Angling Lines Blog

The fire that caused the damage to the Mathilde Bridge in Rouen

Hi All,

Having just returned from the UK we discovered that there are major road works on ‘Pont Mathilde’ (Mathilde Bridge) in Rouen which is used by the majority of the Sat Nav systems.  Given that we didn’t know about this in advance, we spent almost an hour getting around the problem on the way to the UK.  However, if your anglers are told in advance, the deviation is just a few minutes extra on their journey.  The French traffic website does not give an ‘end’ date to the works, just saying that the re-opening of the bridge is ‘undetermined’.

So, for all of your Dover (or Folkestone) to Calais/Boulogne crossings for anglers that would be travelling through Rouen, it will be a good idea to let them have the following information:

“Note to anglers travelling from Boulogne/Calais on the A28 to destinations via Rouen.  Major bridge repairs are taking place on Pont Mathilde (Mathilde Bridge) in Rouen.  Bridge closure is affecting traffic heading down the A28 and diversions may be in place at Junction 11.  Latest information is that the diversion will take you onto the A29 at Junction 11 (towards Le Havre) and then the A151 and A150 through Rouen via an alternative bridge.  Our advice is not to try and find alternative routes around Rouen.  The current diversion takes you on major routes and is only a few miles extra.  In fact, many locals actually prefer this route through Rouen as it gives better access to the A28 towards Le Mans and the A13 towards Paris.” 

We’ve just checked the latest & apparently the damage was so bad that it’s unlikely the bridge will be open again until Summer 2014 (after repairs estimated to be 8 million Euros.).  It was caused by a fire:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6zgZKKDg7s

Hope this is useful…

Shirley & Martin Barker, Oakview

Just last week one of our customers had a nightmare on the way home.  Their car broke down, so they had to hire a car from Le Mans to Calais, stay in a hotel overnight at Calais and then pick up another hire car at Dover to get home.

They will then have to come back to France to get their car when it’s repaired.

Fortunately they had purchased overseas breakdown cover at a cost of £43 which covered ALL out-of-pocket expenses, including the return trip to pick up his car when it’s repaired.  The taxi alone from the breakdown (at Le Mans) to the garage was Euro60.

The message is clear… if you think there’s any chance your car might let you down then breakdown insurance really is a good idea.

From July 1st 2012 it is compulsory to carry a breathalyser kit in the car in France.

Two kits per car are advised (so if you use one you’re still able to stay legal) &  15 euro fines for non-compliance will be levied from November 1st 2012.  We have placed an order for 100 which we’ll be happy to sell at no profit (around £1) but we’re still waiting for delivery – demand will obviously be high!

France has strict drink driving laws with blood alcohol levels being stricter than in the UK (0.5 mg/ml rather than 0.8).  This equates to 2 x 12cl glasses of wine for a man weighing 75kg (11½ stones).

France also has a no tolerance position if you are stopped and prove positive for any drug substance, including cannabis.  The penalty for this is the loss of your driving licence.

More information here - http://www.thelocal.fr/2487/20120206/

ADDITIONAL ITEMS OBLIGATORY FOR PRIVATE CARS;

REFLECTIVE JACKETS AND TRIANGLE

The driver must have a CE marked reflective jacket inside the vehicle and it must be easily accessible before getting out of the vehicle. Triangle must have the mark E27 R and must be placed at a distance of at least 30 meters from the vehicle or obstacle being warned against.

The jacket and/or the triangle must be used in cases of emergency stops. Warning lights must be switched on. NOTE – placing the triangle is not obligatory if doing so would put the driver’s life in danger.

LIGHTS AND SPARE BULBS

Every vehicle must have external lights in working order and the driver must therefore have spare bulbs for the external lights (the headlights, the rear lights and stop lights).

Carp Fishing Holidays at 35 French Lakes

I don’t often go political, but today I feel the need.

I’ve found out that  from spring 2012 (forgive the  slightly vague date but there’s nothing more definite available yet) all motorists will be having to put something else in the car to join the gilet rétro-réfléchissant (reflective jacket) and the triangle de pré-signalisation (warning triangle), which are already there, on top of the carte grise (car registration document), insurance documents and ready-to-fill-in accident report.

They will have to make room for an éthylotest – breath test kit.

Yes, I was fairly incredulous too.

If you don’t have one, you face a fine of anything between €11 and €17, according to which report you read.

These little kits cost around €1. Ok, it’s not a vast expense, but it’s the principle of the thing. I use the car to go grocery shopping, to deliver and collect my daughter to and from the lycée bus and to go to committee meetings. None of these are occasions that involve alcohol, although I imagine food shopping would be more fun after a glass of wine. But the powers that be suspect me of hitting the bottle at every opportunity before sliding behind the steering wheel, and dictate I need this totally unnecessary piece of kit. I would no sooner drink and drive than I would sell the kids into slavery, however tempted by the latter I may be occasionally.

However, before I get carried away let’s look at this matter objectively.

Let’s look at the pro side first. Alcohol is the major killer on the roads, responsible for a third of all road deaths. Quite rightly the government wants to reduce this number of unnecessary deaths. The recent unpopular increase in the number of speed cameras continue reading…