We will be going to France in our Octavia in June this year. It is the first time that we have taken the car abroad since Brexit. I know that the rules have changed and that I need a "UK" sticker on the rear of the car and not "GB". I currently have front and rear number plates with "EU" and the ring of stars on them. What I cannot find out is if I cover the current "EU" part of my number plates with a sticker e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/294428739888 then do I still need a "UK" oval sticker, for which I cannot find the minimum size of, on the back of the car?

 

I am taking our push bikes on a tow bar mounted carrier so if I do need a separate "GB" sticker then I will have to find a way to attach one to the rear of the bike carrier as the bikes would obscure one on the back of the car.

 

Does anybody have any experience of whether the number plate stickers are accepted in France by the Gendarmerie?

According to this you can just put a UK number plate sticker over the EU stars part of your number plate.... 

 

https://www.gov.uk/displaying-number-plates/flags-identifiers-and-stickers

I had read that but I am uncertain whether it meant that the "UK" and flag had to be printed at the same time as the number plate or that they could be added later.

 

As you know most number plates are clear plastic with a printed adhesive sheet on the back. Sticking a sticker on the front of the plate would not be so durable but should last for the holiday unless someone was intent on removing it.

7 hours ago, Liger1956 said:

We will be going to France in our Octavia in June this year. It is the first time that we have taken the car abroad since Brexit. I know that the rules have changed and that I need a "UK" sticker on the rear of the car and not "GB". I currently have front and rear number plates with "EU" and the ring of stars on them. What I cannot find out is if I cover the current "EU" part of my number plates with a sticker e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/294428739888 then do I still need a "UK" oval sticker, for which I cannot find the minimum size of, on the back of the car?

 

I am taking our push bikes on a tow bar mounted carrier so if I do need a separate "GB" sticker then I will have to find a way to attach one to the rear of the bike carrier as the bikes would obscure one on the back of the car.

 

Does anybody have any experience of whether the number plate stickers are accepted in France by the Gendarmerie?

 

Yes, not a single one of them will give a flying Four-X 😆 whether you have any stickers at all or what they display.

 

It's simply something that people who like to worry and jump through hoops become obsessed with.

 

Same goes for spare bulb sets, beam deflectors, reflective gilets, breath test kits, spare eyeglasses, speed alerts on satnavs etc etc etc.

 

Sticking to the speed limits especially the average speed camera areas, now that is something worth being concerned about.

 

Priorité à droite, now that really is something to be very very aware of, at best it could cost you a lot of money, at worst a wrecked car, hospitalisation or worse still yet that gets so little attention compared to silly rules that are never enforced.

Edited 28 March, 20233 yr by J.R.

31 minutes ago, J.R. said:

 

Yes, not a single one of them will give a flying Four-X 😆 whether you have any stickers at all or what they display.

 

It's simply something that people who like to worry and jump through hoops become obsessed with.

 

Same goes for spare bulb sets, beam deflectors, reflective gilets, breath test kits, spare eyeglasses, speed alerts on satnavs etc etc etc.

 

Sticking to the speed limits especially the average speed camera areas, now that is something worth being concerned about.

 

Priorité à droite, now that really is something to be very very aware of, at best it could cost you a lot of money, at worst a wrecked car, hospitalisation or worse still yet that gets so little attention compared to silly rules that are never enforced.

 

You failed to mention that it's worth abiding by the local regulations. If, in the unlikely event he's stopped for whatever reason, the police decided to carry out further checks, he could be prosecuted by a disgruntled cop for not carrying the required kit. 

 

Now the UK has left the EU, are speed cam database info still shared in order to collect fines? I genuinely don't know. 

 

Also, what's 'Prioité à droite' for those of us who don't speak Franglais?

2 hours ago, @Lee said:

Also, what's 'Prioité à droite' for those of us who don't speak Franglais?

 

Something that you should learn about if you're planning on driving in France.   Actually, it'd be a good idea to learn a considerable more French as well.  Who knows, you might actually enjoy talking to the locals....😄

 

However, in the meantime.... https://www.drive-france.com/faqs/get-your-priorities-right/

 

8 hours ago, @Lee said:

Also, what's 'Prioité à droite' for those of us who don't speak Franglais?

 

6 hours ago, Schtum said:

 

Something that you should learn about if you're planning on driving in France.   Actually, it'd be a good idea to learn a considerable more French as well.  Who knows, you might actually enjoy talking to the locals....😄

 

However, in the meantime.... https://www.drive-france.com/faqs/get-your-priorities-right/

There's a very confusing example of prioité à droite on the riverside road in Amboise - you're happily driving along the riverside road when suddenly one of the side turnings coming out of the town centre has prioité à droite so you have give way lines in front of you! Always keep your eyes open and expect the unexpected!!!

Edited 29 March, 20233 yr by PetrolDave

9 hours ago, Liger1956 said:

I had read that but I am uncertain whether it meant that the "UK" and flag had to be printed at the same time as the number plate or that they could be added later.

 

As you know most number plates are clear plastic with a printed adhesive sheet on the back. Sticking a sticker on the front of the plate would not be so durable but should last for the holiday unless someone was intent on removing it.

 

If it were me i'd just go with the sticker and not worry about the intricacies of number plate manufacturing or the risk of the sticker peeling off.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

 

JR - I am one of those worriers who wants to do thing right and minimise the risk of getting stopped and an on the spot fine. I even still have 2 breathalysers in my glove box even though the law is not enforced and they will be out of date by now. I am also very careful driving abroad and always obey the speed limits and look for people approaching from the right without stopping especially on roundabouts and from farm tracks.

