Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

Are We All Buying Breathalysers to Comply With French Motoring Law?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
According to the AA website:

Quote:
Breathalysers:
On 1 March 2012 the French government confirmed that from 1 July 2012 drivers of all motor vehicles and motorcycles (excluding mopeds) must carry a breathalyser.

The regulation will be enforced from 1 November 2012 and anyone stopped after that date who fails to produce a breathalyser when requested will receive an on the spot fine of €11.

The official announcement states that one unused, certified breathalyser must be produced showing the French certification mark NF. Carrying two single-use breathalysers will ensure that if one is used or damaged, you will still have a spare to produce.

The breathalyser produced has to be in date - single-use breathalysers normally have a validity of twelve months.
What's the point of this exactly? Er, do the French police not carry their own?
ski holidays
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
mountainaddict,

Quote:

What's the point of this exactly? Er, do the French police not carry their own?


Haven't you heard? Times are hard in Europe at the moment. Very Happy
latest report
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
mountainaddict, The point is making it mandatory to test yourself after having a drink ... clever thinking as it leaves the drink driver banged to rights with no excuse as well as the obvious potential deterrent to idiots risking others lives. . Hence the small fine for not carrying I guess ..... but no way out from a DD conviction.

Shame the UK government isnt as bright.

They cost less than 1€ .... so no big deal.


Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Sun 19-08-12 11:11; edited 1 time in total
latest report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
An €11 fine? Wow!
snow report
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Yep, got mine. Not a problem. Been quite a few previous threads on this topic.
ski holidays
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Agenterre wrote:

They cost less than 1€ .... so no big deal.
so where do you buy them from over here?
latest report
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
No idea ... hypermarkets, DIY, "Pound-Shops", Tabacs in France
snow report
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Amazon, though they cost a little more than a euro. Maybe about the same as a large beer? Will give the brigade who buy £400 ski jackets but put a couple of hours on their journey and get lost in Geneva to avoid the cost of a Swiss motorway vignette something new to moan about. wink
ski holidays
 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Sack the Juggler wrote:
Agenterre wrote:

They cost less than 1€ .... so no big deal.
so where do you buy them from over here?


You can also get them in most ferry ports and the Eurotunnel terminal. I've heard that you can also get them from the offices (offices, not kiosks) at the Peage but I can't confirm that.
ski holidays
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Agenterre, I don't believe it makes it mandatory to test yourself after a drink.

For many drivers in France it will remain something of an irrelevance. Unless you want to ensure that you've had a suitably good time.

Waste of time. I don't see them doing random tests and as I've only been stopped in France once in 6 years (speed camera, 110 kph in a 70/90kph zone, 80 eur cash fine), I'm not hurrying out to acquire one.

Interestingly, allegedly, the manufacturer of one of the main NF suppliers is one of Sarko's best mates.

Trebles all round, hic!
ski holidays
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Quote:

An €11 fine?

So, why bother? I think M. Plod has far better things to do than check. Ever been checked for having hi-vis vests, spare bulbs, first aid kit etc? No, didn't think so. In fact French police are a fairly rare sight on the roads and you'd need to be doing something daft for them to want to stop you.

No intention of driving while under the influence so no reason to go along with their little (large?) money making plot.
snow report
 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
We got ours from Halfords in Chichester - just around £6 - easier to comply and keep in the car, not sure the point of trying to buck the system for a few quid.
ski holidays
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Quote:

No intention of driving while under the influence

and in France, that essentially means drinking nothing, as the limit is a lot lower than ours. I have been stopped (once for speeding, 80 euro fine, once in a random check in Megeve near Christmas where everybody was being pulled over). On the latter occasion I had left the car documents in the apartment and got a severe telling off. I suspect that the worst thing about being found with no breathalyser might be to give monsier plod the excuse to check over absolutely everything, especially if he was feeling bored or anti-rosbif.
ski holidays
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:

and in France, that essentially means drinking nothing

as most driving is to/from home/resort so that's absolutely fine with me. Who really wants to drive 700 miles with a few beers inside them?

