Breathalyser Kits.

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Yesterday I saw lots of sales notices in Halfords indicating the breathalyser kits must be carried in France. A few weeks ago I had read on this forum that they were not required. can anyone clarify please.
 
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Drivers in France no longer need breathalyser kits.​


www.connexionfrance.com

Drivers in France no longer need breathalyser kits

Drivers in France will no longer be obliged to carry breathalysers in their vehicles at all times, as the discredited and ignored law that required it has finally been formally scrapped.
www.connexionfrance.com www.connexionfrance.com

PS.. Google is Your Friend.
 
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Not required and haven't been for a long time. The previous president brought it in because some relative made them.
Halfords stock may well be out of date, it was when they tried to flog me some two years ago.
 
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I saw the same 18 months ago on a box of breathalysers at Halfords and emailed them to say they were misleading the public. Never heard a thing back.
 
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I doubt that if stopped they'd have accepted the result on your own kit anyway. Would our police do you think?

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xsparks said:
I doubt that if stopped they'd have accepted the result on your own kit anyway. Would our police do you think?
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That wasn't how it was supposed to work. You had to carry them so you could test yourself and decide if it was safe to drive.

It has been suggested cars could be built with breathalysers as standard equipment. You have to breath into a tube and the car would decide if it would start based on the result. :)
 
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DBK said:
It has been suggested cars could be built with breathalysers as standard equipment. You have to breath into a tube and the car would decide if it would start based on the result.
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That'll work .......not.
You've been on the p!ss all day but your spouse is teatotal and blows in the tube for you.
The gov NEVER think these things through.
 
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I have an electronic breathalyser I got from Lidl. It’s in the van never tested it in anger yet.

More gin vicar 👍🥃🤪
 
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The French never implemented the mandatory carrying of kits it was suggest but never approved by government.
The AA shop at the tunnel is still selling them as mandatory in France.
I go by If you think you need to test yourself best not to drive.

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BillyKontiki said:
The French never implemented the mandatory carrying of kits it was suggest but never approved by government.
The AA shop at the tunnel is still selling them as mandatory in France.
I go by If you think you need to test yourself best not to drive.
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As I recall it was an €11 fine for not having a minimum two kits.
If it wasn't government approved how could there be a penalty.
I believe it's still compulsory to carry them but the fine has been scrapped if you don't so it isn't checked anymore.
 
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It is not required in France.

I raised the fact with a local Halfords where they still showed, on their display, that they were mandatory.

I suggested that the sign amounted to misleading advertising. After checking, the local manager removed the sign although continued to offer them for sale..
 
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It is still a legal requirement to carry two, but there is no fine for not having them.

When the law came in years ago, the type of breathalyser was specified (supposedly manufactured by a mate of the minister). The implementation date was moved back a few times because they could not be manufactured quick enough.

I France it is illegal to sell a car that is knowingly legal for the road (car are insured not the driver). In practice you see a car pay the money and drive it away. If it is not legal it has to be declared as so on the Carte Gris.

The rub was the motor manufacturers had thousands of cars in showrooms they could not sell because they could not get breathalysers. It all got hushed up and dropped.

The people at the ferry port will say you need them so they can make some money. A bit like spare bulb kits. Not a legal requirement, just advisory.
 
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You may be aware that up until recently, all drivers and motorcyclists had to carry a personal breathalyser kit with at least two disposable testing units. However, in 2020 the rule changed to no longer make it a legal requirement.23 Mar 2022

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Halfrauds bought loads of kits thinking they were a nice little earner, but due to the Pandemic, Brexit and the main fact that the French rescinded the law, they have been left with container loads of unused kits, all with a 2 year 'use by' date (which may have have 'disappeared' off the packaging)

They will be trying to shift them every summer until they are all gone.
I'd bet if you said you wanted 10, the manager would give you a very good deal!
 
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As said it could never work. You were required to carry them & if stopped & asked to use one to prove you had not been drinking the police then become complicit &
No matter what amount was specified the use of one made you & the police law breakers. You could not be asked to carry more than required to make the law work.It was all nonsense.
 
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Verteuil Man said:
It is still a legal requirement to carry two, but there is no fine for not having them.

When the law came in years ago, the type of breathalyser was specified (supposedly manufactured by a mate of the minister). The implementation date was moved back a few times because they could not be manufactured quick enough.

I France it is illegal to sell a car that is knowingly legal for the road (car are insured not the driver). In practice you see a car pay the money and drive it away. If it is not legal it has to be declared as so on the Carte Gris.

The rub was the motor manufacturers had thousands of cars in showrooms they could not sell because they could not get breathalysers. It all got hushed up and dropped.

The people at the ferry port will say you need them so they can make some money. A bit like spare bulb kits. Not a legal requirement, just advisory.
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Spot on. Also turned out they had some nasty chemicals that were not easy to recycle.
 
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I guess the idea of cars that would only start after you breathed into an inbuilt breathalyser would be good if people weren't sure how intoxicated they were and used common sense not to drive if they failed the test - instead of getting their passenger to blow into it.
 
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Thornebt said:
I guess the idea of cars that would only start after you breathed into an inbuilt breathalyser would be good if people weren't sure how intoxicated they were and used common sense not to drive if they failed the test - instead of getting their passenger to blow into it.
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The French have had to be educated what "alcohol" is. They never really considered wine and beer to be alcoholic. The only thought thecspirits were alcoholic so drove after consuming beer and wine.

Many of you will have been in Le Routier watching the truck drivers quaffing carafes of red wine with their plat de jour then drive off in their trucks.

Five years ago Mrs B andni were on a river cruise for our anniversary. All the trips were on Merc coaches which had electronic breathalyser which the driver had to blow into before the engine would start. It was also videoed to stop any fraud.

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Verteuil Man said:
The French have had to be educated what "alcohol" is. They never really considered wine and beer to be alcoholic. The only thought thecspirits were alcoholic so drove after consuming beer and wine.

Many of you will have been in Le Routier watching the truck drivers quaffing carafes of red wine with their plat de jour then drive off in their trucks.

Five years ago Mrs B andni were on a river cruise for our anniversary. All the trips were on Merc coaches which had electronic breathalyser which the driver had to blow into before the engine would start. It was also videoed to stop any fraud.
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I know you are right, and I don't condone it, but they are mostly big guys, the carafe is probably 250mL and they take their time over a proper 3 course meal. Most of our French friends are paranoid about drink driving because the limit is so low.
 
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50 compared to 80. You shouldn't trust more than a normal glass of average wine and keep away from pastas!
 
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varaizian said:
50 compared to 80. You shouldn't trust more than a normal glass of average wine and keep away from pastas!
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Standing in the booze section of Tesco in Redruth I enquired from the young shelf-filling lady whether they had any Pastis and got the reply:

"Yes, you'll find them in aisle nine with the pies and the sausage rolls".

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pappajohn said:
As I recall it was an €11 fine for not having a minimum two kits.
If it wasn't government approved how could there be a penalty.
I believe it's still compulsory to carry them but the fine has been scrapped if you don't so it isn't checked anymore.
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I stand corrected.
 
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