Vehicle CodeRules Part 1

Traffic Cops

Their job is to ensure the smooth flow of traffic, monitor your driving papers (license, insurance, etc.) / alcohol level / state of vehicle, give tickets for infractions, and organize emergency help at the scene of an accident.

Instructions given by an officer override any lights, signs or other signals. If an officer is directing traffic, here's how interpret his/her instructions:

Emergency Vehicles

Vehicles of the police, the local gendarmerie, customs, fire trucks, and ambulances have right-of-way when they are using their blue flashing emergency lights and/or sirens. They are referred to as 'priority vehicles' and their speed is not limited. You must yield to them at intersections. You must slow or stop to let them to pass or cross in front of you.

There are other vehicles that are not called 'priority' (gas, electric, Banque de France, prisoner transport, private ambulances, etc.). You are supposed to 'facilitate their passage' when their blue lights are flashing, but you do NOT have to yield to them like you would a fire truck or police car. Why they even have blue flashing lights is unclear. They might have a blue asterisk symbol on their sides.

Slow Vehicles

Cleaning trucks, highway maintenance trucks, contruction trucks, and large farm vehicles can move very slowly. They will have yellow-orange blinking lights on the back. You can pass them with care.

Trailers must have triangular reflectors on the back.

Others On The Road

BUSES -   In a city, you must slow or stop to let a bus leave its bus stop. You must let the bus pass first if the road is not wide enough for the two of you to pass each other.

TRAMS -   You must not pass a tram when it's loading/unloading on your side of the road.

PEDESTRIANS -   They have right-of-way as soon as they start to cross the road. You slow or stop if necessary to let them pass. Never pass a vehicle without being sure there is not a pedestrian on the other side. To pass a pedestrian, you must leave a minimum space between you and them. In the city, that space is 1 m. In the country, it's 1.5 m. When leaving a parking area, driveway, garage, etc., you yield to any pedestrians on the sidewalk.

ANIMALS -   Try not to honk at animals. You slow down and leave 1.5 m between you and them (in the country) to pass them. If you find a large animal wounded or dead, notify the local gendarmerie.

Localities / Lieux-Dits

A "Lieu-dit" is a grouping of houses. The word translates to "locality" in English, but they probably just don't exist in the States. Rules that apply to towns do NOT apply to these localities. You must slow down only as a function of any danger.