An officer in uniform can stop any vehicle
I am not a big fan of doing anything with a driver inside a vehicle ( unless the engine is off and they cannot access the keys) in case they decide to drive off
That is what the Gendarme on the moto is for 
and donât forget the French Police are armed by defaultâŚ
I agree with you wholeheartedly Graham.
In the UK, Section 163 of the Road Traffic Act provides an absolute power for the officer to cause a vehicle to stop. There is no need whatsoever to suspect that an offence has been, is being, or will be committed.
Furthermore, Sections 164 and 165 go on to require that the driver of the vehicle produces certain documents if asked by the officer, and that said driver shall state his name and address and date of birth when asked.
So taken together, these sections not only provide the officer with the power to stop any vehicle whatsoever without having any particular reason, but also go on to effectively force a certain degree of conversation to take place. Other enactments govern driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs, and effectively the only elements to be proven are that the offender was âdrivingâ and that he/she was unfit. So, the UK officer can stop a vehicle âon specâ, and can then lawfully administer a breath test if there is a lawful reason to do so such as the officer forming a suspicion of impairment through his observations of, or conversation with, the driver. There are of course additional justifications for the administering of a breath test such as an accident or a moving traffic offence.
Combining the use of different powers under different enactments is what the professional and experienced officer is expected to do. It is not a matter of using any âways and meansâ act, but a professional use of the various tools provided by Parliament. Rather like the carpenter using a range of different tools to construct one single staircase.
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Even with a gendarme on a moto a car driving off could do a lot of damage , the firearms thing probably helpsđ
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some time ago, there was a flurry of false M/c Gendarmes stopping (typically) UK regn cars and demanding on the spot fines be paid. UK drivers were advised to be careful accordingly.
One reported icident that came to my notice was a Brit who was stopped by a fake m/cycle Gendarme and the driver reminded hm of the issue outlining something on the lines of âhow do I know you are a real cop?â The Gendarme promptly responded with his hand positioned on his weapon - âbut messieur, I am the one with the pistoletâ. I think the driver took notice at that point
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Out of interest do French police have the equivalent of a Warant Card to prove they are a sworn in warranted officer with powers ?
Good question⌠canât find a definitive answer to thatâŚ
Yes they do, it has a tricolore bandeau on it and they have to show it if you ask. Generally if they are stopping you for something and they are in plainclothes they will show it first.
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That is the only part of all that you said that I take issue with and we have already agreed to differ on that point, although I didnât say it was to demean and embarrass, only that it might do, but that that wasnât the intention.
@vero That was exactly what happened to me near Nantes once. Halfway round a roundabout my red air line broke and locked firmly all the brakes on the trailer. While waiting for a local fitter to arrive with a new one I was struggling to redirect one flow of traffic while warn those from the other direction what to expect when a man in civilian clothes stopped his car and came to ask me what was wrong. I was a bit put out at first as I thought he was just being curious, but was pleased to see him flash that and say âSurete Nationaleâ because we could then split the task till help arrived. 
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Heâs already answered that.
I know the feeling only too well. I have been breathalysed 4 times on a certain stretch of road I drive, twice on a Friday evening and twice on a Sunday afternoon. Each time I was asked if I had drunk anything, too which my reply was always NO. The looks on their faces is a picture worth. I have absolutely nothing against the Gendarmerie stopping me and breath testing, it is their job, if it means they clobber some of the drunkards on the road then good for them. If I were to be caught drink driving I lose not only my driving licence for a specific time I also lose my pilots licence but for good. Therefore it is easier not to drink alcohol and then drive.
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Unfortunately there doesnt seem to be many of those on the roads in the UK these days if the ârealityâ documentaries are anything to go by.
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Sadly, I think you are right. Sustained under funding and budget cutbacks over many years donât exactly help.
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Funding cuts, messing with budgets , pointless degree programmes itâs all had an effect
I am really hoping that those programmes are not true, but hyped up for what the makers believe is âgood televisionâ. I occasionally alight upon them but cannot stand more than 5 or 10 minutes without either switching off or muting the sound.
Are they really so macho? Not a good look imo.
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They show a few minutes out of several hours of carefully edited footage
Quite possibly, so why do they never choose the best bits then, or are those the best bits. 
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I have always followed the advice to say little or nothing and never argue, but I must admit that I did think that they needed a reason but that that was only a formality because they could always find something to question you about, so all in all it only reinforces my opinion to follow all that advice. 
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The words âGood morning/afternoon/evening officer. How may I help you ?â always set the tone for a pleasant conversation in my experience.
In this way, what could be a prosecution can often turn into a friendly word of advice.
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