Hi Vis

Flights; transfers; trains; ferries; routes; getting to and from the PO; lifts offered or wanted; motoring and biking matters.

Moderator: Moderators

User avatar
rbg
Rank 4
Rank 4
Posts: 144
Joined: Mon 11 Feb 2008 15:11

Hi Vis

Post by rbg »

This may have been covered before but the police are on the rampage at the moment, doing spot checks on cars to see if you've got your High Vi vests and safety triangle on board.
The high vis MUST be in the body of the car and not in the boot or you will incur a fine of 90euros. Not sure if you lose points as well, maybe someone can verify.
Yesterday was the day this regulation came into force and the gendarmes made quite a few bob!
You have been warned!
User avatar
Marguerite & Steve
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 432
Joined: Wed 21 Dec 2005 17:34
Contact:

Post by Marguerite & Steve »

Whilst we were driving around France just a few weeks ago, we noticed drivers had their Hi Vis over the back of their seat, very visible, I really think this law should be compulsory in the UK as well.
User avatar
Roger O
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 746
Joined: Tue 20 Dec 2005 19:10
Contact:

Post by Roger O »

Marguerite & Steve wrote:Whilst we were driving around France just a few weeks ago, we noticed drivers had their Hi Vis over the back of their seat, very visible, I really think this law should be compulsory in the UK as well.
I've had mine there ever since Spain brought in the law some time ago.. so nothing to remember before leaving for shopping trips over the border!
User avatar
opas
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 1290
Joined: Thu 13 Jul 2006 09:31
Contact:

Post by opas »

please don`t leave your vests over the seat backs if you are carrying rear seat passengers........If the sun is shining and it reflects off the vests , it will be a very uncomfortable trip for the person looking at the back of your seat.
alexhampshire

Post by alexhampshire »

I can't think of anything more naff than putting a high vis jacket over your car seat.
User avatar
polremy
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 638
Joined: Sun 01 Jun 2008 14:40
Contact:

Post by polremy »

we've had ours for ages but.... one of them blew away in the tramontagne while i was trying to load the car up.
how many does the law say you must have in the car?
same number as people? or just one for the driver who will presumably be the person to get out of the car in the case of breakdown?
User avatar
Marguerite & Steve
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 432
Joined: Wed 21 Dec 2005 17:34
Contact:

Post by Marguerite & Steve »

alexhampshire wrote:I can't think of anything more naff than putting a high vis jacket over your car seat.

..possibly, but better than a fine, or even getting stopped. Don't forget your sunglasses, as Opal said they give off a glare.
User avatar
Roger O
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 746
Joined: Tue 20 Dec 2005 19:10
Contact:

Post by Roger O »

alexhampshire wrote:I can't think of anything more naff than putting a high vis jacket over your car seat.
Had to look it up - came in after I left the UK in 1970?
naff
British slang, today meaning uncool, tacky, unfashionable, worthless... or as a softer expletive, in places where one might use "fuck" as in "naff off", "naff all", "naffing about".

Origins of the word are disputed, but it appears to have come from Polari (gay slang), used to dismissively refer to heterosexual people. It was introduced as a less offensive expletive verb ("naff off") in the '70s UK television show, Porridge. "Naff off!" was famously used by Princess Anne in 1982.
Personally, I couldn't care less - my car - a 1997 Nissan Primera - is a functional working machine, not any kind of status symbol.. as long as the engine is good and I can still see out of the windows, that's perfect..
User avatar
polremy
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 638
Joined: Sun 01 Jun 2008 14:40
Contact:

Post by polremy »

ah, but does the colour clash with the bodywork?
User avatar
Roger O
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 746
Joined: Tue 20 Dec 2005 19:10
Contact:

Post by Roger O »

polremy wrote:ah, but does the colour clash with the bodywork?
Oh dear, as if I could see it through the dust!!
User avatar
opas
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 1290
Joined: Thu 13 Jul 2006 09:31
Contact:

Post by opas »

Marguerite & Steve wrote:
alexhampshire wrote:I can't think of anything more naff than putting a high vis jacket over your car seat.

