Ahh, the French

steingar

steingar

Taxi to Parking
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steingar
Those wacky snail eating wine-drinking French have really outdone themselves, passing a new law requiring every driver to carry his or her own breathalyzer. No, I'm not making this up.
 
I was in France the day the "safety triangle and safety vest" law went into effect. Our rental car was not equipped with the vest or triangle. You needed to put out the triangle and wear the vest if your car broke down.

Luckily, the car ran fine. I don't remember what the fine was, but it was significant.

They also had speed cameras all over the place.
 
All of Europe is big on the speed camera. (well, at least the countries I've been to.)

IIRC, Japan is big on tolls. Like Denver to Boulder would be $30. But a little gem they do is add the speeding fine right to the toll. See, they know where and what time you got on the highway, they know where and what time you're getting off and paying the toll so it's simple math to figure out how fast you were going. Want to speed? Fine, they'll just tack the fine onto the toll. You could end up paying $100 for that Denver to Boulder trip.
 
Captain said:
All of Europe is big on the speed camera. (well, at least the countries I've been to.)

IIRC, Japan is big on tolls. Like Denver to Boulder would be $30. But a little gem they do is add the speeding fine right to the toll. See, they know where and what time you got on the highway, they know where and what time you're getting off and paying the toll so it's simple math to figure out how fast you were going. Want to speed? Fine, they'll just tack the fine onto the toll. You could end up paying $100 for that Denver to Boulder trip.
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but on the days that Denver/Boulder trip takes 2 hours because of traffic, betcha don't get a refund!
 
gkainz said:
but on the days that Denver/Boulder trip takes 2 hours because of traffic, betcha don't get a refund!
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All those Subarus sitting on the Turnpike burning fossil fuels. Oh the horror!

:D
 
Yeah, I think England has those average speed cameras too. Evil things they are.

And about the breathalyzer...I'm curious to know what the French people think of it. I'll try to get in touch with a good friend of mine that just happens to be French.
 
steingar said:
Those wacky snail eating wine-drinking French have really outdone themselves, passing a new law requiring every driver to carry his or her own breathalyzer. No, I'm not making this up.
Click to expand...

What's next? TdF riders must carry their own doping tests? :rofl:
 
Captain said:
IIRC, Japan is big on tolls. Like Denver to Boulder would be $30.
Click to expand...

It's coming to the States quickly.

The Lexus Lanes that they're building on the DC Beltway in Virginia will soon feature tolls that could rise to $1/mile or more during rush hours. :hairraise:
 
I think it's funny the proponets of the French law think spending a kajillion euros and inconviencing everybody is going to make a lick of difference.

A driver simply must have the kit in the car. There's nothing to get the motorist to actually use the kit. In fact, the incentive is to NOT use the kit. If someone has had a couple glasses of wine and wants to drive home why would they want to use the kit and make their car unroadworthy?

It's lose / lose for the driver. If he's over the limit he can't (shouldn't drive). If he's under the limit he can't drive because he no longer has the required kit. Better to simply not use the kit and drive.

Besides, someone who is going to break a major law and drive drunk isn't too likely IMO to comply with this ill thought law.

Amazing.
 
Captain said:
I think it's funny the proponets of the French law think spending a kajillion euros and inconviencing everybody is going to make a lick of difference.

A driver simply must have the kit in the car. There's nothing to get the motorist to actually use the kit. In fact, the incentive is to NOT use the kit. If someone has had a couple glasses of wine and wants to drive home why would they want to use the kit and make their car unroadworthy?

It's lose / lose for the driver. If he's over the limit he can't (shouldn't drive). If he's under the limit he can't drive because he no longer has the required kit. Better to simply not use the kit and drive.

Besides, someone who is going to break a major law and drive drunk isn't too likely IMO to comply with this ill thought law.

