French car hire breathalyser and Ryan Air hand-luggage size.

elsmandino

Hi there.

I am off to France at the end of the week and have a few last minute questions:

1. I have booked a hire car for the trip, with easyCar.com. There are a few odd rules about driving in France, including the need for a breathalyser, hi-vis jackets and spare bulbs etc.

Would you expect these to be provided or would I have to buy any of this separately in advance?

2. I have just read that the hand luggage for Ryan-Air is 40cmx25cmx20cm. Is this strictly enforced? I have a whole host of rucksacks in the house and they all seem to fall short of the 25cm width. That is just too narrow.

Caz3121

elsmandino wrote: »

2. I have just read that the hand luggage for Ryan-Air is 40cmx25cmx20cm. Is this strictly enforced? I have a whole host of rucksacks in the house and they all seem to fall short of the 25cm width. That is just too narrow.

I would expect hand luggage to be strictly enforced. if it is a soft rucksack, can you squash it so it would fit into the sizer?

benjus

Hire cars usually come with warning triangles and other mandatory equipment.

The breathalyser requirement, while still technically a requirement, is officially not enforced so I wouldn't bother with that.

NoodleDoodleMan

The breathalyser requirement, while still technically a requirement, is officially not enforced so I wouldn't bother with that.

I would read up on your insurance - it may be null and void if there is evidence of taking alcohol, even if any incident is not your fault.

greyteam1959

Ryanair hand luggage ??
Sometimes enforced sometimes not.
Not worth taking the risk.

elsmandino

Thanks everyone.

With regards to the bag size - it does seem that as long as you can squash your rucksack size down to the suggested size, you will be fine. This should be fine for us.

With regards to the safety equipment - a bit of research suggests that hire car companies have to abide by the laws of the companies within which they operate - i.e. if the law dictates a triangle and high-vis vest, they have to provide them with the car.

What is less clear is the position of other passengers - it seems that every passenger, who waits outside the car following an event, has to wear a high-vis jacket too. Is just about possible that a high-vis jacket will have to be provided of every place in a vehicle.

Another slight worry that has since popped up with regards to driving in France - we are going to be using Google Maps to get around but it is apparently illegal to us any device that can identify the location of speed-cameras in France. Google Maps now automatically does this.

Again a bit of research suggests that, for this very reason, speed-cameras will not show up on any Google maps of France.

Bit stressful, all this - should have gone with Taxis!

stripeyfox

elsmandino wrote: »

Thanks everyone.

With regards to the bag size - it does seem that as long as you can squash your rucksack size down to the suggested size, you will be fine. This should be fine for us.

With regards to the safety equipment - a bit of research suggests that hire car companies have to abide by the laws of the companies within which they operate - i.e. if the law dictates a triangle and high-vis vest, they have to provide them with the car.

What is less clear is the position of other passengers - it seems that every passenger, who waits outside the car following an event, has to wear a high-vis jacket too. Is just about possible that a high-vis jacket will have to be provided of every place in a vehicle.

Another slight worry that has since popped up with regards to driving in France - we are going to be using Google Maps to get around but it is apparently illegal to us any device that can identify the location of speed-cameras in France. Google Maps now automatically does this.

Again a bit of research suggests that, for this very reason, speed-cameras will not show up on any Google maps of France.

Bit stressful, all this - should have gone with Taxis!

For the cost involved I'd get a high vis vest for everyone travelling. We drove to Disneyland Paris last year and got these, the bulbs and the breathalyser for £15 or so. I know the breathalyser is not technically enforced but if you get a particularly awkward French policeman, you may be glad to have it on board!

peterbaker

Ryanair handbaggage small bag only non-priority tickets - apart from squashable bags there are other ways and contingencies ... first of all you can smile nicely in airport shopping/duty free and perhaps get a bigger duty free bag than is strictly necessary for your purchase - then use it as an overflow bag. That's kosher i.e. with Ryanair's cheapest ticket, you are permitted a small bag PLUS (what looks like) airport shopping, and the latter should not be challenged.

Those of us that are larger than average tend to get away with larger bags than 40x25x20 cm if they don't look big on us e.g. slung nonchalantly over a hefty shoulder.

I have been travelling quite regularly with a flexible lined bag from a good brand which I picked up cheaply. It actually fills out exactly to Ryanair's traditional cabin 10kg bag size i.e. the original 55x40x25 cm which nw you can only bring on if you buy priority, but the filled out size of mine isn't ever very obvious until I tidy up my carry-ons into one bag before getting off (definitely not before getting on!).

As far as gate staff are concerned that black thing slung nonchalantly over my shoulder must be something like a small bag per the 40x25x20 rule especially since that is what it says on my boarding pass! Smile back, don't break stride. Have a nice flight, Sir!

So with the carry strap over my hefty shoulder, an airport purchase bag in the other hand and maybe a Pret bag also hanging on by one finger and a loose book under my arm for reading, I've not been challenged when using their cheapest fares even when scarcely having a hand free to show my passport and scan my mobile. And I haven't even mentioned filling your jacket pockets

The secret is purely to look like you belong, that you appear to comply, that all is in order and you are relaxed and scarcely losing a step as you pass through the gate.

If you stand there flat-footed with a nervous or pleading look that says "am I allowed to pass with this much?" then you might not like the answer

Breathalyser, first aid kit, warning triangle hi-viz and spare bulbs - I can't imagine any reputable car hire company actually in France would fail to include them with the car. With a limited baggage allowance I don't think I'd buy any car safety equipment to take with me on the plane

elsmandino

Hi everyone.

Thought I would just report back here, in case it helps any future forum-goers.

Ryan Air

As mentioned above, no-one was really bothered about rucksacks. I did not see a single person picked out, regardless of the size.

They did, however, nab those with hard cases and checked them for exact measurements.

Message seems to be that you can take a squashy bag on-board but if you are taking a suitcase that you clearly should be checking-in, they see that as taking the mickey.

Car Hire

Everything was provided in the car.

Thanks again for everyone's help.