 

I think that I will buy some stickers for my number plates as that is the neatest solution and appears to be legal. However I may also (belt and braces) get an oval UK sticker just in case and because some European countries still require one.

47 minutes ago, Liger1956 said:

However I may also (belt and braces) get an oval UK sticker just in case and because some European countries still require one.

I've been taking my vehicles, motorhomes and cars, to Europe for many years and ever since the number plate marking was introduced I've never had an oval sticker or been stopped/asked for not having one?

11 hours ago, J.R. said:

 

Priorité à droite, now that really is something to be very very aware of, at best it could cost you a lot of money, at worst a wrecked car, hospitalisation or worse still yet that gets so little attention compared to silly rules that are never enforced.

 

 

Indeed - I have a friend who has lived and worked in France for many years and is married to a French lady but still got caught out by this - his car was written off and it was deemed his fault when a 'local' exited a T-Junction from the right in a Priorite a Droite area.  He had no sightline to the junction so was unaware of the local approaching the junction and, when the other vehicle emerged it was far too late for him to stop, or avoid them...

3 hours ago, PetrolDave said:

 

There's a very confusing example of prioité à droite on the riverside road in Amboise - you're happily driving along the riverside road when suddenly one of the side turnings coming out of the town centre has prioité à droite so you have give way lines in front of you! Always keep your eyes open and expect the unexpected!!!

That is not a PàD but either a Stop! or a Cédez le Passage! (give way) if it has lines, it is a changement de priorité  and will probably be accompanied by a sign saying just that, the reason for the change will be that the previous PàD was not recognised by too many drivers and there had been accidents.

 

This is not having a go but I am going to use your words as they describe the ignorance of PàD to most foreign motorists very well and I include myself in that, it took me several years living here for it to finally sink in an all its detail and even now I still get caught out.

 

"you're happily driving along the riverside road when suddenly one of the side turnings coming out of the town centre has prioité à droite"

 

That is exactly what people do, they assume that because they are on a straight main road that traffic from side roads have to give way, that is not the case, nor will you have a sign telling you to stop as you mention above (that wasn't a PàD), you have to slow down and look very carefully at every single road joining from the right for evidence of a solid white line telling them to stop (which will likely be worn through and practically invisible) or be able to see their Stop! sign 25m before the junction which most of the time is obscured by trees or buildings.

 

If you see any of these then you can continue without slowing down and being prepared to do an emergency stop should a vehicle or cyclist take "their road" from the right, because having priority means it is their road, you may be on a large Route Nationale long and straight, a Roman road but if the single farm track on the right has priorité then your road effectively ends with a Stop! (but no sign) at that junction, think of it as you joining another road on a bend of infinite radius at a tangent which of course is geometrically impossible.

 

PàD applies everywhere unless there are signs indicating otherwise,  even I rarely notice them and when I do the danger is I may have missed the second one showing the end of the deristricted zone, you have to drive constantly watching for any roads to the right and trying to see if they have Stop! markings or signs, in towns where there are buildings right up to the footpath & you know that its a PàD or cant see the markings you have to slow right down to walking pace to avoid an accident when a car hidden from view takes their priorité and 99% do unless they have in the past been T-boned by a holidaymaker.

 

I am blind in the left eye, on some junctions where I take my PàD at an acute angle I cannot see if a vehicle is approaching and going to griller le stop I just say Inshallah and drive straight through without even turning my head like most French drivers do.

Edited 29 March, 20233 yr by J.R.

12 hours ago, @Lee said:

 

You failed to mention that it's worth abiding by the local regulations. If, in the unlikely event he's stopped for whatever reason, the police decided to carry out further checks, he could be prosecuted by a disgruntled cop for not carrying the required kit. 

 

That only happens in fantasyland, they have far more important things to do, do you know what the fine is for not having an alcotester? Zero, Nada, Zilch! How many people have been prosecuted for not carrying a gilet jaune? Same answer.

 

Laws don't need to be enforced in France because 99.9% of the population will be compliant, 15 years after the politicians mates filled their boots selling gilet jaunes some people still have them over their seat backs for fear of being stopped.

12 hours ago, @Lee said:

 

Now the UK has left the EU, are speed cam database info still shared in order to collect fines? I genuinely don't know. 

 

Shared but only with the UK giving up the details of registered keepers to EU countries, not the other way round in the case of France, I dont know aboy the other EU countries, the situation is unchanged since before Brexit but the UK could choose to not disclose the info.

12 hours ago, @Lee said:

 

Also, what's 'Prioité à droite' for those of us who don't speak Franglais?

 

Its not Franglais and its the wording motorists will see on the signs, its described in subsequent posts, it doesn't really translate (in terms os its importance) and is a good example of something that you should not try to translate.

9 hours ago, Schtum said:

 

Something that you should learn about if you're planning on driving in France.   Actually, it'd be a good idea to learn a considerable more French as well.  Who knows, you might actually enjoy talking to the locals....😄

 

However, in the meantime.... https://www.drive-france.com/faqs/get-your-priorities-right/

 

I've no reason to learn French though I do admire the way they stand up for themselves.

So it's the same traffic law that applies in lots of countries including Germany where I am. Here it's known as 'rechts vor links' or 'right before left'.

Many roundabouts are still priorité à droite the most famous being le rond-point de la place de l'Étoile à Paris, if there are no markings or signs it is PàD, in a legal sense its not a rond point but a carrefour à sens giratoire, it will look like any other roundabout to an unwary visitor or anyone but a local.

Links and Rechts I know in German from ordering headlights and other car parts!!!!