Nearly nicked (OR: I like software developers...) - LONG

On the road going to work today, I was coming down a long sweeping
curve which bent to the right (see photos below).

http://www.rosbif.org/otherphotos/index.php?gallery=nicked&lang=en

I was probably in the same position as the distant scooter in this
photo, quite closely following another bike.

http://www.rosbif.org/otherphotos/index.php?gallery=nicked&image=03.jpg&
lang=en

At the end of the curve, I noticed a copper signalling for the bike in
front of me and for me to pull in. I thought it was a "control" and
asked him what the score was. He told me that I'd riden over the
chevrons [0] (the "zebra" in French). In the photos, you can't even see
the chevrons, just the end of the chevronned (sp?) area.

Well looking at where he was and where the chevrons were, I thought he
was talking bollocks hence the fact I took photos (I doubt he could
have even seen me properly as the other bike would have obstructed his
view somewhat). Anyway, in France, there's no point in disagreeing with
coppers as their word is God. I may have been on the chevrons, I may
not, I don't know. I do know that I wasn't riding dangerously (or even
fast for that matter).

I thought, okay, time to contest this with the aid of a lawyer (I'm
quite fond of my UK licence).

Once the copper had given the other biker his fine and points
deduction, it was my turn. I went to the van and started giving my
details.

First off, the copper told me that I needed to change my licence for a
French one. I explained that this was no longer needed and indeed, the
prefectures no longer change EU licences for French ones (I didn't add
unless the licence needs to be changed for points purposes). His
colleague seemed to agree with me. The difference between being stopped
by a bike copper and a van copper, is that the van copper has more
space for folders containing snippets of the law. He pointed me to a
section of this:

http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do?cidTexte=LEGITEXT0000
06074228&idArticle=LEGIARTI000006841396&dateTexte=20100618

Which basically translates to this:

----
Any person having his normal residence in France holding a driver's
licence issued by a member state of the European Community or another
state in the EEA, valid in this state _may_ [1], without being required
to undergo examinations under the first paragraph of Article R. 221-3
[2], exchange the licence against a French driving license as defined
by order of the Minister for Transport, following the advice of the
Minister of Justice, the Interior Minister and the Minister for Foreign
Affairs.

The exchange of such a licence against a French licence is required
when the licensee has committed on French territory, a violation of the
code have resulted in a restriction, suspension of revocation of
driving or deduction of points. This exchange must be conducted as
defined by the law mentioned in the preceding paragraph, for purposes
of applying the above measures. [3]

The failure to exchange of the licence in the case described in the
preceding paragraph shall be punishable by a fine for violations of the
fourth class.
----

I agreed to check with the prefecture to see what the score is. Well,
after having read the _full_ description of the relevant law, I won't
bother.

Anyway, he continued to enter my details in his ruggedised tablet PC
and asked me where my driving licence number was. I duly pointed it out
and let him carry on. The next thing I know is that he was asking his
colleague, "the number's too long to fit in the field. What should I
do?" I thought about saying "Well do you have a 'comments' field on the
page?" then common sense hit me and I kept schtum. The next thing I
knew, was the copper saying words to the effect "Oh sod it, forget it
this time, just don't do it again".

Result!

[0] It's quite a common past time in Paris and the suburbs, riding on
chevrons or the hard shoulder.
[1] "may" is a nice word. It doesn't imply any obligation. This was the
para I saw in his folder.
[2] Driving test.
[3] Amazingly enough, this para was _missing_ from his snippet!

 

You double jammy fucker.

 

doetnietcomputeren wibbled forthrightly:

My luck can't hold out forever though.

Some of the blokes at work say was in preparation for the demo in Paris
today. They also reckon there'll be a putsch of sorts on Monday,
following the demo.

 

Well, it's not Pip or SD-esque.

Didn't even run to two pages ..

Heh. Nice you jammy sod.

Didn't you break into pidgin French and English for the occasion ?

Paul.

 

zymurgy wibbled forthrightly:

Y'know funnily enough, one of my colleagues said I should have done
that. TBH though, after nearly 12 years over here, I think that they'd
think I was taking the piss if I did that.

 

Yes, no point arguing on the spot. But with good evidence (and lawyer)
you can argue later.

This is the "voluntary" part.

So our legislators are stupid (what's new?). To avoid fine+points you
just have to pay the fine. Given this kind if logic, no wonder the
software developers have trouble making working code

You are the first one I see nicked for riding on chevrons, but being
caught on the BAU is more common (I tend to avoid riding there because
it's full of debris)

 

Nah, worth a try in case les flics just can't be bothered.

Agreed, it can backfire

There's a story I could tell about a friend of mine, who kept on
getting pulled by the Italian rozzers, because he didn't have a number
plate on his motorino. [1]

2 years on, they were still stopping him [2] and wagging the finger at
him

Paul.

[1] He couldn't get one as he wasn't resident, so the comune wouldn't
issue him with a plate.
[2] He took the same route every day, at the same time ...

 

My thickest French accent once got me some indulgence from an American
highway patrol: "kahr pooling? zis iz not a gayme?"(*). And in my job
I've met many American assignees who still didn't speak French after 10
years.

(*) 306b: no mustache or striped shirt that day....

 

Ofnuts wibbled forthrightly:

D'oh, I didn't think of that.

Oh, I need a drink. I'll drop you an email.

 

I know LTSTPRU, but this one winds me up for some reason.

 

errrmm...

'I was once in a violently-light-blue Mini doing just over an indicated
90mph[1] in a 30 zone, with me as the "instructing driver" with my
not-past-his-test mate driving, both of us'

 

<fx: boggles for a moment>

Oh, you think I should have used the word "passed" rather than "past"?
Not quite the nuance I was going for; I was indicating time rather
than qualification.

And certainly not a typo as annoying as saying "past time" rather than
"pass time".

But thanks for playing.

 

Well, in the spiryt of the game and usenet tradition, you've got it
wrong too: it should be "pastime" in the context of the OP.

 

duh.

 

Ooops, I'd actually done the PR, but that one slipped through the net.

 

fucking frogs.

 

[1] ENOFOOTNOTE

 

Don't worry, I don't maintain a register, just recalled that I had
noticed one of those things that can give rise to a "pedant post".

Hmmm.... wriggling a bit I think but you might just get away with that
one.

I had a spare minute.