Breathalysers

[healdav]

The requirement under French law for cars to have breathalysers has been repealed.

It had been a requirement to have one or was it two? No one ever seems sure, but if caught without one, the Police of whatever colour only had the power to tell you that you were naughty.

I hope someone tells the ferry operators and that they will stop telling passengers that they are obligatory.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

I thought it was repealed earlier this year or even last year

I believe that the law was initially introduced by the French government after lobbying by some manufacturers who eyed a quick buck.

It is claimed by some* that there were financial inducements to the government by their friends in industry, to lubricate the path of the original legislation.

 

* Not me of course.

 

[chaz]

we were told that they were not necessary last year, the problem occurs with you had to have two. one to use, and one as a back up in case the gendarmes caught you down the road later, BUT as the ones supplied/purchased by drivers were not calibrated thus not usable as evidence, the Gendarmes still have to use their own.

I got pulled last year, not asked for mine, the gendarme asked me to blow in his, no mouth to tube contact, then I carried on my way. its a bit like the light deflector saga, should you, shouldn't you, do you need to ? we have discussed in another thread.

my guess, there will be a lot of stock, dimmers, breathalysers etc being off loaded soon. a bit like the 20 odd stick on tax disc holders I bought for the business, then DVLA did away with them!! The nice colour anodized billet disc  holders for bikes now useless, there must be thousands in dumps around the world.

Edited 29 June , 2020 by chaz

[healdav]

On 29/06/2020 at 15:47, chaz said:

we were told that they were not necessary last year, the problem occurs with you had to have two. one to use, and one as a back up in case the gendarmes caught you down the road later, BUT as the ones supplied/purchased by drivers were not calibrated thus not usable as evidence, the Gendarmes still have to use their own.

I got pulled last year, not asked for mine, the gendarme asked me to blow in his, no mouth to tube contact, then I carried on my way. its a bit like the light deflector saga, should you, shouldn't you, do you need to ? we have discussed in another thread.

my guess, there will be a lot of stock, dimmers, breathalysers etc being off loaded soon. a bit like the 20 odd stick on tax disc holders I bought for the business, then DVLA did away with them!! The nice colour anodized billet disc  holders for bikes now useless, there must be thousands in dumps around the world.

As from last year the PENALTY for not having breathalysers was removed. The Police could only say, "Naughty Boy" and send you on your way - in practice I have never met anyone who was ever stopped or asked for them (and I do live in France). Now the whole nonsense has been repealed, largely, I suspect because no one knew what they were for or what you were supposed to do with them.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

From the AA website :

https://www.theaa.com/european-breakdown-cover/driving-in-europe/driving-in-france

"In July 2012 the French announced that drivers must carry a breathalyser or, from November 2012, be fined €11. You still have to carry the breathalyser but the fine has been postponed twice and was shelved in January 2013. "

[Hedley Malloch]

French drink-driving laws are simple and concise: you must not have had more to drink than the arresting officer. That’s it.

[healdav]

14 hours ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

From the AA website :

https://www.theaa.com/european-breakdown-cover/driving-in-europe/driving-in-france

"In July 2012 the French announced that drivers must carry a breathalyser or, from November 2012, be fined €11. You still have to carry the breathalyser but the fine has been postponed twice and was shelved in January 2013. "

The site needs an update. The whole thing has now been abolished.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

3 minutes ago, healdav said:

The site needs an update. The whole thing has now been abolished.

Yes.

I'm with the RAC.