French go Trés Hardcore on Speeding

[vito113]

Just been reading through the AA website before I jolly off dans le Continent and have just seen that the French Police as well as handing out very stiff fines will now confiscate 'on-the-spot' the licenses of any EU Driving Licence Holders they catch doing more than 25kph over the limit!!!!

Jeez! that is hardcore, needless to say it's Italy the long way round via Belgium, Germany in future!

 

[fuzzer]

Just been reading through the AA website before I jolly off dans le Continent and have just seen that the French Police as well as handing out very stiff fines will now confiscate 'on-the-spot' the licenses of any EU Driving Licence Holders they catch doing more than 25kph over the limit!!!!

Jeez! that is hardcore, needless to say it's Italy the long way round via Belgium, Germany in future!

as if one needs any more reasons to miss out france

 

[Motard]

Hey guys don't knock it so much. First of all it isn't all over France yet but no doubt the pressure from Brussels will continue to make it spread. Reality is you can cruise at just under 90mph without getting pulled on roads that are not as congested as yours.
As I have mentioned in other posts the death toll on French roads is the highest in the western world.
France has one of the best road systems in the world and there are still lots of places out of the way where driving can be a pleasure.
I do find it a bit arrogant that we Brits, who have very strict traffic laws, feel we should be able to break laws in other countries with impunity.
In getting from A to B quickly France is still up there with the best in the world, our wine aint bad either!

Bob

 

[Motard]

I should have added, Belgium is even more strict, they can confiscate your car there!
In the very near future all the EU will be very strict with traffic laws. Wonder who the EU Transport Commissioner is?

Bob

 

[vito113]

… sod it! I think I'll fly!

I expect Motard he's British :-(
I don't suppose you can advise which bits of France are to be avoided?

 

[Motard]

I can't really advise you Vito as I haven't driven in the north for some while. French TV is making it clear there is a purge on though. Thing is, at just under 90mph I doubt anyone will bother you and you can really get some miles under your belt. Even at that speed I can't think of anywhere in Europe where you can match high speed averages over a long distance.
If you are looking for some nice rural roads where you can give it some welly there are a few in the south that are not very busy and seem to lack police attention.

Bob

 

[vito113]

Thanks Bob,

I expected it was the North, my brother lives up that way and warned me about the speeding crackdown.
As he put it, "France is a great place to live in, but hell to drive in"

Ah well, c'est la vie!

 

[Motard]

I am surprised by your brothers comment Vito. We don't have anywhere near the number of traffic police or speed cameras that you have. Nor do we have as many traffic jams. When driving over here one is not constantly thinking of being nicked, it doesn't happen.

Bob

 

[vito113]

…let me explain

I am surprised by your brothers comment Vito. We don't have anywhere near the number of traffic police or speed cameras that you have. Nor do we have as many traffic jams. When driving over here one is not constantly thinking of being nicked, it doesn't happen.

Bob

I think what he meant Bob was the way the French drive! Especially the way they try to overtake, you know the manoeuvre, car two paint thicknesses from your rear bumper flashing his lights furiously! He's a bit taken aback by the French attitude to the 'rule of the road' which I'm sure you will agree can be a bit intimidating to outsiders

But yes, your roads are much less congested than ours and your Gendarmes few and far between, but even I'm a bit alarmed at some of the driving over there, and I drive in Milan regularly!

 

[Motard]

Ahhh, now I understand Vito, and agree. The standard of driving is abysmal hence the carnage on the roads. Even bluehaired old ladies overtake on corners etc. Not too sure why as their driving test is a tough one. I think it is due to the fact that there is very little control on the roads. French kids can drive 50cc bikes/scooters at 14 and that is where the madness begins. They go around roundabouts the wrong way, same with one way streets etc and die like flies. You will see it in any French town/village, no control whatsoever. Laws are not applied here, but, the sun shines!

Bob

 

[GrahamC230K]

I should have added, Belgium is even more strict, they can confiscate your car there!
In the very near future all the EU will be very strict with traffic laws. Wonder who the EU Transport Commissioner is?

Bob

Oops.

We got out of France ASAP on our Stuttgart trip - we held back more than in Germany but the speeds in Belgium were a tad high. Will know for next time.....

 

[pammy]

Must admit, we've never had any problems driving in France, keep to just under 90, and as long as you're willing to pay the tolls, wizz down to the south coast from Zeebrugge in about 13/14 hours. Only prob is if you miss the turning at Paris and end up on the peripherique - my god what a mess and brown trouser experience that road is

But now we know they are toughening up, we'll be more watchful, if we go this year.

I know the French drivers are bad, but the Italians beat them - sorry, no offence intended to anybody - but based on experience.

 

[Motard]

Pammy, the Italians have more accidents but less fatalities.

Bob

 

[Ian B Walker]

I once lived in Mons, Belgium and went to a briefing about the country. One of the items lectured was the Belgium police's attitude to speeding. The fines are horendus and if you cant pay your car is impounded. You have a further 7 days in which to produce the fine. Failing that you car is auctioned off, the fine extracted from the funds and the balance donated to the Government. We had Americans there who were not used to anything above 55 mph. They went daft on the roads and as a result if you wanted an American car (God knows why though) you went to the auction.

 

[marcos]

I guess my summertime dash from Calais to Northern Spain in 9 - 11 hours is scuppered this year then. Damn!!! :bannana: :bannana:

 

[scotth_uk]

Spare a thought for the poor Aussies.

100kmh is the national limit, with some areas now becoming 110kmh. There is one territory where there are no limits out of town, but you can still be done for driving dangerously.

Built up areas are limited to 60kmh, with many streets now opting for 40kmh.

 

[vito113]

…Its a plastic graveyard

Pammy, the Italians have more accidents but less fatalities.

I must admit I see lots of 'fender benders' in Italy but relatively few big bangs! If any of you have not been to Italy, if you ever go there, you will be amazed by the amount of plastic trim, mirrors and such like littering the roads!

 

[Motard]

Spare a thought for the poor Aussies.

Spare one for the Yanks whilst you are at it. Driving anywhere near schools can be very expensive, more power to them if they save kids lives.
On the Interstates I am sure most accidents are caused by people going to sleep, I certainly do. Fortunately I wake up for the odd bend

Bob

 

[mercedes lover]

I dont know what the fuss is with people, I have driven in france loads of times over the past 4 years and aven at christmas did alot of cruising between 100-115mph, but am now a tad worried as only saw the speed camera's on the way back from the last trip. A hot spot is the paris ring road they have loads of camera's. Thing you need to be careful is when they set a camera up and then the police wait at the toll to get you. All in all the drivers there are ok dont find them worring at all. If anyone on this forum has been to Egypt now that is worrying driving, never seen such madness as a police convoy there, the coach was overtaking round bends following the police laughing sayig the coach is a ferrari. France is a lovely country but I find very regionalist so some regions are nicer than others.

 

[RichardM]

I must admit I see lots of 'fender benders' in Italy but relatively few big bangs! If any of you have not been to Italy, if you ever go there, you will be amazed by the amount of plastic trim, mirrors and such like littering the roads!

I saw my worst ever accidents in Italy, and what shocked me was they left the road open, just shut some lanes with the smashed cars sitting there with Police around with a very dead driver still in the car sitting there for everyone driving past to see. I couldn't get the picture of his face out of my mind for ages.