The annual I've-been-to-France-and-got-done-for-speeding thread

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Londonscottish

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Just got back from the annual trip to the south of France and back and yes, I was done for speeding again.

This time it wasn't near an airport or ferry terminal but was about an hour south of Le Mans. I'd just set off on the last leg of the journey home and was deliberately tying to keep between 90 and 100 thinking that that was a reasonable speed (virtually empty, bone dry Autoroute on a bright sunny day) but the local gendarmes still nicked me. They were going to charge 80-odd euros then decided 45 euros was enough. I was done at 155kph which is just under 97 mph in old money.

So the message is they are getting more and more serious over there about clamping down on speeding and not just in the obvious "let's bust the Brits as they sprint for the ferry/tunnel/plane" places.

Before anyone says anything I am not condoning speeding. I am just gradually getting used to the idea of getting nicked in France after 20-odd years of never seeing any attempt by the France to police speed on the autoroutes.

As for the car it just lapped it up. The 211 estate is just such a great tool to take a family there and back. As we didn't camp this year there was even plenty of space to bring back some wine. Left in the sun, came back to the sun totally relaxed. Great trip.
 
It will cost you more that €45 if you get caught over here... in fact you'll pay almost double that just for overstaying your pay-and-display parking in London!
 
It will cost you more that €45 if you get caught over here... in fact you'll pay almost double that just for overstaying your pay-and-display parking in London!

Yup - 45 Euros is small beer compared to what you get here. Still, it wastes a lot of time and when you've got 550 miles to cover to get home time is a precious commodity. So, as I posted last year, I could have probably have got to the Eurotunnel just as quickly had I been travelling 5mph slower.

I didn't learn, did I....

I tell you what, though, I did find myself hankering for the longer range of a diesel once or twice. France being France it can sometimes be a bit tricky to buy fuel.

There; you've heard it here first. LS wants a diesel (a black 211 320cdi Sport with a Brabus D3 and the Blisteins that *** fitted to be precise). :)
 
My wife was caught at 162kph, and escorted off the motorway by a motorcycle officer, last summer in a radar trap in one of those 'Rest areas' someway south of Geneva. Cost me 90 euros!

But it was well worth it just for the 'holier than though' comments I was able to use and still do to this day. She had driven 250 miles and I had driven over 2,000 of the trip:D
 
When we drive to Germany I do stick to the speed limits in France now. Just not worth the hassle. Also we do it with a single fuel stop, and going a little slower makes the timing of that less critical (due to the increased range).

If you have a satnav remember to disable speed camera alerts in France too!
 
For this year's France trip, I set the limiter to to the speed limit (90/110/130) as applicable and stuck rigidly to it — and noticed very few locals exceeding the limits, too. It's quieter than when nudging the ton, more relaxing and better on fuel (Vendée to Calais and thence to Milton Keynes services on a single 70-litre tank). I couldn't risk the police discovering I only had one breathalyser in the car!

Concur that the S211 is a great vehicle for this job (even my E220CDI vs LS's E500!): five-up with the boot loaded almost to the roof, it's quiet and comfortable.
 
Yep, I've slowed it down now over the last 2 or 3 years and set the cruise to 130kph.

The other thing to watch is roadworks - they have a little unit, facing the traffic, that clocks you too.

General behaviour on the motorways in France seems to have improved too, with not so much tailgating, etc, although I still get shivers at seeing front seat passengers reclined back with their feet on the dash...
 
Seen many more gendarmes and mobile speed traps this year on french motorways than ever before. Similar in Italy but less so. No doubt they are clamping down.
 
For this year's France trip, I set the limiter to to the speed limit (90/110/130) as applicable and stuck rigidly to it — and noticed very few locals exceeding the limits, too.

Yes - the locals have all slowed right down.

It's quieter than when nudging the ton, more relaxing and better on fuel (Vendée to Calais and thence to Milton Keynes services on a single 70-litre tank).

That's a great range - I could only just about make Vendee to Calais on one tank and even then that's too risky.

I couldn't risk the police discovering I only had one breathalyser in the car!

Is that an active law now - I thought Brits were OK till October. I didn't take any.....

Concur that the S211 is a great vehicle for this job (even my E220CDI vs LS's E500!): five-up with the boot loaded almost to the roof, it's quiet and comfortable.

One of the ultimate long distance family load luggers. I'll deffo get another one. Like I said earlier I have a hankering for a late black 320 CDI Sport. What's going on? Observing French speed limits. Giving up on V8 petrols. Next I'll be moving out of London into the Home Counties. I'm turning into my dad......
 
I couldn't risk the police discovering I only had one breathalyser in the car!
Is that an active law now - I thought Brits were OK till October. I didn't take any.....
We went at the beginning of July and I was told by the owner of the gite that we stayed in that it wouldn't be enforced until November.

We got the ferry to Caen and drove down to near La Flèche (about 130 miles each way); we also did a fair amount of driving around the area. I didn't see a single gendarme although I did notice quite a few roadside cameras on the autoroutes. They were grey and down at car height unlike UK cameras making them much more difficult to spot until you're right on top of them.
 
I still get shivers at seeing front seat passengers reclined back with their feet on the dash...

It's so they can land on their feet when they get catapulted through the windscreen... :rolleyes:
 
I now bypass France and take a more easterly route heading south across Europe. Not only do you mitigate against the French Gendarmes detest for the English but you also can drive freely without payning any motorway tolls. I think a round trip worked out at around £250 cheaper by avoiding france as much as possible.
 
I was fined once in the Dordogne, came round a corner exiting a village in my old land rover, 100m down the road I could see the national speed limit sign. Started to accelerate as you do, 50m from the sign and a little Gendarmes leapt into the road waving his arms and speed gun. Damned near ran him flat. Transpired the cop shop was directly opposite where he jumped out from and he was likely ordered by his boss to get out there and get a few before going off duty. Cost me 90 euro and a visit to the station as it was so close.
 
When in other people's countries it is best to stick to the rules no matter how inconvenient they are. Unless you speak the language well and are familiar with polices routines, it is not worth it. So far I have not been nicked in western europe and in Russia the worst was a £4 box of chocolates in Volokolamsk.
 
When I drove down to the alps I set the cruise at 80 mph for pretty much all of the way....It was xmas day and no one around at all...
The way back was a lot more variable though... and I had a punto trying to beat me to the ferry so I had to get into triple figures just to restore authority on behalf of Daimler Chrysler.

Best 1700 miles ive ever driven..

Only problem with french driving is the terrible service stations. No decent vegetarian food at any of them unless you want a croissant... and the WC's.... ill carry a bucket next time...
 
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I don't suppose that this increase of fines in France, is caused by the banning of speed camera warning devices :)
 
. I couldn't risk the police discovering I only had one breathalyser in the car!

.

The legal requirement (when they start enforcing it) is only for one of these things.

The argument for 2 is that if you use one, you then still have one in the car if stopped but are you really going to be in a position where you are not sure if you are over the limit and are actually going to use one rather than just not drive.

I think the whole idea will just result in more people on the road wo are JUST under the legal limit.

Scary.
 
I think the whole idea will just result in more people on the road wo are JUST under the legal limit.

Scary.

A lot better then over it and given that the limit in France is lower than the UK, not to bad at all.
 
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If you are caught speeding in France do you have to tell your UK insurance company? And can points be added to a UK licence by any motoring offences abroad?
 
If you are caught speeding in France do you have to tell your UK insurance company? And can points be added to a UK licence by any motoring offences abroad?

No to both.
 

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