French water down new speed limits after protests.

[Clarky]

After the 'Yellow Vest' protests Macron is in favour of watering down the imposition of the 80kph speed limits by giving local areas the option of taking them back to 90kph.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...ers-unpopular-new-speed-limits-days-european/

Richard.

 

[Lenny HB]

Reading that article it sounds like a recipe for chaos. At least being 4.5t I can carry on at 80kph everywhere.

 

[Larby]

I love France but if I was allowed 1 moan it would be how speed limits change frequently.
Now my "N" road route may be 90kmh or is it still 80kmh?
Then 70kmh and 50kmh on approaching a roundabout, then up to 80 or 90kmh then 50kmh for the village, possibly 30kmh within it, then 70 or 80 or maybe 90kmh on leaving it.
But I still love those empty roads

 

[chaser]

are folks still getting the back dated speeding fines that was all the go a week or two ago, did we ever find if they were genuine

 

[nicholsong]

If the speed limits are changed again by local councils I hope that they have to make the signs reflect it and not just rely on publishing the change somewhere.

Geoff

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[Lenny HB]

If the speed limits are changed again by local councils I hope that they have to make the signs reflect it and not just rely on publishing the change somewhere.

Geoff

That's expecting too much of the French.

 

[keithchesterfield2]

I seem to recall that local French authorities can alter the rules and regulations as they see fit.

I believe that some regions have gone back to allowing traffic joining a main road to have priority - priorite a droite.

"Yes, that tractor coming out in front of you from a cart track does have right of way, oh mon dieu !"

 

[Lenny HB]

I seem to recall that local French authorities can alter the rules and regulations as they see fit.

I believe that some regions have gone back to allowing traffic joining a main road to have priority - priorite a droite.

"Yes, that tractor coming out in front of you from a cart track does have right of way, oh mon dieu !"

They started doing that a couple of years ago, gets really dodgy driving through some towns.

 

[nicholsong]

I seem to recall that local French authorities can alter the rules and regulations as they see fit.

I believe that some regions have gone back to allowing traffic joining a main road to have priority - priorite a droite.

"Yes, that tractor coming out in front of you from a cart track does have right of way, oh mon dieu !"

Reminds my of the farmer doing exactly that and the car coming along the main road swerved, skidded and landed upside down in the field where the tractor had just left.

Farmer turns to his farmhand and says 'We just got out of that field in time'

[See, my memory is not too bad]

Geoff

 

[Clarky]

Reading that article it sounds like a recipe for chaos. At least being 4.5t I can carry on at 80kph everywhere.

I totally agree @Lenny HB.
If each Department starts changing the speed limits we won't have a clue if we are legal or not.
Like you though, at 4.5t I will just have to stick to 80kph, but I bet the truckers won't.
Chaos reigns in France, well that makes a change doesn't it.

Richard.

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[moulin 87]

I love France but if I was allowed 1 moan it would be how speed limits change frequently.
Now my "N" road route may be 90kmh or is it still 80kmh?
Then 70kmh and 50kmh on approaching a roundabout, then up to 80 or 90kmh then 50kmh for the village, possibly 30kmh within it, then 70 or 80 or maybe 90kmh on leaving it.
But I still love those empty roads

Reading the article it seems that 'D' roads which are departmental may change to 90kmph but 'N' roads which are national will remain at 80kmph.

 

[Larby]

Reading the article it seems that 'D' roads which are departmental may change to 90kmph but 'N' roads which are national will remain at 80kmph.

Ah I can see why that could be the case then, so I can do 90kmh down the lanes but 80kmh on a dead straight empty main road.
Ah well, luckily never in a hurry, sat nag goes off and wife joins in if still over as I enter the lower limit.

 

[Gaston aires]

I’m sure they do it so driver’s use the toll roads more. (Especially around Biaritz area)
Phil

 

[moulin 87]

Ah I can see why that could be the case then, so I can do 90kmh down the lanes but 80kmh on a dead straight empty main road.
Ah well, luckily never in a hurry, sat nag goes off and wife joins in if still over as I enter the lower limit.

The dead straight empty roads were often N roads but which have in recent times been downgraded to D roads, often with a 19T weight limit, perfect for MHs.

N roads are designated lorry routes without weight limit and are therefore very busy at times. One route near us had an average of 6000 lorries a day on it during the week, and about 60 on a Sunday. It has reduced a little after one of the cut through routes had a 19T limit put on it so heavier lorries have to use the A20 motorway which is 30 km further.

