French dual carriageway speed limits. (1 Viewer)

[Vic. Parsons.]

Just did from Angouleme, past Bordeaux heading South to Dax. Yes it's an 80kmph limit if you're over 3500kg and no overtaking. Didn't find it a problem though, just stuck to 80kmph because I'm not in any hurry and had a few trucks sat on my tail unable to overtake, they soon settle into my slipstream and travel at the speed they should be doing anyway, as I was with the trucks in front of me.
If you're in a hurry, you could risk it, but I have always believed, if you stick to the rules of the road, then you've nothing to worry about.

 

[Jasz]

The biggest problem I've come across in the last few days is where you enter a 70kmh zone and there is no sign to say it has ended although it looks as though it must have. I'm sure I've been going slower than necessary at times.

 

[gus-lopez]

What the hell is a crit air sticker?. Another way of fleecing the motoring Public?.

When you apply for the sticker that allows you to enter/drive in areas requiring a sticker showing you have a reasonably clean engine. To obtain you have to supply them with a copy of your V5

ike their Spanish counterparts are not known for their benevolence,

Until they specifically excluded it for motorways, 2 years ago, you could always use the "exceeding the posted limit by 20 kph to overtake" as it was ,& still is on all other roads, perfectly legal do when overtaking.

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[filopastry]

Could I ask how fast this truck was travelling if you managed to exceed the Motorway limit of 130 km/h (80 mph) by at least another 10 km/h to overtake it ?

Just asking.

The specific part of the motorway at Tours is limited at 90 kph and 80kph for 3.5t+ not the 130kph which is the standard "dry condition" speed limit for France. .... just saying !!!

 

[filopastry]

jongood that part of the motorway at Tours has had reduced speed limits for probably the 15 years we've lived in France, it's not a new thing, there are a few examples like this throughout France.

 

[Jasz]

I'm registered at 3650 so class 3 on the crit air and just over 3m high. We have still been charged as class 2 on the toll roads we have used.
I applied for a crit air sticker just in case there were adverse conditions requiring it, in the many areas that could introduce the requirement. It is not necessarily only the few main cities that it's a permanent feature.

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[PeteH]

When you apply for the sticker that allows you to enter/drive in areas requiring a sticker showing you have a reasonably clean engine. To obtain you have to supply them with a copy of your V5
Until they specifically excluded it for motorways, 2 years ago, you could always use the "exceeding the posted limit by 20 kph to overtake" as it was ,& still is on all other roads, perfectly legal do when overtaking.

Ah! I was right then?. Another level of Motoring Taxation!.

 

[TerryL]

I was told that the speed limit of 80kph on the N10 was to encourage truckers to use the autoroutes - though unless you're really long-distance I can't see why any of them would! Also at 3850kg - although we look the same as 3500kg - on our way south at the beginning of the year we found the N10 really monotonous so resolved to try a different direction on our way home.

The route we took didn't involve any toll roads and from the Spanish border, where we always use the toll road to avoid the chaos the coastal route always is, we headed off to Mont de Marson, then Bergerac, Limoges, Chateauroux and Reims. Yes it was longer but we weren't in any rush and it allowed us to see parts of France we'd not visited before (well bits of it). We also found some nice little aires that, being off the usual tourist trek, were very quiet. We've always said the nicest ones are a few km off the main roads.

 

[jongood]

jongood that part of the motorway at Tours has had reduced speed limits for probably the 15 years we've lived in France, it's not a new thing, there are a few examples like this throughout France.

My point was not confined to Tours where its actually 70km/h and contraflow atm but a more general one that the regime of Speed limits in France really do defy logic these days up and down frequently for no apparent reason and even with my best efforts quite hard to drive to. Btw the Satnav is defeated as well.

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[PeteH]

My point was not confined to Tours where its actually 70km/h and contraflow atm but a more general one that the regime of Speed limits in France really do defy logic these days up and down frequently for no apparent reason and even with my best efforts quite hard to drive to. Btw the Satnav is defeated as well.

All Part of Macaroons drive for more revenue?.

 

[jongood]

All Part of Macaroons drive for more revenue?.

When I look at where many of the cameras are I have to agree

 

[moulin 87]

All Part of Macaroons drive for more revenue?.

More likely British paranoia,

'Everybody is out to get us'

It's no different to the UK with the 20, 30, 40, 50. 60.70 Limits....

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[PeteH]

More likely British paranoia,

'Everybody is out to get us'

It's no different to the UK with the 20, 30, 40, 50. 60.70 Limits....

Don`t tell me!. One local road goes 30,40,30,40. and that`s only about 3 miles!. For most of My lifetime it was unrestricted!. What is worse, the A15, had a few cases of trucks coming off the road on a narrow section. The L-A`s response?. Reduce the speed limit. What the road actually wants is a dual carriageway!.

