How long takes to receive speeding ticket from Germany?

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In the EU, if you're driving a rental vehicle then you're pretty much stuffed because the local law enforcement serve whatever notice is required on the rental company and fine them as keeper of the vehicle. They know who you are and so charge the credit card you used to rent the vehicle. If you're driving your own UK-registered vehicle then things are different (for camera-detected offences, anyway).

I don't remember the precise details of how it all works, but the gist of it is that DVLA will not (currently) provide Registered Keeper details to organisations / individuals outside the UK. Some Italian provinces sidestep this by using a UK-registered company to make the enquiry of the DVLA which they then use to chase fines for infractions in Italy (ZTL's predominately). AFAIK, Italy is the only country that does this.

Switzerland classify moving traffic violations, and in particular the penalties for such, in a particular way that means the UK authorities are obliged to provide details under international law if fines are unpaid and to take sanctions against the individual if payment isn't subsequently made. AFAIK, Switzerland are the only country that does this.

For all other countries, it's highly unlikely that you will be pursued for a simple camera-detected speeding infraction, but be aware that many countries maintain databases of outstanding fines against foreign vehicle index numbers, so a return visit in the same vehicle (within, say, 6 months) could turn out to be uncomfortable/expensive.

Most informative thanks. Having had both rental and own vehicles, I can provice testimony to Rome using UK registered companies to chase alleged ZTL tickets.

I've not always been in a position to reply to these, and they never pursued it further. That said, I do change cars more often than suits...

As to outstanding fines, that has worried me slightly - especially as I have a personalised plate which has been on 7-8 cars now... I do wonder how they handle change of owners/vehicles... My guess is that as you have to carry a V5 when in France, you could use that as evidence it wasn't your car... but how do you justify that your estranged other half was driving at the time, and you had nothing to do with it?

I know "les flic" (French police) try to stop you at the border for speeding fines. Not a pleasant wakeup call (especially after having driven 10-odd hours, and realising if it drags on you will lose the channel-train). They also expect payment on the spot. That said, they are doing their jobs, and at that point you allegedly did break the law in that country, so it's fair game I guess.

M.
 
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They have 3 months to send it and when it arrives you are not legally obliged to pay it, but and its a big BUT

If you don't pay it and re-enter Germany your car will be picked up on ANPR at the point of entry and you run the risk of being stopped and asked to honor the fine.

even worse if you enter by air it will be held against your passport details and at immigration you will be immediately arrested and asked to pay the fine + interest.

Germany is not the only country to do this I have had to get a few of my guys out of problems like this

So my advice, dont ignore it hold up your hand and cough up its easier in the long run :thumb:
 
Arrested for not answering a mail? Khmm.. Seriously?

So its ok to blow up people for EU courts on human rights but you get arrested for a speeding nobody proved it was you as yet..

Interesting.
 
Arrested for not answering a mail? Khmm.. Seriously?

So its ok to blow up people for EU courts on human rights but you get arrested for a speeding nobody proved it was as yet..

Interesting.

No you get arrested for not paying the fine, seen it happen in Germany, Italy, Jamaica and USA
 
I dont have any problem with this to happen in jamaica zimbabwe and nigeria .. Germany. I wont pay in principle.
 
no need to hijack my thread :) make your own.. its free ;)
 
I have just returned from the Nurburgring and I got a red double flash from what looked like a 'pillar' on the side of the road in a work zone - so I will also let you know if I receive anything. I can live with a fine but am assuming I cannot get penalty points...
 
I believe you caught the same camera.. I too went to Nuremberg and around and it was roadworks..

Speaking of which.. All this buzz about Germany autoban etc.. Is all b/s.. Most of the road i had (from belgium border to almost czech border) was not even close to ideal. Good half of it was worse than M25. Other half was on par. With may be 10% a bit better.. There is quite large stretch between koln and frankfurt where it was just crap.. I had to break sharply on several bend to under 90 to make sure i dont fly to the gutters.. I drove for around 40 hours in germany and only really fast car i saw was just once - a porsche doing 150 i guess... Others were all in 90-110 some 120 band... I guess its because the famous autoban isnt safe for faster drive..

All numbers in mph..

.. Not to mention that there were 18(!!!) Roadworks patches on 600 mile stretch. And its been there for at least 2 month..

England is not that bad after all :)
 
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It's all about lack of speed limits. Road quality varies depending on the area. There's a lot of road works between Holland and Berlin. More than usual.

There's also nice new stretch of the road, 3 lanes, near Wurzburg and last time I was there, it had 100km/h speed limit ...
 
I believe you caught the same camera.. I too went to Nuremberg and around and it was roadworks..

