Latest News   12th January 2012

Is your Sat’ Nav’ or GPS system legal?

All owners of popular brand Sat’ Nav’ or GPS systems in their motor vehicles should be aware that following new legislation, Decree nº 2012-3 of 3rd January 2012, if you are using such equipment it is now illegal in France if it alerts the driver to the locations of either fixed or mobile radar positions whilst driving. Now, it must, in France, only alert drivers to “danger zones.”

The French producers and providers of such Sat’ Nav’ and GPS equipment set up the AFFTAC, Association Française des Fournisseurs et utiliseurs de Technologies d’Aide à la Conduite, in May 2011 and their website www.afftac.fr  provides, in French, details of the actions they, as producers, have taken to influence, and then conform with, the new legislation. 

Quite how the authorities will police this new legislation is not clear, however the fine proposed for being caught with a system that is still actively alerting the driver to radar locations will be 1500€ and the offence does carry a very definite 6 point penalty. 

All equipment currently available across Europe at retail outlets, or supplied as an in-car original equipment navigation system, should now conform to the new French legislation, providing just details of the “danger zones” in France instead of the speed camera locations. It is the older equipment already in use that will fall foul of the law unless recalibrated. Owners of such equipment can obtain from the website of their equipment manufacturer instructions on how to change and update it to conform. Most of the instructions I have read are simple to follow, which means it will be equally as simple for the police who stop you to discover whether such a facility is “enabled” or “disabled.”

It is very important to remember to advise your family and friends who may be visiting from the UK, and either bring their vehicles over or transfer their equipment from their own vehicles into a hire car, that they ARE SUBJECT to the new legislation. The fact that they have UK sourced equipment does not relieve them of the obligation to conform to the new French legislation. In fact, any of your visitors, from whatever country, ought to be made aware of the changes. All the UK manufacturers of such equipment are aware of the new legislation and they do, from my investigations, provide adequate online guidance on how to make UK equipment conform.

Staying with motoring law, you should also note that using a hand held mobile phone now attracts an on the spot 130€ fine and 3 points for your licence. If you must watch a film on your laptop or tablet, as you drive, that now attracts a similar 1500€ fine to the radar warning penalty, however only an increase in points from 2 to 3 for your licence! 

New Minimum Wage

For those of you who are still earning a living some good news is that the minimum wage from 1st January 2012 has risen to 9.22€ an hour. Or for those of you on a monthly contract that equates to 1,398€ a month.

Ryanair Baggage Charges

Ryanair have amended their baggage charges from the 5th January 2012 and full details are available at their website www.ryanair.com however just to provide some idea of their new charges, The first bag if 15kg max in weight will cost you 15€ in low season, and 25€ in high season, but those charges are subject to your flight destination. If you chose to travel with a 20kg bag then 25€ in low season and 35€, again subject to destination sur-charges. Those prices are based on internet booking, buy your ticket at a call centre or the airport and those prices jump to 60€/100€ for the 15kg bag and 75€/105€ for the 20kg bag. Turn up with an over weight bag and it is an additional 20€ per Kg up to a maximum weight of 32Kg after that the bag is to heavy to fly. 


Homepage photograph

For the first time in more years than we care to remember, or admit to, we had no family or friends for Christmas. The usual food and drink bill was drastically reduced and the cost of presents also likewise. Internet shopping was employed for all presents and a certain UK online card provider used for immediate family cards. So that meant early Christmas Day afternoon with only ourselves to please, St Tropez bathed in the beautiful warm sunshine and no breeze worth mentioning, was our destination. Many looking at the homepage picture will recognise the view as you stroll from the large quayside car park. Strolling around the town without its normal crowds of tourists enabled photos to be taken without strange faces or those disappearing backsides somehow being evident. Bliss. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL IN 2012