France and helmet reflective stickers

[KungFooBob]

Even the French don't fit them.

I expect that the PoPo wouldn't pull you just for not having stickers, but if they pulled you for something else and they were in the mood they would do you for the stickers too.

Also, don't forget to turn the speed camera warnings off on your satnag.

[Mr Moofo]

Even the French don't fit them.

I expect that the PoPo wouldn't pull you just for not having stickers, but if they pulled you for something else and they were in the mood they would do you for the stickers too.

Also, don't forget to turn the speed camera warnings off on your satnag.

Whoops - sorry , I deleted the original as I realised I post similar last year, and I am guessing as there in fighting in the streets , that le Flic are not really going to be that bothered.

I am taken last years answers as being the same

[Demannu]

Iirc it's all helmets SOLD in France have to have reflective stickers supplied.
Bit like saying they'll pull you because you dont have a French reg.
Another doosie is you must wear CE approved gloves over here as well.
Fairly soon it'll be full leathers and stabilisers

[KungFooBob]

'Supplied' is the caveat.

They come in the box for the end user to apply.

[Trinity765]

I've just bought some reflective stickers from Amazon. Don't you have to carry spare bulbs too?

Last time I went through France in a group of 20 everyone ignored the speed cameras - nothing bad happened

And not forgetting the Pyrenees national park has banded motorbikes

[Dodgy69]

Hi viz... that's it afaic.

[Demannu]

I've just bought some reflective stickers from Amazon. Don't you have to carry spare bulbs too?

Last time I went through France in a group of 20 everyone ignored the speed cameras - nothing bad happened

And not forgetting the Pyrenees national park has banded motorbikes

Have you registered your bike for a crit'air sticker?
If you have, then don't set off any speed traps as they will have your details, if not, crack on. Remember though if you are caught by the gendarmerie, and you are 30kmh + over the limit, they WILL confiscate your vehicle and you will be banned from driving in France for, iirc, 6 months.

[Noggin]

I deleted the original as I realised I post similar last year, and I am guessing as there in fighting in the streets , that le Flic are not really going to be that bothered.

I am taken last years answers as being the same

Depends where you are. The local police are making up for doing other things in the winter - LOTS more mentions of them sat waiting for speeding motorists!


As for the stickers. A French friend of mine said I wouldn't be likely to be stopped for not having them as I had a UK reg bike. But I put them on the helmet anyway as I seem to attract bad luck, so want to reduce the chances!!

[Count Steer]

Don't forget all your documents - V5 and insurance certificate.

Can you actually get spare bulbs for modern LED headlights? I thought they were sealed units (not actually checked)

Not just LEDs. The 'Xenon' headlamp on my K12 was a workshop job.

I always carried spares for the others though. I didn't mask the beam on one older bike for a trip over there so didn't switch the lights on. Sure enough I got a finger pointing from a bike cop...but he didn't bother turning back to have a few well chosen mots about daytime lights being mandatory.

[Mr Moofo]

TBH I thought lights just dipped up and down these days and weren’t skewed to the left or right

[Horse]

TBH I thought lights just dipped up and down these days and weren’t skewed to the left or right

More the shape of the dip beam cutoff, with a 'lift' on the left.

And the LED headlamp clusters on my car are circa £900 each, so I wouldn't be carrying spares! I dread to think what the clever new multi-mirror systems cost.

[Demannu]

TBH I thought lights just dipped up and down these days and weren’t skewed to the left or right

It does make I chuckle all this rhd/lhd lights malarkey. On a bike you're constantly adjusting the angle of the bars, therefore the headlight angle, yet a lot of manufacturers still design market specific headlights.

[MrLongbeard]

Oof, just checked, my headlight is £600+ for the bike

[Demannu]

Oh, last bit of advice.
Find out what the NSL is in the area you're visiting, as with the usual French organisation it's now up to the local dept if its 80 or 90kmh, and can often change on the same bit of road. Handy when you're pootling, nothing more embarrassing getting nicked when you're behaving.

[dern]

I'm off to France tomorrow and I'm not bothering with helmet stickers.

Most modern bike headlights don't dip in one direction or the other so that they can use the same headlight unit across all markets. Mine is like this so doesn't need a beam adjuster. It's easy to tell if your bike has a directional light or not, just point it at a wall with the light on. You do need to be running with low beam on all the time.

You do need your bike docs (v5 and insurance) and you do need either a high vis waistcoat or your jacket needs to be high vis. You don't need this while riding, just when you break down at the side of the road. You only need to take spare bulbs that can be replaced at the road side. You are supposed to take breath testing kit which costs a couple of quid from amazon.

You definitely can and will get speeding tickets in europe and france if you haven't registered for crit. I received an on the spot fine in france last time I went and I received a camera fine from luxembourg when I got home.

[Demannu]

You are supposed to take breath testing kit which costs a couple of quid from amazon.

Not any more, and the fine for not having 2 tests (you were supposed to have 2) was €0

You definitely can and will get speeding tickets in europe and france if you haven't registered for crit. I received an on the spot fine in france last time I went and I received a camera fine from luxembourg when I got home.

Well of course you'll get an OTS fine, as for a camera, was it pre Brexit perhaps?
Afaik, and trust me I've set a few off, forrin' law enforcement no longer have access to DVLA database for camera infringements.

[dern]

You are supposed to take breath testing kit which costs a couple of quid from amazon.

Not any more, and the fine for not having 2 tests (you were supposed to have 2) was €0

You definitely can and will get speeding tickets in europe and france if you haven't registered for crit. I received an on the spot fine in france last time I went and I received a camera fine from luxembourg when I got home.

Well of course you'll get an OTS fine, as for a camera, was it pre Brexit perhaps?
Afaik, and trust me I've set a few off, forrin' law enforcement no longer have access to DVLA database for camera infringements.

Nope, after brexit.

[Demannu]

You are supposed to take breath testing kit which costs a couple of quid from amazon.

Not any more, and the fine for not having 2 tests (you were supposed to have 2) was €0

You definitely can and will get speeding tickets in europe and france if you haven't registered for crit. I received an on the spot fine in france last time I went and I received a camera fine from luxembourg when I got home.

Well of course you'll get an OTS fine, as for a camera, was it pre Brexit perhaps?
Afaik, and trust me I've set a few off, forrin' law enforcement no longer have access to DVLA database for camera infringements.

Nope, after brexit.

After July 2021?

[dern]

Well of course you'll get an OTS fine, as for a camera, was it pre Brexit perhaps?
Afaik, and trust me I've set a few off, forrin' law enforcement no longer have access to DVLA database for camera infringements.

Nope, after brexit.

After July 2021?

Oh I see, no then, before that.

[Taipan]

When driving through France, I got pulled by the Gendarmes I got out my folder of papers and box with bulbs and hi viz etc and he dismissed everything only wanting insurance and v5. Took them away for a few minutes then gave them back, breathalysed me and sent me on my way. I was a bit annoyed as i'd gone to so much trouble getting a warning triangle, bulb kit etc and the bastard didn't want to see them!