Are we Brits the only ones who fit Beam Bender when we drive into euro land,

i have Just returned from a short trip to Belgium and getting off the ferry uk side, none of the other euro lorries or car had stick on Beam Bender fitted to there vehicles.

I guess all lorries have automatic switch over lights but none of the foreign cars that followed me off or past me on the M20 had any benders fitted. just wondered what your thoughts are

Anyone know if any foreign driver has been fined for not fitting benders

Do you have Xenons fitted. If so you don't need headlight deflectors - there is as LR calls it a "Tourist Lever" attached to that xenon unit. For full details look in your Owner's Manual under section "Lighting" on page 49 - note: actual page number may be different in publication updates.

No I don't have Xenons fitted and I am sure most of the foreign cars that followed me off didn't just wondered if anyone else had noticed how many euro cars don't comply with the law

garyd
You are quite right, many don't bother. Lorries in particular I have noticed the LHD's on the motorway are really annoying. I also have come across many foreign cars in this country where they don't bother and their lights are dazzling at night. Trouble is we are a soft touch in this country so why bother ! We are one of the only countries where its cheaper to drive uninsured and just pay a fine and loose a £100 banger than insure a car properly.
How may people actually use indicators at roundabouts here ? not many. In America its a fine for "failing to make a turn signal" when making manourves. I know they don't have roundabouts but again it just goes to show what a soft touch we are ! no discipline

How many UK registered cars comply with the many individual national motoring laws of the European states they drive through?

Isn't your question driven by your own xenophobia. Rule Britannia eh what

oldgeezer wrote:

In America its a fine for "failing to make a turn signal" when making manourves. I know they don't have roundabouts but again it just goes to show what a soft touch we are ! no discipline

I make sure I comply as I don't want a fine, and as a professional driver need my Licence !

I always comply and fit beambenders, carry spare bulbs, hi-viz vests, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, warning triangle, reg. doc. etc. etc.

Why do I do this?...well partly because I am a good law abiding creep and partly because Mr Plod in France has been making a healthy profit fining Brits on the spot when the come off the ferry if they don't comply. I guess if British Plod had the same powers of fine on the spot, foreign tourists/lorry drivers would have to think more about compliance. John
07 HSE Narvick Black
Land Rover Series One
Triumph Rocket 111 (sadly gone!)

Quote:

Isn't your question driven by your own xenophobia. Rule Britannia eh what

athelstan wrote:

How many UK registered cars comply with the many individual national motoring laws of the European states they drive through?

Isn't your question driven by your own xenophobia. Rule Britannia eh what

BrianAbbott wrote:

athelstan wrote:

How many UK registered cars comply with the many individual national motoring laws of the European states they drive through?

Isn't your question driven by your own xenophobia. Rule Britannia eh what

Most, I'd have thought, given that the police (in France particularly) come down like a tonne of bricks on any visible infringement and levy an on-the-spot fine ...

And I'd have thought it was just the reverse of xenophobia - annoyance that our police ignore this sort of thing.

Pure conjecture Brian that most UK registered vehicles comply with other states motoring rules, as is, the original poster's statement that Johnny foreigner is mostly non compliant when motoring in the UK.

However, annoyance with the lack of enforcement of road traffic violations is certainly a more accurate appraisal than the original premise stated by garyd in his first post - quote: "none of the other euro lorries or car had stick on Beam Bender fitted to there vehicles." I amazed that anyone can negotiate the ferry terminal safely whilst driving and staring into the headlights of all the foreign vehicles entering the UK. And, would you not be looking at the back of the vehicle in front

That statement is not the reverse (or opposite) of xenophobia, for that would be xenophilius: a liking for things foreign and attracted to foreigners, both of which are not under written by his postings.

athelstan wrote:

BrianAbbott wrote:

athelstan wrote:

How many UK registered cars comply with the many individual national motoring laws of the European states they drive through?

Isn't your question driven by your own xenophobia. Rule Britannia eh what

Most, I'd have thought, given that the police (in France particularly) come down like a tonne of bricks on any visible infringement and levy an on-the-spot fine ...

And I'd have thought it was just the reverse of xenophobia - annoyance that our police ignore this sort of thing.

Pure conjecture Brian that most UK registered vehicles comply with other states motoring rules, as is, the original poster's statement that Johnny foreigner is mostly non compliant when motoring in the UK.

Of course! As is your original assertion

But my assertion is based on, I think, a reasonable amount of observation over the years of UK drivers on the continent and on discussions with them. I presume your assertion is based on a reasonable knowledge of the OP?

Quote:

However, annoyance with the lack of enforcement of road traffic violations is certainly a more accurate appraisal than the original premise stated by garyd in his first post - quote: "none of the other euro lorries or car had stick on Beam Bender fitted to there vehicles." I amazed that anyone can negotiate the ferry terminal safely whilst driving and staring into the headlights of all the foreign vehicles entering the UK. And, would you not be looking at the back of the vehicle in front

Quote:

That statement is not the reverse (or opposite) of xenophobia, for that would be xenophilius: a liking for things foreign and attracted to foreigners,

Bad grammar there, athelstan !

Quote:

both of which are not under written by his postings.

I drive to France and Spain quite frequently and mostly I find that the locals abide by the local rules. Not much speeding and very good lane discipline.

I live near the Channel Tunnel in Kent and see a lot of European vehicles on the M20. At night, it is very noticeable that lorries do nothing to alter their headlight dip and a lot of European cars disregard our motorway speed limit. Also cars towing trailers seem to be unaware of our 60 mph limit and exclusion from the outer lanes where there are two or more lanes. On several occasions I have been overtaken at excessive speed and have seen offending vehicles stopped by Kent police. I don't what what the police do to these people. Perhaps they are just given a warning or whether their details are taken and sent to their country's authority for them to be fined there.

Anyone know what the rules are for articulated vehicles' registration plates. It rare that foreign tractor units and trailers carry the same plate, as is the case for UK registered units. No doubt trailers are registered separately. but in the event of an accident/offence and the units drives off and the trailer plate is the only one recorded can it be relied upon to establish which tractor unit is used and who the driver is?


It would be courteous if people signalled on roundabouts. In New Zealand fines are imposed for failing to signal upon entry and upon exiting a roundabout. They used to have 'roundabout police' on duty. Makes a change from looking for an attractive sheep I suppose!

Last edited by recordman on 15th Dec 2011 3:56 pm. Edited 1 time in total

BrianAbbott wrote:

Of course! As is your original assertion

Quote:

That statement is not the reverse (or opposite) of xenophobia, for that would be xenophilius: a liking for things foreign and attracted to foreigners,

Bad grammar there, athelstan !

Absolutely correct recordman; there's compliance and non compliance by all nationalities. Hence why I challenged the original poster's opening statement. To throw the blame squarely on the shoulders of "Johnny Foreigner" is wholly inappropriate and unjust.

Re trailers - there is a practice in most European states that the trailer will have it's own unique identifying plate. This plate is registered to the owner of that trailer. This also applies to non commercial trailers of the kind used by folks who tow one behind their car to go camping or for example to collect large items from a DIY store. Any traffic office caused by that trailer (faulty brakes or lights for example) will be in the first instance addressed to the owner of that trailer, and not the driver of the vehicle. The driver will only be held responsible for his driving/towing errors.

Re what action the UK police can take:
There is now in place reciprocal legislation throughout the EU states for member police forces to issue summary fines for traffic offences and the registration details of vehicles are exchanged between authorities. The police in the UK can now issue on the spot fines. The procedures for collecting the fine are not so straight forward as taking cash off the motorist, as is the case elsewhere in the EU, and so I will not go into the fine detail here.