Speeding fines in France

[Marcosalopo]

Just returned home from trip to Portugal via France. Found two speeding fine notices on the doormat! Both from new stealth radars which do not have warning signs prior to them.
These are a new thing in France to raise revenue. Both are for €45 so not a great amount compared to some you can get.
One was 80kmph in 70kmph and 90kmph in an 80Kmph, their limit is 75Kmph and 88Kmph respectively .
Didn't, see either radar which is not usual.
If going to France be careful! French  drivers seem to have given up on speeding.
Wouldn,t have been in France if Brittany Ferries  had not broke the boat to Spain!

[MikeS]

Same here. 89 in an 80 . Although my letter mentioned the cut off being 84 km/h. Dropped onto the mat last week.


Don't think the French are very happy about the new limits, it was on the news every morning. Some local official or other complaining about the change.



At least they make it easy to pay the fine through their English friendly website which is very kind of them.

[MikeS]

Looks like the option to revert back to 90 km/h is going to given to some areas.


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/05/17/french-government-waters-unpopular-new-speed-limits-days-european/

[jackronner]

[size=2px]Crap.  My plans are to buy a bike and spend summers centered out of my friend's house near Avignon.  I friggin' hate those cameras.  8 yrs ago on a rented bike with the plastic over the the license plate semi-broken I had to jerry-rig it or lose part of the plate,  I decided to tape a piece of flat plastic in FRONT of the first number (stroke of genius).  Not a single ticket in about 2500 miles tho' I could see those cameras flash in my rear-view!  An Italian cop pulled me over, but only told me to take it off (temporarily).  Turned in the bike and took my pal's bike for a short spin, and HE got a ticket for 36 kph in a 35.  There is a growing movement (of which I'm not sure I approve)  to remove red light cameras in various major cities.  I guess it's just too Big Brother for Americans.  [/size]

[mondeoman]

Nice one. .

[milleplod]

And yet....and yet....over on UKGSer, and on other hallowed Forums too, even as we speak, regular visitors to France, and inhabitants thereof, are reporting that they've ridden their usual hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of miles and seen no increased enforcement whatsoever. I have friends who live in Corrèze, some who live in Var, and others in Charente, and they all report the same - out on the lovely D-roads and other minor routes, no difference at all. Faster roads, outskirts of towns/cities, built-up areas.....always the possibility of enforcement, as ever.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.Pete

[Graham88]

Back in 2015 I was driving back from Italy through France and I got flashed en route but never had a ticket turn up, led me to believe that those fixed cameras didn't really work for foreign vehicles.. is that not the case?

[milleplod]

Back in 2015 I was driving back from Italy through France and I got flashed en route but never had a ticket turn up, led me to believe that those fixed cameras didn't really work for foreign vehicles.. is that not the case?

There are enough verified reports of folk actually receiving tickets from France to lead you to believe that they definitely work for us foreigners! I think, though, that there will be variables within the system in the same way that our system has them - a camera might flash, but the vehicle was actually under the speed required for enforcement....the département you were in has a policy whereby foreign vehicles/drivers aren't chased up....somebody couldn't be bothered to do the paperwork, even!

Pete

[gogs01]

..... led me to believe that those fixed cameras didn't really work for foreign vehicles.. is that not the case?

I was fined after a trip to Bulgaria (for a vignette rather than speeding) so I have absolutely no doubt that speeding in France (or anywhere else in Europe) may result in a letter coming through your letter box in UK.
You choose your speed and you take your chances .....

[MikeS]

Back in 2015 I was driving back from Italy through France and I got flashed en route but never had a ticket turn up, led me to believe that those fixed cameras didn't really work for foreign vehicles.. is that not the case?

I don't remember getting flashed but still got the ticket. Perhaps the newer  fixed cameras don't need that technology.

[Frank123]

I got membership of this club February with a rented car. €45 fine paid to the French as I was doing 81kph in a 70kph zone and €39 to the Spanish car rental company as an admin fee for giving out my address. Just back from 2 weeks on the bike in UK, France and Spain. No speeding. No tickets.

[Murgie]

Just curious, if you never planned to visit France or any other country other than the one you live, what happens if you never paid the fine?  Are there agreements between countries to enforce the fine payment?

[jackronner]

If, as I did, you plan to rent a bike, then your agreement will subject you to payment of fines as part of the total due when you turn the bike in.  It was my impression that, at least for rental companies, this was all electronic, so no chance of getting out of Dodge before they find out about the fines.  Probably, they'll be able to charge it to your credit card after the fact.  Don't know if Brexit, if it ever comes, will affect reciprocal enforcement between the UK and Europe.

[gogs01]

Just curious, if you never planned to visit France or any other country other than the one you live, what happens if you never paid the fine?  Are there agreements between countries to enforce the fine payment?

They chase you and threaten court action and even bigger fines.  If you're ever brave enough to stick it out, let us know how you get on !

[PeteM]

Just curious, if you never planned to visit France or any other country other than the one you live, what happens if you never paid the fine?  Are there agreements between countries to enforce the fine payment?

Here is solicitors take on that question:- https://www.whitedalton.co.uk/motorbike-blog/2019/01/brexit-and-foreign-speeding-tickets/