Don't drink and drive , yeah right

[sigma]

France has just introduced a law where all motorists including tourists must carry two breathalizer kits in their cars.
The idea being that when you've been drinking you then test yourself to see if you are over the limit.
Do they really believe that someone is going to test themselves and then decide not to drive when they are over the limit.

[emmie]

personally i would ban all motorists from drinking, no having a half, pint, or indeed that little glass of wine. Drink driving is a no no in my book. If France bring this in, not sure people will adhere to it, though that is what they said about seat belts, now most people wear them.

[ojread2]

The fine for not carrying one of these kits is pathetically low
France has a lower drinking limit than the UK and personally feel that, as em10, if you have one drink you shouldn't drive

[chrissa1]

I don't see why not. If they are holidaymakers on holiday with their family and stop for a meal and have one drink, I think they would.

[emmie]

no one knows what their bodies tolerate where alcohol is concerned, as it stays in your system far longer than most realise. A friend was banned for a year after he had been drinking the night before. Got pulled the next morning for a broken light and they breathalysed him, and hey presto licence gone.

[ummmm]

Em, and that would be where it came in handy. People tend to think they are okay to drive the day after.....

[sunny-dave]

Call me a cynic ("you're a cynic, dave") but I have a feeling that the French Gendarmerie will be using this as another 'nice little earner' for fleecing tourists - much the same as the regulations on hi-viz jackets, first aid kits etc (and the bonkers stuff that bikers now have to carry).

Can you see them stopping the local mayor and all the Pierres and Alphonses - or will it be the Brit holidaymakers ??

< nb - this is not me approving of drink/driving - just a grump about the French and the way they 'interpret' their laws >

[Kiki-frog]

I think I would use it

[Mick-Talbot]

Agree with SD

I cannot use my sat-nav in France now because it has a speed camera warning.

[woofgang]

Well it certainly would close the loophole(if there is one in french law) of "I didn't realise it was still in my system" IF it was mandatory to use one before driving. If you only have to carry them around them its another stupid french idea.

[emmie]

it could be a large fine if caught, perhaps it's another way to garner dosh from the unsuspecting, pretty much like the wretched councils employing these boorish parking companies, wherre every little infringement elicits a whopping bill to unclamp your car.

[ojread2]

nice little earner? With the fine at £9 it's not worth while pulling anyone over lol

[ChuckFickens]

"personally i would ban all motorists from drinking"

Presumably that means you'd be OK about being banned from driving yourself because you'd used mouthwash?

a drink drive limit of 0 is a stupid idea because there are many reasons why a person can have small quantities of alcohol in their system even if they haven't touched a drink for weeks.

[MoonRocker]

small amounts are created by the body anyway chuck so even if you've really never touched a drop there will be trace. I suspect those that say 0 really mean a very low amount rather than actually zero.

[jno]

4000 people die on French roads in a year, and drink is the main reason, more than speeding

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...world-europe-18662555

The most recent UK figure is 1857. So you can see why they're doing it.

I think woofgang is right about the thinking behind it: it stops you saying "But I didn't know I'd had too much..." Now it's your responsibility to find out how much.

[deggers316]

not to mention all the thousands on cold relief such as night nurse (read the label) tranquillizers etc.
drinking and driving not the only "sin"

[emmie]

it may not be the only sin, but i still say that that there should be no drinking and driving. Cold medicines have a tiny amount perhaps and i don't reckon they would be enough for you to be over the limit.

[m0xom]

Check out P&O ferries from Hull.. A you can get to the continent and never go near France.. Enjoy your holiday :-)

[deggers316]

em10
cold medicines / tranquillizers make you drowsy. not on about being over the limit,talking about the risk to other road user whilst "drowsy"
thousand take these regularly so most will be driving at some point

[shoota]

Apparently there is a 'period of grace' for foreign drivers up until November.

http://www.lost-in-fr...527-breathalyser-kits