Compulsory breathalysers
Moderator: Moderators
-
- Rank 3
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Tue 21 Jul 2015 21:47
Compulsory breathalysers
I'm about to take my car across to France and wanted to check up what the current position is with compulsory breathalysers. As I understand it, they are theoretically obligatory but there has been a ruling that they can't impose a fine (which I gather is only 11€ anyway, so hardly worth the bother of following up). Can anyone enlighten me further on this rather contradictory (and dare I say it typically French) situation?
Thanks
Thanks
- Kate
- Administrator
- Posts: 1903
- Joined: Fri 23 Sep 2005 19:48
- Contact:
- russell
- Rank 5
- Posts: 1038
- Joined: Fri 21 May 2010 16:03
- Contact:
You are correct that it is still compulsory to carry an approved breathalyser but there is no longer a fine for not carrying one. The only sanction available to the gendarmes is to remind you that it is compulsory.
I have heard it suggested that the reason for its introduction was that the manufacturer was a friend of M. Sarkosy.
Russell.
I have heard it suggested that the reason for its introduction was that the manufacturer was a friend of M. Sarkosy.
Russell.
-
- Rank 5
- Posts: 889
- Joined: Tue 22 Sep 2009 16:48
- Contact:
-
- Rank 5
- Posts: 2086
- Joined: Sun 14 Apr 2013 14:37
-
- Rank 3
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Tue 21 Jul 2015 21:47
Thanks to Kate and Russell for the info. Breathalysers were on sale for £5.99 for 2 on the ferry so I thought I might as well get them even though it seems you can get away with not having them quite easily. Interestingly, hire cars I've had in France don't seem to have them - are they exempt, or do the companies just think there's no point in bothering?
-
- Rank 5
- Posts: 2086
- Joined: Sun 14 Apr 2013 14:37
As has already been made abundantly clear, this requirement is the deadest of dead letters. Even if that were not so, it is the driver that commits the offence, not the car. Hire companies have no incentive to provide breathalysers (not least because they have a shortish sell-buy date, would get lost/stolen/used, have to be checked on each hire etc) unless they could charge for it. And no French hirer would pay.SteveB wrote:Thanks to Kate and Russell for the info. Breathalysers were on sale for £5.99 for 2 on the ferry so I thought I might as well get them even though it seems you can get away with not having them quite easily. Interestingly, hire cars I've had in France don't seem to have them - are they exempt, or do the companies just think there's no point in bothering?
As it is, you have paid £6 for no reason. No tragedy, especially not to me: but why seek advice here, and then ignore it? And then take the effort to tell us that you have ignored it?
-
- Rank 3
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Tue 21 Jul 2015 21:47
I haven't ignored advice, as no-one has given me any, simply a clarification of the current legal position, which is what I was looking for. As a matter of fact, I probably wouldn't have bothered to seek out a breathalyser, but just happened to see one in the shop on the ferry, and £6 is not a huge sum as you say - anyway it might come in useful sometime.
As for why I replied, I was brought up to be polite, and to thank people when they respond to my queries.
As for why I replied, I was brought up to be polite, and to thank people when they respond to my queries.
-
- Rank 5
- Posts: 2086
- Joined: Sun 14 Apr 2013 14:37
[quote="SteveB] anyway it might come in useful sometime.
As for why I replied, I was brought up to be polite, and to thank people when they respond to my queries.[/quote]
That's why they sell them in twos. It was one of the many objections to the original décret that you would immediately be breaking the law if you ever actually used the single breathalyser that the law required you to have.
At the risk of teaching granny to suck eggs, have you got the other compulsory stuff? Particularly the hi-viz waistcoat: if you ever break down on a busy road, they are genuinely useful, and you also have some risk of being nicked if you don't wear one.
As for why I replied, I was brought up to be polite, and to thank people when they respond to my queries.[/quote]
That's why they sell them in twos. It was one of the many objections to the original décret that you would immediately be breaking the law if you ever actually used the single breathalyser that the law required you to have.
At the risk of teaching granny to suck eggs, have you got the other compulsory stuff? Particularly the hi-viz waistcoat: if you ever break down on a busy road, they are genuinely useful, and you also have some risk of being nicked if you don't wear one.