Got a soveneir this week from France (1 Viewer)

[Emmit]

Hi folks,

There I was on Sunday, minding my own business driving near to the town of something d'Arminac when I was given a 'flash' by a pretty ng lady coming in the opp. direction.

Whats up, said SWMBO? I knew, just around the corner was a posse of Gendarmes.
Pull over they indicated and without so much as a by your leave, kiss my elbow, they produces a breathyliser for me to blow into.
Wot! No accident!
Wot! No offences being commited?
Wot! No reasonable cause to suspect I had been drinking.

This isnt playing by UK rules but what is a guy to do.

2 mins later, I'm on my way, handshakes all round.

A nil score on the machine and a mouthpiece, (No, not SWMBO) sitting just in front of the dials.

Happy touring I say and keep off the loopy juice

 

[iandsm]

Its France, UK rues don't apply, they have their own.

 

[Khizzie]

Cant do that ere !! Ooman rites ya knaws ..lol

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[Autowbars]

Bet your glad it was not an ex resident of the jungle you had as a souvenir

 

[Just smiffy]

I was given a 'flash' by a pretty ng lady coming in the opp. direction.

And there's me thinking you had pictures .....

 

[yodeli]

Sunday ..... family lunch or Sunday aperitif with friends after Sunday morning sport... this is enough of a reason for our Gendarmes to stop you on any road to check if you love your family more than a glass of wine!

We all flash the cars going the gendarmes' way to warn them gendarmes are hiding!

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[spitfire]

You really think he was stopped because he was British !!! Happens here on a regular basis to any nationality. Complex springs to mind.

 

[yodeli]

You really think he was stopped because he was British !!! Happens here on a regular basis to any nationality. Complex springs to mind.

I really think that gendarmes have more interesting (and not that interesting but mandatory) things to do, than to have a group of gendarmes staying up the road .... then call the second group down the road to say..." Hey mates a brit is arriving , get ready!"

 

[DavidG58]

We all flash the cars going the gendarmes' way to warn them gendarmes are hiding!

Evening yodeli

Do you know if this is OK in France, technically in the UK I believe you can be prosecuted for it, not sure how often it actually happens, but you do hear about it

Having said that we do also hear about gassing tales

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[rangi]

I wholeheartedly agree with it. Every weekend there was a "Booze Bus" somewhere in Sydney. You got randomly pulled in, Blow in the tube please sir, Positive? Hand over your Licence and Keys, and start walking. There be an envelope coming through your door in a couple of days!

Had a nephew in NZ he got pulled over, tested positive. Smart arsed Teenager he wouldn't tell them his name, they shoved him in Poremoremo Prison (a Cat A) till he did. When a kid his own age smashed thro a window and died he told them his name

They confiscated his Ute (worth $NZ5OOO) banned for 5 years, and fined $NZ5000.

 

[yodeli]

this is OK in France, technically in the UK I believe you can be prosecuted for it

Well.... we deffo hide to do it! By all means they don't like us to warn the other cars!We just look around see, if they can see us or not, and do it if it's possible! I suppose if you were to be caught, and they are not in the best mood, they could prosecute you. I have an already made up excuse: "look sir, it is far less dangerous to have them slow down especially with kids aboard, than to have them squeeze the brake pedal all of a sudden when they see you at the last second" . I guess I could get away with it if I really show my concern with security .... Of course it might work a bit better in summer..... light tee shirts .... nice smile .... ahaaaa , they 're just humans after all

 

[spitfire]

I really think that gendarmes have more interesting (and not that interesting but mandatory) things to do, than to have a group of gendarmes staying up the road .... then call the second group down the road to say..." Hey mates a brit is arriving , get ready!"

Ha ha Frankie so true We get stopped more than most I think because there is an École de Gendarmerie in Tulle so send the young ones out to practice !

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[LAM]

technically in the UK I believe you can be prosecuted for it

I have an already made up excuse: "look sir, it is far less dangerous to have them slow down

Not a specific offence but 'Obstruct Police....' but, the boys/girls in blue only want the Public to be safe.... It's not a witch hunt

Of course it might work a bit better in summer..... light tee shirts .... nice smile .... ahaaaa , they 're just humans after all

Good plan, Yodeli

 

[spitfire]

I wholeheartedly agree with it. Every weekend there was a "Booze Bus" somewhere in Sydney. You got randomly pulled in, Blow in the tube please sir, Positive? Hand over your Licence and Keys, and start walking. There be an envelope coming through your door in a couple of days!

