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14/05/2008, 9:57 Ron Avery Joined on 29/11/2004 Aveyron 12 Posts 3,240 Re: Law Change Proposals - including Warning Triangles and Reflective Jackets There are a lot of myths about what you do and do not need in France and Spain, mostly put about by the AA and RAC salesmen at Dover.  Is it one triangle for Spain or two? (its only one for foreign registered cars apparently) and according to one website you must carry a spare fan belt and spare glasses in Spain.  It appears that you only have to have one vest in the car if you go to Spain, although some guides say you need one for each occupant, is that going to be the same for France?  The legislation does not mention one for each occupant, of course advisory, but compulsory (and fineable?)  Come on SD we should be told Why not post a sensible answer, people will appreciate it more    Report

14/05/2008, 10:10 woolybanana'sbrother Joined on 18/01/2008 Posts 1,321 Re: Law Change Proposals - including Warning Triangles and Reflective Jackets Trouble is that the French may insist on different standards from other countries so that a yellow jacket from Belgium, where they are already compulsory, will not be up to standard for France, thus having to buy more here at French prices, presumably from one wholesaler who imports and has them tested and therefore makes a nice few bob by having a monopoly. Not that I am a cynic you understand. And will you need one for your car that you leave here but which still has Brit number plates? Do not try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.    Report

14/05/2008, 11:18 ErnieY Joined on 05/12/2006 Nr Prayssac (Lot) Posts 3,545 Re: Law Change Proposals - including Warning Triangles and Reflective Jackets The point you make about glasses is a good one Ron and I believe this requirement is already in place in many countries (not UK of course !) but is eminently sensible in any case. Nobody plans to lose or break their glasses and with photo driving licences showing you wearing them it's a bit of a giveaway if you get stopped and you aren't. Regarding Hi-Viz jackets, in all honesty I think that as long as you've got them nobody is going to start searching for CE marks or questioning the particular shade of whatever colour it is, and also, for the price they are and the little storage space they consume, is it such a hardship to carry as many as the vehicle is designed for. I bought 5 of assorted sizes on eBay for something like £10 or £12 IIRC. On wheelnuts, for as long as I can remember after a visit to a tyre place I've always slacked them off and re-tightened them myself with the wrench supplied with the car, and before somebody jumps in to claim how potentially deadly and irresponsible this is let me say that over innumerable cars and several hundreds of thousands of miles driven over the years is I have yet to have one come loose ! Another item I habitually carry, again from eBay and for about a fiver, is a disposable camera which came in a little pouch together with a tape measure, a pen and paper, and a European Accident Form. Wooly, you're being a bad boy again My doctor said one drink per day, I can live with that !    Report

14/05/2008, 15:33 Hagar Joined on 28/10/2004 Posts 275 Re: Law Change Proposals - including Warning Triangles and Reflective Jackets  ErnieY wrote: On wheelnuts, for as long as I can remember after a visit to a tyre place I've always slacked them off and re-tightened them myself with the wrench supplied with the car, and before somebody jumps in to claim how potentially deadly and irresponsible this is let me say that over innumerable cars and several hundreds of thousands of miles driven over the years is I have yet to have one come loose ! In fact , for certain models of car, OVER tightening of wheel nuts can actually be dangerous. Wherever possible these should be checked with a torque wrench to make sure they are fitted to the manufacturers recommendations. Tyre places used to do that but I have not seen one do so in years.   rgds Hagar    Report

14/05/2008, 15:59 ErnieY Joined on 05/12/2006 Nr Prayssac (Lot) Posts 3,545 Re: Law Change Proposals - including Warning Triangles and Reflective Jackets Actually I find that most in fact do now, with the tyres I had fitted recently in France they used one. I tend towards the theory that (in general) torque wrenches are for those with insufficient mechanical sympathy or experience to instinctively know when a nut is tight enough For this group I would definately advise the use of a torque wrench or, in the absence of one, the correct procedure would be to tighten it until it breaks then back it off a quarter turn My doctor said one drink per day, I can live with that !    Report

14/05/2008, 16:18 cassis Joined on 28/12/2007 Manhattan and Glasgow Posts 533 Re: Law Change Proposals - including Warning Triangles and Reflective Jackets  ErnieY wrote: I tend towards the theory that (in general) torque wrenches are for those with insufficient mechanical sympathy or experience to instinctively know when a nut is tight enough For this group ... the correct procedure would be to tighten it until it breaks then back it off a quarter turn     Zoggy played guitar, jammin' good with Weird and Golly. Lyrics copyright Sausage Music 2008    Report

14/05/2008, 16:54 woolybanana'sbrother Joined on 18/01/2008 Posts 1,321 Re: Law Change Proposals - including Warning Triangles and Reflective Jackets "Wooly, you're being a bad boy again " src="/cs/emoticons/emotion-14.gif">" For once I wasn't. There have been any number of cases where the French set up their own NF standards for commercial purposes and imported products find it difficult to get through.  Caravans are one example so are trailors (or were). Electrical fittings may also be a case in point though I am not totally sure there. In fact, when the Europeans were fixing electrical norms, it was the French ones which were adopted as standard, though they are no better than anyone else's. In fact they simply refused to cooperate unless their standards were used. Some time ago I had a long chat with the direcctor a  DIY store who maintained that NF standards were not any good because the standard was fixed on one or two test pieces only and what happened after that was anybody's business. Just a few thoughts. Do not try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.    Report

14/05/2008, 17:33 ErnieY Joined on 05/12/2006 Nr Prayssac (Lot) Posts 3,545 Re: Law Change Proposals - including Warning Triangles and Reflective Jackets I could aplogise wooly but I won't, let's keep it in advance for the next time shall we, there will surely be one Isn't what you describe just typically French though. When the idea of a single currency was being dicussed I could well imagine the Franch attitude being yes, wonderful, we're all for it - as long as it's the French Franc of course    My doctor said one drink per day, I can live with that !    Report

14/05/2008, 17:52 woolybanana'sbrother Joined on 18/01/2008 Posts 1,321 Re: Law Change Proposals - including Warning Triangles and Reflective Jackets Love you Ernie really. Actually it was the Germans who insisted that the € should be as like the mark as two peas in a pod. And they got away with it, and may still be doing so. Do not try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.    Report

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