crbtaylor Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Are beam/headlight deflectors still required in France? 2012 Fiat Ducato . If so where is the best place to buy? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 yes they are but not just France-any European country that drive on the right. You can buy them on Ebay, Halfords, Ferry etc if you just want the 'stick on' ones. They are about £6. If you want the Headlight Protectors with built in deflector try this link-but beware they are not cheap! They also have them for other year models. around £50!! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-DUCATO-HEADLIGHT-PROTECTORS-BEAM-DEFLECTOR-06-to12-/390443473330?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5ae83e99b2 Mike PS don't forgrt your High viz vest & breathalyser as well :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crbtaylor Posted October 28, 2012 Author Share Posted October 28, 2012 Thankyou for the info, I had forgot about the HV vests. Also been told that Spain now require cycle helmets to be worn and they are enforcing it in some parts. Must be the tourist money collectors at work again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 crbtaylor - 2012-10-28 3:58 PM Also been told that Spain now require cycle helmets to be worn and they are enforcing it in some parts. Must be the tourist money collectors at work again!! Yes but only when you are on a bike and not whilst driving the van! There is lots of info via Google on differing requirements in different countries and it is well worth looking it up and following it to avoid expensive over sights as ignorance is no excuse to a Gendarme! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgain Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 you only need helmets on main roads,ie n roads i have been told Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 crbtaylor - 2012-10-28 3:36 PM Are beam/headlight deflectors still required in France? 2012 Fiat Ducato . If so where is the best place to buy? Thanks Unless any night driving is expected I wouldn't waste your money. That's the only time they would be noticed. Lights are required during daytime if raining but nobody will bother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Bulletguy - 2012-10-28 6:58 PM crbtaylor - 2012-10-28 3:36 PM Are beam/headlight deflectors still required in France? 2012 Fiat Ducato . If so where is the best place to buy? Thanks Unless any night driving is expected I wouldn't waste your money. That's the only time they would be noticed. Lights are required during daytime if raining but nobody will bother. The way Monsieur Plod is at the moment, I wouldn't risk it for the sake of a few quid. It is a requirement to have deflectors fitted even if not driving in darkness-ie rain. bad visibility, fog etc. What's the point in risking it? Might as well say don't have a High viz vest if you don't intend getting out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Bulletguy - 2012-10-28 6:58 PMcrbtaylor - 2012-10-28 3:36 PMAre beam/headlight deflectors still required in France? 2012 Fiat Ducato . If so where is the best place to buy? ThanksUnless any night driving is expected I wouldn't waste your money. That's the only time they would be noticed. Lights are required during daytime if raining but nobody will bother.Or driving through many of the tunnels in various parts of France and the rest of europe. I leave headlight deflectors on permantly as I am less likely to need my headlights in the UK than in the rest of Europe. Even though we only spend two months abroard each year. You can buy them for the price of a gallon of fuel, it is not worth the risk of being done whilst being away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Bulletguy - 2012-10-28 6:58 PMcrbtaylor - 2012-10-28 3:36 PMAre beam/headlight deflectors still required in France? 2012 Fiat Ducato . If so where is the best place to buy? ThanksUnless any night driving is expected I wouldn't waste your money. That's the only time they would be noticed. Lights are required during daytime if raining but nobody will bother.Or driving through many of the tunnels in various parts of France and the rest of europe. I leave headlight deflectors on permantly as I am less likely to need my headlights in the UK than in the rest of Europe. Even though we only spend two months abroard each year. You can buy them for the price of a gallon of fuel, it is not worth the risk of being done whilst being away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Bulletguy - 2012-10-28 6:58 PM crbtaylor - 2012-10-28 3:36 PM Are beam/headlight deflectors still required in France? 2012 Fiat Ducato . If so where is the best place to buy? Thanks Unless any night driving is expected I wouldn't waste your money. That's the only time they would be noticed. Lights are required during daytime if raining but nobody will bother. Not the whole story, though. Lights also required in, fog, snow, or generally poor visibility, as well as at night. Worst conditions, IMO, are late afternoon, when one of those "mothers of all thunderstorms" is brewing and the light failing prematurely. Nice, wet, shiny, road and hundreds of headlamps coming at you in the evening rush. Seems very unkind to add dazzling, LH dipping lamps, to what everyone else then has to deal with. The legal requirement is that you don't dazzle oncoming traffic, which in any case seems a basic courtesy to me. If the vehicle has lights with adjustable alignment, setting them to their lowest setting should be OK for others, but obviously useless at night. Otherwise, if it is not so equipped, the benders would be the best option. I'm a bit unconvinced by the need for protectors, as nearly all headlamp units, if not all, are now polycarbonate fronted, not glass, and the stuff is incredibly resistant to impact damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Don't forget warning triangles too! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul M Who Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I made enquirers about bean deflectors just recently at the NEC Show and was told by several MH builders that all the new Sevel based vehicles come with flat pattern headlight beams and that deflectors are not necessary as the new type beam pattern doesn't dip to the left or right. This is also the case with several new car models coming out of Europe. Some have the flat pattern beams and others have a manual mechanism that switches the beams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Paul M Who - 2012-10-29 3:21 AMI made enquirers about bean deflectors just recently at the NEC Show and was told by several MH builders that all the new Sevel based vehicles come with flat pattern headlight beams and that deflectors are not necessary as the new type beam pattern doesn't dip to the left or right. This is also the case with several new car models coming out of Europe. Some have the flat pattern beams and others have a manual mechanism that switches the beams. That may well be a possibility but do the Gendarmerie know this or do they assume that all UK regd vans will need beam deflectors. Personally for the sake of a few quid I have no wish to try and argue the point in a foreign language. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank McAuley Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Re Brian's point and polycarbonate fronts: do the "stick-on shades" not (eventually)cause damage to the surface which didn't happen with glass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldi Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Afternoon all, I stuck my beem benders on 4 years ago and haven,t taken them off yet, even for m.o.t. and I was wondering if it would damage the polycarbonate . norm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Strachan Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Just back from France, and as others have said yes you need to have beam deflectors, as well as breathalyser kit, hi, vis vest, reachable from drivers seat in Spain, and one for each passenger in Spain. replacement Bulb kit. First Aid Kit. Warning Triangle, and in Belgium a fire extinguisher probably missed something but sure the good people here will let me know! Its cold must get ferry booked to go back! Cheers Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 goldi - 2012-10-29 3:15 PM I stuck my beem benders on 4 years ago and haven,t taken them off yet, even for m.o.t. and I was wondering if it would damage the polycarbonate . Then someone isn't doing their job properly. Lighting alignment on both main and dip is an MOT failure......and yours will be angled to the right where they should be on the left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Iain Strachan - 2012-10-29 4:27 PM Just back from France, and as others have said yes you need to have beam deflectors, as well as breathalyser kit........ Iain I read on another forum where a French resident had posted about the breathalyser nonsense. Apparently when the law was introduced, there had been such a spate of panic buying they couldn't keep up with supply so the French Police had been told to give leeway until November to any motorists found without one. Apparently Sarkozy is a major shareholder of the company churning these things out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Strachan Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Hi yes that appears to be the case, but will soon be November! I was only pointing out some of the things that your meant to carry. We are just back from 9 weeks in France, and although I had beam deflectors with me they were not fitted! Just a lazy sod, me! On a previous van, I forgot to take them off, and it failed its MOT. Cheers Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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