France hazards

[Red Mick]

One of the main hazards encountered in France was the French drivers' reluctance to use indicators on roundabouts, which made it a bit of a guessing game. :bang:





Mind you the biggest hazard has to be female cyclists in mini-skirts ;) ;) ;) :blush: :blush: :blush:

[Excalibur]

Ah I see you couldn't see the Flashers FOR the Flashers ...

:D

[ruk]

Do French cars actually have indicators:dunno: :dunno: 'cos you're right, they never ever use them:t :beer:

[Bug U]

Roundabouts are still relatively new in France in general.

[Yeller]

as are indicators, i believe!!!:}

[Flat Eric]

Do they still have the law where if you are on a r/a you have to give way to drivers wanting to join the r/a from the left....

[Red Mick]

No, all roundabouts are now signed Cedez le Passage to drivers entering.

[fudge]

Originally posted by Flat Eric
Do they still have the law where if you are on a r/a you have to give way to drivers wanting to join the r/a from the left....

I may be missing summat: on an anticlockwise roundabout, how do you join from the left? Surely once you're on the thing, all traffic entres from the right? :dunno:

[gomez]

That reminds me of when my friend took her CBT. The instructor drew a picture of a roundabout with four exits on it and asked her how many left turns there were. She replied "They are *all* left turns", which made the guy, who that day happened to be assessing the instructor [1], chuckle, and left the instructor looking puzzled. :D

Stuart

[1] Usually its two students to an instructor. My friend had one student to *two* instructors.

[Dee Duble Yuh]

Originally posted by Red Mick
No, all roundabouts are now signed Cedez le Passage to drivers entering. In large cities you might come across some where priority is given to traffic entering (from the right!) La Place de la République seems to work that way.

In fact that rule seems to work well on large roundabouts... On the other hand, the Arc de Triomphe (Place de L'étoile) operates on that rule too, so maybe it's not such a good idea after all! :eek:

[Red Mick]

Originally posted by Dee Duble Yuh
... On the other hand, the Arc de Triomphe (Place de L'étoile) operates on that rule too, so maybe it's not such a good idea after all! :eek:

In Paris, I thought it was everyman for themselves :eek: :eek:

[IanSound]

There are several aspects of the French and their driving habits! Roundabouts and indicators is certainly one!! The prevailing rule seems to be 'if you can get into the flow without being hit you do'!! Merging I think they call it!! Indicators are for the 'roast beefs'!!
The other overiding factor is there politness to bikes and bikers in traffic. If you are making your way down the centre of two lanes, they will invariably make room for the bike!! The same goes on a single lane road when you are on the outside, room is made for you to go past without traversing the white line!! The French way of saying thank you is to lift your right foot off the peg and give a little dip/waggle! I was ammazed when I followed a French biker past a queue of slow moving traffic! Wiggle wiggle all the way!! The French do regard bikers with respect and courtesy, which deserves thanks and praise.
On the otherhand the attitude of car drivers overtaking into blind bends leaves me speechless! Corner coming up, car in front MUST overtake!! It's in their genes!!

I found their Gendames very friendly, had a long chat with a couple in a Aire de Repos about BMW and Honda bikes, their BMW's were immaculate!!

And beware, I saw far more radar traps this trip than ever before!! Mostly in towns and the outskirts They do have a serious problem with road deaths which the government has pledged to reduce! Something to do with overtaking into blind bends!!!

Ian, I'm of again in August!

[Flat Eric]

Originally posted by fudge
I may be missing summat: on an anticlockwise roundabout, how do you join from the left? Surely once you're on the thing, all traffic entres from the right? :dunno:


Picky, picky picky....:}

[Pie Eater]

Closed for Lunch !!!

Don't forget that thinking you'll fill up in a few hours (i.e. at lunchtime) is a bad idea if you like to get away from the beaten track.

In those little out of the way places even the petrol stations close for very long lunches.

I also remember that we encountered an inordinate amount of gravel on the back roads last year. And boy do they know how to shovel it onto the corners !!!!

Have fun.

[Bucks02]

There are a couple of pages of riding tips about France and Group Riding at this URL below..

It mentions the worst hazard of all, gravel, which the French spread liberally on B roads (the twistie ones) for annual road maintenance. This is highlighted by a stupid little temporary roadsign (if you notice it).


Touring Europe Site (http://www.touringeurope.org)