Continental Europe Speed cameras

[KDC-NZ]

Hi all,

Firstly - I did do a search but couldn’t find anything recent on this topic.

Unfortunately as a new member I don’t have access to post in the Speed forum, but I have a 1000km to do in the coming week.

We are currently driving around Europe for the next few months and I’m wondering what GPS service people recommend to keep me out of the watchful eye of the speed cameras.

I have googled and understand the laws and the loopholes, basically I don’t want a detector, just a GPS system which alerts me to locations in Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Croatia and in France, “high risk areas”.

Who has some real world experience?

Thanks

Dan

Edited by KDC-NZ on Sunday 3rd June 09:12

[Slushbox]

Waze on Android has a lot of users in France to warn of live real-time locations containing pesky gendarmes with laser weapons. The Waze interface is a bit distracting for me on a smaller device, but is ok on a 7" tablet.

A lot of the Android 'Mapping' apps like Here Maps have speed limit warning pop-ups. Most of the stick-on Sat Navs like Garmin or Tom-Tom have speed limit notification pop-ups.

I use a Garmin sat-nav in France/Belgium/Nederlands. It has regular free map updates so the speed limits are mostly current. Also the POIs are updated so it's alsways easy to find a hotel/gas station and call it from the car.

Car has sat-nav built in but all data is 2016 and out of date with new speed limits in France.

[KDC-NZ]

Thanks - I should have mentioned we have only Apple devices, iPhone and iPads and the, basically brand new, rental car (VW) has excellent in built Sat Nav with speed limits.

I’m really just wanting to limit my exposure to the law and keep my money in my wallet!

[Slushbox]

KDC-NZ said:

Thanks - I should have mentioned we have only Apple devices, iPhone and iPads and the, basically brand new, rental car (VW) has excellent in built Sat Nav with speed limits.

I’m really just wanting to limit my exposure to the law and keep my money in my wallet!

Waze is in the iThing store.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/waze-navigation-li...

[alorotom]

I’ve used Waze quite a bit in France and Spain for the past couple of summers and it’s been pretty accurate for me

Just make sure the audio is on for alerts and that you can hear it as you may not necessarily note the visuals if you’re driving

[Deesee]

Via Michelin & Tom Tom mobile both have the service and are pretty spot on, just a heads up on Switzerland the service there is geo blocked and is illegal.

Also do not speed in Switzerland the penalty’s are (to us) extreme, and the tolerances are praticaly zero.

Edit, just saw you have a rental car, get in touch with the hire firm and make sure you can take it across boarders (even within eu), or on boats (if your getting ferry from Italy to Croatia) and ask for vignettes to be supplied if you require them.

Have a great trip!

Edited by Deesee on Sunday 3rd June 15:46

[A900ss]

Deesee said:

Via Michelin & Tom Tom mobile both have the service and are pretty spot on, just a heads up on Switzerland the service there is geo blocked and is illegal.

Also do not speed in Switzerland the penalty’s are (to us) extreme, and the tolerances are praticaly zero.

The tomtom speed camera app is android only but like you say, it doesn’t work in CH.

Totally agree about not speeding in Switzerland. The risk of a huge fine is very real. I ‘think’ the tolerance is about 3kmh on the motorway so smaller roads will be even less.

For the iPhone, I would recommend Waze. It’s free and only costs you the data use.

Enjoy your trip though.

[Deesee]

A900ss said:

Deesee said:

Via Michelin & Tom Tom mobile both have the service and are pretty spot on, just a heads up on Switzerland the service there is geo blocked and is illegal.

Also do not speed in Switzerland the penalty’s are (to us) extreme, and the tolerances are praticaly zero.

The tomtom speed camera app is android only but like you say, it doesn’t work in CH.

Totally agree about not speeding in Switzerland. The risk of a huge fine is very real. I ‘think’ the tolerance is about 3kmh on the motorway so smaller roads will be even less.

Enjoy your trip though.

I’ve still got the old Tom Tom app on my iOS, but looks like there’s Tom Tom go on the uk App Store, which will have the cameras (not for Swiss).

I got flashed at 120kph on an 80kph stretch of autobahn south of Zurich, lots of frantic calls home to see if any strange post had arrived, luckily none.

[A900ss]

Deesee said:

I’ve still got the old Tom Tom app on my iOS, but looks like there’s Tom Tom go on the uk App Store, which will have the cameras (not for Swiss).

I got flashed at 120kph on an 80kph stretch of autobahn south of Zurich, lots of frantic calls home to see if any strange post had arrived, luckily none.

I was referring to the bespoke speed camera app from TomTom not to be confused with the maps (that also offer speed cameras). The maps (with cameras) app is chargeable.

The bespoke speed camera app is android only and free but has no mapping facility. Hope that adds clarity.

[phil y]

I use Waze on an iPhone, but running in the background as I prefer another nav app.
Used extensively in France, and not been caught yet! I don't do excessive speeds, but the speed limit changes on the Autoroutes can catch you out.

It pings with either 'You are entering an enforcement zone' or 'Police reported ahead", as reporting exact camera locations is not allowed in France.

[dcb]

KDC-NZ said:

Who has some real world experience?

Thirty odd years driving across Europe, thanks.

In general don't speed in urban areas. Out on the autoroute / autobahn /
autostrada, limits are - with the exception of CH noted by other posters -
much more laxy enforced than the speed obsessed UK.

For instance up to 180kmh in a 130 kmh in France will only
get you EUR 90 fine. Coppers don't really bother until about 160 kmh
in a 130 kmh.

Serious speeding on German autobahns, where there are any limits,
starts at IIRC 70 kmh over the limit. Sit a prudent 10 - 20 kmh over the limit
and you'll mostly have folks queueing to get past. In the unlimited
sections, folks mostly drive whatever they have flat out. Not many
folks do over 250 kmh.

Limits in most of Southern Europe are widely ignored. Treat them as
advisory only.

More detail for France here. Sorry I don't have the other countries.

http://english.controleradar.org/speeding-fines.ph...

Belgium is broadly similar to France and the Dutch are pretty strict.
10 kmh over the limit seems to be about as far as most Dutch go.

[gazapc]

Used Waze last week in NW France and generally good. Didn't notice any cameras that weren't flagged.

As noted, it flashes up as an enforcement zone (say a few km in length) but we found that almost always someone had flagged the actual camera as 'police' meaning you got the exact location as well.

[Stella Tortoise]

dcb said:

Thirty odd years driving across Europe, thanks.

In general don't speed in urban areas. Out on the autoroute / autobahn /
autostrada, limits are - with the exception of CH noted by other posters -
much more laxy enforced than the speed obsessed UK.

For instance up to 180kmh in a 130 kmh in France will only
get you EUR 90 fine. Coppers don't really bother until about 160 kmh
in a 130 kmh.

Serious speeding on German autobahns, where there are any limits,
starts at IIRC 70 kmh over the limit. Sit a prudent 10 - 20 kmh over the limit
and you'll mostly have folks queueing to get past. In the unlimited
sections, folks mostly drive whatever they have flat out. Not many
folks do over 250 kmh.

Limits in most of Southern Europe are widely ignored. Treat them as
advisory only.

More detail for France here. Sorry I don't have the other countries.

http://english.controleradar.org/speeding-fines.ph...

Belgium is broadly similar to France and the Dutch are pretty strict.
10 kmh over the limit seems to be about as far as most Dutch go.

I'm not sure that france is as relaxed about speeding as it once was.

The last time that I was there the French motorists were very careful about sticking to the Autoroute speed limits.