Here you go, Mike.

Nae bother.

.

So it's as well to carry an unused breathalyzer. Many French people carry two, just in case they are asked to use one of them on their journey from their home to where ever. Presumably they get a note from the flic if they are stopped to cover them for that day otherwise one would have to carry a box full just in case.

We always carry two.

Randa

We always carry two alco testers but have no intention of ever using them.

Don't forgot your high-viz jackets that must be kept inside the car and be put on before exiting in the case of a collision or emergency.

Assuming that you are talking about the alco testers and not the jackets, the problem is that there have been so many conflicting and confusing reports about what the French police do and don't require that no one over here can have any confidence they are doing the right thing, hence our carrying them. Whether they work or not is irrelevant.

Having been breathalysed by Monsieur Plod on a previous trip I'm not keen to give him any excuse to pick on me again.

Can you provide a link to any authoritative French source that states categorically that testers are not required?

Good point, Kay. This is the AA's current advice. Driving in France

I've just checked my alco testers and they expired in 2014.

Just an observation, but why do we Brits slavishly obey all the petty Continental road traffic regulations?

Has anyone ever seen a left-hand drive, Continental-registered car on British roads equipped with headlamp beam deflectors?

I haven't.

I can even remember removing the headlamp bulbs in my Renault 16 back in the 1970s and painting them with a special yellow lacquer before holidaying in France 'so as not to upset local drivers by showing white headlamp beams'.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

Nice!

Those French mechanics have certainly upped their game in recent years. I like they way they come equipped to make temporary repairs to two fan belts.

Beats Green Flag any day.

The author of that check list is Dave G. it's not our Dave G by chance?

Randa