Automobile. Urban rodeos: the vehicle may be confiscated

Why are urban rodeos in the news?

Maître Jean-Baptiste Le Dall: "These behaviors are indeed at the heart of the government's current concerns, which have just published two circulars. One concerning the possibility for law enforcement to prosecute people who refuse to comply, and a second, at the initiative of Mr. Darmanin."

What is rodeo?

"It's the act of a motorized vehicle driver, whatever they may be, engaging in inappropriate behavior, through maneuvers that violate the rules of the Highway Code or simply that could cause a nuisance. It's not just young people from the housing projects who do wheelies on their motocross bikes, even if they perfectly meet this definition."

What does the law say?

"Article R 412-6-4 of the Highway Code states: "The act of any driver of a motor vehicle adopting a position or performing an acrobatic maneuver or one that is not in accordance with the normal conditions of use of a vehicle, characterized by recklessness, on a road open to public traffic, is punishable by the fine provided for third-class offenses." In short, the driver must behave prudently and respectfully. Every driver must constantly be in a condition and position to conveniently and without delay carry out all the maneuvers incumbent upon him."

What does this new circular contain?

"This new circular emphasizes the mandatory confiscation of the vehicle if it is used for a motorized rodeo. This is now an obligation for the court, which will therefore have to record this confiscation. In practice, the court will still be able to rule against this confiscation in certain specific cases. For example, if the vehicle is the only vehicle in the family, or if its value is very high, etc.

But this new measure is a call to municipalities to ask them to put the seized vehicle up for sale. In effect, the State will sell the seized vehicle, even if the procedure is still ongoing, and even before it goes before a judge. If the outcome of the judgment is favorable to the motorist, he or she will recover the proceeds of the sale.