Had a nephew in NZ he got pulled over, tested positive. Smart arsed Teenager he wouldn't tell them his name, they shoved him in Poremoremo Prison (a Cat A) till he did. When a kid his own age smashed thro a window and died he told them his name

They confiscated his Ute (worth $NZ5OOO) banned for 5 years, and fined $NZ5000.

Indeed ! Hubby was breathalized leaving Wilson's Promontary ! Also Booze Bus was out in Melbourne on New Years Day ! I have no problem with it .

 

[hilldweller]

Of course it might work a bit better in summer..... light tee shirts .... nice smile .... ahaaaa , they 're just humans after all

Shameless. I'm sure JJ will be heartbroken.

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[iandsm]

I suspect it will make very little difference id any, and it wasn't petty hassling just because they were Brits, its because there is a drink drive/speeding problem in France.

 

[yodeli]

Shameless. I'm sure JJ will be heartbroken.

Yeah right ! I bet in such circumstances , he would be happy to have me helping him that way LOL !

 

[John de Manche]

In 13 years in France I have been stopped 5 times just for a breath test. 4 of those times I was in a French car so not an anti-Brit thing. In Normandie Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoons seem to be the favourite times for these checks.
In almost 40 years of driving in the UK I have never been breathalysed.

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[tonyidle]

Sunday ..... family lunch or Sunday aperitif with friends after Sunday morning sport... this is enough of a reason for our Gendarmes to stop you on any road to check if you love your family more than a glass of wine!

Which is as it should be.

 

[Cilfan]

God save us from this 'Our lives will be hell' Brexit paranoia.....PLEEEASE!

I was randomly breathalysed on a Sunday afternoon in rural burgundy in 2000 when we were property hunting. After moving there in '02 - whilst still sporting Brit plates (naughty boy, slapped wrists) - my (passenger) wife got an on spot fine for not wearing a seat belt. 2 years later those same plates got me waved through a late night spot check. Brexit induced my ar$e!

As for flashing lights to warn of police / speed trap ahead - I've always taken that as common practice Europe wide. Yes it's probably illegal, but it won't stop me doing it.....or being grateful that others do likewise.

 

[Emmit]

Just to add,

Just up the road, (after we were stopped) in the 'something d'armenjac' there was a BIG rally of 'vans plus cars. Don't know what it was but it wasn't a rally because the vans were too close, even by french standards.

And further. I was in "The Job" I had no hassle whatsoever and there was a lot of professionalism and even more entante cordial, but the bloke still did his job. No complaints from me.

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[gus-lopez]

In 13 years in France I have been stopped 5 times just for a breath test. 4 of those times I was in a French car so not an anti-Brit thing. In Normandie Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoons seem to be the favourite times for these checks.
In almost 40 years of driving in the UK I have never been breathalysed.

In 45 years ,I've never been breathalysed anywhere ,including on two occasions when having been hit by drunks.

 

[iandsm]

I certainly won't be arriving with ""we do not want to belong to your stupid little club because we are from GREAT Britain and we don't care how our decision has affected you"

I will be arriving with the attitude that although we have voted to leave the EU, we are still friends, we still want to visit France, Italy, Germany etc for the same reasons we always have done, we like you, we like where you are, we respect your traditions and way of life and we are sure you will respect our decision to leave just as we would respect your decision to stay, or not if the question arrises.

I am not in the least concerned, I think our European neighbours have more sense.

 

[Forestboy]

Not sure you'd be welcome anywhere with that attitude.
We spend a lot of time traveling around Europe and fully intended to continue and aren't expecting any backlash from Brexit.
As for random breath tests for drinking good job if it saves lives.

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[KeithChesterfield]

This incident is the type of thing that should have been recorded for posterity by a Dashcam.

What you saw and what you said recorded and posted on here would have enlightened our day.

Please buy a camera and put the 'good' bits, and a few bad bits, on here for us all to see.

As for flashing in France, when we've been flashed my right foot comes off the pedal like lightning and my concentration level rises – the Police are only doing their job in trying to get the death rate down in France and that can't be a bad thing.

We'd been flashed twice before seeing these guys close to Mailleraye sur Seine this year…..

 

[Just smiffy]

I think they will be saying "welcome to my shop in France, you are very welcome to spend your devalued pound and I am very pleased to take it" be mugs not too..!

No one is going to refuse money from anyone regardless of their nationality...

 

[Cilfan]

I am not in the least concerned, I think our European neighbours have more sense.

I'd like to think they have also. But if not, then I'm sure by the time we're finally 'Out', those remaining in the EU will have more countries to be aggrieved with than just us. Because I'm convinced others will follow our decision.

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[stcyr]

France-Bleue-Normandie, and other radio stations, regularly warn of speed-camera checks in the area, and request listeners to phone in to report ones they see...