French Breath Test Kits

[donna miller]

Cheers Mike & Bruce, we were au fait with the hi viz and usually wear them anyway, twas just the new blow box law.

[Guest peter]

JudgeMental - 2012-05-31 9:14 AM

 

Oh! whats an A frame?

It's different regarding A frames. If you have one attached to your van, you have to carry 4 breathalysers. :D

[Derek Uzzell]

Mike B. - 2012-05-31 4:38 PM

 

pelmetman - 2012-05-31 4:05 PM

 

Where are they in the supermarket?...........had a look today in Forges les Eaux could'nt see them in the car section or the chemist bit :-S

 

 

Can't you ask the staff store? Where eeez the brethalizeeeeeeeeeeeeeer? :-D

 

That would do you the world of good - not!

 

Try

 

"Où sont les éthylotests s'il vous plaît?"

 

or

 

"Vendez-vous des éthylotests s'il vous plaît?"

 

As carriage of a breathalyser in a vehicle is not mandatory until 1 July, and motorists won't (or should not) be fined for non-carriage until 1 November, it's likely that smaller chemists/retail outlets won't be bothering to stock breathalysers yet or, if they've stocked them but only in small quantities, that they will have sold out.

[crinklystarfish]

Your advice is usually spot on Derek but I just tried this in Halfords in Rotherham and they just looked at me blankly.

More pointedly, this has thrown up a bit of a cautionary issue for me. I have, until now, cycled through France with a naive attitude, enjoying the much enhanced courtesy shown by motorists when compared to the predominant UK attitude of utter contempt.

I hadn't realised they were being so careful because they were aiming with one drunken eye and trying not to attract the attention of the police.

I genuinely had no idea drink-driving was an issue there and will certainly be on the defensive a bit more now.

[flicka]

Archiesgrandad - 2012-05-31 12:39 PM

 

Re "What's a A frame?", surely the real question should be " can you fit a generator on an A frame?

 

AGD

 

Sure can AGD, it's already fitted to the toad & called the Alternator (lol) (lol)

[Losos]

kelly58 - 2012-05-30 9:08 AMThe one's in the travel shop at Folkstone Eurotunnel are £ 6.99

Yes, I know, there was a minor delay on my crossing (Something that I've never had before) so I went into the shopping area (Also something I never normally do!) came out seven quid lighter!!! Still at least it's 'twin' pack, instructions in English, and a three year 'use by' date, still wish I hadn't gone in there lol!!!

 

[Losos]

Derek Uzzell - 2012-05-30 11:21 AMThe idea (in principle) behind the 2-pack is that a motorist can test himself/herself with one of the two breathalysers, but still comply with the French 'must carry' law because the other breathalyser remains in a sealed condition.

Oh God Derek, that's made me feel even worse now ha ha since I pretty much know that neither of my two will ever be used !!! Still I suppose it gives me the opportunity to be a 'good samaritan' and give one to a neighbour who may be in need lol!!!!

 

[Guest pelmetman]

Derek Uzzell - 2012-06-01 8:12 AM

 

Mike B. - 2012-05-31 4:38 PM

 

pelmetman - 2012-05-31 4:05 PM

 

Where are they in the supermarket?...........had a look today in Forges les Eaux could'nt see them in the car section or the chemist bit :-S

 

 

Can't you ask the staff store? Where eeez the brethalizeeeeeeeeeeeeeer? :-D

 

That would do you the world of good - not!

 

Try

 

"Où sont les éthylotests s'il vous plaît?"

 

or

 

"Vendez-vous des éthylotests s'il vous plaît?"

 

As carriage of a breathalyser in a vehicle is not mandatory until 1 July, and motorists won't (or should not) be fined for non-carriage until 1 November, it's likely that smaller chemists/retail outlets won't be bothering to stock breathalysers yet or, if they've stocked them but only in small quantities, that they will have sold out.

 

Trapped an assistant in Cite de Europe....

 

I said "parle vou onglais"......."Yes a little bit".....was the reply......"good"....I said...".do you have any Breathalyzers?"......

 

"No all finished"... *-)

[Derek Uzzell]

There's a piece here

 

http://www.ethylotest.org/?p=456

 

suggesting that the French breathalyser manufacturer "Contralco"

 

http://www.contralco.fr/gb/Contralco_ethylotest.php

 

has been unable to meet demand. Now there's a surprise!

 

Suggested sources for buying breathalysers in France are

 

Supermarkets, hypermarkets

Specialised motoring centres (eg. Feu Vert, Norauto, Maxauto,…)

Vehicle service-stations

Pharmacies

On-line retailers

 

[Retread24800]

Thinking of buying a couple myself here in France Profonde, asked my neighbour where he bought his.

"Sorry, I haven't bought any yet"

"But the new law?"

"Oui, But the fines do not apply till Novembre so............." ;-)

 

[nowtelse2do]

Is anyone surprised..???........This is from THE CONNEXTION a English language French Paper today Wed 27th June.

..............................................................................................

 

Controversy surrounds the new breath test law on July 1st which forces drivers to carry breathalysers in each vehicle or face a 11 euro fine (from 1st of November)

 

Drivers' groups have been protesting for some time that the law was pushed through by Interior Minister Claude Gueant and the Sarkozy government under pressure from a road safety group, I-Test-whose president is a senior executive with the No1 manufacturer of breath testing equipment, Contriaco.

 

Now major news media have picked up on the story, with RTL and SUD QUEST asking if there has not been a conflict of interest.

 

I-Test president Daniel Orgeval is head of training at Contriaco and the Herault company had been in poor financial health for some time until the law was brought in.

 

Now the new law- which recognises only equipment meeting the Norme Franciase standard-has meant an immediate boost as it opens a domestic market of 46 million motorists and two-wheel users.

 

Contriaco has now taken on 100 staff last year on the back of demand for 5 million tests per month-and now employes 174. It and South African company Red Line Products are the only two companies that meet the NF standard. Contriaco has 78% of the market.

 

However, they are failing to meet demand, with shops across France reporting they have run out of supplies. Earlier this month, French customs officers seized 19.500 fake Chinese breathalyser's at Charles de Gaulle airport, Marseille and Lyon.

 

Orgeval himself said when contacted by SUD Quest, "No, I don't spend my weekends with Cluade Gueant,. I was just very convincing in front of the MP's."

 

He added that he had been involved with road safety for 30yrs and said I-Test was not unusual in having industry representatives on board.

 

 

.......................................................................................................................

 

I have been on another Forum, and someone has reported that these kit's can be has much as 30% wrong, but it had not been verified.

 

I wonder if these were the Chinese ones (lol) (lol)

 

Dave

[Derek Uzzell]

On Page 2 of this earlier thread

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=26986&start=31

 

I mentioned (5 May 2012) that a 2008 French test had criticised the Redline single-use breathalyser for its inaccuracy (it significantly under-read, which is hardly a good thing for a breathalyser!)

 

Regarding availability of these products, when I travelled to France on June 10, twin-packs of English-language labelled, NF-marked breathalysers were readily available (£5.99) in the ferry-boat's 'book shop'.

 

I obtained a twin-pack of Redline breathalysers from a Carrefour for €2.20 (make sure to check the expiry date) and I noted that a newsagent was selling individual breathalysers for €1.50 (don't know the make). Another Carrefour had been out of stock and there have been plenty of reports on-line of supply in France failing to keep up with demand.