And yes, "they" are out to get Us. Or more accurately our cash. Taxation by the back door. why else would most of the speed "Traps" be at/near the bottom of hills?. Or just round the curve of an otherwise clear road?. It`s never ever been about safety.

 

[keithchesterfield2]

All Part of Macaroons drive for more revenue?.

The way most French towns and villages are dying on their feet in the last few years the Government needs every Euro it can get - and driving fines are a nice little earner.

Mind you, I'd everyone stuck to the speed limits ..

 

[jongood]

More likely British paranoia,

'Everybody is out to get us'

It's no different to the UK with the 20, 30, 40, 50. 60.70 Limits....

I did nt say it was aimed at UK drivers, why would they, its much easier to catch the Portugese.

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[busby]

We have been bimbling around France for a few weeks now and I have taken great care to adhere to all the speed limits, sticking to the letter of the law to the point where it’s turned into bloomin’ hard work. One speed limit I can’t get my head round though is signposted everywhere on the N10 dual carriageway so it must be correct and that’s 80kph for any vehicle over 3.5t and no overtaking either. My van is plated at 4.5t and was last weighed fully loaded at 3.75t. This is incredibly difficult to do in practice as there’s always vehicles doing 70kph you want to get past yet you cant overtake, but French lorries come bombing past me all the time in the outside lane seemingly without a care in the world. What am I doing wrong? Have I misunderstood the signage? Am I the only one actually sticking to the law?

What's the hurry.?BISBY.

 

[moulin 87]

The way most French towns and villages are dying on their feet in the last few years the Government needs every Euro it can get - and driving fines are a nice little earner.

Mind you, I'd everyone stuck to the speed limits ..

That is one of the few downsides to having so much S P A C E, instead of renovating the old 18C house just meander around the corner and build a new one for the same cost.... and hope a Brit will come along and buy the old one....

 

[busby]

Sorry to contradict you but I exceeded the speed limit by 10kph to overtake a truck on a motorway at Tours and got zapped and fined. Try and argue your case if you wish, my French is rather good and I know the chances are as close to zero of winning as your going to get

Trucks are limited to 56 mph,Limiters on trucks are checked on a regular basis.Ok the odd one may be (fiddled) but the majority are spot on.Your Speedo in the motorhome will not be accurate.BUSBY.

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[TerryL]

The constant changing up and down of the French speed limits I think is more to do with how the road markings change. A normal 2-way single carriageway road, unless otherwise marked, is 80 kph. Where this changes to a three lane and is restricted by the centre line markings to 2 lanes one way and a single the other, the 2-way stretch is 90 kph and seems to usually be marked as such, reducing back down to 80 kph when it becomes one lane. So most of the rural roads go from 80 to 90 and back again several times, often over a relatively short distance. Not sure it is actually legislated as such but it would fit.

I agree about satnavs though - our late model TomTom with all the bells and whistles can never get it right, unsurprisingly!

 

[keithchesterfield2]

Trucks are limited to 56 mph,Limiters on trucks are checked on a regular basis.Ok the odd one may be (fiddled) but the majority are spot on.Your Speedo in the motorhome will not be accurate.BUSBY.

The artic pushing me along the N21 today certainly wasn't limited to the speed you mention - not only did my speedometer record higher than that but the speed shown on my Dashcam was high as well.

I don't think I was flashed .........

?

 

[jongood]

Ive noticed quite a few artics exceeding 56mph in unlikely ( level) places on this trip , and I still regularly drive trucks (44t), bit of tyre swapping going on?

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[Kingham]

........automatics of which we have 3, are notorious for creeping the speed up and even refusing to change down unless forced, and their road speed is not entirely directly equated to engine note.......

When I started driving I was taught to get in to top gear as soon as possible to save fuel. That was 4th back then, with a carburettor and choke ! My manual geared car would happily sit at 30mph in 4th gear, but the higher number of gears on modern cars, along with engine management, will see speeds creep up if the gear is too high.

Current training is to use 2nd gear in a 20mph limit, 3rd in 30, 4th in 40 etc and the tendency for speed to creep up is pretty much eliminated on many cars.

A similar tip for automatics that creep up due to wanting to be in too high a gear, is to use Sport Mode, if you have it. As much as it sounds counterintuitive, it actually raises the rev limit further away from the gear change that causes the speed to creep up and if used correctly, can help keep the car at the speed you want.

 

[PeteH]

When I started driving I was taught to get in to top gear as soon as possible to save fuel. That was 4th back then, with a carburettor and choke ! My manual geared car would happily sit at 30mph in 4th gear, but the higher number of gears on modern cars, along with engine management, will see speeds creep up if the gear is too high.

