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driving in france with rear bike rack

  • 31-05-2012 7:11pm
    #1
    dom17
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 165 ✭✭


    looking for some info, i am traveling to brittany on the ferry soon with two bikes on a rack that straps to the rear of the car, i was talking to the rep from thule at the recent bike show he told me that the police in france are fairly strict in regards to my number plate being partially obscured. Has anyone come across this and should i just buy another plate and attach it to the back where it will be seen, any advice appreciated


Comments

  • #2
    Redjeep!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 493 ✭✭Redjeep!


    No direct experience of the rear rack, but the French police are definitely much less tolerant of minor violations than the Irish Gards.

    They'll stop you for things like not having enough high-viz jackets in the car and not having your lights dipped etc.

    Personally I wouldn't risk it.


  • #3
    triggermortis
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭triggermortis


    They also like on-the-spot fines and have been known to escort people to ATM's to pay them.


  • #4
    Redjeep!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 493 ✭✭Redjeep!


    triggermortis wrote: »
    They also like on-the-spot fines and have been known to escort people to ATM's to pay them.

    The only time they turn a blind eye is generally if you're a French farmer and have just set fire to a pile of car tyres strung across the motorway or the runway of the main airport in the country.

    Apparently that's much less of a crime than missing a high-viz jacket :D.


  • #5
    cdaly_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,440 ✭✭✭cdaly_


    Redjeep! wrote: »
    No direct experience of the rear rack, but the French police are definitely much less tolerant of minor violations than the Irish Gards.
    triggermortis wrote: »
    They also like on-the-spot fines and have been known to escort people to ATM's to pay them.

    Yep, much less tolerant. Cost me €90 on the roadside one Sunday evening. They weren't going to let me proceed at all 'cos the bikes were obscuring my lights too. Managed to persuade them that I'd sort it out asap when I got to the campsite and they let me go on.

    At minimum an extra number plate displayed to the rear of the bikes. Make sure your lights are clearly visible or consider getting a trailer light bar and a suitable socket wired in to the car...


  • #6
    bbam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,410 ✭✭✭bbam


    We've brought our bikes to France for the last six summers on the back of the car and no bother.. Right down the west cost as far as Bordeaux..

    I have been considering a light board and I think this year I will to be on the safe side... Car is already wired for it so it won't be a big deal..


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  • #7
    darragh o meara
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,237 ✭✭✭darragh o meara


    Depending on how restricted the rear lights are. I've the bikes with me here in the south of France and all I done was put a number plate on the bike rack as the cars one was partially out of site. Was stopped by Gendarme yesterday at a checkpoint and he had no problem with it.


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