# Warning. Heavy fine in France if gas not switched off.



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

*We were told by a French resident that you can (will??) be fined €400 on the spot if stopped by Le Plod and you haven't switched off the gas. 8O *

That counts as robbery by gassing to me :lol: :lol: . . . but do be warned. I think the info is genuine.

_(Anybody care to see if Mr Google has heard anything. I'm a bit busy just now and couldn't find anything from a quick look!)_

Dave


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-486659.html#486659


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Zeb your title caught me out you little devil :roll: 

You are not supposed to drive with the gas on over here, It is an offence.
:roll:

I have edited We have always been told it was an offence but ---it doesnt say anywhere it is an offence here in UK but only that it is a safety issue-- If you was in an accident and the gas was on.


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

It's an interesting one when a lot of motorhomes are now equipped with a heater that is designed to be run when driving. Are Turma encouraging you to break the law?
Gerry


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## b16duv (Feb 14, 2006)

What about if using a truma secumotion regulator and pipes?


I suffer from 'gas' will I be fined?  

David


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## 104477 (May 13, 2007)

I think it is under German law that you are allowed to drive with the gas on.
Also why would you need the Truma on whilst driving? Most 'vans have an engine driven heating system.

Edit forgot the 'n' after 'a' before a 'e'.......DOH!


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## karlb (Feb 22, 2009)

locovan said:


> Zeb your title caught me out you little devil :roll:
> 
> You are not supposed to drive with the gas on over here, It is and offence.
> :roll:


i know its common sense to turn the gas off, but who/where does it say its an offence?


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## moblee (Dec 31, 2006)

8O Wow what a title dave :!: 

On the subject I'm always forgetting to turn mine off!! :roll:


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## bigfoot (May 16, 2005)

You little tinker you have had a lot more views than replies.


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## 104477 (May 13, 2007)

bigfoot said:


> You little tinker you have had a lot more views than replies.


Probably 'cos most just go :roll: not again!

Then get surprised that your not really travelling safely with the gas bottles turned on. Gas bottles will survive quite some impact prior to rupturing and possibly going !BANG! The piping from the bottle to appliance is just somewhat softer and easier to release its contents if perhaps some person could not 'see' the big white 'van they just ploughed into.
My turn to go :roll:

:wink:


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## lifestyle (Apr 27, 2008)

You had me going there,nice one :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

rapidorob said:


> bigfoot said:
> 
> 
> > You little tinker you have had a lot more views than replies.
> ...


Yeah OK - I'll change the title. 8O

It is a serious warning to members, assuming the information is correct, and I haven't been able to verify it yet. :?

Dave


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

karlb said:


> locovan said:
> 
> 
> > Zeb your title caught me out you little devil :roll:
> ...


It is a safety law really 
BEFORE MOVING OFF
Check:
- gas cylinders and all gas operated
appliances have been isolated, including
fridge, water heater, oven and space heater.
Note: If LPG en-route heating is
installed only isolate the fridge, oven
and stand alone water heater.
- gas cylinders are correctly positioned,
secured and turned off* unless using
en-route heating.*- that answers the truma heater.
loose articles including luton ladder are
stowed securely. Do not stow tins, bottles
or heavy items in overhead lockers.


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

However with a safety device fitted it is quite legal to travel in Europe with the gas on for heating for example.
My Thetford fridge is designed to wait 15 minutes after i stop before switching to Gas automatically, it waits this long in case I'm refuelling!.
Most new vans are designed to have gas on all the time.
I have a Gaslow system which employs Stainless steel hoses so are designed to survive an impact and a Secumotion regulator which shuts down in the event of a sudden loss of pressure due to a breach.

Whether French plod would understand that is a different matter


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## karlb (Feb 22, 2009)

locovan said:


> karlb said:
> 
> 
> > locovan said:
> ...


thats exactly how i see it, as a safety and common sense issue, and as for the french fine thing surely truma would know if they sell en-route heating because it would be illegall in france. i will go out on a limb here and say its all a load of rubbish.........BUT turn your gas off just in case


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

As I said Karl, I haven't been able to verify it, but it was a motorhomer who told us. 8O 

It would be useful if someone can find any "evidence". :? 

