Bip & Go Auto Télépéage.

[Upt North]

Quick question me o'd muckas.
Has anyone used an auto payment system for road tolls in France and Italy. Bip and Go offer this service amongst others but the sites are very car'ist.
Terrible I know, I'll write to my M.P.
I'm thinking do the systems work, where does the tag go on a bike etc.
The main reason I'm thinking about it is I detest stopping at tolls, wet gloves, cold fingers, wet ticket, where's that card, I've dropped my card, the linings are hanging outside my gloves etc.
I shall not be planning to ride on the motorways but know I will anyway, it just happens. Don't even start me on the Swiss Vignette.
Ta in advance me ducks.
Upt.
 

[Upt North]

And don't get me started on CritAir either. Blummin French.
Upt.
 

[Rusty Nuts]

I've used Liber-t in France with no issues.

[Upt North]

Rusty.
Ta.
With Liber-T how did the transponder work?
Upt.

[Rixington43]

My mate just used a Bip & Go to ride down through France, stuck on the inside of his screen and no issues as far as I know, well apart from the motor letting go on his Beemer just short of his destination but no suggestion that was related 😬.
Being RFID, they should work better on a bike than in a car, I can't really see why they wouldn't be fine in a tank bag but you'd soon know at the first peáge.

[Upt North]

Thanks for that, Bip and Go sound a decent agent. And if it can be stuck on the screen even better. The sites are a little vague with bike specifics.
I shall make no comments about BMW reliability.

[Joe Rocket]

And don't get me started on CritAir either. Blummin French.
Upt.
 

So what's the to do with CritAir Upt North? I appreciate it's difficult for non French but it's very cheap (a couple of Euros for my Strom, a couple more for my car for the vehicle's life) and serves all cities using the pollution system. It beats a blanket charge system (like ULEV) and varies depending on pollution reduction performance. I ride and drive in Rennes and drive in Strasbourg and the limitations have been extended because of pollution reduction. My Kawasaki is too old, therefore exempt.

No ranting though, I do know how to set a pile of tyres alight (coming to a roundabout near you.......)! 

[Upt North]

Yes Joe, it's not the money....but.....what really is the point of stopping not a lot of British tourists entering certain areas of France.
Will it really kill the polar bears in Grenoble Zoo if I happen to pass into a controlled zone for 2 minutes before zipping off to the hills?
It always seems to be France that makes life difficult...it could be me of course.
Reflective bibs in grabbing distance......that'll be France.
Reflective tape on your hat......that'll be France.
Has any foreign motorcyclists life been saved because said foreign motorcyclist had some reflective tape on his or her hat?
Like I say it's probably me, it usually is.
But what about the motorway tags?
Upt.

[Phild]

CritAir for motorcycles?

Whoops, didn’t have one last year when I went to Italy. I have one for the car, and we had one when we had a camper van. But years of touring in Europe and we’ve never had one for our bikes.🤷‍♂️

[Upt North]

When I went across a few years ago to France and Italy my BeaST was too old and dirty to be allowed into any zone and if that is the case you don't get a certificate. Unfortunately that is no longer the case.
After reading the information I can find I'm still not sure you need one to actually enter the country or if it's just in the zones.
Although as I don't know where I will be riding, even which countries, I thought it better to comply.
Upt.

[Joe Rocket]

Well I'm sorry if this is all too overwhelming for you.

To help you on you next trip (?) CritAir is only applied to certain cities or zones, not the whole of France. Like anyone entering the UK you are responsible for being aware of law, requirements and restrictions for where you intend to go. Ignorance isn't the welcome response but should get you off a fine if caught. It is not a thoroughly prosecuted crusade either. I can only gather like you say a very French thing.

Funnily this has nothing to do with stopping just a few tourists riding into town centres but all those others who live here and come and go daily to work, shop and do business. If the rules apply then shoudn't that apply to all?  (I like this emoji, so French.....)

[Upt North]

 I couldn't agree more, so French
And not overwhelming, just not clear. It may be clear on a site somewhere, if you could post any useful information that would be great. Like Phild implies he wasn't even aware of it. Is that ignorance or enforcement of fairly irrelevant laws on a few tourists.
I may be wrong but I'm not aware the UK applies any extra laws that French motorcyclists have to comply with before crossing La Manche other than the laws you already comply with, or not.
Upt.
 

[chris1200]

Having seen a mention of the Critair in a previous post I did a quick google as I am off for a small tour of a bit of France at the end of the month. I knew to start with I wouldn't be going anywhere I would need one but decided to see how easy it would be if I ever did. I Found the French website (all translated), fed in my details, paid my £3 or whatever it was, (it was such a small amount I can't remember) and a week or so later it came in the post. Stuck it on the bike and then got on with what I was doing, and my life. The hardest part was deciding where to stick it....as the bishop said to the actress.

[Phild]

I’ve always been aware of the Critair, Upt North, but for some unknown reason I’d never thought to get one for our bikes. Maybe I thought bikes were exempt…. No idea really.🤷‍♂️

They are easy to apply and pay for, so I’ll be buying one soon.👍

[Joe Rocket]

Here's a page for you Upt North. You can change the language to English at the top of the page. https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/

 

Edit. There are differences in rules and Laws concerning all vehicles; just off the top of my head... priority changes (left to right to give way situations), priority roads (yellow diamond sign), winkers are obligatory to change of lane/turning (even if pointless with no one to signal to), traffic light junctions are very complicated when you can go (green) but are stopped by pedestrian crossings as you turn..... As you say SO French! 

[Upt North]

Just for the information of others.
I've had many recommendations on other sites for the Bip and Go, seems to work well. A couple have said it works in the clear pocket on the top of a tank bag.
The days of trying to get wet gloves back on with the innards hanging out like a prolapsed udder may be over.
I do hope so.
Oh yes, it apparently works in France, Spain, Portugal and Italy.
Thanks for the helpful comments.
Roll on Autumn.

[2112]

I hope they are CE approved wet gloves ? Another requirement for France...

[Phild]

€16 a year subscription…. Not unreasonable. 👍