France new E-bike deristriction law 1 year in prison and a 30,000 Euro fine

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
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wooshbikes.co.uk
From last Christmas:
one year prison, 30,000 Euros fine for having a dongle on your bike in France.
two years prison, 30,000 Euros fine for importing, selling, renting or fitting a dongle.

Link.
 
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Woosh

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May 19, 2012
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Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
s-pedelecs (called speed bikes or speedelec) are legal in France but you have to get it registered, number plate, insured and you wear a helmet.
 

trevor brooker

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 11, 2018
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s-pedelecs (called speed bikes or speedelec) are legal in France but you have to get it registered, number plate, insured and you wear a helmet.
If the French allow s-pedelecs I would have thought it would be easier for riders to use those procedures than dongle an underpowered motor.
I am assuming that as s-pedelecs are legal then insurance is readily available & cheap, & that the process of registration is quick & probably tax exempt. I also guess that s-pedelec cycle helmets are legal, rather than having to use motorbike helmets.
 
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flecc

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Oct 25, 2006
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s-pedelecs (called speed bikes or speedelec) are legal in France but you have to get it registered, number plate, insured and you wear a helmet.
Legal in the UK too, and probably most countries, with the above restrictions. Our registration etc procedures are probably more stringent than the French ones and far more stringent than the German and Dutch ones.

And of course in most countries a registered s-pedelec cannot be ridden on cycle paths or shared paths, so not all good news.
.
 

trevor brooker

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 11, 2018
284
158
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maidstone
Legal in the UK too, and probably most countries, with the above restrictions. Our registration etc procedures are probably more stringent than the French ones and far more stringent than the German and Dutch ones.

And of course in most countries a registered s-pedelec cannot be ridden on cycle paths or shared paths, so not all good news.
.
I was making the assumption that France has specific s-pedelec laws.

As I understand it in the UK we have to fit s-pedelecs into moped legislation - hence the virtual impossibility of registering self builds.

I thought some European countries had a specific s-pedelec law that made the process easy?
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
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I was making the assumption that France has specific s-pedelec laws.

As I understand it in the UK we have to fit s-pedelecs into moped legislation - hence the virtual impossibility of registering self builds.

I thought some European countries had a specific s-pedelec law that made the process easy?
Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands have, the latter though making the regulations tougher later. I don't know about France's legal conditions since for a while they resisted having s-pedelecs.

While it's tougher for self builds here, I doubt it's as difficult as it once was now that EU s-pedelec certificates of conformity are accepted.
.
 

D C

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 25, 2013
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From last Christmas:
one year prison, 30,000 Euros fine for having a dongle on your bike in France.
two years prison, 30,000 Euros fine for importing, selling, renting or fitting a dongle.

Link.
I like the fact that the seller is also targeted, it's hopeless trying to stop folk using illegal stuff unless it's also illegal to sell it. I would like to see this law apply to sellers of any illegal items.
Dave.
 

Darren Hayward

Pedelecer
Mar 25, 2015
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There are two Bosch service centres in Bristol. One has a prominent ad for a wide range of dongles. How do they keep they service centre contract with Bosch whilst derestricting Bosch motors?
The whole legal situation is a **** take.


Darren

PS Leaving work saturday morning at 5am I had some 'verbals' about my bike light (volt 1600) being too bright, from someone on an escooter with no lights. Another **** take.
 
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MikelBikel

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 6, 2017
591
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Ireland
Where's my yellow vest?
Vive Les Gilet Jaunes! ;-)
I'm glad France takes road safety seriously:
Road safety in France
https://en.francevelotourisme.com/tips-and-advices/road-safety-in-france
If cycling by night or in darkness, it is compulsory to wear a reflective jacket famous gilet jaune and have effective lights. On greenways, give pedestrians priority and signal to them in advance that you're passing. Wear a well-fitting helmet."

Be safe, falls hurt & can injure you, faster you go, the harder the impact .
Ouch! :-(
Or just hire an e-scooter :)
 
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D

Deleted member 25121

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There are two Bosch service centres in Bristol. One has a prominent ad for a wide range of dongles. How do they keep they service centre contract with Bosch whilst derestricting Bosch motors?
Maybe because Bosch aren't aware of what they're doing?
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,803
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I like the fact that the seller is also targeted, it's hopeless trying to stop folk using illegal stuff unless it's also illegal to sell it. I would like to see this law apply to sellers of any illegal items.
Dave.
That would mean companies like BAC and Vickers and arms traders resident and conducting their business here? They make and/or sell war planes, missiles, drones, field guns, nuclear missile submarines and every kind of gun and tank.

This among other reasons is why we don't stop the sale of things that are illegal to use, sorting out the legitimate from the illegal is impossible. France has the same problem, since they are one of the world's number major source of armaments.

Only controlling the end use with law is possible, and even that is difficult.
.
 
D

Deleted member 25121

Guest
That would mean companies like BAC and Vickers and arms traders resident and conducting their business here? They make and/or sell war planes, missiles, drones, field guns, nuclear missile submarines and every kind of gun and tank.

This among other reasons is why we don't stop the sale of things that are illegal to use, sorting out the legitimate from the illegal is impossible. France has the same problem, since they are one of the world's number major source of armaments.

Only controlling the end use with law is possible, and even that is difficult.
.
There are laws preventing shops sells weapons to all and sundry in this country and I presume that also applies to arms dealers and arms manufacturers selling in this country.
 
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D

Deleted member 25121

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There are laws preventing shops sells weapons to all and sundry in this country and I presume that also applies to arms dealers and arms manufacturers selling in this country.
What do you disagree with there flecc?
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,803
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There are laws preventing shops sells weapons to all and sundry in this country and I presume that also applies to arms dealers and arms manufacturers selling in this country.
Not so, there is no law preventing such sales. A registered arms dealer can sell any kind of guns for example, the onus is all on the user having permission to use the weapons, and that is where the bans are. The only restriction on the arms dealer is that by law he has to keep any such weapons securely stored.

Of course if a registered arms dealer persists in selling to unlicenced users, the police will act to remove his registration, but that of course is shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

The only near blanket sales ban I know of is that for illegal drugs where most trading is banned, but not all.
.
 
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D

Deleted member 25121

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Not so, there is no law preventing such sales. A registered arms dealer can sell any kind of guns for example, the onus is all on the user having permission to use the weapons, and that is where the bans are. The only restriction on the arms dealer is that by law he has to keep any such weapons securely stored.

Of course if a registered arms dealer persists in selling to unlicenced users, the police will act to remove his registration, but that of course is shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

The only near blanket sales ban I know of is that for illegal drugs where most trading is banned, but not all.
.
You're right I stand corrected.

But there seem to be plenty of items that are illegal to import and presumably sell (and I stand to be corrected again) such as asbestos, food related items containing lead, unlicensed radio transmitters, certain plants, animals and drugs and many more

I tried using Google to find a list but this is the closest I could find