Board logo

Travelling Through France Italy Austria and Switzerland
MikeFellows - 21/5/12 at 09:12 AM

Going on a road trip in late July and looking at what I need to carry to keep myself legal

I am aware of needing the following but have I missed anything

1. Warning Triangle
2. High Vis Jackets - must be accessible from in the car
3. Alcohol Breathalyser - any specs on these, it doesnt come in till july 1st - will some cheap chinese thing do?

Cheers

daviep - 21/5/12 at 09:14 AM

Spare bulb kit

Davie

minitici - 21/5/12 at 09:22 AM

First Aid Kit

Don't forget to buy a "vignette" in Austria & Switzerland before venturing onto their motorways.

Check out requirements here

adithorp - 21/5/12 at 09:25 AM

quote:
Originally posted by MikeFellows
Going on a road trip in late July and looking at what I need to carry to keep myself legal

I am aware of needing the following but have I missed anything

1. Warning Triangle
2. High Vis Jackets - must be accessible from in the car
3. Alcohol Breathalyser - any specs on these, it doesnt come in till july 1st - will some cheap chinese thing do?

Cheers


Spare bulbs,
All documents for the car
First aid kit for Germany and probable austria.
Vignet for Swiss roads. Cheaper to by in advance via the 'net. They'll stop you at the border without one.

The breathaliser has to be an approved one so I doubt a chinese e-bay one will do.Should be available in Halfords or the port/ferry.

[Edited on 21/5/12 by adithorp]

MikeFellows - 21/5/12 at 09:58 AM

following the AA links above

the breathlyser come in force on the 1st July 2012 and it needs to be certified however they are not enforcing the law till 1st November 2012

halfords probably have something like someone said

twybrow - 21/5/12 at 10:02 AM

Insurance Docs
Original V5 for the car

Agriv8 - 21/5/12 at 10:19 AM

I thought Spare glasses if you are a 'Windows Wearer' but could be mis informed.

ATB agriv8

bi22le - 21/5/12 at 10:23 AM

Driving licence
European breakdown details
Head light beam converters
GB badge or number plate
Red bull and pro plus
Navi with maps

Hiking boots. Some of the best walks i have ever done were in the Swiss alps along side the glaciers and i have hiked in some incredible places.

MikeFellows - 21/5/12 at 10:25 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Agriv8
I thought Spare glasses if you are a 'Windows Wearer' but could be mis informed.

ATB agriv8


Helmet for most of the journey

HappyFather - 21/5/12 at 11:00 AM

Not compulsory and we hope not needed but better have it than regret it...

There is a European Health Insurance Card you can request and it will give you access to the NHS-equivalent of any European country (plus some add-on countries). It may get cheaper than using health insurance, although the quality of service may depend, based on what country you're in. You get same treatment as a national of the country you use it in.

Info on the EHIC - http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=559
NHS info on EHIC - http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC/Pages/about-the-ehic.aspx
NHS info on how to get it - http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1073.aspx?categoryid=68&subcategoryid=159

Have a great trip!
HappyFather

motorcycle_mayhem - 21/5/12 at 12:03 PM

WTF????????

I thought this was comedy. but no, I see an 'AA' pack available containing two 'NF' approved breathalysers....
Good job you posted this, I'm heading off to France on the bike next month (though where I'd store all that stuff in quite an issue).

So, why do our French neighbours feel you would you need a breathalyser, what's your take on this?

adithorp - 21/5/12 at 12:16 PM

Spare glassesis only a requirement in Spain.
It's now illegal to have speed camera locations on your sat-nav in France.

Agriv8 - 21/5/12 at 01:39 PM

quote:
Originally posted by motorcycle_mayhem
WTF????????

I thought this was comedy. but no, I see an 'AA' pack available containing two 'NF' approved breathalysers....
Good job you posted this, I'm heading off to France on the bike next month (though where I'd store all that stuff in quite an issue).

So, why do our French neighbours feel you would you need a breathalyser, what's your take on this?


If you are French you dont. but if you have a british reg you will be pulled at a payage as they did with 30 or so GB plated cars last year checking for yellow jackets INSIDE the car.

I could see this while waiting to pay and dutilfully placed 4 vests on the dash and was waved through by a sour faced Jameydogery. I also belive the breathalisers are not enforcable until later in the year.

ATB Agriv8

designer - 21/5/12 at 01:47 PM

Just buy a 'breathalyser' in the first French supermarket, they are very cheap. and you have to carry two.

quote:

It's now illegal to have speed camera locations on your sat-nav in France


Only in French registered cars. Your car runs under the country of registration rules; mines German!!

adithorp - 21/5/12 at 02:32 PM

quote:
Originally posted by motorcycle_mayhem
WTF????????

I thought this was comedy. but no, I see an 'AA' pack available containing two 'NF' approved breathalysers....
Good job you posted this, I'm heading off to France on the bike next month (though where I'd store all that stuff in quite an issue).

So, why do our French neighbours feel you would you need a breathalyser, what's your take on this?


If you're going next mnth then you're OK as the law doesn't come in untill 1st July and no fines until 1stNov. You have to have one, but if you are asked to use it then you won't have one after, so need to carry 2. The only reason I can see that makes any sence is, it means the police can check you for drink driving without having the kit with them. On TV "road cop shows" you regularly see them having to find/call someone with the kit in another car.

James - 21/5/12 at 04:23 PM

When I drove to France in November I had to 'last minute' get all these bits from Halfrods.

They had a chart on the shelves which said which thing was needed for which country.

They were expensive though, so I took everything back unused when we got home (hi-vis were £5 each IIRC?). At B&Q next door they were £3.

Cheers,
James