Caught speeding ... What should I expect now?
Discussion
Not like me, normally keep speed for track days, but after a dull few hundred miles I was tempted into a quick blast of speed on a safe open road with good visibilty and no side roads. Despite no more than a few seconds over the limit, and with ultimate bad luck I was clocked at that very moment.
139kph in a 90kph limit. No question so i deserve it, but still feeling sorry for myself having been good for the rest of the trip!!
So the fine was 135 euros and they removed my license (fortunately my mate was insured to drive).
I was advised the ban could be 5 months but they could not confirm, but my license would be returned to the UK.
So my question is, what should I expect? Is a 5 month ban likely to be right? If so I will need to cancel the family holiday to France in August, which wont be good news.
Any thoughts or advice on likely outcome welcome.
139kph in a 90kph limit. No question so i deserve it, but still feeling sorry for myself having been good for the rest of the trip!!
So the fine was 135 euros and they removed my license (fortunately my mate was insured to drive).
I was advised the ban could be 5 months but they could not confirm, but my license would be returned to the UK.
So my question is, what should I expect? Is a 5 month ban likely to be right? If so I will need to cancel the family holiday to France in August, which wont be good news.
Any thoughts or advice on likely outcome welcome.
http://english.controleradar.org/speeding-fines.ph...
This is the current fines regime, You are so close to being 50kph over, it could have been much worse. There are other speeding-in-France threads on pistonheads usually related to Le Mans
What the actual outcome will actually be, I do not know, but my guess is you will get your license back from DVLA and hear nothing further.
This is the current fines regime, You are so close to being 50kph over, it could have been much worse. There are other speeding-in-France threads on pistonheads usually related to Le Mans
What the actual outcome will actually be, I do not know, but my guess is you will get your license back from DVLA and hear nothing further.
Thanks guys. Looks like i got off lightly on the fine, one more kph and it could have been expensive.
Any thoughts on the chances of a ban? They seemed to think there would be one, but if i dont hear and go for a duplicate it could be very risky driving in france for quite a while, nor would i want to break the law unwittingly by driving with a suspended license (whether notified or not). Having asked around i have found one person who had a license returned to the uk in about 4 weeks, but other than that am still in the dark as to how likely a ban is.
Any thoughts on the chances of a ban? They seemed to think there would be one, but if i dont hear and go for a duplicate it could be very risky driving in france for quite a while, nor would i want to break the law unwittingly by driving with a suspended license (whether notified or not). Having asked around i have found one person who had a license returned to the uk in about 4 weeks, but other than that am still in the dark as to how likely a ban is.
I think that Balmoral has the only solution that you need. There is no formal agreement on sharing license information, yet!
If it was 4 weeks ago, I am sure that you would have heard something by now.
It might be sensible for your wife to drive through border controls and for you to drive extra carefully while here on your hols.
If it was 4 weeks ago, I am sure that you would have heard something by now.
It might be sensible for your wife to drive through border controls and for you to drive extra carefully while here on your hols.
rdjohn said:
I think that Balmoral has the only solution that you need. There is no formal agreement on sharing license information, yet!
If it was 4 weeks ago, I am sure that you would have heard something by now.
It might be sensible for your wife to drive through border controls and for you to drive extra carefully while here on your hols.
Thanks for the advice, it was only last Friday it happened (the 4 weeks referenced was someone else I know who had something similar).If it was 4 weeks ago, I am sure that you would have heard something by now.
It might be sensible for your wife to drive through border controls and for you to drive extra carefully while here on your hols.
So are we saying they cannot actually ban me in France as I have a UK license? Some logic to that I guess as the systems aren't linked just yet and it is a UK license. I am just keen to stay on the right side of French law as I go to France too often to tempt fate by flouting a French ban.
Logically, there has to be some form of court hearing to ban you - I am sure there would have been one had you been 1kph more - there are lots of other French speeding threads for Le Mans and it seems as though Lowdrag even earns a few centimes by representing non-French speaking Brits at them. These are needed to get the car back.
The Police have probably caused you as much inconvenience as they can right now, plus this anguish. A 5-months ban does not even fit with the tariffs mentioned in my first post – it refers to a 3-year ban in your circumstances, but that is probably a maximum tariff, so again a court needs to hear your plea to decide.
Given what Balmoral has experienced twice, it seems you have reached an end to the issue, but need to apply to DVLA to get a duplicate license.
I must point out though, I am not an expert
The Police have probably caused you as much inconvenience as they can right now, plus this anguish. A 5-months ban does not even fit with the tariffs mentioned in my first post – it refers to a 3-year ban in your circumstances, but that is probably a maximum tariff, so again a court needs to hear your plea to decide.
Given what Balmoral has experienced twice, it seems you have reached an end to the issue, but need to apply to DVLA to get a duplicate license.
I must point out though, I am not an expert
About 18 months ago I was clocked at 144km/h (in similar circumstances but overtaking a car on a three lane road, and other car accelerated), which became 136km/h after the standard 7% adjustment. My license (a French one) was taken on the spot with official notice of a 1 month suspension and a week later I received notification of a 6 week ban (e.g. a further two weeks). Five months after the offence i went to court and received a 200€ fine.
