FRAUDULENT EMAILS
Since mid-July, fraudulent emails claiming to have been sent from the ‘service-public’ website have been proposing free breathalysers. They often have an official looking logo but have no link with the service public department whatsoever and the breathalysers are not free.
Compulsory Car Blow Job
From July 1st, drivers in France (cars, motor bikes over 50cc, vans…..) must carry a breathalyser kit (éthylotest or alcootest) in their car to enable them to check their alcohol levels, or face an on-the-spot fine of 11 euros. There will be a period of grace until November before French police start issuing the penalties.
These ‘use and discard’ kits are relatively cheap (1 – 2 euros) and will be available in chemists, supermarkets, on-line, at ferry and tunnel terminals etc, but do remember that if you do decide to check your alcohol level before returning home from an evening out you will need another breath test kit to produce for the gendarmes if you are stopped! The BAC (blood alcohol content) drink driving limit in France is 0.5 grams compared to 0.8 grams in Britain
Research has shown that alcohol is the biggest cause of road deaths in France.
According to the national road safety site…
….. 0,5 GRAMME PAR LITRE DE SANG, C’EST DEUX VERRES
25 cl de bière à 5° (un demi), 12,5 cl de vin de 10° à 12° (un ballon), 3 cl d’alcool distillé à 40° (whisky, anisette, gin) contiennent à peu près 10 grammes d’alcool pur. Ces contenances correspondent aux doses normalisées, servies dans les cafés.
Chez soi, on a tendance à augmenter parfois considérablement les quantités servies…
Chaque ” verre ” fait monter le taux d’alcoolémie de 0,20 g à 0,25 g en moyenne.
Ces chiffres peuvent être très sensiblement augmentés chez certains sujets : pour les plus minces, les femmes ou les personnes âgées, chaque verre peut représenter un taux d’alcoolémie de 0,30 g.
Penalties can be very severe for drink driving offenses. Between 0.5 and 0.8 grams you risk a fine of 135 Euros and six points on your license but if your blood alcohol exceeds 0.8 grams, you can receive up to two years in prison and 4500 euro fine.
