Bike Racks and light board

rwishart

Please can someone help me. I am travelling to france soon and we are taking the kids bike with us. I have installed a tow bar and bought a new bike rack for the journey. As you can see from the picture the number plate is obscured but the lights are not. My question is do I need to have the lights on the light bar working for night time driving or is it OK just to have them disconnected and use my car lights? My car is a lease car so don't really want to have to been touching the electrics if i can help it.





Thanks in advance

slowbike

you really need to have the lights working - you'll get away with it during the day when your main lights aren't on - but at night you're more likely to be caught.

figbat

My understanding is that if the lights are not obscured, you're fine (any time of day or night).

Turning to the The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 PArt 2 Regulation 21:

A vehicle which carries a load or equipment which projects beyond the rear of the vehicle or, in the case of a combination of vehicles, beyond the rear of the rearmost vehicle in the combination, more than–

(a)2 m in the case of an agricultural vehicle or a vehicle carrying a fire escape; or
(b)1 m in the case of any other vehicle.

An additional rear lamp capable of showing red light to the rear and a red reflecting device, both of which are visible from a reasonable distance, shall be fitted to the vehicle or the load in such a position that the distance between the lamp and the reflecting device, and the rearmost projection of the load or equipment does not exceed 2m in the case mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) in column 2 of this item or 1 m in any other case. The installation and performance requirements relating to rear position lamps do not apply to any such additional lamp.

So, if the rack and bikes project less than a metre, you're golden. If more, then light up.

That's for the UK of course - I can't say about France but typically regs like this are similar or common.

That said, why not get an OEM trailer lighting loom fitted and coded? I fitted a towbar and OEM wiring to my leased Yeti, no issues.

Nellyspania

Slowbike wrote:

you really need to have the lights working - you'll get away with it during the day when your main lights aren't on - but at night you're more likely to be caught.

Plus if you get caught out in France, Monsieur Gendarme will be all over you like a cheap ebay skinsuit.

Nellyspania

figbat wrote:

My understanding is that if the lights are not obscured, you're fine (any time of day or night).

Turning to the The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 PArt 2 Regulation 21:

A vehicle which carries a load or equipment which projects beyond the rear of the vehicle or, in the case of a combination of vehicles, beyond the rear of the rearmost vehicle in the combination, more than–

(a)2 m in the case of an agricultural vehicle or a vehicle carrying a fire escape; or
(b)1 m in the case of any other vehicle.

An additional rear lamp capable of showing red light to the rear and a red reflecting device, both of which are visible from a reasonable distance, shall be fitted to the vehicle or the load in such a position that the distance between the lamp and the reflecting device, and the rearmost projection of the load or equipment does not exceed 2m in the case mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) in column 2 of this item or 1 m in any other case. The installation and performance requirements relating to rear position lamps do not apply to any such additional lamp.

So, if the rack and bikes project less than a metre, you're golden. If more, then light up.

That's for the UK of course - I can't say about France but typically regs like this are similar or common.

That said, why not get an OEM trailer lighting loom fitted and coded? I fitted a towbar and OEM wiring to my leased Yeti, no issues.

OEM electrics is often the way forward - can be done using plug in modules and ECU reset on most modern cars, without affecting warranty etc.

Man Of Lard

Your plate needs to be visible - otherwise why bother having one at all in the first place.

Up to £1000 fine in the UK for an obscured number plate & French Gendarmes rarely need an excuse to issue on on the spot fine to British registered vehicles.

rwishart

Thank you all for the information.

I measured the length of the bike rack and it sticks out by just under 1 meter.

The bike rack that i have got have a number plate on it so that is nice and clear.

I think i will just get the electrics put in just to be on the safe side. I don't fancy getting fined while i'm out in France

Thanks again everyone

The Rookie

Don't forget the No. plate needs illuminating at night.

elbowloh

Hope i'm not teaching granny to suck eggs, but make sure you have your warning triangle, spare bulb, GB sticker and hi-vis vest in the car (not the boot) as you can get fined for not having these also.

veronese68

elbowloh wrote:

Hope i'm not teaching granny to suck eggs, but make sure you have your warning triangle, spare bulb, GB sticker and hi-vis vest in the car (not the boot) as you can get fined for not having these also.

And disposable breathalysers.

fenix

I remember reading that the fine for not having the breathlyser is cheaper than the kit itself ?

slowbike

Advice from a motorhoming forum is not to bother iwth the breathalyser as they don't ask for them. I think it's still an offence, but there's no punishment for non-compliance - or something equally French!

fenix

Wasnt a leading light of the move to make them compulsory a bloke whose company was er, making them ? Genius.

slowbike

Nah - wasn't the bloke himself - it was his brother/cousin or some other reasonably close family connection ...
Fairly stupid idea anyway ...

nice summary from the AA ...
https://www.theaa.com/european-breakdow ... -in-france

Nellyspania

They do have some weird rules in France (we are looking to go there on hols next year).

The one where you cannot have any warning of fixed speed cameras seems a little counter-productive; in this country fixed cameras are supposed to slow vehicles down by way of deterrent thus reducing speed at accident blackspots.

Plus the towing weight rule where additional speed limits when towing are set by the maximum train-weight of the car, not the all-up weight of the outfit, e.g. our mondeo with a 350Kg trailer on the back has to go 56mph on a motorway whereas a fiesta towing 1 ton of caravan can do 82mph...

slowbike

Nellyspania wrote:

They do have some weird rules in France (we are looking to go there on hols next year).

The one where you cannot have any warning of fixed speed cameras seems a little counter-productive; in this country fixed cameras are supposed to slow vehicles down by way of deterrent thus reducing speed at accident blackspots.

Plus the towing weight rule where additional speed limits when towing are set by the maximum train-weight of the car, not the all-up weight of the outfit, e.g. our mondeo with a 350Kg trailer on the back has to go 56mph on a motorway whereas a fiesta towing 1 ton of caravan can do 82mph...

Fixed speed cameras - to be fair - they do seem to have signs up warning you - I find it easier to drive around at maximum of the speed limit anyway - in the UK you often see heavy braking just before a known speed camera - followed by accelaration back up to the 95mph they were doing shortly afterwards - that seems nonsense to me ... We should really do more average speed cameras ...

Man Of Lard

rwishart wrote:

I don't fancy getting fined while i'm out in France

It's all very efficient - gendarme flags you down (usually from a motorcycle). Explains your transgression & the fine. Prints you a ticket, which you have to pay on the spot. They accept all major credit & debit cards willingly (he'll have a card machine) or reluctantly cash. You get a receipt & he'll typically stop the traffic to wave you on your way.

figbat

The Rookie wrote:

Don't forget the No. plate needs illuminating at night.

Ooooh, good catch.