If you think speeding fines in the UK are high...

[janner]

Look at how the French traffic police work

"Exceeding the speed limit by 20kph [12.4mph] means that you must pay me a fine of 135 euros [£104]. Every time. .....There is no requirement for me to provide a driver with a photograph of himself breaking the law. We need no pictures, nothing! If he disputes that I am telling the truth, then he has to prove that I lied"

 

[Biscuit]

this has been the situation for a few years. I went to le mans for the 24 hr race a while back (great trip btw) and on the way back on the sunday night every village was just coining it. lay-bys full of Uk Mercs, Beemers etc etc having to pay cash for the speeding fines. thankfully i'd been warned and wasn't stopped.

 

[NewMB]

In Finland you pay a penalty based on your income.

One of the top bosses of Nokia was in the paper about this. Can't remember the exact amount, but it was thousand's of Euro's.

 

[st4]

Just because its done in France doesn't make it right. I think its an appalling way to treat a motorist and I am suprised the french put up with it. Its classic Europolitics, car drivers should be punished, and corruption in Brussels should be concealed.

 

[crockers]

One of their best revenue earners is the motorway from Paris to Calais....lay a trap 1 mile or so from the toll booth at the Calais end and catch all the Brits racing to catch the ferry....seen them at the the tollbooth waving cars over to the layby ....

Ever seen a French car stopped in UK ??

 

[davidjpowell]

I did see somewhere that a lawyer in France was encouraging all speed camera victims to take their case to court, with the intention of sinking their judicial system.

 

[Kamisuma]

Just because its done in France doesn't make it right. I think its an appalling way to treat a motorist and I am suprised the french put up with it. Its classic Europolitics, car drivers should be punished, and corruption in Brussels should be concealed.

Only get done in France if you aren't French

 

[Kamisuma]

I did see somewhere that a lawyer in France was encouraging all speed camera victims to take their case to court, with the intention of sinking their judicial system.

He's not French

 

[Mr E]

Good for them.

It seems to be having some good effect as I've noticed things have got a bit better on the roads in France over the last few years.

I've never been fined or pulled over but then I tend to keep within the limit. I also take 10 mins out before we go over (which is at least 4 times a year) to see if there have been any changes in the rules, etc. Quite simple and painless really.

 

[st4]

Good for them.

It seems to be having some good effect as I've noticed things have got a bit better on the roads in France over the last few years.

I've never been fined or pulled over but then I tend to keep within the limit. I also take 10 mins out before we go over (which is at least 4 times a year) to see if there have been any changes in the rules, etc. Quite simple and painless really.

Better, by that you mean slower. A more relaxed approach to speeds used on roads is what I'd like to see. Not heavy handed euro bullying.

 

[Chattonmill]

You can now have points added to your UK Licence if you get caught in France

 

[NewMB]

You can now have points added to your UK Licence if you get caught in France

Also include Ireland.

Germany & Austria also have the same system.

Supposed to become Euro wide....

 

[Mr E]

Better, by that you mean slower. A more relaxed approach to speeds used on roads is what I'd like to see. Not heavy handed euro bullying.

By better I mean less dangerous and more relaxed. Both speed and lane discipline seem to have improved - even Mrs E says she would drive on the motorways out there as a result whereas she wouldn't 5 years ago.

If I wish to drive fast I can go to a track, and abide by their rules - if I wish to drive on the public road I need to abide by those rules too.

I've seen people acting like complete plonkers on tracks and they've been thrown out. Why should this not happen on the public road? And why is it bullying to enforce the rules?

The softly-softly approach doesn't work for some reason when many get behind the wheel...

Hands up - I do speed on occasion, and I have received points (but clean at the mo ). Now when I'm pulled, I feel a bit miffed but I've broken the rules - why should I expect anything different?

 

[Spinal]

You can now have points added to your UK Licence if you get caught in France

Which is interesting, because a French licence holder cannot get points in the U.K....

 

[coupe deville]

The nearly £3,000 fine for no insurance is just about right
£200 here is a joke which encourages uninsured drivers to risk it

 

[Nik_Endeavour]

I like the failure to maintain safe distance. Spot on. People never learn with just a carrot. Big hard stick keeps everyone in check

 

[215m3]

I did some work in France last year, 3 trips from Goodwood to Geneva and back again, 2 day stints, 4 days in total. I found the fixed camera locations were always clearly marked in advance.

I only ever saw one radar during the 4 trips on the Motorways. I did also see a few white connect size vans at the side of the road, but think they were maintenance vehicles.

 

[Dave Lewis]

I'm glad the French are finally enforcing their motoring laws. Until fairly recently, the number of road deaths was the highest in Europe, by a huge margin. It was carnage.
That Telegraph piece is a bit hysterical. As Mr E says, if you do the right thing, there's no hassle.

 

[NewMB]

I'm glad the French are finally enforcing their motoring laws. Until fairly recently, the number of road deaths was the highest in Europe, by a huge margin. It was carnage.
That Telegraph piece is a bit hysterical. As Mr E says, if you do the right thing, there's no hassle.

I am not so sure that this is correct. The greeks and postugese have some of the highest numbers....


"The United Kingdom has a good record for road safety compared with most other EU countries. In 2001 it had the lowest road death rate in the EU, at 6.1 per 100,000 population. The highest road death rate in the EU was in Portugal, at 21.0 per 100,000 population"