Warning: Fined For Having Headlights On

[ojibway]

I just read in Campingcar-infos that a French motorhomer had been fined 90eu for driving with his headlights on after coming out of a tunnel and forgetting to turn them off.
This seems a bit harsh when you think that you have to use your headlights if it is raining. How many cars and tricks do you see with headlight on long after it's stopped raining?!
http://forum.campingcar-infos.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=78657
Mike

 

[CWH]

I always have my headlights on in my little blue-grey car - it blends in too well with the road otherwise.
I also always have headlamps on (in a car) if the rising or setting sun is behind me.
And we tend to have the headlamps on in the mh.
Is this illegal in some countries then @ojibway ? (Ouside of the UK, I've only ever driven in USA)

 

[Judge Mental]

I leave them on all the time... Time for a rethink!

 

[funflair]

Well just checked a couple of web sites and the AA recommend dipped headlight all the time and Deffo in poor visibility. Also a recommendation on an about Provence web site so "confused.com".

Martin

 

[mike mcglynn]

In my car they come on automatically and they come on far too early as somebody thought I was flashing them to let them out I wasnt ! I had to brake like a racing driver.

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[Judge Mental]

Well just checked a couple of web sites and the AA recommend dipped headlight all the time and Deffo in poor visibility. Also a recommendation on an about Provence web site so "confused.com".

Martin

That's what always thought. Maybe the chap got fined for being on full beam??

 

[funflair]

Well the forum campingcard-infos is predictably in French, but from what I understand most people on there are not convinced.

This is a translation from something that looked French and official.

Ignition dipped headlights day
October 20, 2004

From 31 October 2004, the government recommends that all road users to turn on their headlights when they travel by day open road . This measure, already in force in many countries , should enable France to take a new step in the fight against road accidents .

 

[funflair]

That's what always thought. Maybe the chap got fined for being on full beam??

My thought as well but difficult to prove, but there again if he has a gun he is right. I have heard of people being fined for not turning them on in time when entering a tunnel as they were relying on the auto on function on the car.

 

[Vic]

That will be interesting for modern motorcycles, you cannot turn them off. They are on all the time.

 

[CWH]

Well the forum campingcard-infos is predictably in French, but from what I understand most people on there are not convinced.

Seems it's being promoted as a measure to protect 2-wheelers and distinguish them from 4-wheelers
http://www.moto-net.com/actualites-motos-652-Sécurité-routière-DANGER-La-Mutuelle-des-Motards-contre-l'allumage-des-feux-le-jour.html

"Lights
"It's advised that dipped headlights are used at all times outside towns in any weather. Dipped headlights must be used in poor daytime visibility. Motorcycles over 125cc must use dipped headlights during the day at all times. For motorhomes and caravans, lights must be used at all times when travelling in tunnels or in bad weather."
http://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/traveller-info/driving-in-france/
http://www.euroadlegal.co.uk/country/france.html

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[funflair]

Seems it's being promoted as a measure to protect 2-wheelers and distinguish them from 4-wheelers
http://www.moto-net.com/actualites-motos-652-Sécurité-routière-DANGER-La-Mutuelle-des-Motards-contre-l'allumage-des-feux-le-jour.html

Lights
It's advised that dipped headlights are used at all times outside towns in any weather. Dipped headlights must be used in poor daytime visibility. Motorcycles over 125cc must use dipped headlights during the day at all times. For motorhomes and caravans, lights must be used at all times when travelling in tunnels or in bad weather.
http://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/traveller-info/driving-in-france/
http://www.euroadlegal.co.uk/country/france.html

Compulsory for motorcycles YES I agree. The other bit about motorhomes seems slightly ambiguous, could it be a loophole for revenue raising Gendarme's.

 

[Old Soldier]

I think Volvo's lights are always on too.
Someone has their knickers in a twist here it seems...

 

[EuroTrotters]

I would think that if the driver in question took the matter to court, he would get the fine overturned.

I often used to drive from Italy into France Menton to Ventimiglia - San Remo. The amount of Italian drivers who are too busy talking and have no lights on in what is a very dark tunnel is scary.

 

[gibbon]

The fine must surely have been for full beam. We went through lots of tunnels and always saw a dipped beam sign on the exits.

