Riding in Europe Part 2

[Toastie]

Yes, I know this question has been asked before but I believe the situation has changed post Bxxxxt and since the last answer on the previous thread.

I have a full U.K. car licence from 1980 something or other. I’m not registered disabled. I do not have a full bike licence.

Will my U.K. grandfather rights car licence cover me in Europe? Specifically France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands and Italy?

TIA

[Kawazuki]

Doesn't a full UK car licence allow you to ride a trike unrestricted? Whether this is transferable to Europe is ???

[Barneyb]

From bsh
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Update On Current UK Trike Licensing Legislation
by

Pauline Hawkins

Under the European legislation able-bodied people who didn’t hold a full Category B (car) licence prior to 19th January 2013 will have to pass a motorcycle test on a solo motorcycle before they can ride a trike (those who already hold a full motorcycle licence will, by default, be able to ride trikes).
✱ ✱ ✱ ✱ ✱ ✱ ✱ ✱
A new UK-specific piece of legislation on trike entitlement has been unearthed; on 10th April 2014, new legislation came into effect which allows any person over the age of 21 who holds a full Category B (car) licence (irrespective of disabilities or what year they passed the full Category B test) to ride any size of trike within UK territory. It should be stressed that this legislation is only valid within UK territories, and nowhere else – elsewhere in Europe the 3rd Directive rules apply as originally implemented on 19/01/2013.

[Toastie]

From bsh
Back street Heroes Magazine Logo
Subscribe

News
Update On Current UK Trike Licensing Legislation
by

Pauline Hawkins

Under the European legislation able-bodied people who didn’t hold a full Category B (car) licence prior to 19th January 2013 will have to pass a motorcycle test on a solo motorcycle before they can ride a trike (those who already hold a full motorcycle licence will, by default, be able to ride trikes).
✱ ✱ ✱ ✱ ✱ ✱ ✱ ✱
A new UK-specific piece of legislation on trike entitlement has been unearthed; on 10th April 2014, new legislation came into effect which allows any person over the age of 21 who holds a full Category B (car) licence (irrespective of disabilities or what year they passed the full Category B test) to ride any size of trike within UK territory. It should be stressed that this legislation is only valid within UK territories, and nowhere else – elsewhere in Europe the 3rd Directive rules apply as originally implemented on 19/01/2013.

Thanks Barney

I’m genuinely not trying to be thick here (I don’t need to try, it’s a natural skill ), I read that as I’m good to go U.K. and EU because I had a full B (car) licence long before 2013?

[Barneyb]

Thats how I read it as well, don't forget your v5 and the £5 form from the post office if like me your using a paper license, I got that pinky coloured eu one.

[Toastie]

Excellent!

For anyone else rooting around with a similar idea (and with apologies in advance for teaching anyone to suck eggs), here’s some EU riding other stuff I’ve dug up over the last few days:

Spare bulbs and fuses aren’t a requirement but are a good idea

A reflective jacket for rider and passenger are required in some countries and need to be worn if stopped anywhere other than a car park e.g. on hard shoulders, side of the road etc.

Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Andorra and Monaco although not in the EU adopt EU policy across the board.

Some countries require an International Driving Permit but only if you don’t have a modern, pink credit card style U.K. licence.

GB stickers aren’t just no good any more, they must be removed or covered.

You must have a UK sticker if your number plate doesn’t have a blue box with UK and the Union Flag on it. Any other flag (Wales, England etc), the EU stars, GB or nothing doesn’t fit the bill.

First Aid kits are not required.

Most countries require dipped lights when riding by day.

France (inevitably) is different to most: You must wear protective jacket, trousers and CE approved gloves at all times. This is fairly frequently enforced with €35 fines. If you don’t have it they’ll drive you to a cash point. If you can’t get it, they’ll impound your vehicle. You must also have reflective stickers on helmets and an in date breathalyser kit (these last two are apparently routinely ignored.

Most countries require helmets to be worn and in ear intercoms etc are banned.

Sat Navs with speed camera databases are illegal unless the feature is disabled. Warning other drivers of the presence of mobile speed cameras is illegal.

Notably France but other countries have a version of it; Priorite A Droite, Priority To The Right. A lethal system that sees you driving (on the right of course) along a main road and priority is for the tractor joining from the right off a country lane! It’s marked by a triangular white road sign with a red border and a black X in the middle.

The variation on the above is seen elsewhere, particularly in Germany. It’s a yellow diamond with a white border. This means you have right of way. If it’s got a line through it,it means joining traffic has right of way.

Most countries have fixed speed limits with no signs. In any built up area it’s generally 50 kph / 30 mph. A built up area is defined as beyond the sign with the place name on until passing the sign with the place name in but with a line through it.

Trikes are Class 5 vehicles on French Autoroutes for toll purposes.

For a number of French cities you’ll need to apply for a CritAir sticker (think ULEZ) in advance. They’re about €5 and last for the life of the vehicle. They must be displayed so there goes your paint job. In other countries motorcycles aren’t required to pay ULEZ style fees (presumably because they’re read off the (non existent in bikes) front number plate.

Vignetttes (motorway passes) are not required for motorcycles including trikes and quads (presumably because they’re automatically read from an overhead gantry onto the sticker on the centre top of the car windscreen and that’s kinda difficult if you don’t have a windscreen!).

