Cyprus-Forum.com

[cameron_roxburgh]

Last Monday, the police in Paphos were stopping cars and checking to see if you had a red warning triangle, first aid kit and fire extinguisher.

Not having these items, results in an immediate £60 fine.

Can anybody shed some light on this.

Is it now a legal requirement???

c_r

[kafenes]

Last Monday, the police in Paphos were stopping cars and checking to see if you had a red warning triangle, first aid kit and fire extinguisher.

Not having these items, results in an immediate £60 fine.

Can anybody shed some light on this.

Is it now a legal requirement???

c_r

Did they actually book you??

[Crivens]

Do what now? I drive an MX5 and we are lucky to get anything in the boot...

Not too surprising though with the amount of accidents you get here. Should be mandatory here to wear a hard hat at all times (even when walking along the road)

£60 fine? I thought it was only like £15 for speeding?

Perhaps it is to stop people dying before the police get here (always a laugh to see how long people wait for police outside our building when they have a crash - sometimes they never come) or the inadequate ambulance (man with a van) service.

Cheers

[cameron_roxburgh]

Did they actually book you??

I only heard this from another source.

I haven't been caught..............yet, but off to buy these items now.........just in case.

[amazed]

this is crazy!

[raymanuva]

I have Medical Kit in my car, and not to please a policeman... it is an MUST HAVE for every car.
As for fire extinguisher i also agree its needed. It could actually save someones life one day... for instance if there is burning car on the side of the road with person trapped in, what would your first reaction be? Call firebrigade? And it happens, last year 2 18 year olds burned in their car after hitting a pole... if someone from bystanders had an extinguisher, maybe they would live today.

[Peteone]

Carry them all, one day you might need them,but if you dont carry them sods law says that one day you WILL need them!!!

[cyprusgrump]

I’ve just been sent this via e-mail…

Hi Everyone

Just a word of warning, the police were at Carrefour supermarket carpark in Paphos the other day and anyone without the following was being fined £C60 on the spot:, another part of EU law they can make money on! I know a lot of newer cars come with some or all of these but not all.

Warning Triangle
First Aid Kit
Fire Extinguisher
Fluorescent Jacket

Cheers

[kafenes]

Received this from a friend this morning.

QUOTE:

Good morning

Over the weekend we all heard about police checking motorists in the Carrefour car park and fining those who did not have a fire extinguisher, a first aid box, a warning triangle and a yellow jacket.

When I heard it (from at least ten people who swore it was true) and then received the same warning by e-mail from a dozen reputable sources, I wrote a piece for my column entitled HIGHWAY ROBBERY. Some of you might have seen it.

However, within hours I had withdrawn the story and told the editor not to print it until I had investigated it further. My doubts stemmed from remembering a similar series of such claims that were published and refuted by the police a few years ago.

I visited Police HQ in Paphos and spoke at length with the acting Commander (my friend Lambros, the Commander, is on sick leave) and later I talked to the Head of the Traffic Division. Both said that they had received phone calls and complaints, but confirmed that there was NO TRUTH in the rumour at all. There had been no arrests, no fines levied and certainly they had not authorised or sanctioned any safety campaign of this kind. Indeed, they said it was NOT compulsory for private motorists to carry these four safety items: the legislation related to taxis, buses and commercial vehicles only.

The police were very upset by the rumours as it damaged their reputation. They would be keen to hear from any member of the public who had 'been fined'. They are concerned that if a motorist has paid a £60 fine, it could be crooks demanding money under false pretences. (Or maybe it's genuine cops going into business for themselves - my words - not the officer's).

I interviewed the manager of Carrefour and he said NO such activities had taken place in his car park. He has 24/7 security and it would have been reported to him immediately. Now he is receiving calls from his Directors about it, because they fear people may be frightened away by the story and sales will drop.

So I am now convinced that this is a Chinese rumour with no foundation at all. If someone does appear with a £60 fine receipt, then there's some very interesting questions for the police to answer.

The report on page 5 of yesterday's Cyprus Mail has succeeded in spreading the story even further, but their reporter did not check it out properly.

If I have any further information, I will let you know. If you have met anyone who has been fined, please ask them to contact me on XX XXXXXX.

The only people who have benefited from this 'information virus' are the shops selling triangles, first aid boxes, fire extinguishers and bright yellow jackets! But thinking about it, maybe it is a good idea to carry them anyway.

Best wishes

XXXX XXXXXXX

[aidy]

seen a print out article about this in work today, came from the cyprus mail.

apparently it comes in line with EU law, of which after checking EU mainland law does require this. it also requires a spare bulb kit, which has not been mentioned. or a torch

I also heard the police were at Carrefour in Ypsonas too, from a colleague. Who also added, that he was told that if you are parked then the police have the right to come over and demand to search your car. Only hearsay, not confirmed.

The article also added that they contact various police departments across Cyprus and got different views on this. ie. Paphos say it is compulsary. The Cheif of Police in Nicosia stated that he believes this requirement is for public transport only. ie. Taxis, buses etc.


It would only cost about 15cyp for these items, so for the chance of spending 15 quid or 60, although i believe that it is just a money making scam (believe it or not again).

FYI. totally irrelevant, but did you know in france if you wear glasses, you have to carry a spare pair in the car too.

Just a thought... both of these stories involve Carrefour, are they selling these kits all of a sudden?? I know i shouldn't speculate, but it does make you think.......