Quote:

and got a severe telling off

I would love to have seen that. Hey, it was free.
latest report
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Bode Swiller, I have been checked once for spare bulbs etc, it was at the Swiss Border and they were checking absolutely everyone who looked under 40, I had two friends in the car in their 20's and the check went over everything, who we were where we were going, how long we were staying, why my friends had ski boots in the car but I didn't, full documentation for car and insurance and driving licence, I've never been grilled so much before or since, realised after we were safely through and on our way again that the G8 (I think) conference was being held in Davos and the Swiss were probably just trying to catch as many demonstrators as they could, I was waiting for them to ask if I had the phone number of the hotel I was staying at, would have been quite amusing as the hotel owner was also the local MP Laughing
snow report
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
So if you hire a car in france does it come with one ? Thinking Geneva and we always hire French side.
ski holidays
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Jake43, sensible question you ask - and if you hire on the Swiss side at Geneva will you have to take your own breathalysers or will they supply them if the car is going to France?
snow report
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Do car hire companies supply spare bulbs, hi vis vests etc, if so, they are likely to supply breathalysers. If not, who is braking the law, the Hire Company or the Customer? You can't be expected to turn up with every bulb possible.

snowHead
snow report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Chris Wood741, My thinking would be that it's the car that has to have all the kit, not the driver, in the same way that our car is insured (in Switzerland and with certain limits, i.e. Driver age limits, for anyone).
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Has anyone tried buying them in Haute Savoie? They seem rarer than hens teeth. I have tried five different petrol stations - Samoens, St Gervais, Bonneville and a couple of others. I have been told pharmacies are the place - not as far as I can tell. I thought Feu Vert would make sense but how silly can you be?

Since the police won't be enforcing until November I guess there is no real rush but the locals think it will give the police an excuse for a pre christmas/christmas hit.
latest report
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
ian999, Pretty sure our Chamonix local garages had them 3 weeks ago?
snow conditions
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
No
snow report
 cran
cran
Guest
You can get them on Amazon, but will be cheaper in French supermarkets.

tbh @ 11€ fine it's not worth bothering...
snow conditions
 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Got stopped and breathalysed between orleans and le mans in april at about 2.30 in the morning. they were stopping everyone, just asked to see documents and blow into this please. Good thing its not senstive to red bull, or it would have gone off the scale!
snow report
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
pam w wrote:
Yep, got mine. Not a problem. Been quite a few previous threads on this topic.


+1
snow report
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
+2
snow conditions
 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
ian999 wrote:
Has anyone tried buying them in Haute Savoie? They seem rarer than hens teeth. I have tried five different petrol stations - Samoens, St Gervais, Bonneville and a couple of others. I have been told pharmacies are the place - not as far as I can tell. I thought Feu Vert would make sense but how silly can you be?

Since the police won't be enforcing until November I guess there is no real rush but the locals think it will give the police an excuse for a pre christmas/christmas hit.


We went down to Nice a couple of weeks ago. We tried to buy them at alot of petrol stations and pharmacies but all sold out. Even our French host tried and she failed to come up with any. Apparently as you say they are rarer than hens teeth hense the deffering until November.
ski holidays
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
We got them in Halfords before we left UK for £5.99 a pair. There were signs up in garages & supermarkets in Savoie saying that they had run out & hoped to be restocking soon.
snow report
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
got some from our local Roady store In Bourg €1 each)
snow report
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
genepi wrote:
We got them in Halfords before we left UK for £5.99 a pair. There were signs up in garages & supermarkets in Savoie saying that they had run out & hoped to be restocking soon.


This is illustrative of the issue for Brits - there isn't a new petty law introduced on the continent that someone won't profiteer massively on. I imagine cross channel ferry or tunnel shops charge even more. Car hire companies are no better - I'm sure there will be a (not very) optional kit available which you can hire for the reasonable cost of 5 Euro a day only payable locally.
ski holidays
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I've still never seen one on sale!
ski holidays
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
fatbob wrote:
genepi wrote:
We got them in Halfords before we left UK for £5.99 a pair. There were signs up in garages & supermarkets in Savoie saying that they had run out & hoped to be restocking soon.


This is illustrative of the issue for Brits - there isn't a new petty law introduced on the continent that someone won't profiteer massively on. I imagine cross channel ferry or tunnel shops charge even more. Car hire companies are no better - I'm sure there will be a (not very) optional kit available which you can hire for the reasonable cost of 5 Euro a day only payable locally.


