In-car breathalysers become compulsory in france

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PistonHeads Headlines - In-car breathalysers become compulsory in France

:thumb:

Breath-test kits will be a necessary part of your travel kit from July


Something to be aware of for the annual pilgrimage to Le Mans (or the biennial one for the Classic): From July 1 all drivers in France will be required to carry a breathalyser in the car.
This applies to all cars - so those travelling to or through France, as well as French-registered vehicles. Single-use kits will satisfy the new rule, however, and these will be available at all channel crossings for around £1-£2.

The measures might seem Draconian, but with 31 per cent of all fatalities on the road in France involve drivers above the legal limit, the French are desperate to cut the number of drink-related deaths on the road.

If you do 'forget' to sort out the single-use breath test kits (and the French government recommends you have at least two in the car), you needn't worry this summer - the authorities will only start handing out fines from November onwards. And even then they'll only be 11 euros.

The idea of getting drink-drivers off the roads is of course a thoroughly commendable one, but these measures do seem a little toothless, affecting only the most responsible drivers. This is especially obvious given the fact that the average blood alcohol level in drivers involved in drink-related fatal accidents is 2.25 grams per litre - four-and-a-half times the legal limit in France. Is this legislation going to stop these people? It seems unlikely...
 
And also from Jan of this year, in France it became illegal to use mobiles when driving, even when hands-free!
 
Won't do anything to prevent the French drunk drivers since the only people to be stopped and fined will be "Foreigners".

This happened last year with high vis vests. No doubt the French authorities will continue to dream up new, and ever more imaginative ways to "Tax" foreign drivers who dare to use their roads.

I didn't get caught in the High vis thing but I did get caught in a police scam in Belgium. I was driving back through Belgium to Calais. I was cruising at about 150Kph on the motorway which was about the same speed as all the other traffic. As I was being overtaken by a Belgian registered car, doing at least 160Kph, I noticed, too late, a camera speed trap ahead. As we passed the camera flashed, but I thought I was OK because the car that was overtaking me was going faster than me.

How naive of me! A motorcycle cop pulled out, overtook me, and signalled me to pull into a lay-by, where the cops had their "Pay station" setup. After the usual formalities, I was told the fine was 100 Euros, which I paid. When I asked the cop why I had been stopped rather than the guy overtaking me he smiled and said "We only stop foreigners!!"
 
What is the purpose of this?

Is this to allow drivers to test themselves? If so then you should be carrying a just-used kit, not a brand-new-never-been-used one?

Or are police cutting costs by not issuing their officers with breathalysers - instead the officers will use the driver's own breathalyser?
 
Can't understand why any country allows a driver to drive a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol.Should be, drink and drive loose licence for life.
 
In Russia they have a zero policy towards drink driving. You are not allowed to consume any alcohol of any kind or amount and drive. The typical sentence if you get caught with alcohol whilst driving is a large fine and a 2 year ban.

Good idea in my book and has made a big difference to the drink driving fatalities in Russia.
 
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martyz said:
Can't understand why any country allows a driver to drive a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol.Should be, drink and drive loose licence for life.

Even though I've given up alcohol and no longer drink it I still think that's massive overkill. Alcohol does increase the chance of a collision but it far from makes it a certainty. Indeed in France 1/3rd of fatalities involve drink drivers but that means 2/3rds involve purely sober ones. One must also question how often a drunk drives without incident. My guess a massive majority so it's not quite the massive safety hazard that people make it out to be.
 
In Russia they have a zero policy towards drink driving. You are not allowed to consume any alcohol of any kind or amount and drive. The typical sentence if you get caught with alcohol whilst driving is a large fine and a 2 year ban.

Good idea in my book and has made a big difference to the drink driving fatalities in Russia.

In Ukraine they have similar rules but if you give the Police man the equivalent of £100 all is forgotten and you are allowed to proceed as normal.:eek:

230K
 
When I asked the cop why I had been stopped rather than the guy overtaking me he smiled and said "We only stop foreigners!!"

That's because the local resident will be ticketed through the post, just like the UK. The difference is that they don't let the foreign driver get away, like we do.
 
Every time I've been to Costco recently I've wondered about buying a breathalyser. I will now.
 