..possibly, but better than a fine, or even getting stopped. Don't forget your sunglasses, as Opal said they give off a glare.
I think you must have bright colours on the brain Opal fruits.?

Opas, ours are very handy,they are in the armrest compartment on each door.
User avatar
Kate
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 1903
Joined: Fri 23 Sep 2005 19:48
Contact:

Post by Kate »

Lots of gendarme controles on the route back from Perps yesterday. I got stopped at Pollestres - no papers asked for - just wanted to see my vest - haven't been asked that by a boy since primary school!!
User avatar
Kathy
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 290
Joined: Wed 19 Jul 2006 09:12
Contact:

Post by Kathy »

haven't been asked that by a boy since primary school!!
I bet a funny retort and a coy smile wouldn't work either. Are the gendarmes like our police lacking in a sense of humour? And before anyone takes offence a very good friend of ours is a copper and he admits traffic police are a breed on their own.[
User avatar
Marguerite & Steve
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 432
Joined: Wed 21 Dec 2005 17:34
Contact:

Post by Marguerite & Steve »

opas wrote:
I think you must have bright colours on the brain Opal fruits.?

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: You must have been strawberry flavour, sorry Opas.
User avatar
sue and paul
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 945
Joined: Tue 11 Jul 2006 13:18
Contact:

Post by sue and paul »

Kate:-
Just an idea, should the new laws be added to / displayed in the TOURIST INFO section as holiday makers would look in there for info - but not necessarily in the LIVING IN FRANCE section . If it was called DRIVING IN FRANCE, it could also be made a little more light hearted with the usual comments about round-abouts and sign posts on exits only - type of thing!!!

Some of you will know - we did have a very slow motion type accident last Sat lunch time / result - VW Touran lying on its side in bottom of ditch, with 10cm. of water flowing (quite a rare thing in the P.O. anywhere) on a very small but not too busy road - the seat belts worked perfectly, not a scratch or a bruise to be seen. However it was very hard to open a heavy large door and keep it open until help arrived. Then all was well - but looking back NO ONE (even the rescuers or garage pickup truck ) ever put on a HI VIS vest or put out TRIANGLES, which would then have been very difficult to access even though they were only just under the seats. This law is not always the easiest to apply when you are not thinking as clearly as normal.....
Paul....of Sue & Paul fame........ :oops: :oops: :roll: :roll: :shock: :shock:
PICS. by EMAIL and REQUEST ONLY....
User avatar
polremy
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 638
Joined: Sun 01 Jun 2008 14:40
Contact:

Post by polremy »

Sorry to hear about your accident (albeit a slow moving one).
Any bump really shakes you up and ending up in a ditch full of water must have been really frightening.
Won't ask for pictures - smacks of voyeurism.
User avatar
PaddyFrog
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 222
Joined: Sat 21 Jan 2006 18:03
Contact:

Post by PaddyFrog »

polremy wrote: Won't ask for pictures - smacks of voyeurism.
I agree!

Image...................Image..........................................Image.............................................Image..............................................Image
Michael
User avatar
Kathy
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 290
Joined: Wed 19 Jul 2006 09:12
Contact:

Post by Kathy »

How awful for you, one of my fears is ending up in one of those ditches. Some of the roads are narrow and it is a tight fit when two large vehicles are passing.
Glad you are OK.
User avatar
sue and paul
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 945
Joined: Tue 11 Jul 2006 13:18
Contact:

Post by sue and paul »

Thanks, yeah, we ARE OK. It's Sue here, and just so that Paul doesn't suffer any injustice, I'll let it be known that I was driving. Go on...have a field day....... :oops: :oops:
User avatar
polremy
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 638
Joined: Sun 01 Jun 2008 14:40
Contact:

Post by polremy »

nobody replied to my query - how many vests do you have to have in the car? is one ok?
User avatar
sue and paul
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 945
Joined: Tue 11 Jul 2006 13:18
Contact:

Post by sue and paul »

We currently have a hire car from Europcar, who assured us it was one vest, one triangle, for France, 2 triangles for Spain (they issued us with a 2nd triangle). There is a pack of vest/vests in the car, which we haven't opened, and sincerely hope we won't have to!!!!