I'm inclined to agree with the advise of Balmoral and RdJohn that to ban you, unless they gave you such a document on the spot, then other than having in effect prevented you from driving in France for the remainder of your trip, you are free to return to France and drive providing you have in your possession a valid UK driving license.
Cheers
I'm inclined to agree with the advise of Balmoral and RdJohn that to ban you, unless they gave you such a document on the spot, then other than having in effect prevented you from driving in France for the remainder of your trip, you are free to return to France and drive providing you have in your possession a valid UK driving license.
Cheers
Thanks guys. Input much appreciated.
I better request my duplicate licence and hope I hear nothing more. If I do hear anything I will update this thread for others benefit. Whether I hear or not I guess I will be driving very carefully on my next visit. A fraction more and it could have been much worse.
Cheers
I better request my duplicate licence and hope I hear nothing more. If I do hear anything I will update this thread for others benefit. Whether I hear or not I guess I will be driving very carefully on my next visit. A fraction more and it could have been much worse.
Cheers
and use it when abroad...mogv8 said:
So are we saying they cannot actually ban me in France as I have a UK license?
hmmmm don't know but the UK did ban me from driving in the UK for 12 months on my French license...I'm French obvisouly and leaving in the UK.They couldn't take my license away, but did try to force me into swapping it for a UK one (which of course i did not), so was let driving anywhere else in the world.
But I have a record in the UK - some kind of "ghost" license recorded with DVLA now
It it possible they ban you - emit a "ghost" license so you are actually recorded in their system...and if you are caught breaking the ban, may get it a lot more serious trouble.
I would seak advice from a legal source of some kind...not sure most PHeaders here can help, well unless one of them is actually a lawyer specialising in this kind of thing.
Edited by 911Thrasher on Thursday 12th April 15:06
At best a legal source will only give you an opinion.
As said before if you haven't received any formal notification of a ban from the French authorities, I think the police were trying to scare you.
However if you want to be free of any doubt, why don't you contact the nearest Gendarmerie to where your holiday is planned and explain your situation. I suspect you will find them surprisingly helpful and at least you will have it from the horses mouth!
Cheers
As said before if you haven't received any formal notification of a ban from the French authorities, I think the police were trying to scare you.
However if you want to be free of any doubt, why don't you contact the nearest Gendarmerie to where your holiday is planned and explain your situation. I suspect you will find them surprisingly helpful and at least you will have it from the horses mouth!
Cheers
Thought I would report back the final outcome in case it helps anyone else. Got notified about a week ago and IF my dodgy translation was right I think it was 16 days !!
Sure enough license arrived back yesterday, and I am good to go.
Short sharp shock approach perhaps, and on balance very fair I think. That said a few kph more, or no second driver in the car, and it may have been a lot more difficult to manage.
Thanks to everyone for the advice. (By the way, sorry about the confusing user names, it is just PC posts v mobile posts. Must sort that out sometime).
Sure enough license arrived back yesterday, and I am good to go.
Short sharp shock approach perhaps, and on balance very fair I think. That said a few kph more, or no second driver in the car, and it may have been a lot more difficult to manage.
Thanks to everyone for the advice. (By the way, sorry about the confusing user names, it is just PC posts v mobile posts. Must sort that out sometime).
I everyone,
Was just wondering if the situation has changed since 2011. I know there were talks about standardizing European driving licenses and that in 2013 UK and France would join forces against speeding motorists.
I have been caught yesterday driving on the A16 back to Calais from Paris @ 190 kph. I was given a €750 on the spot in cash and was told I would be banned from driving in France from a period that could range from 1 to 6 months. My UK license was taken away from me and I was told it would be sent back, either to the DVLA or to my address.
The Gendarme told me that I did not need to go to court and that it was pretty much done although I would receive an official letter telling me how long I was to be banned.
I also had a French driver's license but I have not been using it for ages and have not lived in France for many years (I am French originally).
Has anyone been in the same situation?
Was just wondering if the situation has changed since 2011. I know there were talks about standardizing European driving licenses and that in 2013 UK and France would join forces against speeding motorists.
I have been caught yesterday driving on the A16 back to Calais from Paris @ 190 kph. I was given a €750 on the spot in cash and was told I would be banned from driving in France from a period that could range from 1 to 6 months. My UK license was taken away from me and I was told it would be sent back, either to the DVLA or to my address.
The Gendarme told me that I did not need to go to court and that it was pretty much done although I would receive an official letter telling me how long I was to be banned.
I also had a French driver's license but I have not been using it for ages and have not lived in France for many years (I am French originally).
Has anyone been in the same situation?
If you look at the Le Mans section, you will see that “Lowdrag” is a regular contributor there (and occasionally here).
I know that he has previously helped guys who have had their supercars confiscated. I do not know how successful he has been, but he certainly understands the process. I do know that it takes a very long time, and involves court appearances
It may be worth sending him a personal mail.
I know that he has previously helped guys who have had their supercars confiscated. I do not know how successful he has been, but he certainly understands the process. I do know that it takes a very long time, and involves court appearances
It may be worth sending him a personal mail.
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