Amazing.
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Just a thought, but perhaps the purpose of the kit is for law enforcement use in the event of an accident, or if the driver is pulled over at one of the frequent tax sticker checks they run over there and is suspected of being intoxicated. :dunno:
 
I guess if I had a choice, I'd rather use MINE than THEIRS.

MINE would never get me in trouble, if you know what I mean.
 
wsuffa said:
It's coming to the States quickly.

The Lexus Lanes that they're building on the DC Beltway in Virginia will soon feature tolls that could rise to $1/mile or more during rush hours. :hairraise:
Click to expand...
It's already here. On the Northeast end of Atlanta, on I-85, we have the HOT lane. It used to be the HOV lane, and you had to have 2 or more people in the vehicle, or be a motorcycle or alternative fuel vehicle to use the lane. Through most of Atlanta, it is still like that. But now, on one section, you have to have 3 in the car to get it free, and you have to have a Peach Pass, and the toll rate varies with traffic. The heavier the traffic, the higher the toll. A couple weeks ago on a Saturday, it was 12 cents to go from one end of it to the other. During rush hour, I've seen it near $5. I don't know what the max is.
 
wsuffa said:
There is no max. At least up here. It's unlimited.
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Here, I think there is. I don't use the lane, myself, but I recall hearing on the radio that they had lowered the max after the outrage when they first "opened" (closed/reopened) it. I refuse to use it on the grounds that it is just another government attempt at taking more of our money. But there are plenty of idiots. I have seen cars in that lane, paying $2-$3 while I was in the lane next to them doing the same speed. I'm still hoping they lose money on the whole deal, with all the equipment they had to install for monitoring/charging. Not sure I'll be so lucky to see my dream, though.
:mad2: :mad2:
 
steingar said:
Those wacky snail eating wine-drinking French have really outdone themselves, passing a new law requiring every driver to carry his or her own breathalyzer. No, I'm not making this up.
Click to expand...

That is just one of the downsides to living under Bureaucratism, bureaucratized countries can not get enough of laws and regulations. Most all of them have or are regulating their industrial base out of existence, with regs on top of regs.

When the Communists stop lending, that will spell the doom of it all.

-John
 
HOV lanes and HOT lanes are paid for by the people sitting in the other lanes. Seems utterly retarded.

Around here they're mainly to keep the City busses moving, so they can get folks across town an hour and a half longer than driving, including traffic.
 
Captain said:
All of Europe is big on the speed camera. (well, at least the countries I've been to.)
Click to expand...

Pretty sure I got a camera ticket outside of Salzberg a few weeks ago. Transitioning from unlimited speed to a construction zone. Worst part is, I was cruising the autobahn... in a Kia Rio.
 
Captain said:
All of Europe is big on the speed camera. (well, at least the countries I've been to.)

IIRC, Japan is big on tolls. Like Denver to Boulder would be $30. But a little gem they do is add the speeding fine right to the toll. See, they know where and what time you got on the highway, they know where and what time you're getting off and paying the toll so it's simple math to figure out how fast you were going. Want to speed? Fine, they'll just tack the fine onto the toll. You could end up paying $100 for that Denver to Boulder trip.
Click to expand...

They did this in NY on the Thruway a while back, although they would mail the fine and not add it to the toll. Then a judge decided that there was no provision of NYS law that allowed for it, and the practice was stopped. I'm not sure if the people who were previously fined got their money back, but I doubt it.
 
wsuffa said:
It's coming to the States quickly.

The Lexus Lanes that they're building on the DC Beltway in Virginia will soon feature tolls that could rise to $1/mile or more during rush hours. :hairraise:
Click to expand...

We've had that on I 95 between downtown Miami and the Broward county line for the last few years....wonderful.:yesnod: The toll goes over $6 sometimes and is worth it.
 
Henning said:
We've had that on I 95 between downtown Miami and the Broward county line for the last few years....wonderful.:yesnod: The toll goes over $6 sometimes and is worth it.
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Maybe for someone who can afford it. Do it very many times and it gets out of hand.
 
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