Please help, I'm an idiot

Those of you who subscribe to the premium part of the BP site (a good idea if you don't already) will find in last week's issue of La Revue an article on driving in France, by Bob Underhill. That's my husband, and it's a good summary if I do say so myself.

If you are on a main road in the country, you have priority. In the roundabouts, those already IN the roundabout have absolute priority.

What makes this confusing is that in Paris everyone driving from your right has priority, whether in a roundabout or at an intersection.

This is the big inconsistency in France's rules of the road. One set for Paris and the big cities; another for the countryside.

Kenavo

Paul J: The priority for motor vehicles is simple: the cars comming from your right have the priority, and you have the priority over the car from your left.
Regardless if it is a car or a motorcycle. If a car or motorcycle comes from your right you slow down, stop, or watever it take to let him/her pass in front of you! Any questions? If it is a trafic circle, you turn n so you go in a counter clockwise direction (giving the car from your right priority.

BP Chuck

Two of the weeks of our last trip were spent driving. We dropped off the car before the Paris bit. Driving isn't hard, there are a few things to know, however. The "darting out" thing is a perception. There are a lot of "yield" type intersections and oncoming drivers will anticipate your speed and time themselves to fall in front of or right behind you. I was told that the French are used to lower power cars and once they get up to speed, they are reluctant to lose any. If you keep that theory in mind, roundabouts are great. You never have to stop until you reach your destination. Just time your entrance and exit with the other traffic. Another huge lesson is that gas stations are ALL closed on Sundays. Unless you have a credit card from a particular station, no gas for you.

Ah,ha!!!!

Whew... found it!!


Posted: Apr 24 2004, 06:22 PM

Al --- I have no idea!

There was a post about someone heading out on a motorcycle....

Lord knows what happened to that post (:

I feel like an idiot.

Karen....where is the posting that this is in response to??? The most immediate one is April and unrelated.

Paul J:
I want to know how you fared. Are you still alive? Posts such as yours make me wonder.

PLEASE REPLY!

PitterPat

You are too peremptory in your judgement
I know at least one motorcycle driver that is very cautious and respectful of rules... but indeed, I never encountered you on my escapades
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/paqsenior/family/mes_motosE.htm
PS. Below, I canceled my reply, because fallacious

We rented a car about a month ago... drove from Paris down to Brittany and Normandy... and the only place we seem to have come accross this "person to the right" thingy was in those dreaded "roundabouts"....

That said, it seems in Paris, or anywhere in France, MOTORCYCLE DRIVERS MAKE THEIR OWN RULES!

We never had anyone dart out in front of us from a side road, not once. I'm sure there must be some other folks who've done the motorcycle thing in France that could answer your question better, but I'm afraid I don't know any such daredevils.

I don't drive in France, but I do think that what you said is correct. Unless, it's a street with traffic lights of course. But otherwise priority is given to the person coming from the right, meaning when you come to a street you can expect someone to pull out in front of you. It does sound crazy, but I guess once you're used to it it works.

Too bad that Christophe isn't here anymore, he had a very funny answer to this question before.

Canceled

Please could you give me a bit of advice, I've just committed to throwing myself in at the deep-end, with a motorcycle tour around France on a motorcycle with the girlfriend.
Could you help clear up the point about giving priority to vehicles coming out of side roads from my right. I do hold an advanced certificate for this country, but I've been unable to get my head round this one.
Does this mean that the steady flow of traffic on a main-ish road is constantly interupted by people joining from side roads on the right.....surely not ?
If so, does this mean when I arrive to the end of a side road, where it meets a main road, that I have priority to just expect others to stop.
If anyone can put me right, I would very much appreciate it !

Many thanks --- Paul J