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18 May 2013
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Reflection on French Stickers
It's a good idea. I want helmets with electroluminescent paint, or recessed LEDs.
I want a clear helmet and will put stickers on my head.
No seriously, I'm a tourer, and reflective tape on your panniers makes a huge difference. I'd happily tape my bright yellow XR1100.
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18 May 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by venture
Pongo,
That was a hard sell and an unpopular post for any number of reasons. Thanks for taking the time and going to the trouble. I hate the thought of all the crap that's come to be over the years and sometimes it's very hard to take it seriously. Most of the time it's ignore-able .. but the fines are seemingly more frequent now. In particular on coastal sides and generally closer to uk portal regions. 135 euros is better in my pocket than theirs' so cheers for the tip.
Moss
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Yep, I've just bought my reflective sticker material from ebay.
It cost a lot less than 135 euros.
I would expect Le Flic to be active on this issue around the channel ports and nearby routes if only because it is an easy violation to identify; "caught red-handed" so to speak.
I have a strip of the stuff, so any left over can go on my 4x4, or my panniers.
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19 May 2013
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Thanks Pongo for the updates, I appreciate it but don't like the thought of some of what they say.
Can you confirm my reading of the new regulations.
The helmet must have 4 retro reflective stickers placed one at front, one at back, and one on each side of the helmet.
The retro reflective stickers can each be a circle of no less than 40mm in diameter or alternatively, a rectangular area of no less than 125 square mm, with one dimension of the rectangle being at least 20mm in length. The 40mm diameter patch works out to the same area as the rectangular of 125 square millimetres.
They then go on to stipulate that the retro reflective stickers, once glued on, can not be removed without without damage to the helmet, rendering said helmet no longer approved and destined for the bin.
They also say the retro reflective stickers must 'meet' various approved tests for photometric and colourimetric effectiveness. What are the specifics for these test and how would one know from buying from ebay whether they meet the approved tests of the French authorities, would they know themselves is another question.
What I also wish to have some clarity about is where does the 180 square millimetre measurement come into the picture?
I find it hard to believe that they stipulate that the reflective patches must be so glued on, that if one were to try to remove them, one would damage one's helmet, that is stupidity to say the least. What happens for visiting motorcyclists, for example you live in Italy and you like to make a tour to the French Alps for a day or two before returning back home to Italy where there is no need for such reflective patches. How about any of the neighbouring countries where such a rule is non-existent, in terms of non-removable reflective stickers. Is there any scope for visitors then to simply have removable patches?
Can anyone post any diagrams or suggestions to ebay links for approved retro reflective stickers.
_____
Paul
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19 May 2013
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Liberte, egalite, refectivite! 
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19 May 2013
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Paul:
I suspect that the statement "the retro reflective stickers, once glued on, can not be removed without without damage to the helmet" is a poorly worded attempt to disqualify stickers that can be easily removed and replaced, for example, a sticker that clings to the helmet by static cling or temporary adhesive.
In other words, my guess is that as long as it appears that the stickers have a reasonably permanent adhesive, and do not appear to be designed to be repeatedly removed and replaced, the intent of the regulation will be met.
Michael
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19 May 2013
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ok I found a soloution
Just a thought? Does this mean daylight hours too? Or just effectively a requirement for night time. ( dark or bad vis. )
Just ride through France during daylight hours! 
That will save us all forking out on 99p worth of stickers 
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20 May 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by g6snl
Just a thought? Does this mean daylight hours too? Or just effectively a requirement for night time. ( dark or bad vis. )
Just ride through France during daylight hours!
That will save us all forking out on 99p worth of stickers |
If it does, then it hardly meets the requirement to be stuck on such that the helmet is destroyed by trying to remove them; so at dusk the stickers are applied and removed again at dawn, each and every day (which reminds me of all that nonsense about tinted visors and their use during hours of darkness).
My standard of French could not explain that to the bobbies.
By the way, the stuff I bought is 25 mm (1 inch) wide and the metric measurements given in the earlier post (thanks for them) equate to 1 inch x 2 inch in good old imperial sizes.
I bought a metre length of it for just over £1.
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20 May 2013
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Walkabout wrote:
Quote:
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I bought a metre length of it for just over £1.
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Care to share at all what you got then and where, rather than what it cost?
Or does anyone have any guideline for what is approved, and like I asked, any links. Have 5 weeks before I land back in France, I don't want a fine.
Like what Sala5000 says, I might program an Arduino to flash a bunch of LEDs and look a right twit. The reflective patch is going to be twit feature enough.
_____
Paul
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20 May 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rockwallaby
Walkabout wrote:
Care to share at all what you got then and where, rather than what it cost?
Or does anyone have any guideline for what is approved, and like I asked, any links. Have 5 weeks before I land back in France, I don't want a fine.
Like what Sala5000 says, I might program an Arduino to flash a bunch of LEDs and look a right twit. The reflective patch is going to be twit feature enough.
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Paul
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There is shed loads of it on UK ebay; I thought I had said that, but anyway that's where it is. It is even being advertised for motorcycling helmets - obviously, the sales folks are aware of this French law!
I got more or less the first bit of reflective stuff I saw advertised; for me it is all bluff - so long as it looks right Le Flic will go after someone else!!
I shined a flashlight at it in semi-dark and it does reflect pretty well.
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20 May 2013
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Walkabout wrote:
Quote:
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There is shed loads of it on UK ebay; I thought I had said that, but anyway that's where it is.
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Great, thanks, I'll do a search, might need to buy it from ebay.uk and have it posted to France and have it waiting for me.
I agree it could a fair amount of bluff, though I'm not about to test that theory by trying without it.
I'm still interested to know how neighbouring countries likek Italy, Switzerland and others, how coming from there on motorcycle for a scoot across into France will be received by 'Le Flic'?
_____
Paul
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21 May 2013
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Has anyone found any stickers yet which look permanent but can actually be removed afterwards? The ones I've seen on eBay all say they can't be removed once fitted.
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21 May 2013
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Has anyone heard of any fines issued? We will be going through in a week or so, but heading straight to Belgium. probably only spend a few hours on the road in France...
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6 Jun 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pumbaa
Has anyone heard of any fines issued?
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Never heard of a one.
Never seen a French guy with them on either and deffo not the moped riders.
Don't fret about it.
John
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6 Jun 2013
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I'm happy enough to out stickers on the lid. If I have a fall I don't fancy passing traffic mistaking my head for a hedgehog. I'm less enamoured about stickers that destroy the helmet if removed. Can't see the point in that
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6 Jun 2013
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Improvise
Quote:
Originally Posted by mustaphapint
Has anyone found any stickers yet which look permanent but can actually be removed afterwards? The ones I've seen on eBay all say they can't be removed once fitted.
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I suggest that you leave the sticky material covered up with the original backing material and attach the reflectors with, say, double sided tape; that should come off when ever you wish and nor should it affect the helmet finish.
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