France: Government Back-pedaling On Mandatory Breathalyzer |
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File under France Safety
Author: Mike Werner
Location: Normandy, France
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As you may have read in the previous months, the former French government had made it a law that every vehicle (cars, motorcycles and trucks) in France, including foreign registered ones, need to have at least one approved and in good working condition breathalyzer in their possession while driving.
The new law is already in application, but the government had announced that the first fines would occur starting the 1st of November. A lot of protests have risen for this stupid and senseless law, not only from within France, but from other European countries. The main two suppliers had a field day making the breathalysers, so much so that they quickly ran out of stock, and prices went through the roof. Now, a normally €1.50 unit is selling for €10.00.
Yesterday the French government announced that the fines for not having a working unit on you will be moved from the 1st of November to the 1st of March 2013, and that a commission has been formed to study the mandatory breathalyzer law in more detail. In other words, the current government is going to investigate if making breathalysers mandatory in your car, or on your motorcycle, is a good idea.
There's very little doubt that the new law will be cancelled, since no road safety expert agrees with it. The only people who agree with the law are the stockbrokers - they ones that had stock in the breathalyzer manufacturers. In the mean time, millions of units have been sold. Can we get our money back?
| Read related articles | Saturday, August 25th, 2012 - France: Mandatory Breathalyzer Contested By Luxembourg
The mandatory breathalyzer that every motorist, including motorcycle riders, must have with them at all times when on the road has been a hot iron in a part of the French government that doesn't shine. The previous government had made it a law that all vehicles on French soil must have an "in-working-condition" unit in the vehicle (meaning if you used one, you had to have another one unused). To make matters worse, the unit had to be approved for French soil, visible by the "NF" logo. So even as a foreigner riding your motorcycle in France, you need to buy a French approved unit.
Luxembourg has gone on the attack. They have written to the current president of France, telling him that this is nonsense. This is Europe after all, and politicians over the last few decades have been trying to normalize laws and products over its borders.
If France wants to continue a law that most experts deem inappropriate, then France should allow European breathalysers, not just French ones. | Thursday, June 28th, 2012 - France: Mandatory Breathalyzers - A Conflict of Interest?
According to the very serious Sud-Ouest and Figaro newspapers, the new French law that makes it mandatory for all vehicles, cars, trucks & motorcycles, to carry an approved Breathalyzer, is starting to smell....
Most sane people, and even crazy people, are asking themselves why any government would make the carrying of Breathalyzers mandatory. If you're trying to cut down on DUI, then install ignition-disablers coupled to a Breathalyzer.
But as it would seem that the leader of these alcohol testing units, Contralco (number 1 in the manufacturing and distribution in Europe of Breathalyzers), and the organization that convinced the government that it was a great idea, I-test, have someone in common.... Mr. Daniel Orgeval, a senior executive for the constructor, and president of the second. Contralco was doing badly financially.. |
Via: Securite-Routiere.
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