An announcement from the French government yesterday (reported on an English language newspaper website) on proposed measures to counter a 20 per cent year-on-year rise in road deaths contained the following:
'Radar detectors will be banned with importers and manufacturers facing up to two years in prison and a €30,000 fine while anyone with such equipment in a vehicle will face a class 5 contravention and is liable to a €1,500 fine and the loss of six points.
Warning signs for radars – which at present are fitted within 400m of older radars and up to 2km from new installations – will be taken down and drivers will not be alerted to the presence of speed traps. Maps publicising the placement of radars and speed controls will no longer be published. Plans have already been announced for an extra 1,000 speed camera sites across France.
Drivers who speed at more than 50kph above the set limit will, from the first offence, be liable to three months’ prison, a €3,750 fine and six points from their licence. In 2010 there were 25,046 such offences.'
At first sight some of it seems unworkable, but Sarkozy promised in his presidential campaign to cut road deaths - it hasn't happened and he's up for re-election in a year's time so I guess something will come of it.
The proposals go to the vote in July - if there's anyone around...
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I'd vote this out if it were proposed in the UK.
I'd probably invest some of my skills & time to assist in a NO campaign. This might even be enough to make me pack a lunch and go for a wander with a placard.
When above-board speed enforcement becomes sneaky snivelling spying, i no longer recognise it as an alternative (but reasonable & fair) view to mine.
Last edited by: Skoda on Thu 12 May 11 at 12:36
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I think the rule banning publication of speed cameras is not enforceable under eu rules. Its information in the public domain (they are there and visible) publication of that data to other EU members would be allowed, so banning it in France may not be legal or enforceable.
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But France, and all other EU countries, only apply European Law which suits them, unlike the UK which does absolutely everything Brussels tells it to do, no? Isn't that the received wisdom?
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This is relevant
Police ordered to disclose ANPR camera sites
Police in Devon and Cornwall are appealing a tribunal order to release the locations of their numberplate recognition cameras
www.guardian.co.uk/government-computing-network/2011/may/11/police-ordered-disclose-anpr-camera-sites
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Bit more from a thread on www.clubarnage.com (posted by a Brit who lives en france)
1. any excess speed more than 30mph over the prevailing limit will incur a fine of 3,750 euros and the car/bike impounded. see 3.
2. the offence has now been uprated to a serious crime, and punishable with up to five years in prison
3. the vehicle will be confiscated and sold for state funds
4. Any use of a mobile phone will incur a fine of 135 euros on the spot
5. Motorcyclists must from hereon wear a high viz jacket at all times
6. The alcohol limit has remained at 0.5 grammes, not reduced to 0.2 as thought
7.The request to reduce the maximum speed limit in town to 20mph has not been applied
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Contrary to popular belief, France (and other EU nations) are as hamstrung by EU law as we are. Zero is right, there is no way France will be able to enforce a law that criminalises other EU nationals that might be passing through with (locally and EU) legal equipment and sharing of public domain information. A pointless endeavourer in the internet age anyway.
They can try, but it would inevitably end up in an EU court sometime, and France would be forced to change their law back again.
In the meantime, best to be careful.
Last edited by: oilburner on Fri 13 May 11 at 10:20
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Just come back from France lots of moblile speed checks driving to the south and back.
I was carefull there where some sneeky ones trying to catch drivers out.Best stick to the speed limits not worth the hassle.
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Good advice Dutchie - you're always at an extra disadvantage flouting the law in a foreign country, especially if, as is often the case, you are on holiday and the last thing you want is to be run in.
Can't see the really Draconian stuff sticking though - the French won't put up with it will they? They'll set fire to some lambs or something.
Last edited by: Manatee on Sat 14 May 11 at 17:04
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I can't see it Manatee it be lambs or sheep or whatever.Prices have gone up in France the pound equals the Euro a few cents difference.
Still nice to drive on the Toll roads cost was about 70 Euros tolls to the south of France and back.We took the channel tunnel its fast.I like the Ferries but the missus does't trust me when I say the sea is calm.Years ago we did a trip on the Yorkshire bell a small pleasure cruiser of Bridlington.It was blowing a bit and she rolled in the North Sea.She still reminds me that I did a dirty trick to her.:)
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An opinion poll this weekend showed the French broadly in favour of the new safety measures, particularly the mobile phone use one, EXCEPT the proposal to take away camera advance warning signs saw 85 per cent against.
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What were the border controls like Dutchie ?
After seeing the news about the Danish reintroducing border checks (not passport control) on Friday I was surprised to see similar checks at lunchtime today crossing from the Netherlands back into Germany at Venlo.
The Police had cordoned off one lane of the motorway and forced all traffic to slow to walking pace, checking each vehicle as it passed ready to pull some for further checks.
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I'm pretty sure radar detectors have been illegal in France for a long time (UK too?) so maybe this is just a step up in the penalites.
Here in Switzerland having speed trap locations in your satnav has been a no no for as long as I've been here, backed up by very steep penalties. And no warning signs
The speeding fines are also get very high as you ramp up the excess speed.
It works, only the crazy or rich go more than 20 kmph over the limit unless you know the road well enough to know where the traps are.
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Radar detectors are not illegal in the UK.I know they are in France but any warning about static cameras on a Tom Tom or any sat nav are legal in France correcct me if Iam wrong.
I know driving in Holland I got stopped by the police with a radar detector.They let me off told me to put the detector away.The police could have fined me on the spot and confiscated the camara detector.This was three years ago.
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any warning about static cameras on a Tom Tom or any sat nav are legal in
>> France correcct me if Iam wrong.
You are right
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Hello gmac.
Didn't see your post untill now when i used to cross the border in Nieuweschans where I was born to Germany there are normally no controls.
Nieuweschans is in the north of Holland close to Emden a German port.Customs or in combination with the police will close lanes to check on traffic.Not often and border crossings are normally troublefree.I know the German police are very keen on drink driving best not to have a drop of alcohol.This was a few years ago haven't been to my home village for a while.
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>> It works, only the crazy or rich go more than 20 kmph over the limit
>> unless you know the road well enough to know where the traps are.
(Not replying to you personally bb - so please don't take personal offence, it's not aimed at you, just general belly aching, but it fits to answer it as a question...)
What works? the Swiss had almost identical fatality rates from road accidents as the uk in 2008, and all we had for speed enforcement was a smattering of gatsos and some sensible roads policing.
In contrast, their anti motoring arsenal amounts to what can only be called hysteria, but it hasn't gained them anything.
Unless you meant it ticks the box of making it look like they're doing something without actually doing anything effective.
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 17 May 11 at 01:35
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Last time I drove through Switzerland, the speed limit on motorways seemed to be universally ignored - except on the long Alpine Tunnels. Mind the motorway was mostly inhabited by Germans, Italians, French and Brits.
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 16 May 11 at 17:44
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ignored in the sense that everyone still speeds, yes
but not many go over 140kph (limit is usually 120) as after the fines get steep
at least near Geneva where I mostly drive
of course it could be different in the middle of nowhere away from the cities, v few cameras and v few cops
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>> What works?
I wasn'tvery clear was I?
I meant it works at keeping top speeds down for the majority of drivers.
but the Swiss are pretty bad drivers (bumper to bumper at speed and very intolerant of anyone doing anything out of the norm) maybe that's why the accident stats are still high.
>> (Not replying to you personally bb - so please don't take personal offence
None taken :-)
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Beware if you are France-bound in future (maybe) - Skoda