 

[Stephen & Jeannie]

My Volvo sorts it all out for me !

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[Yorick]

Maybe just put one headlight on ?

 

[Gellyneck]

I think Volvo's lights are always on too.
Someone has their knickers in a twist here it seems...

Volvos, Saabs, etc have the facility (well mine did) to have dipped beams and rear lights on permanently or only activated by the light switch.
Believe in Sweden (and maybe other Nordic countries) it is mandatory to have dipped headlights and rears on?

 

[Scattycat]

That will be interesting for modern motorcycles, you cannot turn them off. They are on all the time.

In France it is law that a motorcyclist must have their dipped head lights on at all times when on the public highway.

 

[Mel]

In France it is law that a motorcyclist must have their dipped head lights on at all times when on the public highway.

In Belgium also

 

[ojibway]

Good job it was a French motorhomer or we'd be thinking the cop had it in for us
My old 244 Volvo had healights on permanently and I was always getting people in France flash me a warning!

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[buttons]

I think he must have been suffering the after effects of being gassed to come up with a tale like this.

 

[JJ]

I will believe this, and things like it, when it actually happens to me....

JJ

 

[Puddleduck]

Not sure about elsewhere but in Bergen it is a legal requirement for (dipped) headlights to be on all the time

 

[yodeli]

Well the forum campingcard-infos is predictably in French, but from what I understand most people on there are not convinced.

This is a translation from something that looked French and official.

Ignition dipped headlights day
October 20, 2004

From 31 October 2004, the government recommends that all road users to turn on their headlights when they travel by day open road . This measure, already in force in many countries , should enable France to take a new step in the fight against road accidents .

Right translation of the law! And I should add, there are rules for full beams being on but certainly not for headlights!

I have just been on the said forum and read a bit of it, this is just a nonsense! He must have been on full beam or it just met the most angry Gendarme (got probably cheated up by his wife and happened to just know about it...).
If something like that was to happen to me, I can tell you I would make sure the gendarme gets told off .... and of course NO FINE! I can't understand why people complain on forums instead of complaining to the head of the Gendarmes! Citizens have rights TOO!!!

 

[yodeli]

Ave !

Sauf erreur, et si j'ai bien compris ce que tu écrits, il s'agit du panneau B49

http://quiz-code-route.fr/panneau/B49

Ce panneau n'est en aucun cas un panneau d'obligation, mais de FIN d'obligation, et une fin d' OBLIGATION ne signifie pas une INTERDICTION

J'espère pour toi que tu n'as pas payé l'amende car il faut absolument contester (c'est du moins ce que je ferais dans ce cas)

Bon courage et ne cède pas car les forces de l'ordre sont là pour faire respecter la Loi pas pour l'imaginer à leur guise, ce qu'elles font trop souvent.

Salve !
JB

This is what this member says: The sign only says end of obligation to have them on, not a sign saying completely forbidden to have them on.
He says I hope you didn't pay, Gendarmes are there to make people obey the law not to make up new ones whenever they fancy to... which they do quite often!

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[Yorick]

In France it is law that a motorcyclist must have their dipped head lights on at all times when on the public highway.

Mine are on all the time and won't turn off.



Although I did try very hard on Tuesday to permanently turn them off

 

[laneside]

I may add that there are many drivers out there that do not know the difference between headlamps and driving (fog ) lights and this may well be the case with this driver. How often do you see them being used illegally in this country?

 

[Minxy]

Mine are on all the time and won't turn off.



Although I did try very hard on Tuesday to permanently turn them off

Do tell ... you been falling off again???

 

[jollyrodger]

I think Volvo's lights are always on too.
Someone has their knickers in a twist here it seems...

I was once told that Volvo drivers were a bit "dim" hence needing lights constantly

 

[MicknPat]

I just read in Campingcar-infos that a French motorhomer had been fined 90eu for driving with his headlights on after coming out of a tunnel and forgetting to turn them off.
This seems a bit harsh when you think that you have to use your headlights if it is raining. How many cars and tricks do you see with headlight on long after it's stopped raining?!
http://forum.campingcar-infos.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=78657
Mike

I'm stuffed then, I cannot drive our RV without the headlights been on, they illuminate as soon as I select 'Drive' with its auto box.

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