Even though I've given up alcohol and no longer drink it I still think that's massive overkill. Alcohol does increase the chance of a collision but it far from makes it a certainty. Indeed in France 1/3rd of fatalities involve drink drivers but that means 2/3rds involve purely sober ones. One must also question how often a drunk drives without incident. My guess a massive majority so it's not quite the massive safety hazard that people make it out to be.

I have no problem with people drinking,enjoyable treat for some,living hell for others,and each persons ability to function whilst having had a "drink" differs according to how they metabolise it.

Clearly having consumed alcohol and driving is dangerous,and would earn any pro driver the sack,the only reason a driver that has consumed alcohol and not been
involved in an accident/incident is luck.

The safest way ahead is to have zero alcohol limits.and the same applies to
drugs.
 
As markjay says, what's the idea here? How's it supposed to work?

You have a couple of sherberts, get in the car and test yourself. Oh, just over, I'd better walk?
Or
You have a couple of sherberts, get in the car and completely forget 'cos you feel perfectly ok?

Those that drink drive will still drink drive.
 
I think the idea is that they no longer have an excuse for being over, they should have tested themselves.
 
I bought an AlcoSense breathaliser about a month ago, and I've yet to blow positive on the morning after, even after an extra few drinks at the weekend. Reassuring to have though, especially if you were to be called out unexpectedly.

It does take some setting up though. You'll need some 13-14% white wine (considered the purest at that ABV) diluted at a 2-1 ratio to get the 3.5% guide that the system needs to calibrate.

After that, just choose which measurement you'd like to use for the readings (I chose mg, easier to relate to) and you are ready to go.

LINK.
 
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It is a good idea, but then you just get someone else walking by to blow in it and give them a fiver! :D But for me, people should not be allowed to drive with any alcohol in their system......saves lives and everyone knows where they stand. simples...
 
I don't approve of something because it is WRONG! So nobody is allowed. I think this is intolerant, simplistic and judgemental. When sober drivers kill five times as many people it seems daft to me to target people that have had a pint with their mates in the pub and are driving home in a safe manner.

For every problem there is a simple solution and it is always wrong. Tired drivers kill a lot of people. Perhaps we should have a clocking in system next to our beds to make sure everybody in charge of a car has had enough sleep? Idiotic authoritarian rules make a world that not many of us would want to live in. Thanks.

Freedom to live your life in a quietly responsible manner is at risk when we prescribe every action..



EDIT ---I have just read this back - I seem to have a bee in my bonnet about liberty today - sorry for going a bit barmy... editing it back to a more relaxed and less personal position.
 
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I bought an AlcoSense breathaliser about a month ago, and I've yet to blow positive on the morning after, even after an extra few drinks at the weekend. Reassuring to have though, especially if you were to be called out unexpectedly.

It does take some setting up though. You'll need some 13-14% white wine (considered the purest at that ABV) diluted at a 2-1 ratio to get the 3.5% guide that the system needs to calibrate.

After that, just choose which measurement you'd like to use for the readings (I chose mg, easier to relate to) and you are ready to go.

LINK.

Yesh officher the half opened box of ---eh --- Chilean Spu--- chardonna summer---eh sauvignon d'avignon----- Blanke! oh --bu**er it-I'll have you know its for calibrating my alcoholics anonymous meter. hic.

with apologies to Count Arthur. :eek:
 
Can't understand why any country allows a driver to drive a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol.Should be, drink and drive loose licence for life.
Total overkill, there are so many absolutely awful drivers on our roads we should be concentrating on them, not just those very few who drink and drive.
A far tougher initial driving test, periodic retesting probably annually after certain offences and age, would bring much better results than seemingly targeting one area favoured by the "holier than thou" brigade.
 
Total overkill, there are so many absolutely awful drivers on our roads we should be concentrating on them, not just those very few who drink and drive.
A far tougher initial driving test, periodic retesting probably annually after certain offences and age, would bring much better results than seemingly targeting one area favoured by the "holier than thou" brigade.
The Alfa Mito my wife drives came with said breathalyser kits as standard. Will try one sometime but have a feeling they will not be accurate
 

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