Brittany Ferries and Cycle Helmet

[AliK]

According to our Brittany Ferries ticket, we are meant to ensure we are wearing helmets as we board their ferry. Does anybody know what they do if you don't have helmets with you? I.e. Is it a problem? We don't wear helmets and don't really want to take some just for the ferry trip. We are travelling Plymouth to Roscoff.

Thank you

[Heltor Chasca]

I would be interested to know too. All ferry companies I have used make you walk your bike. So to be a pedant, do people walking from their cars have to do the same? Perhaps your ticket means motorcyclists.

Maybe mods should move this thread to the lid ghetto? Just in case.

[gbnz]

I've traveled with Brittany Ferries on a number of occasions and never had an issue (I don't use a helmet). Give them a call if you're worried

[robgul]

Travelled from Portsmouth to Oustreham/Caen about a month ago - our bikes were stored in the little room off the car deck with the bikes of two Dutch chaps - not a helmet between them - and IIRC my helmet was on the rear rack of my bike when I boarded. We had to walk on and off the ship with the bikes - probably a good idea as the steel ramps looked very greasy.

Rob

[reohn2]

I've been up on the Hull/Rotterdam ferry when its been so rough everyone on board needed a helmet the ship was rolling so badly

[ossie]

My Brittany ferries ticket for my French tour last month simply said this :

Safety notice for cyclists : To check in please proceed to the car lanes. When boarding or leaving the ship you must not cycle, please push your bike instead paying close attention to your surroundings at all times.

I don't wear a lid when touring in France . Why would you need a helmet when pushing anyway

[Bez]

FYI:

https://twitter.com/BrittanyFerries/sta ... 2992414720

[tatanab]

We had to walk on and off the ship with the bikes - probably a good idea as the steel ramps looked very greasy.

The reasons for walking on are firstly because of the slots between the plates on the boarding ramps (that's only a few yards and I have seen people drop a wheel into them)), and secondly because the car deck can be very slippery especially when wet.
I've just returned having used Brittany Ferries, I have discarded the email ticket so from memory they want lights and high vis when moving around the dock areas because of trailer movements. In fact this is not a problem - unless of course you happen on a very foggy day perhaps. I do not recall anything about helmets and lack of a plastic hat, lights or high vis were not a problem, it was daylight after all.

[MartinBrice]

they'll probably load you first, and just about all ferry companies demand you walk across the bit where the loading ramp touches the dock - it's easy to drop a wheel down there, i've done it even when pushing the bike, and TBH it's daft not to do it. once on the deck they tend not to worry if you ride all the way along the loading area to where they want to the bikes to go.
helmet - i tend not to bother on the continent and never had a problem.

[simonineaston]

I've been travelling to France via BF fairly regularly since 1995 or so. In the last 5 years or so, I think they've ramped up their attitude to bikes and boarding considerably. When I first travelled by BF, it was all fairly relaxed and I used to ride onto boats, and once I'd learned where the loaders like the bikes to go, just prop it up, take off the stuff I needed over night and left them to it. Never had any problems, then and now.
A few years ago, I noticed changes, the most obvious being strict instructions to walk the bike on. Back in the old days, it was fairly obvious that the ABs - the guys who do all the manual work, Bretons mostly - didn't really care what you did so long as you kept from under their feet. But I think they've all had their H&S training (mainly prompted by the threat of insurance claims I imagine!) and I've been instructed to get off and walk in no uncertain terms, by ticket staff, (local usually), cabin staff, (mostly wearing skirts as they are generally of the female persuasion), although you don't generally see them on the car decks, they do make the occasional appearance, the bloke with a captain's hats on, and lastly and mostly importantly the ABs referred to earlier.
On a couple of occasions these good fellows have been quite forcible in their advice that I walk. I've learned some Breton words that I don't think I'd have found in a dictionary, and on one occasion, I was physically stopped from moving. On reflection, I think they're right - there is no surface quite so slippery as metal plate, lightly sprinkled with salt water, with a undercoat of diesel oil! At first I found it all a bit annoying, a bit patronizing, but then I have to reflect that I've had a long life, mixing with bicycles, motor-bikes, boats & shipping, diesel oil and all, so what may appear as common-sense to me doesn't neccessarily occur to family groups, travelling to Brittany for the first time, and there's no way the BF staff can readily distinguish one from the other. It might be a bit annoying, being told what to do, but it's their domain - When in Rome... say I.
Helmets, I don't know about. Never been challenged on the subject at all. Maybe 'cos I never have one with me.

[foxyrider]

Used North Sea PandO this week to Holland - rode on and off - it's expected and without any polystyrene! Shock horror. Clearly passengers to/from Yorkshire are made of sterner stuff - which is why you have to use the 10% ramps to get on and off too! Looking forward to hitting Holland steepest hill again on Sunday. Without a helmet. And riding all the way.

[Middle of the road]

Mrs MOTR and I have just returned from a short 5 day tour of Brittany courtesy of Brittany Ferries, Portsmouth to St Malo and return. We found the ferries a doddle despite it being our first overseas tour. We pushed the bikes onto the ship (no helmets required) and tied them up ourselves in the dedicated area immediately adjacent to the car-deck.

There were more than 12 other cyclists both ways on the ferry with a mix of touring bikes including on the return, a bamboo framed one.

We loved Brittany and our 163 mile route (30 - 40 mile days) was on a mix of voie vertes and minor roads. The 'white' roads on the maps being unbelievably quiet and the french drivers all showing impeccable manners and giving us loads of room.

Our route was St Malo to Dinard (on the small ferry) - Plertuit - Dinan - Evran (Chambre d'hote near Evran 1st night) - Trefumel - Medreac - near Mauron (2nd night in a Chambre d'hote) - Ploermel - Malestroit (3rd night at Camping Municipal) - Carentoir - Guipry/Messac (4th night at a Chambre d'hote) - Domloup (5th night in a Chambre d'hote) and unfortunately had to cut the tour here as I had developed Achilles Tendonitis, probably as a result of carrying too much weight on my bike and not training enough. Never mind, lesson learned and we will return, hopefully in May 2018.

We would both recommend Brittany (and BF) to anyone considering touring overseas