For a total cost of about €10 for 4 vests, and a bit extra for another triangle for Spain, it's safer with the lot
User avatar
polremy
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 638
Joined: Sun 01 Jun 2008 14:40
Contact:

Post by polremy »

merci for that.
glad to know we are legal - but will get more vests i promise.
User avatar
Colin L
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 236
Joined: Wed 21 Dec 2005 00:17
Contact:

Post by Colin L »

polremy wrote:nobody replied to my query - how many vests do you have to have in the car? is one ok?
My understanding is that you you need one per person so I carry four. Dont know where that "understanding" came from though.
alexhampshire

Post by alexhampshire »

This is from Le Figaro a few days ago.

Combien de gilet et de triangle doit-on avoir à bord ? Un gilet réfléchissant et un triangle de pré-signalisation doivent se trouver dans chaque véhicule depuis le 1er juillet dernier. Toutefois le ministre de l'Ecologie, chargé de la sécurité routière, Jean-Louis Borloo avait accordé un délai jusqu'à mercredi afin que les automobilistes puissent s'équiper «dans les meilleures conditions». A partir du 1er octobre, les forces de l'ordre verbaliseront tout conducteur ne possédant pas à bord de sa voiture les deux objets.

Le gilet doit-il être visible en toutes circonstances ? Le gilet rétro-réfléchissant devra être porté par le conducteur avant qu'il ne sorte de son véhicule. Mais il n'est pas obligatoire de draper le gilet sur le siège passager avant. La veste doit seulement être facile d'accès, le ranger dans la boîte à gants ou sous un siège suffit.
User avatar
Colin L
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 236
Joined: Wed 21 Dec 2005 00:17
Contact:

Post by Colin L »

So much for my "understanding" then. :lol:
User avatar
polremy
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 638
Joined: Sun 01 Jun 2008 14:40
Contact:

Post by polremy »

hey. love the use of the subjunctive!!
"avant qu'il ne sorte"
i just love it.
and i love the fact that it appears that just one gilet is enough.
User avatar
Marguerite & Steve
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 432
Joined: Wed 21 Dec 2005 17:34
Contact:

Post by Marguerite & Steve »

Hi Sue & Paul, hope your both ok and not damaged your drinking hands, how dreadful would that be :lol: :lol: seriously pleased to hear your both ok xx
User avatar
Tiffany
Rank 3
Rank 3
Posts: 59
Joined: Fri 27 Jun 2008 19:05
Contact:

Post by Tiffany »

This is what has already been posted on the forum at
http://forum.anglophone-direct.com/setopic_3807-.html
Reading the link provided above, the information on the Official site says that each DRIVER has to be equipped with a jacket. It doesn't say that the passengers have to be equipped with one. Also, it says that the driver has to wear it getting out of the car in the case of an emergency stop or in case of the car being immobilised at the side of the road. As already pointed out, the triangle just has to be 'on board'. Interestingly, though it says at the bottom that sanctions are only enforcable after the 1st October 2008, giving all drivers and fleet owners to equipe their vehicles. Thereafter, it will be finable offence of 135 euros or 90 euros if paid earlier.
User avatar
sue and paul
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 945
Joined: Tue 11 Jul 2006 13:18
Contact:

Post by sue and paul »

M & S said ..."hope your both ok and not damaged your drinking hands..."

I have to say that I was stone cold sober when performing my motoring trick at lunchtime last Saturday. In fact, we never actually GOT any lunch, liquid or otherwise. The drinking hands ARE fine though, and will live to see further use :lol: I like to think that I'm like Steve McQueen, doing all my own stunts :roll:
User avatar
Arthur and Lyn
Rank 2
Rank 2
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu 25 Jan 2007 13:27
Contact:

Post by Arthur and Lyn »

Glad to see you are both OK.
Arthur and Lyn
PS I never knew either of you drank
:lol: :lol:
Post Reply