Watch out for those Gendarmes this summer

[duke63]

http://www.driving.co.uk/news/british-h ... -speeders/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Kwacky]

I need a motorbike with local plates.

[C00kiemonster]

[Bratty]

What if you ride wearing a beret on top of you lid and onions wrapped around your handle bars ?

[Monty]

They've been at it for years, I got a 6 month ban in 2008 for going 30kph over the limit. Fortunately Sarah was with me so they didn't confiscate my car.

When I got home I phoned the DVLA and explained what had happened, and they said "Don't worry about it we'll send you another one, happens all the time"

The Frenchies eventually sent my licence back with a note on unheaded paper, not sure what it said as it was illegible, looked like a child had written it.

So be very careful on a solo motorbike, if they ban you on the spot you've got no way of getting your bike back. I generally avoid driving in France for that reason alone.

[C00kiemonster]

It's fairly simple. On the autoroutes and N roads (dual carriageways) don't speed. Mainly the french don't either.

On the other roads, drive like a loon. That's what the french do too

130 kmh is as good as 80mph and the Brits do seem to want to do 90 - 100mph. No point as your on holiday!

Tbh the standard of driving in France is appalling, so it's no surprise they gendarmes have the laws they do. Drink driving is also a huge problem over here. The amount of wobbly drivers at around 2:30pm (after 2 hour lunch) or late at night is not funny.

You get the occasional speed camera or mobile camera on the other roads, but it's mainly the bigger roads they police.

I've been stopped for breathalyser far more than anything.

[D6]

Is that cause you drive wobbly too?

[C00kiemonster]

Moi?

Nah. It seems mainly to be those who are over 60 from what I've heard and seen. Some of them are scarily drunk. Rural roads and no one to stop them. Plus there is no traffic anyways

[Ian03]

You wanna read this story http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=184932&page=5" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Start at #49

[Kwacky]

750 Euros? Chuff me. With no evidence in support from the Police

And people here moan about speed cameras.

[Ian03]

Wondered if it was because he was a single biker they could make anything up.

We just got back from Pyrenees and through France on some of the long straight boring roads we were tanking on a bit. Then cars started flashing us and bikers waving us to slow down and on getting to a village at 50kmph there were police bikes and cars and policeman in the road. They waved us through after giving us the evil eye. That happened on 2 occasions. Probably looking to see if we had our helmet reflective stickers on, which is a requirement in France now

[Kwacky]

When I got my last Roof lid (made in France) it came with a packet of reflective stickers.

Can you imagine the uproar if they had a scheme here where coppers could pull you over, say you were speeding and then march you off to the bank?

[C00kiemonster]

I haven't put any stickers on yet. Suppose I should

Also remember that bikes in France do not need an mot. Ever. There are some really shitty bikes on the road too, so they were probably looking to pull older french bikes over.

I've been to bordeaux today and seen a couple of mobile sites with 2 motorbike gendarmes, one with the gun, one to chase. Both times it was in areas where the limit drops from 110kmh to 90 kmh because of crossroads. Some french ignore these and that's fair enough. It's dangerous tbh.

The long straight roads are where the gendarmes like to lurk, so I only get a shift on on the twisties

[Monty]

You wanna read this story http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=184932&page=5" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Start at #49

That's almost exactly what happened to me except fortunately I was in a car with another insured driver and they only stung me for 300 euros.