Mortes Angles - Driving in France

[Big Colin]

Hey folks

We'll soon be heading off for a getaway and will be driving through France. My Boxer is .5t but its an L4H3 model and is BIG. I'm aware of the requirements in France for the "Mortes Angles" (Blind spot sticker requirement) for vehicles >3.5t (including motor homes) but was wondering if anyone has attracted the wrong attention for NOT having them on a larger .5t vehicle which the authorities might assume is greater than 3.5t?

I'm happy to just go ahead and purchase them, after all my vehicle IS the same size as a van that's >3.5t and lets be honest, safety first for other road users and all, but then again, I don't want to attract the wrong attention for incorrectly using them, if there is such a thing.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

Link here for the requirement - https://www.fpluk.com/single-post/are-you-compliant-to-travel-to-france

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Some people just like living on the edge

 

[Lenny HB]

You really are a lucky bugger Lenny. Problem may arise if someone (say on a bike) has an accident and hits your van. No stickers your fault!??

Accident with a bike in most countries, car fault regardless so that's not going to make any difference.
I think you will find most of us on here don't bother with them.

 

[Carpmart]

I have them on when in France and off the rest of the time…. I don’t really understand the reticence to comply with the law of a country one is transiting?

If it were a UK law (thankfully it’s not) and the EU Motorhomers we’re all flouting our regulations, would we feel aggrieved? I feel many on here would have a strong view.

BTW, if it weren’t for ‘er-in-doors insistence, I wouldn’t use the bloody things either!!!!

 

[Ditcha]

I have them on when in France and off the rest of the time…. I don’t really understand the reticence to comply with the law of a country one is transiting?

If it were a UK law (thankfully it’s not) and the EU Motorhomers we’re all flouting our regulations, would we feel aggrieved? I feel many on here would have a strong view.

BTW, if it weren’t for ‘er-in-doors insistence, I wouldn’t use the bloody things either!!!!

I thought you were under 3.5t Harvey

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[Carpmart]

I thought you were under 3.5t Harvey

A smidgeon over Dave.. barely worth worrying about!!

 

[Bessy765]

Been using this method for last 5 trips all. Be with more suckers this was the prototype now use 8 suction cups. All we do is remove them every month or so wash the cups and the area with warm soapy water

 

[Orion]

Getting out 'quick" to put the stickers on whilst a cyclist is laying under your wheels. Really?

Of course not.

First thing would be to lower the E&P levellers to take the weight off, then put the stickers on. We’re not all totally self-centred you know!

(Dark humour warning)

 

[Solwaybuggier]

They are only required in urban areas - whatever that means.

Pretty sure this is WRONG - unless you can evidence it?
I believe there was discussion when the decree was introduced about making it for urban areas only but that never made through to the final decree. Whenever this has arisen in the past on here, no one has ever shown any evidence of it.

 

[NR]

Mine are on the van and trailer as per specification. As far as I’m concerned you are obligated to follow the law of the land, especially as a visitor in a foreign country.

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[Thornebt]

Been using this method for last 5 trips all. Be with more suckers this was the prototype now use 8 suction cups. All we do is remove them every month or so wash the cups and the area with warm soapy water



View attachment 830003

That looks the same as I saw on a very impressive Hymer (with the ultimate Hymer numberplate!) in Saumur a week or two ago.

 

[Barclaybasher]

Makes me smile - I try and persuade folk to stay below 3500kg if they can.

So many on here go on about payload and the need to uprate to be 'legal' then try and avoid the rules and laws that apply to PHGV.......

 

[Louis]

Mine remained in the door pocket.

So has mine

 

[Ray-Vic]

It's been very interesting for me reading this thread as we are planning our first trip to France in April and are over 3.5t so will need these stickers, which I have no issues with.

Purely out of interest, what is the aversion to using them for those that seem to not want to? Is it damage they may cause or just the look of them?

 

[yodeli]

not seen a French Moho with them yet.

Hi, Sorry to say, you just missed them! I regularly see a lot of French MoHo with it on! And I would suggest to the OP Big Colin to buy one and just stick it on some magnet sheet if you want to be able to remove it. You can buy it on internet :

Amazon product ASIN B08MFT331H
Once the gendarmes stop you...they won't let you go without a complet check... then it's deep poo poo

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[Dorset Diver]

Mine are in the bin 4.6t and 7.5m not seen a French Moho with them yet.

That gives whole different meaning to blind spot .

 

[PaulW2]

Makes me smile - I try and persuade folk to stay below 3500kg if they can.

So many on here go on about payload and the need to uprate to be 'legal' then try and avoid the rules and laws that apply to PHGV.......

And a considerably bigger risk that entails.

