To show their support for the 17 November protest movement, some motorists are putting a safety vest which made of reflective fabric on the dashboard of their car.
Some netizens are worried about this gesture sanctioned with a fine ranging from 90 to 150 euro.
But it is an index, emanating either from a hoax on the Word Press site or from an unfounded rumor, as confirmed by the 20 Minutes Road Safety.
With the approach of November 17, when French people dissatisfied with rising fuel prices plan to "block roads" in France, netizens are worried about potential repressions against a symbolic object of the movement.
The safety vest is indeed used by some motorists as a sign of rallying ... in accordance with calls made to this effect on social networks, including the Facebook page "Info Routes Haut-Doubs 25", from October 29: "To show your discontent, you can place a vest at the front of your vehicle on the dashboard. "
However, according to a viral rumor on social networks, such a gesture would expose to a fine ranging between 90 and 150 euro, for reasons more or less likely ... including an alleged "apology of terrorism", actually emanating from a parodic article.
The reading of the original text is enough to arouse suspicion: "Jovian has just been surprised this afternoon by a police patrol who pitched him for an appeal for revolt and apology for terrorism. Indeed, since the state of emergency measures incorporated in the law...placing a vest on its dashboard can be likened to an apology for terrorism. "The movement of yellow vests is technically a call for violence and terror at the top of the state," the article concludes.
"The info" is all the less credible because it comes from the parody site Word press, which specializes in the publication of satirical content with often dark humor - and obviously determined to make fun of the "movement of yellow vests", since he integrates these with the photos of his last articles.
Contacted by 20 Minutes, Road Safety confirms that it is indeed an index and recalls the provisions of Article R416-19 of the Highway Code, relating to the triangle and the safety vest. "The driver shall wear a high-visibility vest complying with the regulations when he is required to leave a vehicle immobilized on the roadway or its surroundings following an emergency stop. In circulation, the driver must have this vest at hand, "says the text.
No verbalization ... "except in case of the hindrance to visibility"
Road Safety also recalls that it is precisely the absence of a vest or its non-use in this context that exposes a financial penalty: "The driver who does not comply with these rules is liable to the fine provided for the contraventions 4th class (135 euro). "
The other rumor circulating on the yellow vest already seems more likely than "the apology of terrorism": "Attention! They verbalize the cars with the yellow vest on the dashboard driver side, 90 to 135 euro, it continues... Put them on the passenger side. "
But this is also a poison, denied on November 2 by the Facebook page of the Gendarmerie: "You will not be verbalized if you put the yellow safety vest on your dashboard, except in case of the hindrance to visibility. "This defined, in this case, as" the affixing of non-transparent objects on the windows" indeed exposes the motorist to a fine of 45 euro.