'Legal' speeding in France?
Discussion
Off to Paris shortly and I do very little driving abroad.
We have a speed limit of 70mph on our motorways but you'll be very unlucky if you get caught doing less than 85MPH.
France has a 130kph limit so what can you do with little chance of getting caught? 150kph?
Fully aware that if you annoy the boys in blue 131kph would be enough but what is the norm?
Thanks.
We have a speed limit of 70mph on our motorways but you'll be very unlucky if you get caught doing less than 85MPH.
France has a 130kph limit so what can you do with little chance of getting caught? 150kph?
Fully aware that if you annoy the boys in blue 131kph would be enough but what is the norm?
Thanks.
I was done at less than that in August on a motorway about an hour south of Le Mans. I was done for 152 km/h IIRC. 40 Euro fine. A few more km/h would have cost 80 Euros.
Empty motorway, dry, clear, 10am. They are seriously clamping down....
PS it would have been a cop with a radar hidden away behind a bridge or whatever. First thing I knew was the main beam of the police bike approaching at speed a mile or so back.......game over...
Empty motorway, dry, clear, 10am. They are seriously clamping down....
PS it would have been a cop with a radar hidden away behind a bridge or whatever. First thing I knew was the main beam of the police bike approaching at speed a mile or so back.......game over...
Stick to the speed limit, the French have got very serious about enforcement recently. I have heard of some getting caught and fined for just over the limit. Problem is, the way they set the traps on any road by the time you have seen them it is too late. Just sit back and relax, enjoying the view with cruise control on!
Just sit at 85mph your only going to Paris so will be there in well under 3hrs and extra 10/15mph really wont make a lot of difference time wise but could eat up some spending money!
French roads are great to drive on and Lane discipline is much better than over here.
As an aside have you checked to make sure you have all the required items for Driving ie high viz vests bulbs triangle etc etc Not sure of date Breath test kits comes into force?
HTH
French roads are great to drive on and Lane discipline is much better than over here.
As an aside have you checked to make sure you have all the required items for Driving ie high viz vests bulbs triangle etc etc Not sure of date Breath test kits comes into force?
HTH
I've always been informed (and researched) that you need to be going 50kph over the posted limit in France before things start getting too serious. Below that and its just a cash fine.
As a general rule I'll cruise the autoroute(130kph limit) at around 160kph and have never had any trouble (*touches wood*).
If you're planning on really putting your foot down you'd be wise to have a passenger. They can and will ban you on the spot and leave you stranded unless of course you have a passenger who's able to take over.
As a general rule I'll cruise the autoroute(130kph limit) at around 160kph and have never had any trouble (*touches wood*).
If you're planning on really putting your foot down you'd be wise to have a passenger. They can and will ban you on the spot and leave you stranded unless of course you have a passenger who's able to take over.
The number of temporary speed traps has gone through the roof recently. Especially police sat with a camera on the side of the motorway and even in some cases sat in the feild next to the motorway supported by gangs of cops on bikes to administer the pain.
There is a good guide to the penalties on this site.
http://www.french-property.com/guides/france/drivi...
To be clear the penalties apply after they have made and adjustment for equipment calibration etc.
The big break point is +50kph over. This is known as Grand Vitesse. I got done a few years ago and lost my licence for 2 month, 600 Euro fine, court appearance and could not drive the car away from the point of capture. I am still suffering to this day from the Mrs remebering the time she had to come out and pick me up.
The focus on speeding is enormous so I would say do not do it. I usually now set my cruise control to 140kph on the dial which is a little over 130 real speed checked on GPS. That does not seem to interest plod or the cameras.
Dont forget if it is raining the limit on a motorway is 110kph.
There is a good guide to the penalties on this site.
http://www.french-property.com/guides/france/drivi...
To be clear the penalties apply after they have made and adjustment for equipment calibration etc.
The big break point is +50kph over. This is known as Grand Vitesse. I got done a few years ago and lost my licence for 2 month, 600 Euro fine, court appearance and could not drive the car away from the point of capture. I am still suffering to this day from the Mrs remebering the time she had to come out and pick me up.
The focus on speeding is enormous so I would say do not do it. I usually now set my cruise control to 140kph on the dial which is a little over 130 real speed checked on GPS. That does not seem to interest plod or the cameras.
Dont forget if it is raining the limit on a motorway is 110kph.
Drove from Calais to Paris via Boulogne yesterday, sat at 150 on cruise control, was quicker than pretty much every other car, but not by a lot, most traffic is doing 135-145.
Cue large Mercedes estate on Hungarian plates who comes past me, probably doing 170ish, she got another 3km before 2 bike cops picked her up and took her off the autoroute for a word.
I've been pinged twice in Paris on new statics, it's worse here than the UK.
140 cruise control will keep you out of bother, last month in a queue of traffic with adequate spacing in the rain we all passed the Police at 140-150 kph and they weren't interested. Don't make yourself stand out, you do already on UK plates, I'm on French plates.
Cue large Mercedes estate on Hungarian plates who comes past me, probably doing 170ish, she got another 3km before 2 bike cops picked her up and took her off the autoroute for a word.
I've been pinged twice in Paris on new statics, it's worse here than the UK.
140 cruise control will keep you out of bother, last month in a queue of traffic with adequate spacing in the rain we all passed the Police at 140-150 kph and they weren't interested. Don't make yourself stand out, you do already on UK plates, I'm on French plates.
A900ss said:
Well I'm now in Paris and I decided to just stick the car on cruise control at 85mph.
I was the fastest car on the road but saw no police.
Thanks all
Glad you got there safely. I have noticed how much slower most cars are driven in France now. Whether it is safer or not I don't know, but the increased numbers of speed traps are meaning less people driving above the limit I'm sure.I was the fastest car on the road but saw no police.
Thanks all
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