Current training is to use 2nd gear in a 20mph limit, 3rd in 30, 4th in 40 etc and the tendency for speed to creep up is pretty much eliminated on many cars.

A similar tip for automatics that creep up due to wanting to be in too high a gear, is to use Sport Mode, if you have it. As much as it sounds counterintuitive, it actually raises the rev limit further away from the gear change that causes the speed to creep up and if used correctly, can help keep the car at the speed you want.

While I understand your Logic. I cannot see the point of having an automatic car and then using it effectively as a Manual?. I do actually make more use of the speed limiter than I ever did. Also in this green era what is the point of using a vehicle in a less than (fuel) efficient mode?.

ie. our L-A in it`s "wisdom" reduced the limit on the A1075 to 50mph. The car we had at that time would not change up into 6th under 54mph and no amount of persuasion would encourage it to go into 6th at 50mph, even in "sport" /manual mode!. The indicated mpg @ 60 (the old limit) in 6th was coincidentally 54mpg. BUT in 5th at 50 it was only 48mpg. So the reduction was costing more money, wasting more fuel, and creating more solution. Green Eh?.

 

[Kingham]

While I understand your Logic. I cannot see the point of having an automatic car and then using it effectively as a Manual?. I do actually make more use of the speed limiter than I ever did. Also in this green era what is the point of using a vehicle in a less than (fuel) efficient mode?.

ie. our L-A in it`s "wisdom" reduced the limit on the A1075 to 50mph. The car we had at that time would not change up into 6th under 54mph and no amount of persuasion would encourage it to go into 6th at 50mph, even in "sport" /manual mode!. The indicated mpg @ 60 (the old limit) in 6th was coincidentally 54mpg. BUT in 5th at 50 it was only 48mpg. So the reduction was costing more money, wasting more fuel, and creating more solution. Green Eh?.

I haven’t personally tried any of the tips from the experts, as my van speed never creeps up without me knowing, but apparently It’s not less fuel efficient, the load on the engine is reduced by being in the correct (lower) gear and the engine/fuel management only delivers the amount of fuel required.

That said, it doesn’t tally with your ‘real world findings’ which I accept fully.

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[Reallyretired]

In terms of fuel efficiency I like the 80kph limit, as my mh will quite happily cruise at that speed in 6th and my fuel consumption is slightly improved over 90kph. Anything over 110kph the fuel consumption rockets, but then its not exactly streamlined, in fact its pretty much a box in shape.

Obviously an old pic as no refillable gas.

 

[thebriars]

The one thing always forgotten (or ignored) is the real world fact that if you have to keep checking you speed you are (however briefly) taking your eyes from the road and its immediate surrounding. IMV which is the greater risK?

....... especially when you want to concentrate on the traffic in the oncoming lanes in case you see another motorhome and need to wave.

 

[Scotch mist]

I was on the N10 last week , at 5ton I didn’t realise I wasn’t supposed to overtake ? , I’m sure I overtook a few times ,I did think what does that round sign with the truck & lorry in it mean (doh) , while I was in France I was not in a hurry and tried to keep to 50mph but I found it very difficult to keep to the ever changing speed limits , not so sure I’d get away with being less than 3.5t , hope I don’t get a ticket or 2

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[pappajohn]

How did you pass your test?
Surely you need to keep to speed limits in every country you visit.
You should be able to keep to a specific speed quite easily by listening to the engine note with the occasional glance at your speedo to confirm you are at the right speed.
If you have difficulty keeping to the speed limits, maybe a HUD device or sat nav with speed showing in your line of sight might be advantageous.

Not everybodies perfect.

 

[jongood]

I was on the N10 last week , at 5ton I didn’t realise I wasn’t supposed to overtake ? , I’m sure I overtook a few times ,I did think what does that round sign with the truck & lorry in it mean (doh) , while I was in France I was not in a hurry and tried to keep to 50mph but I found it very difficult to keep to the ever changing speed limits , not so sure I’d get away with being less than 3.5t , hope I don’t get a ticket or 2View attachment 336258

Well I got flashed at least 4 times yesterday, all of them on dual carriageway/motorway in the middle of nowhere where I was travelling within my permitted speed 100 or 110kph but faster than a limited lorry (90kph).

OK the law is the law but if those cameras were for safety surely they would be better placed on dangerous bends/junctions/ villages etc

 

[PeteH]

In terms of fuel efficiency I like the 80kph limit, as my mh will quite happily cruise at that speed in 6th and my fuel consumption is slightly improved over 90kph. Anything over 110kph the fuel consumption rockets, but then its not exactly streamlined, in fact its pretty much a box in shape.View attachment 336246
Obviously an old pic as no refillable gas.

Snap!. 999M?.

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