# French breathalyser kits



## pmcclure (Dec 6, 2011)

Going back to France early September, after spending 7 weeks touring before coming back to the UK on the 17th July. Whilst we were there we spent a lot of time looking in french supermarkets for breathalyser kits without success.

Has anyone who has recently returned from France been more successful than me in finding them?

I know they are available on the ferries and on ebay, but I don't wish to pay hugely inflated prices.

Thanks in advance.

Peter


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Returned a couple of weeks ago.
Never saw any in supermarkets.
Less than 35% of french carry them.

dave p


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## gloworm (Nov 21, 2008)

Halfords have them, about £6.


Eric


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## Hymervanman (Aug 20, 2010)

Most of the Camping Superstores have them, Go Outdoors etc, Also seen them in a lot of Caravan dealer shops . About £5 for a pack


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

We got ours from the third French chemist we tried. €6 for the pair.

They are still in short supply though, and ours were made in Canada. :roll: Lack of forethought, or what!!

Whether most of the French carry them or not, I wouldn't risk it for the sake of a miserable six Euros. It's not the small fine you would get, it's all the hassle and possible other "faults" a stroppy Gendarme might find on your van . . . and even if your French is really good it wouldn't exactly enhance a holiday! :roll: 

Dave


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Outdoor Bits sell them at a rate of 2 for £5 - good valkue IMO and they have the correct stmp on them.

They are as common in hypermarkets and supermarkets as hens teeth - most French people or expats we speak to adopt the gallic shrug technique and say there are no fines before November 1st so why worry.......

many suspect the law will never be really enforced as the Gendarmes are much happier fining people €90 for failing to stop at a STOP sign...... :lol: 

Dave


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Do y'all remember all the fuss about 'High Vis' jackets brought in by the French a couple of years ago.?
Everyone scrabbled about buying them at inflated prices and draping them over the front two seats to make it obvious we had em.

We have never been asked to show them, apart from HGV MOT. Don't know anyone here in Normandy who has been asked either.
Now you can pick them up for €0.99 anywhere.

Don't think I will be panicked into paying through the nose for breath kits.

Ray.


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## PeterandLinda (Feb 21, 2009)

Hi

We have seen these for sale, individually, in French service stations at about €2 each but bought ours on the ferry. Beware, they have a limited shelf life so you need to buy from somewhere with a large turnover...like the ferry. It is unlikely that the police would stop you just for this but if you had an accident you would expect to be breathalysed, the tyres checked, the headlight alignment checked, the first aid kit, reflective waistcoats and warning triangle checked and so on, so being British and law abiding, just do it.

P&L


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## Sprinta (Sep 15, 2010)

we've had a large quantity on backorder for weeks, and have been advised by another wholesaler that they are in short supply because of a crystal shortage from the alcosense supplier - lucky I got a freebie pack for demo use :roll:


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## mikeT (May 1, 2005)

Picked ours up on second try from a Esso service station on the N154 6 th June on the way back home 
cost about €3.80 for TWO pairs (4 pack ) also has a long date 2014 
photos below


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Bought mine at a chemist in Pont D'Ouilly in April and then bought another packet of 2 in a supermarket, Super U I think.

I think most of the supermarkets were selling them if I remember rightly.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

I did ask here or elsewhere is there a correlation between price and expiry date?

Chances of being 'caught' between Belgium border and Dunkirk, once a year?

I could put my 2 Euros on that with Betfair, pay the fine and come in with a nice profit even if caught.

Geoff


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## Davethepenguin (Oct 21, 2010)

We bought 10 from our local pharmacy 3 months ago. When picking up a prescription last week we were asked to return them for a refund as they were incorrect even though they were marked NF & the expiry date was 2014. The pharmacy couldn't replace them & didn't know when new stock would arrive. The brand name, unfortunately, was "Turdis" so check your stock.

Andy


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## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

After driving through France North to South and back 4 times in last 2 months I gave up trying to buy them easily without going off the beaten track.Just bought 2 off Ebay for £4.50 pp inc with 3 year shelf life.


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Penquin said:


> Outdoor Bits sell them at a rate of 2 for £5 - good valkue IMO and they have the correct stmp on them.
> 
> Dave


When I tried to order from ODB, there was a £10 p&p charge. Not exactly good value.
Gerry


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## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

Tried to buy some in a hypermarket this week but only found a printed notice saying that stocks had run out and the manufacturers cannot make them quickly enough to satisfy demand - and that though the hypermarket could have bought from a different source they wouldn't have the NF number required so for the moment they could only apologize to theur customers!
lala


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## Phil42 (Apr 4, 2006)

I certainly didn't pay 10 pounds from ODB.

Phil


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## brandywine (Aug 28, 2007)

We bought ours at the Auchan in Calais in May 1.4 euro each life is about 2 years. 

Regards


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

We called to see a friend who lives in Clermont, in France. This was early July/ We'd looked in May in France, and again in late June and early July, but no luck. Our friend said thay were in short supply, most French couldn't get them, or were unwilling to pay more than €1 per unit.

She also said it was probably just one of the crackpot ideas to come from their late unlamented president, and that the whole idea would probably be buried.

We'll be back through France mid September, but if they're not in supermarkets for €1 or less per unit, we won't bother. About 40 million French will be in the same boat.