It potentially includes failing to comply with sticker regulations, violating speed limits that apply to heavier vehicles, illegally using roads with weight restrictions…

And if one is in any sort of accident where any of this is the case it would obviously not be a good thing from a legal or insurance perspective.

And that discovery (of non-compliance) would be pretty certain, requiring only a routine document inspection at the scene. Unlike the one where a vehicle may be say 50kg too heavy, in which case discovery would rely on also weighing the vehicle.

 

[repairer]

It's been very interesting for me reading this thread as we are planning our first trip to France in April and are over 3.5t so will need these stickers, which I have no issues with.

Purely out of interest, what is the aversion to using them for those that seem to not want to? Is it damage they may cause or just the look of them?

As I mentioned in previous post very few MH drivers had them fit, but putting that aside, the issue I had was the amount of times my sat nav routed me through villages with a 3.5t limit. My MH stood out like a sore thumb with the stickers.

I would point out that the sat nav “should” have routed me round these restrictions, something I pointed out to the sat nav company in a mail.

The other issue I had was knowing the speed limit on motorways, I am still unsure what it is for a 3.5t MH, I have seen different references to the speed on the web, different sites suggesting different limits, I try not to speed and like to stay within the limit.

I did get flashed by a camera when doing 89 km in a 110 limit, not heard anything yet (over a month ago) I assume camera thought I was a truck, but as I mention I still do not have a definitive answer as to what the limit is. The signs will stand out to identify the vehicle as being over 3.5t

I have seen speeds of 100 kph and also 90 kph but cannot find any official site with a definite answer.

I am in two minds as to if I fit them this coming year.

 

[wp1234]

Accident with a bike in most countries, car fault regardless so that's not going to make any difference.
I think you will find most of us on here don't bother with them.

Most people on here I think are sensible folk and put the stickers on …..encouraging law breaking shouldn’t be encouraged on a forum imo.

 

[Three Stars]

If you want to take your van to another country, obey the laws of that country. It's simple!

Some on this thread remind me of those who made a fuss about seat belts when they were first made compulsory. As for those who apparently don't see many vans in France with the Angles Morts stickers, we have had two holidays in France this year and I was impressed that most vans that are obviously over 3.5 tons are abiding by the law.

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[VXman]

They are only required in urban areas - whatever that means.

That's not true. Are you getting confused with the Crit Air sticker which is for certain cities.

Angles Morts - Are you compliant to travel to France?

Travelling outside of the UK comes with its own set of requirements to be compliant with the local laws and regulations. In France, new legislation has been implemented from January 1st, 2021, which mandates that all vehicles over 3.5 tonnes must display warning stickers to indicate the position...

www.fpluk.com

 

[MichaelT]

Pretty sure this is WRONG - unless you can evidence it?
I believe there was discussion when the decree was introduced about making it for urban areas only but that never made through to the final decree. Whenever this has arisen in the past on here, no one has ever shown any evidence of it.

I guess you don't need them on motorways as bikes are banned from them?

 

[Solwaybuggier]

I guess you don't need them on motorways as bikes are banned from them?

Maybe logically not, but try and find any exemption in the decree. And exactly how do you get onto the motorway without going on ordinary roads?

 

[MichaelT]

Maybe logically not, but try and find any exemption in the decree. And exactly how do you get onto the motorway without going on ordinary roads?

Out of tunnel straight onto A16!

I must admit I've not read the decree but understood it was only in urban areas.

 

[Solwaybuggier]

Out of tunnel straight onto A16!

I must admit I've not read the decree but understood it was only in urban areas.

Well, if you really want to spend your entire time in France on an autoroute!

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[NR]

Reading through these posts its unsurprising the British have such a poor reputation abroad. Such arrogance and disrespect.

 

[olley]

Got them on the RV, there's noway that looks under 3.5 tons.
When we were abroad in April-June this year, some of the larger motorhomes had them some didn't.
I guess the gendarmes aren't taking much interest at the moment.

 

[Ditcha]

Reading through these posts its unsurprising the British have such a poor reputation abroad. Such arrogance and disrespect.

Have you ever gone over the speed limit abroad?

 

[PaulW2]

Reading through these posts its unsurprising the British have such a poor reputation abroad. Such arrogance and disrespect.

Some certainly do. Others don’t. But in fairness I’ve seen extraordinary arrogance and disrespect for locals from French, German, Dutch and Swiss travellers. Off the scale stuff. Some don’t even really know they’re doing it when they travel in the countries of the ‘little people’. They’re just … superior, almost like in colonial days

 

[NR]

Have you ever gone over the speed limit abroad?

No.

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[Verteuil Man]

Have you ever gone over the speed limit abroad?

And the point behind that comment is?

I have said before, two wrongs do not make a right.