Speaking of which.. All this buzz about Germany autoban etc.. Is all b/s.. Most of the road i had (from belgium border to almost czech border) was not even close to ideal. Good half of it was worse than M25. Other half was on par. With may be 10% a bit better.. There is quite large stretch between koln and frankfurt where it was just crap.. I had to break sharply on several bend to under 90 to make sure i dont fly to the gutters.. I drove for around 40 hours in germany and only really fast car i saw was just once - a porsche doing 150 i guess... Others were all in 90-110 some 120 band... I guess its because the famous autoban isnt safe for faster drive..

All numbers in mph..

.. Not to mention that there were 18(!!!) Roadworks patches on 600 mile stretch. And its been there for at least 2 month..

England is not that bad after all :)

You must drive different Autobahn's to me then :D As I type this I've just driven up from Mannheim to Frankfurt at mainly over 240 kmh, couple of roadworks on route but in true German style put a bit of yellow paint on the ground then a few hundred meters its all over and the fun starts again.

The Autobahn down to the ring was fine too in March a couple of dodgy places after winter but generally in pretty good shape

As for fast cars today I was passed by a Mclaren P1, Gallardo, Porsche 911 and a bloody VW polo, god know what that had under the bonnet. I reckon the P1 was rapidly approaching 200 mph

I love the place and the German attitude to cars, long may it reign :thumb:
 
There was a nice clear 3 lane stretch where I hit 181 mph - autobahns were pretty good imo - being able to cruise at 120 is great.
 
They have 3 months to send it and when it arrives you are not legally obliged to pay it, but and its a big BUT

If you don't pay it and re-enter Germany your car will be picked up on ANPR at the point of entry and you run the risk of being stopped and asked to honor the fine.

even worse if you enter by air it will be held against your passport details and at immigration you will be immediately arrested and asked to pay the fine + interest.

Germany is not the only country to do this I have had to get a few of my guys out of problems like this

So my advice, dont ignore it hold up your hand and cough up its easier in the long run :thumb:
Are you sure about that?

Over the last 14 years, "Dave" has had a fair few tickets in the mail from Italy, and has seen his fair share of flashes in France and Germany. Dave has also opted to ignore a portion of these, and drives/flies through those countries 5-6 times a year (if not more - he has a 10-trip carnet with Eurotunnel making it quite cheap).

The only time's he has been stopped has been exiting france at the toll booth police.

I'm curious - how do the foreign police identify the driver/owner given that they cannot query the DVLA database? Without knowing the driver/owner, how can they stop anyone at the airport, short of asking everyone what their reg is?

M.
 
Are you sure about that?

Over the last 14 years, "Dave" has had a fair few tickets in the mail from Italy, and has seen his fair share of flashes in France and Germany. Dave has also opted to ignore a portion of these, and drives/flies through those countries 5-6 times a year (if not more - he has a 10-trip carnet with Eurotunnel making it quite cheap).

The only time's he has been stopped has been exiting france at the toll booth police.

I'm curious - how do the foreign police identify the driver/owner given that they cannot query the DVLA database? Without knowing the driver/owner, how can they stop anyone at the airport, short of asking everyone what their reg is?

M.

Having paid the lawyers fees I'm absolutely positive :D All European foreign police can query the DVLA database by request thats where they get the registered keeper from. Some countries pursue foreign drivers and some don't. Once they know who the registered keeper is they put a flag against your passport, now heres where the lottery starts.

I visit Germany probably 20 - 30 times a year and when I enter by air it is one of two scenarios. Immigration either glance at my passport and wave me straight through or they scan it and come up with a seemingly random question (but not to them) like what were you doing in Munich in March? or when was the last time you were in Australia (I've been asked both those) my point is if they scan it and picks up the flag for the unpaid fine they arrest you, you get marched off questioned and asked to pay up + interest. If it is something more serious than speeding they cart you off and lock you up until you get representation there.

Obviously there is a cut off and I assume they don't pursue low value motoring offences but Germany do chase the high value ones. Never heard of Italy chasing anyone and the most aggressive by far in chasing payment are Australia and USA
 
Hire car is different. Ticket is sent to hire company and they charge customer's credit card. I assume the car was registered in France?


You might have thought so but they didn't. What I got was a pucker enforcement from the french equivalent of our enforcement agency.
It was a french registered car yes.
ATB
 
Drove twice to east Germany.. on second trip I got 2 red flashes within different works areas and a white flash on a fly over on a motorway...
Hi Maxima;
Did you hear anything from german authorities? I just got two flashes in Bremen city. One white and one red. I'm in Germany at the moment and worried about it :(
 
Nope all is clear
 

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