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

> When I tried to order from ODB, there was a £10 p&p charge. Not exactly good value.


The cost of a set of breathalysers postage is £2.50 sent via Royal Mail which is basically what it costs us. Where did you get £10 from ?


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

From the Connexion paper.......................

Row on breath kits for tractors 
August 30, 2012 

FARMERS have protested against the law saying all road vehicles must carry a breath test - because it also applies to them on their tractors.

The only vehicles exempt under the law are mopeds as they have no storage space, but the farmers' federation Coordination Rurale has said that tractors are equally badly served and have no clean and secure storage.

Now they have complained angrily to the agriculture and interior ministers saying the law is "absurd" as tractors are used only very occasionally on the roads. President Bernard Lannes said tractors do not go faster than 40kph and are not a major problem on the roads.

The federation has asked for an exemption to the "stupid" law, which comes into full force on November 1 when non-possession of a working breathalyser will mean a €11 fine.

It says that the law "far from curbing drink-driving problems and accidents, would only create a captive and lucrative market for breathalyser manufacturers as the equipment goes out of date and, even without drinking a drop of alcohol, needs to be renewed regularly".

Marie-Odile Morin, vice-president of the Fédération Départementale des Syndicats d'Exploitants Agricoles, has also attacked the law, saying the idea of breath tests on tractors was "ridiculous" and in summer they could face temperatures higher than their 40C maximum and be rendered useless.

Complaints of a shortage of breath tests in the shops have been echoed by UMP Haute-Savoie senator Pierre Hérisson, the president of the Automobile Club du Mont-Blanc, who said he suspected that the market was being rigged to increase prices.

He told Le Dauphine in January "a pack of two breath tests cost €0.92, but today a single breath test could cost €4.07 - a price rise of 885% in just six months".

He said that even in supermarkets the prices were rising as people started to fear not being able to get hold of a kit. He noted that a supermarket had a two-pack at €2.20 on June 20 but by the beginning of August this had risen to €3.


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## dragabed (May 24, 2008)

i was told by a french police man that it was only for the french and not the english.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

dragabed said:


> i was told by a french police man that it was only for the french and not the english.


Hummmm Dragabed.?
Is that only French tractor drivers and not English ones? How about English living in France. Some driving French registered and some not?? :roll:

Ray.


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## babyrhino (Oct 19, 2006)

Official deadline now extended to 1st March next year because of supply difficulties.

http://actu.orange.fr/france/ethylo...mende-avant-le-1er-mars-2013-afp_1118102.html

Brian


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

babyrhino said:


> Official deadline now extended to 1st March next year because of supply difficulties.
> 
> http://actu.orange.fr/france/ethylo...mende-avant-le-1er-mars-2013-afp_1118102.html
> 
> Brian


Bad news for early buyers - their kits will be (almost) out-of-date by then. [emoticon for Gallic shrug]

Geoff


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

and I wonder whether it will be delayed again and again due to other difficulties..........

i.e. is this the beginning of it being quietly dropped?

they still have not resolved officially the tractor issue, or similar work machines such as JCB's etc which may only venture onto the road for very short journeys.......

Dave


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## baldeagle7470 (Sep 21, 2010)

You have hit the nail on the head Penguin!!
I scurried around searching for ages,bought a couple at over inflated prices,then when the initial panic died down got some for €1 in LeClerc.
Read on my Motorbike forum yesterday postponed until next year but also the law will be re-considered.
Looks like Sarko's mate who owns the Alcotest factory has seen the best of his massive turnover increase.Hope so anyway.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

here's an english text from The Connexion

http://www.connexionfrance.com/Brea...drivers-fines-alcohol-14150-view-article.html

It seems there's no real interest in this law by the new administration; maybe they've realised what a waste of time (and money) it is. :roll:


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

As we said in a previous post on this topic, our French friend said it was probably just one of the crackpot ideas to come from their late unlamented president, and that the whole idea would probably be buried.

Looks like she was right!


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

nicholsong said:


> [Brian


Bad news for early buyers - their kits will be (almost) out-of-date by then. [emoticon for Gallic shrug] Geoff[/quote]

My Chinese digital version bought on e-bay does not have a date on.!! So I guess I am bullet proof.???

Ray.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

raynipper said:


> My Chinese digital version bought on e-bay does not have a date on.!! So I guess I am bullet proof.???
> 
> Ray.


But does it have the required "NF" stamp on it?

If not is it valid and acceptable if/when they ever actually get round to enforcing this ludicrous law......?

Dave


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## peeter (Aug 6, 2009)

bought 4 at Auchun Beziers today at 1.25 each.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

peeter said:


> bought 4 at Auchun Beziers today at 1.25 each.


Probably be much cheaper than that come next April.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Penquin said:


> raynipper said:
> 
> 
> > My Chinese digital version bought on e-bay does not have a date on.!! So I guess I am bullet proof.???
> ...


Nope Dave.
But now I am French do I care??

Ray.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Well if the law is under review the retailers might stop stocking them - in case they get caught with useless stock.

In fact if they refused to stock them that might kill the whole project.

Crikey! maybe that is the cunning plan behind the delay decision :wink: 

Geoff


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