DB11 - Taking car to France
Discussion
Hi All,
I had searched but couldnt find anything on there. My youngest and I are thinking of taking the DB11 to France in August for a few days.
I have searched the internet and cant get an answer, is there a way to change the settings for the lights to avoid having to do the stupid sticker bit? I have look at the car settings and manual and cant see any reference to this. Any advice would be welcomed.
Also speeding fines, I have had them before over there, is there a big worry about fines/being stopped?
I had searched but couldnt find anything on there. My youngest and I are thinking of taking the DB11 to France in August for a few days.
I have searched the internet and cant get an answer, is there a way to change the settings for the lights to avoid having to do the stupid sticker bit? I have look at the car settings and manual and cant see any reference to this. Any advice would be welcomed.
Also speeding fines, I have had them before over there, is there a big worry about fines/being stopped?
Big fines (1500 euros) if 30mph or more over the limit on main roads / motorways, 135 euros for lower speeds.
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/driving-in-euro...
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/driving-in-euro...
>50km/hr over the limit is now a criminal offence, car can be seized and potentially auctioned by the court.
Many depts have what are effectively private motorists driving their own cars around, on a pre-determined route, fitted with radar / camera; not very popular with the locals.
If you're in roadworks, they sometimes put cameras a very short distance (I've seen them approx 10-metres before the signs) before the 'end of speed restriction' signs; crafty.
Many depts have what are effectively private motorists driving their own cars around, on a pre-determined route, fitted with radar / camera; not very popular with the locals.
If you're in roadworks, they sometimes put cameras a very short distance (I've seen them approx 10-metres before the signs) before the 'end of speed restriction' signs; crafty.
Last week in Northern France, Champagne region. I have never seen so many cameras, motorcycle cops with Radar and police cars with radar. I am in France 6 plus times a year .
Thet seem to have gone berserk.
On the take your car thing. I know a group of motorcycle chaps , who did a trip in April to the Vosages. On of them came home with no bike . I don't know more details, he did have it confiscated.
Thet seem to have gone berserk.
On the take your car thing. I know a group of motorcycle chaps , who did a trip in April to the Vosages. On of them came home with no bike . I don't know more details, he did have it confiscated.
And watch out for the fact that the cameras seem to be variously on the verge or on the central reservation, often grey painted and positioned in awkward to spot places - e.g next to bridges or over the brow of a hill. Not terribly sporting compared to our yellow ones.
I am not 100% sure if it helps there, but certainly its the case in the UK that some ANPR based systems seems to struggle with very short number plates (presumably assuming they have only managed a partial read).
I am not 100% sure if it helps there, but certainly its the case in the UK that some ANPR based systems seems to struggle with very short number plates (presumably assuming they have only managed a partial read).
Mainly do trips to Le Mans in V8V.
If doing a reasonable amount of autoroutes then tags such as Emovis sort tolls out without having to get too close to high concrete kerbs. Have seen Astons with passenger almost stuck leaning out to grab tickets as enter peage zones and another time they went the wrong way after struggling with machine
. Can have dedicated lanes in some places.
Rouen and some other cities have Crit Air zones - did buy a little sticker grade 1 online for about 4 or 5 euros a few year ago. Have never seen any enforcement of the zones though.
Only very occasionally see anyone in ferry or tunnel queues or on board doing anythig to lights.
50kph limit in villages when you pass village/town sign unless indicated otherwise with specific speed limit signs (some lower zones)
PS Tunnel should automatically put car in high height carriages (as double decker ones have narrow track and nasty metal kerbs).
If doing a reasonable amount of autoroutes then tags such as Emovis sort tolls out without having to get too close to high concrete kerbs. Have seen Astons with passenger almost stuck leaning out to grab tickets as enter peage zones and another time they went the wrong way after struggling with machine
. Can have dedicated lanes in some places.Rouen and some other cities have Crit Air zones - did buy a little sticker grade 1 online for about 4 or 5 euros a few year ago. Have never seen any enforcement of the zones though.
Only very occasionally see anyone in ferry or tunnel queues or on board doing anythig to lights.
50kph limit in villages when you pass village/town sign unless indicated otherwise with specific speed limit signs (some lower zones)
PS Tunnel should automatically put car in high height carriages (as double decker ones have narrow track and nasty metal kerbs).
Edited by RL17 on Wednesday 20th May 15:52
You might already be aware but, if not, some, primarily new, autoroutes are 'flux libre', ie no toll booths but are camera-controlled, you have to set up an account to pay, or pay in specified shops or similar. The Paris-Normandy one (A13 IIRC) is one. Worth having a look at if unaware.
For what it s worth, last October...