You must carry paper originals of V5 (or V103 if your vehicle is on finance) and of your insurance document including the translated version that’s replaced the old Green Card. These must be originals not photocopies although if you’re insurance is all on line, a home printed version is acceptable.

Fuel in France is extortionate and you’ll pay yet more if the pump is attended, commonly both attended and non attended pumps exist at the same location. There’s some suggestion that unattended pumps become the more expensive attended ones when foreigners are involved! Supermarket fuel is cheaper but there’s a suggestion that the quality difference is even more marked than here. As here, try and avoid motorway service stations. Total is a French government outfit which appears subsidised therefore often cheaper.

Le Shuttle has a dedicated tick box for trikes. Every ferry company I’ve researched doesn’t so entering dimensions seems the best bet. Ringing them only seems to complicate matters!

The Rewaco factory near Koln (Cologne) often arranges impromptu factory tours for owners who pitch up. The address is on their website.

Feel free to add!

[ratwing]

Bulbs & fuses - although spares aren't compulsory, you really should take them because if you blow a headlight (or any other "important light", whatever that means) and you're caught it's a fine.
Reflective vests - store them within reach, if French plod stop you and you're not wearing it before you get off or they see you, it's a fine. (I use quick release cable ties to hold it on the frame)
Headlights - if yours dip to the left you'll need beam converters.
Reflective helmet stickers - the law is ambiguous and I've seen French motorcycle cops without them but if you're stopped and they really don't like you then no stickers = a non-compliant helmet = a fine. Having said that, it's as you say, routinely ignored and I've not come across any cases of this.
Breathalysers - not needed, this was repealed in 2020.
Glasses - if you wear them to ride, you need a spare pair.
Crit'Air sticker - when I got mine, they asked to see the v5 and told me to use the moped category. I mention this because if there's still no trike category, it may well take you longer than you think to get one. Many other European countries have similar systems too.
Warning triangle - France says your trike is a bike so you don't need one, I don't know about the rest of Europe but I carry one anyway - if you've broken down on an unrestricted autobahn I reckon you need all the help you can get!
Fuel - all the petrol stations we used last year (Belgium, France, Germany) were pay at the pump but unlike ours, there's a single pay point at the end each row of pumps - put your card in, enter the pump number and fuel grade, take your card, walk back to your pump and fill up. If you want a receipt, go back to the paypoint to print one.
Parking - in Germany we were told you're supposed to display one of these things below, a German triker gave us one and said to set it to the time you parked (ankunftszeit means time of arrival). Something new maybe, we've been going abroad for years and years and it's the first time we've heard of this. Has anyone else come across them?
Irish Ferries have a trike category and were cheap too (the last time I looked)

IMG_1861 - Copy.JPG

[Toastie]

The Ankfutszeit (Arrival Time) thing in Germany I remember from my time over there with the military in the 80s so it’s not new. Like here, some parking is free for X hours and you’re supposed to be honest about it and set the arrival time on dial and display it so the parking Stasi (or more likely a resident) can get all upset about it if you overstay. I think it’s just a Germany and maybe Austria thing? Good tip though.

As an aside, the Germans have tried a few times to ban bikes in built up areas and / or at certain times of the day several times recently, so far unsuccessfully. I’m told noisy exhausts will attract unwanted attention and can get you a fine for disturbing the peace. Remember, this is a country where it’s illegal to use motorised garden equipment on Sundays or washing machines after 10pm……

Ditto on the vehicle class for the CritAir. That seems now to be all bikes of any wheel config are in one group (L2,3,5) and then another classification based on EU emissions 1-5. From what I can make out Group 1 is electric vehicles and bikes are in Group 2 seemingly regardless of age etc?

Good advice re bulbs and yellow jackets.

Cheers

[Toastie]

Thinking about it, the above Arrival Time thing needs to be displayed in areas where there’s a sign with a picture of it on.

Staying in Germany, contrary to popular opinion less than half the autobahn network is unrestricted for speed. Even where it is unrestricted you need to be mindful of the following:

A couple of years ago we were touring in a car. Bored and on an unrestricted autobahn I decided to see how fast my car could go. At about 120mph I bottled it and at that moment an unmarked Polizei pulled out behind us and lit up. It transpired that they’d spotted the Brit number plate and some friendly advice was in order.

We pulled over and the (beautiful blonde) copper explained in perfect English that we’d done nothing wrong BUT if you do more than about 90mph and are involved in an accident the authorities often do you as a minimum for the catch all “reckless driving”. If someone is hurt or worse, you can expect little leeway from the courts and of course your insurance is likely to be invalidated. She also mentioned that as Brits (who legally can only routinely drive at a maximum of 70mph) we’d immediately be at a disadvantage because unless you can prove you’re a racing driver it’s hard to avoid the accusation of being inexperienced and therefore reckless in driving so fast. Fair point IMHO.

My insurance (and presumably a lot of others) specifically excludes riding the Nurburgring!

[ratwing]

Cheers for the Ankunftseit card info, I wondered why you'd display it since the parking ticket has times on it.
You're right about the autobahns, there's a 130kph 'recommended maximum' on the unrestricted sections and if you're over it and involved in an accident you automatically share the blame even if it wasn't not your fault.