Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#1
Just had an interesting press release in from DFDS. It is now on the frontpage and many thanks to them for the info. Worth noting that if you are travelling in France by motor vehicle from this Spring you must have your own breathalyser in your car by law. These new measures were introduced by President Sarkozy at the end of the year just gone. More info on the frontpage.
I for one didnt know such an object was available in your local shop, I really dont know where you would get one. Never heard of such a notion before...however have one you must. There are several bits and bobs you have to have nowadays.
As no doubt many of us will be 'going continental' in the model T in the coming year.. better look to getting one onboard otherwise you face the full force of the Gendarmerie.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#2
good on sarkozy for bringing this on, doubt whether it will be a life saver as such but will save people who have had a glass of wine know where they stand and maybe save them losing their licence.
these have been advertised by mail order for many years over here but they are sold under the proviso that they are for amusement purposes and not a definitive guide as how "elephants" the user is.
Guest 715- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 2,438
#3
Be a nice little earner for someone selling them at the Port I would imagine.
Audere est facere.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
#4
For £10 its worth the gamble not bothering....
Been nice knowing you :)
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
#5
And Sarkozy wants to get re-elected!!!
Watty
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#6
i think the 17 euro bit must be a typo.
i think it is a good move in a country that likes a glass of wine or beer at lunch, just that one extra could take them over the limit and loss of job could ensue while they feel perfectly sober.
i would like to see it here.
Guest 663- Registered: 20 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,136
#7
Have come to enjoy driving in France so yes will be adding the breathalyser to my,high vis jacket, first aid kit, headlamp deflectors, and my warning triangle, so while we are dining alfresco and enjoying a glass of vino my, mind will be put at rest that i will be able to know if i'm one over the eight and safe to drive.
As those Gendarmes scare the living day lights out of me.
Guest 643- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,321
#8
I can remember these being on sale at the garage at Whitfield when my daughter worked there. It was Hammonds then so I would think they might still have them in their remaining garages. I think they're a good idea if you drink but some people, like my husband and I, don't drink (because of medication not choice!) so why do we have to have one.
There's always a little truth behind every "Just kidding", a little emotion behind every "I don't care" and a little pain behind every "I'm ok".
Guest 717- Registered: 16 Jun 2011
- Posts: 468
#9
I'm sorry has the world gone MAD???? What a terrible idea.
So we are now relying on machines to tell us that we are ok/not ok drive?! Are people now so ignorant they dont know the drink drive limit? If Sarkozy had any sense at all he should of banned drinking and driving altogether...zero tolerance. This is a ridiculous rule and I dread the day someone ends up killing someone on a road because they relied on what could have been a faulty machine.
Keeps politics to myself
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
#10
Helen, it's not enough to hang an arbre magique in the car to take away the surplus methanol depositing behind the windscreen.
An analysis of one's alcohol level is more practical.
Guest 722- Registered: 23 Aug 2011
- Posts: 97
#11
I always carry a few of these in my car. I organise quite a few events here and the local gendarmerie give me boxes of them to allow guests to test themselves before going home. They are in all the supermarkets now. 2 euros.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#12
Yes the 17Euro fine does seem low so that bit may not be accurate. But as Jan says there...you need an ever growing list of gadgetry in your car in order to drive over there. I have visions of myself sucking a breathalyser while wearing a high visibity vest and applying first aid to my wounded image ..all at the same time.
Andy always good to hear the situation from France itself , and yes a good idea to keep in well with the local Gendarmerie there..and the item itself only 2 euros, thats not too bad on the purse.
Yes the Gendarmes are scary it may be down to carrying those guns everywhere...even in the smallest quietest towns you see it. I wont drop any chewing gum on the ground over there in a hurry !
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#13
the issue of drink driving is a complicated one, i knew someone many years ago that had been to a party got a cab home then the next day drove to work.
he was breathalysed and found to be over the limit, lost his licence and job.
wouldn't have happened with this gadget available.
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
#14
The trouble is knowing how many units one is actually consuming, a small glass of wine is one unit but it may be considerably higher than that depending on the strength of the alcohol content and the same goes for beer. Of course, better not to drink and drive at all, and not even a very small one if we dont know the strength of the alcohol we are drinking.
As a driver I know I can rely on myself but if I'm being driven then I certainly don't want a driver who has been drinking at all. I welcome this own breathalyser French law and I honestly think it should be introduced here in the UK. It hopefully might make drivers more alcohol aware.
I love driving on the other side, find it much easier
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#15
Colette just to put you right re units..a lot of people make that mistake including myself. A glass of wine according to todays lunchtime news is 3.3 units, much more than a pint of beer which was 2.3 units. Research has showed that very few people actually know what a unit is.
Those statistics shocked me...so I hope the lunchtime news got it right.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
#16
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#17
pub measures do seem to have got bigger over the years, i would have thought that one large glass would breach the limit furthermore the strengths if wines and beers vary greatly hence why i am in favour of a personal breathalyser.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
#18
Units are very easy to work out. A unit is 10ml (about 8grams) of pure alcohol. Using the formula U=V x A, where U is the number of units, V is the size of the drink in litres, and A is the abv in percent:
a small glass of wine (125ml) at 13% abv is (0.125 x 13) units or 1.63 units.
A pint of strong lager at 5% is (0.568 x 5) units or 2.84 units.
A 25ml shot of gin at 40% is (0.025 x 40) units or 1.00 exactly.
Simples. Mostly it can be worked out roughly in your head.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#19
thanks for making it so easy to understand peter, i was thinking it might be complicated.
Guest 663- Registered: 20 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,136
#20
Im with you there Howard there is no messing about if you get caught in France, doing wrong its OFF with ones head and no mistake.