I got stopped in my French registered BMW M5 (heading home from Spa) at 175kph (limit on this stretch was 130kph) by the police using a mobile radar hiding behind a bridge abutment with them calling 2 motorbikes into action to chase me down. They then pulled me into a rest stop where the Gendarmerie were waiting to process my misdemeanor to be fair they were very polite and nice to me. I received a 90 fine and a warning that another 5kph and the car would have been confiscated for a week and I would be held overnight...
This was on the A31 North of Dijon and I was heading South back home (near Nice).
I travel up and down the country quite regularly and usually cruise at 140 150 kph without incident...On the occasion I was stopped I was following a slow car in the outside lane at 100 when he eventually pulled over and the road opened up and was empty (note clear weather, mid afternoon, no traffic) sod s law the police where there to catch my indiscretion...
I got stopped in my French registered BMW M5 (heading home from Spa) at 175kph (limit on this stretch was 130kph) by the police using a mobile radar hiding behind a bridge abutment with them calling 2 motorbikes into action to chase me down. They then pulled me into a rest stop where the Gendarmerie were waiting to process my misdemeanor to be fair they were very polite and nice to me. I received a 90 fine and a warning that another 5kph and the car would have been confiscated for a week and I would be held overnight...
This was on the A31 North of Dijon and I was heading South back home (near Nice).
I travel up and down the country quite regularly and usually cruise at 140 150 kph without incident...On the occasion I was stopped I was following a slow car in the outside lane at 100 when he eventually pulled over and the road opened up and was empty (note clear weather, mid afternoon, no traffic) sod s law the police where there to catch my indiscretion...
Edited by andyduncan on Wednesday 20th May 21:52
andyduncan said:
For what it s worth, last October...
I got stopped in my French registered BMW M5 (heading home from Spa) at 175kph (limit on this stretch was 130kph) by the police using a mobile radar hiding behind a bridge abutment with them calling 2 motorbikes into action to chase me down. They then pulled me into a rest stop where the Gendarmerie were waiting to process my misdemeanor to be fair they were very polite and nice to me. I received a 90 fine and a warning that another 5kph and the car would have been confiscated for a week and I would be held overnight...
This was on the A31 North of Dijon and I was heading South back home (near Nice).
I travel up and down the country quite regularly and usually cruise at 140 150 kph without incident...On the occasion I was stopped I was following a slow car in the outside lane at 100 when he eventually pulled over and the road opened up and was empty (note clear weather, mid afternoon, no traffic) sod s law the police where there to catch my indiscretion...
It appears there are some inconsistent outcomes . My experience was, January in a French registered hire car near Troyes . 160 kph on a dry daylight 130 kph Autoroute got me a EUR 120 fine . I was told I would not be able to drive the car again for 7 days , it was a hire car . My wife was with me and she drove us on the rest of that day. I drove the next day and thereafter as the seven day thing just sounded absurd and seemed to have no ground as far as I could see . The police were not professional and I speak ok French . I was polite and cooperative.I got stopped in my French registered BMW M5 (heading home from Spa) at 175kph (limit on this stretch was 130kph) by the police using a mobile radar hiding behind a bridge abutment with them calling 2 motorbikes into action to chase me down. They then pulled me into a rest stop where the Gendarmerie were waiting to process my misdemeanor to be fair they were very polite and nice to me. I received a 90 fine and a warning that another 5kph and the car would have been confiscated for a week and I would be held overnight...
This was on the A31 North of Dijon and I was heading South back home (near Nice).
I travel up and down the country quite regularly and usually cruise at 140 150 kph without incident...On the occasion I was stopped I was following a slow car in the outside lane at 100 when he eventually pulled over and the road opened up and was empty (note clear weather, mid afternoon, no traffic) sod s law the police where there to catch my indiscretion...
Edited by andyduncan on Wednesday 20th May 21:52
I have had differing reports from sources that say a UK registered vehicle means you would not get a follow up if you weren't stopped - either too much paperwork or breakdown in comms between UK and French/Schengen forces - not sure if any is true.
I did a road trip on my UK registered motorbike from Nice to Bergen last year and didn't receive any speeding notifications and I think I saw a few flashes during the 8000 klm trip - admittedly not all flashes were in France....
I did a road trip on my UK registered motorbike from Nice to Bergen last year and didn't receive any speeding notifications and I think I saw a few flashes during the 8000 klm trip - admittedly not all flashes were in France....
A previous owner of my old 3.2 Carrera managed to make the headlines (in the Guardian obviously) with some high speed jinks across France, paid a heavy price and lost his car, in 2006 so I think the French have always had the ability to confiscate vehicles?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/jul/16/fran...
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/jul/16/fran...
B4rnst4ble said:
going back 15years ish a group of pistonhead astonauts got caught speeding and licences taken away in northern france , and managed to make the papers, its now on the wall of my downstair toilet
it was a fair cop guv, !!
And I ended up driving your car around for the whole trip while my passenger got mine… and your nervous other half it was a fair cop guv, !!
Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff