# Carrying bike on back of car in France



## Mucker Man (20 May 2013)

Hi, we are travelling to France and hoping to carry our bikes on a bike carrier on the back of the car. The car lights are visible through the spokes of the bikes but we are worried we could get in trouble with the police if stopped. Has anyone any experience of this?
One option for us would be to remove the front wheels off the bikes which would lessen the obscuring of the lights.
We have an extra number plate to attach to the carrier, so that isn't an issue.
Has anyone had any issues in the past with this?


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## AlbacoreA (20 May 2013)

No idea..


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## Bronte (21 May 2013)

Mucker Man said:


> . The car lights are visible through the spokes of the bikes but we are worried we could get in trouble with the police if stopped. Has anyone any experience of this?
> ?


 
This doesn't sound at all right to me. And I would assume that there is a law in France that you must have a special bike carrier has both the number place and the lights, I have such a bike carrier.  You'd be better off puchasing one like that.  

Take care when attaching the bikes, loads of accidents every year on the French motorways due to people not securing bikes, bags and caravans properly.


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## Silvera (23 May 2013)

Bronte said:


> This doesn't sound at all right to me. And I would assume that there is a law in France that you must have a special bike carrier has both the number place and the lights, I have such a bike carrier.  You'd be better off puchasing one like that.
> 
> Take care when attaching the bikes, loads of accidents every year on the French motorways due to people not securing bikes, bags and caravans properly.



Good advice.
All vehicle lights and registration plates must be clearly visible and un-obscured at all times. This is the law in Ireland too.

Sounds like you need to buy a trailer board (which has lights/indicators/reflectors built-on) to attach to the bike carrier (and screw the spare reg plate to the trailer board also).


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## Bronte (23 May 2013)

Silvera said:


> Sounds like you need to buy a trailer board ).


 
So that's what it's called, that's what we have.


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## hfp (23 May 2013)

just make sure the tyres are nowhere near the exhaust - dad managed to melt one of my tyres on two separate occasions in that way!!


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## Leo (24 May 2013)

Silvera said:


> Good advice.
> All vehicle lights and registration plates must be clearly visible and un-obscured at all times. This is the law in Ireland too.
> 
> Sounds like you need to buy a trailer board (which has lights/indicators/reflectors built-on) to attach to the bike carrier (and screw the spare reg plate to the trailer board also).



Yep, good call. Tyres even partially blocking lights can be dangerous. If you get stopped, you won't be allowed continue until you remove an obstruction. 

The options are get a trailer board, or one of the high-load rear racks that hold the bike(s) above light level.


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