I follow dcrainmaker and this popped up in my FB feed:  "France bans Garmin Varia radar..."  I don't have a Varia (because it won't fit on my bike) but I do use a rear blinker, which is what is now banned.  Here's what  his post says (scroll down on the linked page to the second item under "Stuff I found interesting..." heading.  I've repeated the text below but Ray's has hyperlinks to his source (in French) and his reviews of the mentioned Varia units.

France Bans Garmin Varia Radar: Well, indirectly. They banned blinking lights, and the units sold currently in France have a pulsing/blinking light feature. In effect, France matched the existing German laws around blinking bicycle lights, which is why Garmin sells a slightly different variant of all their lights in those countries (in addition to complying with other brightness rules). So for example, the RTL-515 is the global name, but in Germany, it’s the RTL-516. Same goes for RCT-715/RCT716. This took effect back on November 28th. I chatted with Garmin on it, and they’re working on a response. They noted that “obviously” they’ll be complying with the regulation. More shortly on how that’s achieved (I’d guess a firmware update).

So I guess the takeaway is to make sure you take a light that has a non-blinking option for touring in France.  Now I need to tell Al.  He's been using front and rear blinkers on every ride for years, as do many Vancouver-area cyclists.

Hear, hear! I’m all in with the Germans, and now the French, on this one. 

Since we run SON hubs with Edulux front and rear lights (that are almost always on), I’m also all in on lights. However, the blinking variety I’ve always found quite distracting as both a cyclist and auto driver.

In Alberta where we live, flashing lights are not allowed on bikes (or the regulations imply this) but this is routinely ignored by many cyclists and not enforced. Flashers are ubiquitous.

Being visible, good. Being distracting, not so good.

My reading of the text of this law is that these new rules apply at night or during the day when visibility is poor.    If you’re riding is during the day, my take is that this law doesn’t apply.  In addition, I’d be really surprised if a gendarme really bothered to assess the 11 Euro fine for this “violation”.  

My experience with the Varia is that the change in the blinking pattern is very effective at creating awareness in overtaking drivers. I’ve noticed the difference during our rides on local roads as well as during our tours.  Both on my single bike and on the tandem, drivers give us MUCH more room when the Varia is on the bike.

I think this law change is stupid. It’s a huge mistake which is going to result in cyclists dying.  

For my part, I plan to continue using a blinking Varia rear light during my daytime rides in France.  If I encounter a gendarme who has nothing better to do than harass me, I’ll suddenly forget how to speak French.  If they persist, I’ll pay the 11 euros.  Robin’s life and my life is worth it.

We use rear blinkers in the daytime because they are so noticable in dappled light.  Not having a power source on our bikes, it would be challenging to find a tail light that was bright enough to be seen during the day and with enough power to last all day.   I think I’m with Rich Frasier on this one— blinking during the day and solid should we find ourselves riding after dusk. 

We have solid rear lights on our bikes, but also carry additional back up blinkies. Our finding is that drivers give us way more space when we use the flashers in the dark and/or rain. We also will continue to use them when we feel it is safer, also, our foreign language ability fluctuates with the situation and definitely is nonexistent when  authority figures are present.

An interesting article from a year ago regarding solid versus flashing lights.

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/flashing-bike-lights

Huh, seems I was totally unaware this was the case in Germany! I may have inadvertently broken this rule ... I'll add it to my long list of unknowing faux pas

Interesting. Especially since the study results are in line with what Al and I think.  I knew about Germany but not Netherlands or Austria, perhaps because I’ve cycled in Germany or because it came up when I was researching rear lights to attach to my first Tubus rack because my old light didn’t fit.  This too is interesting because Netherlands and Germany have so much more cycling infrastructure than B.C.  (In Canada, such regulations are provincial jurisdiction, not federal.)

Jon, you’re not alone in the faux pas department.  Blinking tail lights are evidently also illegal in The Netherlands.  A couple of years ago, we rode from Amsterdam to Maastricht with our taillight blinking furiously all the while.  No one said anything to us.  I think it’s safe to say that enforcement of these rules is not a high priority for the local constabulary.   I would expect it to be the same in France.

Thanks for the interesting link, Bob.  I’d be super interested in a study that compared the Varia to a steady blinking tail light.  

To me, the key thing about the Varia is that it changes its blinking pattern when a car approaches.   My completely uninformed opinion is that the change in pattern is what causes motorists to give us more room.  I think they feel like someone or something is watching them and adopt their best motorist behavior.  They almost always give us the required 1.5 meters of space.

I’d love to see my opinion confirmed or proved false.  I understand that a blinking rear light might be harder for drivers to see depth or distance.  I’d even be willing to give up a blinking rear light on that basis.  But the change in the light pattern when a car approaches seems critical to me.

I wonder what the definition of “clignoter” (to blink) is in legal French?  Maybe a pulsing light that varies in intensity would not be classified as “blinking”?  

I hope there’s a way around this new law that allows the Varia to continue to be useful in France.  I really don’t like civil disobedience.  But, like the farmers, the grape growers, the yellow vests, and almost all other residents of France, I’m not above using it when required.  :)