1999 vfr fix. French emissions query

Hi Guys,
As my/our 1999 is not eligible for a French emission sticker, to be displayed in pollution restricted towns and cities, does that mean we pre year 2000 VFR owners are totally banned from entering the likes of Paris and Grenoble? Or, do we just ride on in and see what happens, i.e. get a hefty smack in the wallet?
There seems little info re pre year 2000 vehicles. Or have I just not been looking hard enough?

 

Hi Pete



The short answer is YES. BUT the ban on unregistered vehicles entering an environmental zone applies principally from Monday to Friday between 8 am and 8 pm. At other times you can still use your motorbike even if it does not have a Crit Air Sticker.

Your VFR pre-dates the June 2000 earliest date of first registration so you will never be able to obtain a crit-air sticker to use your VFR at other times.

Many older vehicles including motorbikes are now effectively prohibited from daytime - Monday - Friday use within Paris, Grenoble and Lyon, and you should be aware there is a long line of other cities and towns seeking similar powers.

You face a fine of between €65 and €350? on first offence and would need to immediately leave the LEZ or risk on a second offence having the bike seized and crushed. Thus far FFMC (French motorbike association) is not aware of anyone suffering this fate, but the law applies to overseas registered vehicles.

Pollution has become a very big issue during protracted periods of calm weather. Thus far it seems that specific checks for crit air stickers only really take place during high pollution incidents. Like London - Paris has been regularly accused of not tackling chronic pollution, hence they have finally been forced to introduce measures which allow them to effectively ban the use of any vehicle which has not been registered under the crit-air system, and display an appropriate crit-air sticker. Least polluting vehicles get a category 1 sticker with higher category numbers applied to more polluting vehicles. The sticker must be clearly attached to the screen or frame on motorbikes without any screen. (A 2016 VFR800F would get listed in Category 2).

At times of high pollution cities/towns can restrict use of the roads to vehicles with the lowest emission categories so perhaps at high pollution times only allowing crit air category 1 and 2 vehicles to be used, with higher category vehicles effectively grounded until the pollution clears. This should result in a far more sensible way of cutting vehicle emissions than the previous very rough and ready odds/evens approach which simply banned all vehicles with odd number plates from being used on odd numbered days of the month etc. Which perversely banned the use of even the lowest emission vehicles if they had the wrong number plate.

Inherently France is copying the approach of Germany and many other countries with low emission zone rules basically intended to cut pollution in urban areas. You will find full details of the French crit air system and similar systems in other European countries here http://www.green-zones.eu/en/info-menu/european-badges-and-vignettes/french-vignette-critair.html

I hope that helps.


SkiMad

 

Hi SkiMad,

Firstly, sorry for the late reply.

Thank you very much for the comprehensive information and link. Nothing worse than 'running blind' in a foreign land. I shall keep an eye out for the appropriate signage when away.

Best regards

PETE G

 

^ geez, more information than I ever wanted to know about.

I knew about the Germans having Red/Yellow/Green stickers restricting the said vehicle from parking around the centre of town ie Dusseldorf. I know they have (old-timers) which are older vehicles that generally go out during the weekends and congregate around a burger joint etc. I think they had a "cash-4-clunker" thing there too, so it goes like this, they (das gooberment) gives you an allowance back on your new car purchase and basically the dealer takes your old car in trade and destroys it. Its a fuked up mentality really, screwing up a piece of history etc. Glad my old lady was out of the country when they had that whole :bs: thing going on here, or my beloved Jeep would have been toast. Go to Mexico City and check out what kind of stuff is going on (not in the zona-rosa either.) :wacko:

 

And we thought we had it bad in California

 

I know, you have CARB which is fuked up, I installed replacement coil on plugs (COP) for my ford from an aftermarket, they had this fancy sticker that would be affixed to the inside of the motor compartment that said its CARB compliant, seriously? WTF, you guys are totally naztified. Forget about changing the exhaust system of your new "Busa" right?

 

But I can still ride my '83 everywhere! But there is a big difference in the smell of the exhaust compared to my '14 with the CAT.

 

You should have been able to drive in my friends 1969 Z28 with 302/manual, that thing stank so bad inside you would'nt believe it. The new stuff is designed to burn off all the noxious stuff at the expense of longevity. Nothing like a carburetor, nuff sed :thumbsup:

 

The pollution in Grenoble can be horrific. All the smog settles down in the valley.