Taking my car to France

Bellemz

I'm moving to France for 3 months with a RHD Honda CRV soon. Can someone firstly explain what I need to do to my headlights (yellowing/adjusting?) to be withing the norms. I also have to buy one of those triangle things apparently...

Also, RE Points, i have an Irish License...am I safe? I've heard they're notorious over there for minute things so I'd like to know whether or not I'm liable to get points for not 'putting on my handbrake at a stop sign' :P

Thanks

mailforkev

They can't touch your licence for points but they can hit you for fines or just confiscate your car if you do something really bad. Drive correctly and you will be grand. The French don't take too kindly to foreigners messing them around.

Get yourself a couple of hi-vis vests for the boot too. You are required by law to have 1 warning triangle and 1 hi-vis vest. Fine is around €100 euro for not complying. The French like fines.

They like you to keep your dipped headlights on. Think it's compulsory in rain/fog. A set of replacement bulbs wouldn't go astray also. You will of course need the sticker thingies to divert the beam too.

Speed limits on motorways drop in rain too so be careful. Luckily the French are excellent motorway drivers in my experience.

In general, just don't be a dick and you'll be fine.

Bellemz

Thanks

I take it I'd find the sticker things in Halfords? As for yellowing the lights is that oldschool or yellow bulbs required?

mailforkev

Halfords should be ok. You don't need to yellow the headlamps.

I don't know about Hondas but some cars these days have a switch on the light units to redirect the lights, have a look in your handbook.

here.from.day.1

Might help a bit..?

245

mailforkev wrote: »

Get yourself a couple of hi-vis vests for the boot too. You are required by law to have 1 warning triangle and 1 hi-vis vest. Fine is around €100 euro for not complying. The French like fines.

Not for the boot - the vest must be worn before you leave the car. If you can't prove that its to hand within the car then you can be fined.....

Be aware that the old 'priorité à droite' rule is still in use in some areas and is often assumed by locals even when it doesn't apply legally. A car can shoot out of what looks like a minor road into your path. You may also have to yield to traffic joining a roundabout while you're already on it.... Its not as bad as it sounds. If you're a decent driver who maintains awareness of your surroundings and drives with consideration towards other road users then you should be fine.

Here's a few guidelines;

http://www.france4families.com/drivinginfrance/RulesoftheRoad.htm

Note that overtaking lane hogging will not be tolerated by other drivers and that tailgating on single carriageway roads before overtaking is not an aggressive action on the part of locals, just a French form of slipstreaming

Patrickof

The spare bulbs are obligatory.

And they have a different system of on the spot fines, it literally means "on the spot". I got stopped for 130 on a 110km dual carriageway (but as good as an Irish motorway, all slip roads, no junctions). Anyway, cop directs us up the next slip road, asks me to pull in, then get out and I follow him to the rear of a ford transit type van where they have an office setup, you get the fine and pay there and then. (I was late for the ferry so was thinking in my head that the longer this fine takes to be receipted the faster I'll have to go for the final 20kms to Cherbourg - we made the ferry by 30 seconds, last vehicle allowed on, they were closing the doors by the time I had turned the car off!!!).

But in general driving in France is very easy, those obscure roundabouts with 'reverse' rules are very rare.

Berty

I always consult the DFA

http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=413

I was in France recently and contrary to popular belief you DO NOT NEED an IRL sticker as our EU plates are perfectly legal. The ferry/holiday companies only give them out to advertise on the back of your car.

Anyway.

Two Hi Viz, First Aid Kit, Triangle, Spare Bulb Kit.

You must also legally stop if you see an accident. Common sense says you should but it is LAW in France.

I rarely saw any French police during my visit and kept to the 130kph speed limit on Motorways. Knowing my luck if I went over by 1kph they would be everywhere.

Enjoy driving in France. I loved it.

Beam Convertors. I brought mine, kept them in the glovebox and NEVER fitted them. Hardly anybody did. Now, if you plan on driving at night is another story because you WILL blind the other people so you, being there 3 months, should probably put them on.

YOU CAN however just use black masking tape to cover over the bit that, in our cars, points to the left hand side of the road. A bit around the size of your thumb over the section you would normally put the beam convertor.