Dave


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## karlb (Feb 22, 2009)

pete4x4 said:


> However with a safety device fitted it is quite legal to travel in Europe with the gas on for heating for example.
> My Thetford fridge is designed to wait 15 minutes after i stop before switching to Gas automatically, it waits this long in case I'm refuelling!.
> Most new vans are designed to have gas on all the time.
> I have a Gaslow system which employs Stainless steel hoses so are designed to survive an impact and a Secumotion regulator which shuts down in the event of a sudden loss of pressure due to a breach.
> ...


do we know for sure it is illegal? if not your system whilst safer would not be more legal than anybody else.


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Hi!



b16duv said:


> What about if using a truma secumotion regulator and pipes?


In this case EU regulations override any national regulations, so it is legal to drive with gas valves open in all EU countries, including France.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## Annsman (Nov 8, 2007)

And let's be honest, can anyone see the French police going to all the bother of stopping vans to check they have switched off the gas? The amount of motorhomes on the roads in France would mean they did sod all else all day!

If you have a crash and the gas was found to have caused a fire or something then yes I can see some questions being asked, but just stopping people to check the gas is off? Nah!

But just in case they are! what about a gas tank fitted under the van? How do you switch that off without getting underneath? Wouldn't that have the same cut out system a car powered by LPG would have anyway?


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Annsman said:


> And let's be honest, can anyone see the French police going to all the bother of stopping vans to check they have switched off the gas?


Of course they wouldn't :roll: , but they are just like Plod anywhere! If they stop you for something else and feel inclined to check over the van for any other "faults", there could be an immediate fine of €400 . . . which would make their day and ruin yours!!!! 8O



Annsman said:


> . . . would mean they did sod all else all day!


Nice work if you can get it! :roll: :lol: :lol:

I would still like to hear if anyone can verify the information. :?

It doesn't really matter whether it's illegal or not, it's still pretty stupid to drive without switching off (unless you have the Secumotion gadget)!

I've never forgotten to do it of course!!! 8O  

Dave


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Annsman said:


> Wouldn't that have the same cut out system a car powered by LPG would have anyway?


What cut out system is this? As far as I am aware I don't have one, and as I understand it, it's one of the reasons we aren't allowed on the ferries, no way to turn the gas off; and if a pipe fractured you would lose all of the gas, which could be as much as 170litres in my case.

Olley


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## Annsman (Nov 8, 2007)

Bloomin' eck Dave, now you've got ME thinking! 

So will my gas tank have one of these secumotion thingys already fitted to it, like a LPG tank on a car, or should I get my wallet out and find someone to fit one. The tank was fitted by MTH, who are now defunct as you know, but they were a "proper" fitting company so they should have done a correct job on it, but how do I check?


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## Annsman (Nov 8, 2007)

Olley, I was once told that LPG powered cars have a cut out device on them that shuts down the LPG supply from the tank if it's involved in a crash and the gas pressure suddenly drops. A bit like the pressure relief valve on your tank, but in reverse!

When our tank was fitted they connected it from the tank underneath and into the gas piping fitted into the van in the locker where the bottles had been. All the reducer fittings and stuff are still there so if it's in that I'm sorted. There is even a cut off tap there too.

To be honest I've never bothered to switch the gas bottles off anyway, when I had them, before I move off. I switch off the heater and cooker of course but the fridge is a SES anyway and that just switches over automatically to 12 volt when I move off and back to gas when I stop for more than 15 mins.

I suppose you just get blase about things and only go OOOPS! when something goes wrong!


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

rapidorob said:


> Also why would you need the Truma on whilst driving? Most 'vans have an engine driven heating system.


Because the engine driven system fitted by the base vehicle manufacturer is designed to heat the cab, not the whole of the motorhome where other passengers may be sat.

Andrew


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Annsman said:


> Olley, I was once told that LPG powered cars have a cut out device on them that shuts down the LPG supply from the tank if it's involved in a crash and the gas pressure suddenly drops. A bit like the pressure relief valve on your tank, but in reverse!
> 
> !


Hi, not as far as I know, the secumotion comes in different rates of flow to suit the amount of gas used in the van, tanks used for LPG propulsion are all the same apart from size, whether they supply a small car or an 8.1litre like mine.

They now come with solenoid valves at the tank; which could be fitted to crash detectors (as airbags are), but certainly in my 3 year old set up I don't have solenoid valves anyway, what other set up's are like I don't know.

The danger I would think is very slim as my tanks are inbetween the frame rails, and metal pipework is used all the way the the vaporiser. Unlike domestic tanks (mine included) which are in your side lockers.

Olley


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