Don't know about profiteering.. Halfords has been selling breathalyser kits since I worked there as a student about 15 years ago. If anything, they are cheaper now than they were then, as I'm sure they were £4 or £5 EACH back then.
snow report
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
feef, Probably a matter of scalability - back then a novelty item with no legal status, now a large scale business at least for France means unit costs much lower. If something tiny can sell for 2 Euro almost anywhere in France but is £6 back in the UK suggests it is more than just transport costs being the difference. Not just breath tests - I'm sure they've done well out of warning triangles, sticky vinyl headlamp convertors, safety vests etc.

I suspect what we're really paying for is megastore rents in retail parks.
latest report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Puzzled
Can anyone tell me, does this new law also apply to minibusses with all drivers on PSV licences.
They only go to France twice a year on the way to/back from Italy.
As I am one of the drivers, don't fancy getting fined.

But. Can only find the law as regards to cars on Goggle.

Thanks

PS. If it does, where do we get some from in the UK that are of the right type
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
fatbob wrote:
feef, Probably a matter of scalability - back then a novelty item with no legal status, now a large scale business at least for France means unit costs much lower. If something tiny can sell for 2 Euro almost anywhere in France but is £6 back in the UK suggests it is more than just transport costs being the difference. Not just breath tests - I'm sure they've done well out of warning triangles, sticky vinyl headlamp convertors, safety vests etc.

I suspect what we're really paying for is megastore rents in retail parks.



€2 in france is the price Each. £5.99 in Halfords is for 2 of them. Not each.
latest report
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Wayne wrote:
Puzzled
Can anyone tell me, does this new law also apply to minibusses with all drivers on PSV licences.
They only go to France twice a year on the way to/back from Italy.
As I am one of the drivers, don't fancy getting fined.

But. Can only find the law as regards to cars on Goggle.

Thanks

PS. If it does, where do we get some from in the UK that are of the right type


halfords for £5.99 for two, or http://www.frenchbreathalyzer.com/disposable.htm but they'll sting you for P&P.
snow conditions
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Wayne wrote:
Puzzled


PS. If it does, where do we get some from in the UK that are of the right type

see earlier thread.

As its you....
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=89128#2054452
ski holidays
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Boredsurfing,
mucky bucket
(I think that's french for cheers)
latest report
 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Wayne, From that earlier thread
Came across this article which offers a bit more clarity to the new Franch law
http://www.ftxlog.com/news/view/when-driving-in-france

Quote:
With a start date for the new measure of 1st July 2012, the rules will apply to anyone travelling to or through France by motor vehicle in the summer holiday season, even just for a day trip. This measure won’t actually be enforced until the 1st November 2012, giving road users time to prepare for the change.

Single-use breathalyser kits will satisfy the requirement. The legal limit in France is 50 mg per 100 ml of blood, lower than in the UK (the UK limit is 80mg). They cost between £1 and £2 and they will be available at ferry and tunnel terminals for crossings to France. It is intended that people will be able to test themselves to check whether or not they are over the French limit.


Motor vehicle covers everything apart from mopeds I'm told by the FTX guys.

Quote:
Here is a further update to this which is really stating that this also includes motorcyclists:

Latest advice from European motoring body the FIA says that drivers of all motor vehicles, including motorcyclists, will have to carry a breathalyser kit in their cars when travelling in France.

We previously reported that from 1st July this year all drivers would need to carry a breathalyser kit, as French drivers will have to, but new information dictates that this €11 fine is applicable to all road users including motorcyclists, but excluding mopeds.
With a start date for the new measure of 1st July 2012, the rules will apply to anyone travelling to or through France by motor vehicle in the summer holiday season, even just for a day trip. This measure won’t actually be enforced until the 1st November 2012, giving road users time to prepare for the change.

Single-use breathalyser kits will satisfy the requirement. The legal limit in France is 50 mg per 100 ml of blood, lower than in the UK (the UK limit is 80mg). They cost between £1 and £2 and they will be available at ferry and tunnel terminals for crossings to France. It is intended that people will be able to test themselves to check whether or not they are over the French limit.

Anyone driving in France is already required to carry a warning triangle and a fluorescent safety vest to use in an emergency. Motorcyclists should carry extra bulbs. Additionally UK motorists and motorcyclists must display a GB plate, and cars should have their headlights adjusted to the right.
ski holidays
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
feef wrote:


€2 in france is the price Each. £5.99 in Halfords is for 2 of them. Not each.


Not per cheztichot above who states 1 Euro each as do most other French residents in this thread so 2 Euro to £6 is the right comparator I think.
snow report



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy