Radar detectors in France - worth the risk?
Discussion
As I understand its €5000 fine for this, plus confiscation. I have no idea if the stealth circuitry works - but i'll leave mine I think. the fine for speeding will be less...
FWIW i got fined 2 years ago for crossing the end of a solid white line overtaking (at 95mph in a 50) - they were not fussed about the speed (radar not activated), they were just looking for illegal overtaking. 3 other brits got pulled in behind me for the same... FF600 for that one.
I gather fines have risen since then, so i'll have a glovebox full of cash at the ready.
FWIW i got fined 2 years ago for crossing the end of a solid white line overtaking (at 95mph in a 50) - they were not fussed about the speed (radar not activated), they were just looking for illegal overtaking. 3 other brits got pulled in behind me for the same... FF600 for that one.
I gather fines have risen since then, so i'll have a glovebox full of cash at the ready.
Short answer is yes.
I must confess, I've hardly used mine and when I have, I've only used it for testing 0-60 times!
It seems fairly accurate though when compared with magazine figures.
But it'll measure braking distances, cornering g force etc and all sorts of other stuff and you can download all the stuff to your PC if you want.
I was going to take it to Le Mans for the toll booth challenge - measuring time from 0-170!!
I must confess, I've hardly used mine and when I have, I've only used it for testing 0-60 times!
It seems fairly accurate though when compared with magazine figures.
But it'll measure braking distances, cornering g force etc and all sorts of other stuff and you can download all the stuff to your PC if you want.
I was going to take it to Le Mans for the toll booth challenge - measuring time from 0-170!!
Fines are pretty steep for Le-Mans weekend, I found out the hard way. Got caught coming into 50k limit doing 147k, not a village, just a junction that was about 1/2 a mile from the trap, that I was slowing down for, could see for miles away, no houses or other cars, dead straight road. Buggers had put the trap in a field at the end of a 5 mile straight. Anyway got fined £700!!! £500 on the spot £200 later by post after court hearing I wasn't aware of. Near Alencon. Radar detectors are a no-no too.
On the subject of speeding in the nation of World Cup departees.....
Picked up last night near Bernay returning from the race; 152kmh in a 90kmh (say 95 in a 56 in our money). Licence retained by those lovely Gendarmes (immediate ban on driving in France pending court hearing) and an on-the-spot fine of €750. Ouch.
Car 'impounded' unless I could find another driver; managed to discover two very generous and understanding gents (Michael from Sheffield and Andy from Ampthill - thanks very, very much for helping me get the car to Calais!!).
All very dodgy - car that I was following when overtaking pulled in to traffic - no conrete proof it was me they caught.
Anyone know if there is anything that can be done other than sit in some stuffy little provincial court listening to Monsieur slap my wrists? Can it be transferred to the UK in any way?
All comments (and no doubt abuse!) gratefully received.
Interestingly, a chap I was talking to on the Shuttle later - fined €135 for 141kmh in a 90kmh. Hmmm.....
Picked up last night near Bernay returning from the race; 152kmh in a 90kmh (say 95 in a 56 in our money). Licence retained by those lovely Gendarmes (immediate ban on driving in France pending court hearing) and an on-the-spot fine of €750. Ouch.
Car 'impounded' unless I could find another driver; managed to discover two very generous and understanding gents (Michael from Sheffield and Andy from Ampthill - thanks very, very much for helping me get the car to Calais!!).
All very dodgy - car that I was following when overtaking pulled in to traffic - no conrete proof it was me they caught.
Anyone know if there is anything that can be done other than sit in some stuffy little provincial court listening to Monsieur slap my wrists? Can it be transferred to the UK in any way?
All comments (and no doubt abuse!) gratefully received.
Interestingly, a chap I was talking to on the Shuttle later - fined €135 for 141kmh in a 90kmh. Hmmm.....
Sit in a courtroom in France? Nah.
There's no Euro way of applying points on a foreign licence. If it was me, I'd apply to the DVLA for a replacement licence and ignore the letters from France.
There is no way they will persue a prosecution over the channel. Same works in the USA - I have 2 speeding tickets in my drawer at home.
Obviously if you get pulled again in France then you'll be a bit of doggy do-do but I'd say its worth it for avoiding the hassle of a return trip to Le Sarthe and the inevitable increased fine that you'll get. Your mileage may vary of course.
There's no Euro way of applying points on a foreign licence. If it was me, I'd apply to the DVLA for a replacement licence and ignore the letters from France.
There is no way they will persue a prosecution over the channel. Same works in the USA - I have 2 speeding tickets in my drawer at home.
Obviously if you get pulled again in France then you'll be a bit of doggy do-do but I'd say its worth it for avoiding the hassle of a return trip to Le Sarthe and the inevitable increased fine that you'll get. Your mileage may vary of course.
Pvquote:
There's no Euro way of applying points on a foreign licence. If it was me, I'd apply to the DVLA for a replacement licence and ignore the letters from France.
I'm sure saw on the news (last year I think) that the UK & French governments had done a back-to-back deal whereby you could get UK points from a French offence & vice versa.
This is not a Euro thing, but an individual agreement between countries....It's quite possible that it isn't ratified yet though.
I would say that you lost your licence if I were you.
cheers,
Craig
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