Driving in France

[calikev]

http://www.motoring.co.uk/car-news/driv ... paign=news

Useful info here.

 

[Martin]

Another revenue stream for the ferry companies so they can sell us more stuff, the list gets longer each year ... saying that, the regulations all make sense and I am surprised we don't adopt any of the them in the UK

 

[Silverfox]

Just ordered some off the internet, because of the sudden demand there's a 6 - 8 week waiting period, £2.48 each.

 

[Martin]

Wonder if you are allowed to use the electronic ones? I used to have one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000U2SZL4/?tag=eliteelect-21

 

[Cody]

Don't understand the purpose. Is it for my benefit or for the police to make me check in front of them? Either way, they won't be calibrated and therefore liabl to gross error therefore could lead to false sense of security. Who do I sue if the ferry ones say I'm under the limit and then get done by the police. Great concept and I applaud any effort to stop and catch drink drivers but suspect knee jerk and ill conceived solution. As regulalrly transit through France to Germany will be obliged to purchase one but will sit in the boot gathering dust. :roll:

 

[malc]

Breathalisers ...am I missing something or are these comments below valid.

Prices vary so much .. from .10p to £85 ... are their any guide lines on which one the police
will accept. The one Martin bought has best write up at £51 on Amazon. Maybe one of our new
suppliers could advise and sell to us .... peace of mind for Cali owners.

Malc

 

[Martin]

Hi Malc, I actually used to sell these through my business but there are so many now on the market now which are basically just cheap :censor

I know the AlcoScan AL6000 is a very good unit and is used professionally aswell, it also came out best for the most accurate readings.

A bit more info on these can be found here http://www.breathalyserdirect.co.uk/al6000.htm

Always worth having one if not just for taking to France but checking your alcohol levels the morning after !

 

[Martin]

I meant to say, with the electronic ones some are pre-set to the country they are purchased ie: 0.8mg for the UK so you get a green light if under and red light if over, however this reading will be incorrect if in France and many other parts of Europe where I think their limit is 0.5mg ( Norway, Poland, Sweden it is just 0.2mg ) So if taking abroad make sure it is one with a digital readout rather than just red/green lights.

 

[malc]

Thanks Martin ...

 

[BerndRos]

Most of Europe and bordering countries have zero tolerance, so best not to drink and drive at all.

 

[malc]

I was not planning to drink but i interpreted new law as something you must carry?

 

[calikev]

That's also how I read it. in fact they recommend carrying 2 in case you use one so you have one
To show the police should you be stopped.

 

[Cody]

In which case one buy's the cheapest you can get as it seems to be a 'box ticking ' exercise. Realistically, not really going to rely on an unclaibrated piece of kit that could lose my licence. 8 hours bottle to throttle and if in doubt, don't drive. The lack of calibration over a period of time means the readings are pretty meaningless - or am I missing a trick here.

 

[barry]

If the national requirement is to have one of these in your car then I guess you buy one.
But buy the absolute cheapest and do NOT use it for monitoring alcohol intake during or on the evening of drinking alcohol.
The reading is absolutely unreliable and therefore of no value.

If you've had nothing to drink it will show just that.
If you've had a lot to drink it will show just that.
But gradations in between will not be indicated in any interpretable sense.
Even if you buy expensive professional intoxilysers.
So you're not going to be able to titrate around the legal level whatever it is under these circumstance of use.

A gap of a good few hours is needed between the last drink and getting a sort of reliable and stable measure of either breath alcohol or blood alcohol level.
For example, as one post suggests above, 'morning after' measures.

 

[BerndRos]

Most of the 21 countries I have visited on my road trip have a zero tolerance, so think when abroad the best policy is to follow that.

As for France, their cops are as petty as ours for ' hunt the motorist '

 

[Martin]

Just seen in the French press that the only breathalysers the French Police will allow are approved ones and must have the NF logo on the (Norme Française) , apparently these are the ones available on the ferries, petrol stations and supermarkets.

 

[Martin]

NF Approved ones now for sale in Halfords £4.99 for a twin pack

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_871069_langId_-1_categoryId_226211

 

[Andy]

They were about £5 on the Norfolkline ferry last month.