France requires bikers carry high-vis vests
Planning a French tour in 2016? Don't forget to pack a yellow bib
BIKERS in France will be required by law to carry a high visibility jacket or face a fine of up to a 135 €.
From January 1, 2016 French police can demand bikers show a yellow bib (or gilet jaune as it might be barked) with failure punishable by an 11 € fine, escalating to nearly £100 during a breakdown.
Contrary to rumours, there is no obligation in the decree to wear the vest at all times, only to carry it on the bike or person.
High visibility jackets, shirts, vests and bibs carrying a CE mark for luminosity will all be accepted but simple reflective armbands or stripes will not.
British bikers planning a continental tour will not be exempt from the requirement - so don't expect a few jumbled phrases in Franglais to be met with any more than a Gallic shrug and a lighter wallet.
Motorcycle lobby group Federation Francaise des Motards en Colere (FFMC) has argued bikers are more likely to get injured at the roadside as they waste time retrieving the jacket from under a seat or top box.
For years car drivers in France have been required to carry a high vis vest so the law change closes this gap. Of course, it's much easier to stuff an unsightly bib under a car seat and forget about it; bikers will face a quandary between sacrificing precious luggage space or actually wearing the bib!
