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Vanessa Couchman examines the thought(lessness) behind France's latest attempt to curb drunk driving.The word “couac” (false note or mistake) is being bandied about a lot in the French press. The hapless Premier Ministre, Jean-Marc Ayrault is making his fair share of them. He apparently endorsed a return to the 39-hour week and spent all day mopping that one up. Who’d be a politician? Their sayings in an unguarded moment come back to haunt them. And the laws individual ministers sponsor bear their name forever in France.
The previous government was certainly not immune to blunders. One such was decree no. 2012-284, issued on 28th February 2012. This stipulated that from 1st July all motorists should procure a breathalyser (éthylotest), which they should keep in their vehicle. If it were positive when used, they would presumably have to find other means of getting home. Failure to possess said éthylotest would carry a fine of €11 from 1st November 2012.
Well-intentioned but…
The impracticality of this should have been manifest from the start. First, it said you always had to carry an unused éthylotest. So if you were civic-minded and used it you risked being fined for not then having an unused one if stopped. So, in theory, you should carry at least two. Second, there are around 36 million drivers in France and it wouldn’t take Einstein to work out that an awful lot of éthylotests were required at short notice. Practical result: retail outlets, including pharmacies, supermarkets and service stations ran out. This paved the way for internet scams or exorbitant prices for an item that costs only 50 centimes apiece to make. You can also buy an electronic version, but that will set you back €100-€200.
Reprinted with the permission of Life on La Lune.
Photo credit: CostaPPPR via Wikimedia Commons
Vanessa Couchman is a freelance writer living in southwest France since 1997. As well as writing research reports and magazine articles she also blogs about France, aiming to show life there as it is, warts and all.
I wonder how long it will be before we have to carry a pair of handcuffs in case the police want to arrest us.
My understanding of this is
You MUST carry TWO éthylotest ( one for you and ? one for gerndarme maybe ?) This is likely to be scrapped in March 2013
Unless you have a new style EU number plates then you MUST have GB sticker on your car.
It is ONLY recommended that you have spare bulbs and fuses for your vehicle. (but common sense if you have ever tried finding an open garage on a Sunday
Warning triangle must be carried
Headlamp Beam Adaptors have to be fitted even if you are driving in daylight.
You MUST have a fluorescent yellow vest (Hi-Vis) in the car (NOT the boot) for the driver. Some people recommend that each passenger in the car should also have one. (good sense if you and the kids are stood on the edge of the motorway in poor conditions)
Insurance documents and vehicle registration documents, MOT etc
MUST be carried and MUST be Originals (NOT photocopies)
.
You will need both parts of your driving licence with you.
Fire extinguisher and first aid kit are NOT "compulsory" nor "recommended" by law ( although good sense to carry both due to the fact you may need them in case of accident, not just your own accident as the law stands in France it is an offence NOT to offer help if you see an accident. If you are seen driving past you could get a nasty, and expensive, surprise )
There are too many shops at the ferry ports saying you must have this and you must have that, "thank you sir cash or mastercard" and they charge the earth. So check with someone like the French tourist board and buy what you need well in advance.
Most importantly, have a nice , safe holiday.
I wonder how long it will be before we have to carry a pair of handcuffs in case the police want to arrest us.
My understanding of this is
You MUST carry TWO éthylotest ( one for you and ? one for gerndarme maybe ?) This is likely to be scrapped in March 2013
Unless you have a new style EU number plates then you MUST have GB sticker on your car.
It is ONLY recommended that you have spare bulbs and fuses for your vehicle. (but common sense if you have ever tried finding an open garage on a Sunday
Warning triangle must be carried
Headlamp Beam Adaptors have to be fitted even if you are driving in daylight.
You MUST have a fluorescent yellow vest (Hi-Vis) in the car (NOT the boot) for the driver. Some people recommend that each passenger in the car should also have one. (good sense if you and the kids are stood on the edge of the motorway in poor conditions)
Insurance documents and vehicle registration documents, MOT etc
MUST be carried and MUST be Originals (NOT photocopies)
.
You will need both parts of your driving licence with you.
Fire extinguisher and first aid kit are NOT "compulsory" nor "recommended" by law ( although good sense to carry both due to the fact you may need them in case of accident, not just your own accident as the law stands in France it is an offence NOT to offer help if you see an accident. If you are seen driving past you could get a nasty, and expensive, surprise )
There are too many shops at the ferry ports saying you must have this and you must have that, "thank you sir cash or mastercard" and they charge the earth. So check with someone like the French tourist board and buy what you need well in advance.
Most importantly, have a nice , safe holiday.
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