarmes. They don't bother with tourists but I carry a set just in case. Speeding - DONT within 50 miles of the tunnel / ferry terminals, that's where most speed traps will be. More mobile speed traps around in France now as they are cracking down on speeding, hard to spot and if you do see them then you have already been clocked. Oncoming cars / trucks are good at flashing a warning so if you are flashed slow down, the speed trap will probably be as you enter a town or on the exit of a town.
Carry nothing except documents. Been stopped by Gendarme in FRance for being over enthusiastic with the throttle, they were not interested in checking for spare bulbs, hi viz and crap like that. Just wanted us to go steady(er!)
This bit Still see them in the mountains as well, but close to, or in the villages. High chance of getting done on some of the Route nationals. Whole country gone a bit down hill lol. Mind, all we got was a lecture despite an outstanding stoppie by one of our group when the Gendarme stepped out. Steady away on exit from Val d'Isere next time
The biggest clue is that Ive never seen a french rider wearing one. Except the french equivalent of the beemer duffers of course.
Ah yes documents - forgot that - I carry a plastic Wallet with Colour photocopies (NOT the originals). A mate was stopped for a tyre tread depth check! The only time one of our group has been stopped. They asked to see the documents and just glanced at his colour copies that were in the wallet and that was it. Didn't take them out and look any further at them, docs could have been for his car .
