Has anyone got any nightmare stories about being fined on the continent for not having the correct emergency / safety equpiment?
We are putting together a Euro help sheet for travellers off to the continent...........
Honest John has reported in the news section this week regarding the Euro Car Kit. Any feed back would be gratefully recieved.
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Don't forget:
Dayglo safety vests are complusory in some countries and there has to be as many vests as there are occupants in the car.
Some countries (e.g. Portugal) require 2 hazard warning triangles to be carried in your vehicle. I have heard that if you have a roof rack there it needs to carry a warning triangle, but I haven't confirmed this. Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece generally have a bit of a reputation in Germany for introducing new legislation (e.g. the two warning triangles) just in time for the holiday season then rigorously checking German cars just beyond the borders.
In France the speed limits on the Autoroutes reduce to 110km/h when it rains. Look out for radar traps under bridges, they will take your registration number and you will get stopped and fined at the Peage.
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If your kit is to be fully comprehensive, you need to to provide a spare pair of glasses for the driver (for many countries)! Whilst this is obviously impractical, provision of a glasses case and reminder in the kit would cost very little and allow you to use it as a marketing sales aid.
Maybe a printed copy of all the different regualtions would be useful? (opportunity for a reciprical arrangement with a morotring organisation?)
I thought that need for warning triangle had been dispensed with in some countries, provided hazard warning is fitted.
pmh (was peter)
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I'm sure you are supposed to have all this gear. You'd expect foreign motorists here to comply with UK laws, wouldn't you?
However, I was stopped in a routine check this summer in France. Having breathalysed me, they asked to see paperwork. It was a rushed trip, and like a fool I had none. No reg doc, no ins. cert, nothing. I was friendly and apologetic throughout, but I was expecting a fine. The gendarme thought about it for a moment, shrugged his shoulders, smiled and said "off you go". I imagine if you make some effort to comply, just as over here, you would meet with the same response.
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I can only say 'beware' in France - the gendarmes are usually polite but don't expect them to be friendly.
The other day I came across a British guy living over here who had re-registered his UK car. The gendarmes pulled him up for a 'routine' check, found no problems with his paperwork, breathalysed him (at 11am) and got a negative, then, as he was pulling away, stopped him again and pointed out that his number plates - that he had fitted himself - were screwed on and not riveted as French law requires. They fined him 45 euros on the spot.
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Revenge for Agincourt, Crecy, Waterloo etc. perhaps? Long memories in France you know!
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Roger. (Costa del Sol, España)
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