boxst

I've driven to Poland a few times without any problems, but according to a few people I know recently the French Police seem to be implementing a 'tourist tax' if you don't have exactly the right equipment in the car.

Can anyone tell me what it is and suggest someone to buy it?

Thanks,

Steve

G00ner

Should all be here -

Driving requirements by country : AA touring tips. Local rules and advice for European countries - The AA

boxst

Thank you for that, it seems okay (One Jacket, Triangle). I had heard that it was much worse: One jacket per adult in the car within reach but couldn't find any documentation.

Steve

G00ner

Few more bit's here -

Driving in France Checklist

http://www.alltravelfrance.com/Franc...iving_Tips.htm

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

Yep.

France travel advice

It is obligatory to carry a warning triangle and reflective jacket. The reflective jacket must be stored inside the vehicle itself.

We just bought one of these and leave it in the car:

AA Emergency Breakdown and Touring Kit - theAA.com/shop

tanyatriangles

iTrader: (2)

AFAIK, it's one high vis per adult, certainly minimum two with a front seat passenger.
Also, you MUST put on the jacket BEFORE exiting the car if you stop for an emergency. Getting out to put it on carries the same penalty as not wearing it: €90 fine.

Look out for speed cameras: on motorways, I've seen apparently broken down cars on the hard shoulder, the rear hatch open and stuff on the hard shoulder like the spare wheel, with Gendarmes lying down in the back with laser binocs, or sitting in the car with a laptop, watching you approach via a camera/radar fixed to the back bumper.

They also hide up the emergency exit roads, and have bikes that pull you 5 km further on, or they hide on the rest areas, and ditto, or hide and pull you at the next peage.

If you see a sign saying speed cameras, Google Image Result for http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/07/23/automobiles/533-SpeedCamera_2.jpg

there WILL be one, so look for it, they are little grey boxes down at the side of the road, about 1m or 1m20 high, often with black and yellow tape along their edges. And yes, you now CAN get fined off one, although not the points...yet.

Fines for speeding are usually on the spot and can be awful: €1000 or your license is not unknown, sometimes both. They vary according to how far above the posted limit you are, with heavier ones in 50kph limits.
Oh, and if anyone coming towards you flashes his lights, apparently for no reason, make sure you are on, or below the limit You may not ever SEE the trap, but it'll be there, trust me.

Another thing I've seen gendarmes doing at the ports is pulling people who have no OBVIOUS method of headlight realignment for driving on the right, (pity OUR plod don't do it with Johnny Foreigner in his lorry), and THAT carries a €90 fine too.

Oh yeah, one last thing, when exiting the motorway, onto a slip road or into a rest area, the slip roads are limited, , 90, 70, 50. DO obey those limits as the cops DO enforce those too And the limits on approaching a peage..............reading this lot, I sometimes wonder why I go

There USED to be 2 fixed cameras between Dover and our house in the Limousin........now there are well over 20 and more every year. As the French say, "Ces boites a sous poussent comme champignons!" (these money boxes grow like mushrooms)