True, but we have never had them on ours as we buy helmets in the UK, no VAT on helmets in the UK! In 11 years we have never been asked about them. I would be very surprised if a French cop could insist on this for a fully legal UK registered bike with the rider wearing a UK legal helmet and just visiting France, but my background make me question everything.
Sounds like you have to glow like the ready brek kid to ride in France still it's not going to put me off
Same shop as the bike - Shoei helmet reduced from €559 to €247. Ended up getting Jacket, Helmet & Gloves all for the original helmet price plus a fiver.
And there it is, Sod's law, you live there 11 years trouble free and I had 3 fails during January last year. I've had a toll booth not take a card. Might just have been the card or reader but resorted to other card. I'm usually in a car or van driving the length France and or Spain once or twice a year. At least once during last couple of years I've stopped to refuel and card hasn't worked in pump, then been asked to pay up front inside and to guess the amount I'd like. Other thing I like is having the backup/security and purchase protection (including the 'fuckitiwantoneofthose' moments) a credit card provides. Unplanned stops in hotels, flights home, tyres, chain, helmet, random extravagance.
I like those things too. I obviously budgeted better in my life though as I retired at 45 and can do all of that without credit. The UK lives on credit and as far as I know there is no such thing as a credit card here in France. I tend to live by the motto "if you cannot afford it then don't buy it", perhaps that is one reason that I managed to retire early. I am not lucky as anyone could have made the choices in life that I did.
I will also echo some of the above, We did the Euro trip for the 1st time from London to Spa (Belgium not Leamington Spa) and we did the credit card and debit card thing. I bank with Barclays by the way. The charges for converting to EUR from sterling were horrendous. From both debit and Credit card. Albeit, debit was worse (marginally) Totally annoyed at that. The 2nd Euro trip i got myself a EURO denominated pre paid card that i could top up wherever i was on the continent and took a nice amount of cash with me also. This was most cost effective. Now I know that some dont like to carry cash. But for me this was the most cost effective to not be stung at each transaction with charges. Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps.
The bullfrog sitting on his lilypad tells the young tadpoles, I am not lucky as anyone could have made the choices in life that I did. The tadpoles respond, That's easy for you to say but in reality not one in a hundred of us tadpoles will survive and grow up to be a bullfrog with our own lilypad.
Or you could say: The tadpoles respond, That's easy for you to say but in reality many of us can not be bothered to look around and see what is the safest thing to do as that is boring, so we will carry on as we are without ambition. Words can be used to say anything.
LOL. "Anyone could have done the same thing I did. If they only tried hard enough." I'm reassured that I could have been Lionel Messi, Martina Navratilova AND Elizabeth Windsor, if only I had tried. Heh.
Me, last few trips I've avoided the dreaded credit / debit card charges by using a Euro pre-paid card from the travel agent. Load it up with Euro before you go, can top it up over the phone if necessary and then if you've owt left just convert it to sterling when you're back. Accepted 99% of the places I've been when in France / Italy. Think they're not that widely used, maybe its 'cos not everyone knows about them but I've found it to be hassle free.
Be careful with Amex as a LOT of places in Europe won't take them (as they charge the business a higher commission). I'd definitely recommend taking a Debit AND a credit card as backup. If you just have one and someone won't take it for whatever reason it's a pain. Sounds like the Hi-viz vest is so cheap and easy it'd be silly not to take one though, in 20+ years of touring Europe, I've never taken ANY of that supposedly compulsory sh1t and never had a problem. Don't bother with the hi-viz helmet stickers, they're widely ignored. Beware the new tougher speeding policy in France these days. More than 40kmh over the speed limit and you're in deep do-do. Again, (touch wood) I've ever had a problem but the horror stories are out there. Try and learn 10 words of French before you go, even if it's only Hello, please, thank-you, and I'm sorry, I don't speak French, do you speak english please? The French LOVE you if you at least try to speak a little Francais, even if it's crap! (Mine is!) The numbers 1-10 are also handy to know at the the big petrol stations as sometimes the cashier can't see which pump you came from and needs a number. Other than that, don't worry too much and ENJOY France It's a great country.
I meant to add that the charges are higher on a debit card as some have already pointed out so I use a credit card as well but if you don't have a credit card and don't want one it shouldn't be a problem
Beware when using cards for tolls.Sometimes the automatic booths that take cards will charge you a car rate rather than a bike rate. If on a bike try and use the manned booths. Just check the class of vehicle that comes up on the screen when paying to be sure.
Are they still doing that? Definitely used to be the case but recently I'm only seeing completely unmanned Toll stations. I check the rate and they seem to know what kind of vehicle I'm on...I guess they weigh the vehicle or have some automatic means of detecting? I agree though, when in doubt, and when a manned booth is available, definitely use that one!
Got charged for a car when travelling through France to Germany last September. Generally though the correct charge is applied.
All the above is great advice, my only bit is make sure you let your bank know you are going abroad. First time I went to use mine a couple of years ago, it was stopped as they thought someone had scammed it. Ended up using my mates cash but got it sorted next day. My bank was Lloyds but most of all enjoy it, we love biking abroad and are doing the WW2 tour later this year and a run down to Cognac, house hunting.
