Driving laws in France

[elsmandino]

Hi there.

I know that this is not strictly a language question but I have decided to book a week's holiday, for my family, in France to practice my French.

I have hired a car from Europcar and have a few motoring questions that you guys might be able to help with:

1. What is the current position with regards to breathalysers? From what I have read, they are strictly required but, as fines are no longer enforceable, most people ignore this. Is this advisable as a foreign traveller?

2. A reflective triangle seems to be a legal requirement for vehicles - am I correct in thinking that this must be included with the hire car?

3. High-vis jackets are also a legal requirement but I am unclear as to how many. It seems that the driver definitely needs one but I have read conflicting advice as to whether all passengers are required to carry one. Do I need to buy any in advance, and take them with me, just in case? I assume that at least one jacket will have to be supplied with the hire car.

4. Is it legal to uses Google Maps in France? I have read that you cannot use any device that automatically picks up on speed cameras.

[Arnaud]

1. No need, but if you like to party or drink alcoohol during meals, it's better to have a few of them just to check you're in the right state.
2. Yes. Should be in the rear trunk. Always check.
3. One, afaik. Should be supplied... better to check, as for the triangle.
4. Yes, everybody use Google Maps, even on bicycles !!
The official position is here.
Just be careful with pedestrians in cities, they often cross the roads out of the pedestrian crossings, where and when they want...

[rdearman]

I do remember reading that Google Maps shut-off camera notifications in countries where it is banned (It knows where you are, obviously). Although it is OK in the UK, so I couldn't confirm that. And I couldn't find the thing I read again after a good search.

[Speakeasy]

... Why the word "STOP" on many European roads (including France) is written in English?

My understanding is that the English word “stop” entered the French language around the end of the 18th century and that the French verb “stopper” developed shortly thereafter. Both words and their derivatives are recognized as being part of the French language today.

The “stop signs” in France may take the form of any of the three shown below.

Stop 0.JPG

In Québec, whereas the majority of “stop signs” are of the “Arrêt” type, the “Arrêt / Stop” type is also encountered depending on the jurisdiction. In Canada’s Capital Region (the city of Ottawa and the surrounding areas) one tends to encounter the “Arrêt / Stop” type.

Although it is speculation on my part, I would imagine that the universal "stop" sign has been adopted throughout the European Union as part of an on-going effort to standardize traffic signs.

[badger]

Why the word "STOP" on many European roads (including France) is written in English?

'stop' is a French word* too - meaning 'stop'.

* possibly not according to the Academie Française though.

[elsmandino]

Merci bien, toute le monde (sorry - totally agree that I should have started this thread in the travel section).

That has really put my mind at ease - thank you.

Further to rdearman's comment:

https://www.engadget.com/2019/05/30/goo ... ccounter=1

Google Maps have indeed got round the issue by removing camera detection from French maps.

Might I just ask another couple of questions, please?

1. What is both the official and actual situation with zebra-crossings?

I have just read that, officially, they are no different from those in England - i.e. if someone is waiting to cross, a driver must stop and let them pass.

However, I recall having been in Dijon (many years ago) and almost getting run-over on a zebra-crossing, because I assumed they would just stop for me. I later asked a French friend, at university, how they work - he told me that the crossings are simply there to show pedestrians where the safest place to cross and that drivers will take no notice of them. I am wondering, now, whether he was being serious or whether this was a joke.

2. "Priotite' 'a droite".

In practice, are there many side roads, on the right, that have priority?

The reason I ask is that I have a number of colleagues that have driven in France and half of them did not even know that this was a rule and the other half were aware of it but did not seem to have remembered having encountered it.

[Jean-Luc]

"Priorité" on zebra crossings to the pedestrian if he shows his intention to cross or is crossing (on road).

"L'obligation de céder le passage à un piéton s'applique, s'il est régulièrement engagé dans la traversée de la chaussée, mais aussi s'il en manifeste clairement l'intention (par exemple en se dirigeant de façon manifeste vers la chaussée). Dans ce cas, un conducteur peut être verbalisé pour ne pas céder le passage à un piéton qui est encore sur le trottoir."

The habit to stop is not yet well implemented in France. Be cautious. But drivers can loose points (and permit) if not letting pedestians cross on zebra.

[DaveAgain]

2. "Priotite' 'a droite".

In practice, are there many side roads, on the right, that have priority?

The reason I ask is that I have a number of colleagues that have driven in France and half of them did not even know that this was a rule and the other half were aware of it but did not seem to have remembered having encountered it.

I have a vague memory that applied to roundabouts, this means traffic joining the roundabout has priority. (opposite to the UK)

[Arnaud]

2. "Priotite' 'a droite".

In practice, are there many side roads, on the right, that have priority?

The "priorité" is used when there are no traffic light or signs to indicate what to do. The "priorité" is a tricky rule, be careful, it causes many accidents. If there is no sign of priority (the yellow losange) on your road, every road on your right can have the priority, even if your road is a big road with two lanes. Little video here.
Same thing on the roundabouts: usually, you don't have the priority to enter in the roundabout, you have to wait (there are triangle signs at the entering and dotted lines on the asphalt to remind you not to enter the roundabout like a madman). Little video here.
In fact, in France, there are les sens giratoires and les ronds-points: les sens giratoires have a priority on the left (presence of signs and dotted lines) and les ronds-points have a priority on the right (absence of signs): the majority are sens giratoires, the "real" ronds-points are rare. See here.
(Sorry for the bad english, I'm completly out of my confort zone, concerning that subject in english )

[elsmandino]

Thank you for the further comments on this - I have just come back from an amazing (though very hot) week in Autignac.

I think I was being overly paranoid about driving in France - we found virtually no roads on the right that were not very well sign-posted with who had priority and every roundabout we came across strictly gave priority to vehicles already on it.

The hire care also had a kit with everything we would need.

The zebra-crossing issue was a bit mixed as mentioned below - I would say about 10% of cars assumed that they had priority, so we waited for traffic to come to an absolute standstill before crossing.

Unfortunately, we did witness quite a serious accident at a T-junction in Bezziers. A white transit did not give way to a road on the right - both were going too fast. I just ignored the bibbing and crawled around the town, just in case.

From a language learning point of view, I was massively impressed by how much I could converse - shopkeepers, restaurant owners etc. seemed very impressed that we were Brits and actually trying to speak anything other than English and slowed everything down accordingly.

Once I got over the initial embarrassment of making mistakes (I asked for a 15cl beer, rather than a 50cl one and got a strange look), I really started to get on with the language.

By the way, Arnaud, your English is amazing - give me ten years and I might be able to reach a similar level in French!