Dave G Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 Just seen this on another forum: Look out for new highway code rules November 19, 2010 CYCLISTS and pedestrians have been given new rights over cars in a series of changes to the highway code in France. The rules, which take immediate effect, mean pedestrians now always have priority over cars when crossing a road. Until now, they had priority only at specially designated crossings. They need to "show a clear intention to cross" a road - described as "an ostensible step forward or a hand gesture" - and vehicles are required to stop for them. The only exception is where a designated pedestrian crossing is less than 50m away. Drivers who ignore the rules face a fine of €135 or could lose four points from their licence. The new rules also allow bicycles to skip red lights if they are turning right, but only at crossroads where there is a sign to that effect. It will be up to individual mayors to decide where this should be allowed. Also introduced in the code change is up to seven hours of obligatory training for scooter-owners who hold a Permis B driving licence, unless they have been using it for at least the past five years. This last measure comes into force in January and will be accompanied by increased spot checks and on-the-spot fines of €135 for anyone who makes changes to their scooter's speed limiter. From the Connexion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 Dave G - 2010-11-20 9:18 AM The rules, which take immediate effect, mean pedestrians now always have priority over cars when crossing a road. Until now, they had priority only at specially designated crossings. They need to "show a clear intention to cross" a road - described as "an ostensible step forward or a hand gesture" - and vehicles are required to stop for them. They must be enforcing it we noticed a marked change this year. In the past I've even been honked at when on a pedestrian crossing, French motorist's always seemed to think the road was their right of way regardless of pedestrian crossings etc. This year we were surprised to find motorist's stopping for us before we had even stepped onto a crossing, even stopping for us to cross the road where there wasn't a crossing. Gave us a bit of a shock wondered if they were allowing us on the road to get us in their sights and take aim. (lol) (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 I can only comment about France and Spain but I admire their common sense approach to these matters. In UK we have to spend £10,000s to fit an all singing, dancing crossing which is invariably in the wrong place. Our supermarket car parks have painted crossings and these are obeyed, so why cant our local authorities follow suit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 Was noticeable in France this year that the crossings are in sensible places, e.g. at a crossroad junction there is often a crossing on all 4 roads close to the junction. Like you say they put basic ones in sensible places where we put all singing & dancing ones that cost thousands in odd places often too far away from a junction to encourage people to use then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 The French have been taking notice of crossings for some years now but how the hell can this new law have anything to do with common sense. Knowing the French they will just step out in the road and you will be expected to scream to a stop, the French and common sense go as much together as tall dwarf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 Well Rubert I thought it was quite obvious what the common sense aspect was and that is not spending a fortune, which we have not grasped. Whether the French decide to use them or not is an entirely different matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 As I said the French appeared to be obeying the law this year a bit of a shock to the system. One can only assume the Gendarmes have been nicking drivers and the message has got around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scramblers Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 rupert123 - 2010-11-20 1:12 PM The French have been taking notice of crossings for some years now but how the hell can this new law have anything to do with common sense. Knowing the French they will just step out in the road and you will be expected to scream to a stop, the French and common sense go as much together as tall dwarf. "Tall Dwarf" have you never read the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett? :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 rupert123 - 2010-11-20 1:12 PM The French have been taking notice of crossings for some years now but how the hell can this new law have anything to do with common sense. Knowing the French they will just step out in the road and you will be expected to scream to a stop, the French and common sense go as much together as tall dwarf. well the French and common sense.....So a half blind unregulated and untested (eyesight/mental faculties) frog can walk out in front of my camper....I am oft to have windscreen wire mesh & bull bars fitted (illegal or not) and a click counter placed on the dash! rocking horse and brains springs to mind *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 lennyhb - 2010-11-20 3:58 PM As I said the French appeared to be obeying the law this year a bit of a shock to the system. I'll say - the big surprise here isn't the changes to their Highway Code, but the fact that they take a blind bit of notice of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James 1 Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 Can anyone clarify if this is French Road Traffic Law or merely their highway code. In the UK the Highway Code rules nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catinou Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 JudgeMental - 2010-11-20 5:30 PM rupert123 - 2010-11-20 1:12 PM The French have been taking notice of crossings for some years now but how the hell can this new law have anything to do with common sense. Knowing the French they will just step out in the road and you will be expected to scream to a stop, the French and common sense go as much together as tall dwarf. well the French and common sense.....So a half blind unregulated and untested (eyesight/mental faculties) frog can walk out in front of my camper....I am oft to have windscreen wire mesh & bull bars fitted (illegal or not) and a click counter placed on the dash! rocking horse and brains springs to mind *-) Speechless! *-) :-| *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 scramblers - 2010-11-20 5:04 PM rupert123 - 2010-11-20 1:12 PM The French have been taking notice of crossings for some years now but how the hell can this new law have anything to do with common sense. Knowing the French they will just step out in the road and you will be expected to scream to a stop, the French and common sense go as much together as tall dwarf. "Tall Dwarf" have you never read the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett? :-D No cannot stand the man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Thanks Dave G for the info, helpful to all of us heading to France. One of the responses however, appears to suggest that a certain person is returning to his anti-French crusade again! Come on Judge, get a grip and live and let live; remember no one forces you to visit France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 robertandjean - 2010-11-21 8:29 PM Thanks Dave G for the info, helpful to all of us heading to France. One of the responses however, appears to suggest that a certain person is returning to his anti-French crusade again! Come on Judge, get a grip and live and let live; remember no one forces you to visit France. dont be so poh faced and stupid...that you see no humour, then so be it, but there was a serious message behind it and I say it again for clarity: untrained and untested pedestrian with no eyesight requirements, being left to make a judgement on speed and distance. That surely is the province of the driver, trained, tested and with minimum eyesight requirements. also: expect an encrease of cars running into the back of each other when the one in front stops for no apparent reason. Rather worse will be cyclists getting run over as they don't even have a brake light to wake up the driver behind *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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