 

[Allanm]

I love France but if I was allowed 1 moan it would be how speed limits change frequently.
Now my "N" road route may be 90kmh or is it still 80kmh?
Then 70kmh and 50kmh on approaching a roundabout, then up to 80 or 90kmh then 50kmh for the village, possibly 30kmh within it, then 70 or 80 or maybe 90kmh on leaving it.
But I still love those empty roads

Don’t see the problem. The limits are always signed quite clearly and you probably want to slow down a bit before you approach a roundabout, town, road junction or village and all that is happening is someone is showing you what would be a safe speed to do do.

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[Richard n Ann]

E

Don’t see the problem. The limits are always signed quite clearly and you probably want to slow down a bit before you approach a roundabout, town, road junction or village and all that is happening is someone is showing you what would be a safe speed to do do.

Except 50kph villages where it's never signposted and the village name is out of sight or gone. It's not always clear you're entering such a zone by buildings either, I hate having to slam the brakes on from 85kph

 

[Richard n Ann]

I love France but if I was allowed 1 moan it would be how speed limits change frequently.
Now my "N" road route may be 90kmh or is it still 80kmh?
Then 70kmh and 50kmh on approaching a roundabout, then up to 80 or 90kmh then 50kmh for the village, possibly 30kmh within it, then 70 or 80 or maybe 90kmh on leaving it.
But I still love those empty roads

Spain is even worse, I often hear the tomtom ping and for no reason whatsoever the speed limit has changed to something ridiculous... Mind you that could well be a Tom Tom balls up

 

[Allanm]

E

Except 50kph villages where it's never signposted and the village name is out of sight or gone. It's not always clear you're entering such a zone by buildings either, I hate having to slam the brakes on from 85kph

You should be doing 80

It’s a nuisance that occasionally towns and villages creep up on you with little warning, especially this time of year with new growth everywhere covering signs.
Luckily, my ( Garmin 770) Satnav has speed limits displayed and audible warnings of speed limit changes so in the unlikely event I miss a sign, I’m soon made aware of it.

 

[Lot lover]

@Richard and Ann - in my limted experience village 50 kph speed limits are ALWAYS signposted thought not with a 50 sign as foreigners might expect.

 

[gus-lopez]

Spain is even worse, I often hear the tomtom ping and for no reason whatsoever the speed limit has changed to something ridiculous... Mind you that could well be a Tom Tom balls up

Yes but there aren't any cameras to catch you speeding.

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[nicholsong]

E

Except 50kph villages where it's never signposted and the village name is out of sight or gone. It's not always clear you're entering such a zone by buildings either, I hate having to slam the brakes on from 85kph

And while most of the signs, if visible, are on the right some are on the left - sneaky buggers.

 

[Lot lover]

I have only seen the sign bearing the village name on the right both entering and leaving the speed controlled area.

 

[Makingtrax]

I love France but if I was allowed 1 moan it would be how speed limits change frequently.
Now my "N" road route may be 90kmh or is it still 80kmh?
Then 70kmh and 50kmh on approaching a roundabout, then up to 80 or 90kmh then 50kmh for the village, possibly 30kmh within it, then 70 or 80 or maybe 90kmh on leaving it.
But I still love those empty roads

The worst is the N10 dual carriageway. Constantly dipping to 90kmh for junctions. Got caught their once and waited half an hour in a queue to be ticketed because they’d caught so many motorists.

 

[Lenny HB]

Don’t see the problem. The limits are always signed quite clearly

But they are not, some areas have not changed their signs, it's an 80 limit but the sign says 90.
Not a major problem when the speed limit for all single carriageways is 80 but if certain areas put limit back up how does a visitor know what the limit is.

 

[moulin 87]

But they are not, some areas have not changed their signs, it's an 80 limit but the sign says 90.
Not a major problem when the speed limit for all single carriageways is 80 but if certain areas put limit back up how does a visitor know what the limit is.

Since the limit changed last July I've driven perhaps 25000 kms all across France and I don't remember seeing an incorrect sign. 90 kmph is a valid limit if there is a second lane in your direction or if there is a barrier between the carriageways.

If in doubt stay at 80 kmph.

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[spitfire]

OMG still moaning !

 

[Makingtrax]

Not sure whether or not they’ve repaired them, but estimates earlier this year put yellow vest protestor damage to speed cameras at 60%.

 

[laneside]

OMG still moaning !

Now you know why the Aussies call them Whinging Pomms.