I am a bad driver!

[rosalan]

Well according to the French automated speed cameras that twice caught me driving in excess of the actual permitted 83km per hour, I was travelling at 88km so guilty as charged. The signed speed is 80 but they allow 3 km discrepancy.
Their notice of prosecution is interesting which allows, according to information on the sheet, 91 days before the summons becomes ineffective which I received over 100 days after the offence so could appeal. However if I wish to appeal I must send 65 euros instead of the 45 for paying straight away. Getting the money back if I won, becomes even more complicated with the possibility of my not fully understanding the appeal in the first place. I paid up quickly before Brexit could intervene.
To make matters worse, I got clobbered twice during my four months travelling, I never saw the cameras but on the one time I did see a camera flash, they did not fine me.

 

[kelpie]

Well according to the French automated speed cameras that twice caught me driving in excess of the actual permitted 83km per hour, I was travelling at 88km so guilty as charged. The signed speed is 80 but they allow 3 km discrepancy.
Their notice of prosecution is interesting which allows, according to information on the sheet, 91 days before the summons becomes ineffective which I received over 100 days after the offence so could appeal. However if I wish to appeal I must send 65 euros instead of the 45 for paying straight away. Getting the money back if I won, becomes even more complicated with the possibility of my not fully understanding the appeal in the first place. I paid up quickly before Brexit could intervene.
To make matters worse, I got clobbered twice during my four months travelling, I never saw the cameras but on the one time I did see a camera flash, they did not fine me.

Might not have been a speed camera , wait for the blackmail photo.
Was that 45 euro per " offence" ?
John

 

[rosalan]

That is correct. If you pay within a short time 45 euros after a short while it increases to 68 euros (47 - 76 days), after that 180 euros.
For the record, it is very simple to pay and all instructions are in clear English. Rather oddly when entering my payment by card, the system 'insisted' I used a card which I had to pay bank charges on and would not let me use an alternative card. I have never had dealings with France like this before but it already 'knew' the numbers on my bank card.

 

[Mickey1]

Seems to be a lot of speeding fines from France, hope it’s not a scam.

Mickey

 

[Gellyneck]

Seems to be a lot of speeding fines from France, hope it’s not a scam.

Mickey

Or too many folk actually speeding!

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[Chris51]

3 kph tolerance seems low ! That's just over 1 MPH that's a bit tight!

 

[charliesgrandad]

They are probably trying to recoup as much money as they can just in case we leave without a deal and dont pay the £39 billion

 

[David and Sally]

They are probably trying to recoup as much money as they can just in case we leave without a deal and dont pay the £39 billion

They will be sensible and Tusk/Barnier/etc will have a meeting and decide that as we are not paying our £39b they will downsize their organisation, spend less on expensive wines and meals, stop in cheaper hotels and sell off some of their properties and art collections. They may even send us some of the proceeds back.


................................Nurse, I don't want to go back there!!!.............................

 

[JJ]

Oh dear, dear, dear me...


JJ

 

[scotzsue]

Waiting in trepidation, don't think we were flashed, but as some folk are getting fines up to a year after the offence am concerned. Will be ferry straight to Spain this autumn.

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[David and Sally]

I am actively avoiding France now. Too many strikes and now they seem to be trawling the cameras for UK drivers to fine before B****t.

 

[rosalan]

Not a scam, I checked. In fairness (?) the French have made it very easy to pay but as I have not heard of others being fined, I must conclude that I am a bad driver.

 

[two]

If you admit to speeding but claim not to have slowed below the limit between the two checks, would that make it only one offence?

 

[Lenny HB]

3 kph tolerance seems low ! That's just over 1 MPH that's a bit tight!

Pretty generous for the French often do you for 1kmh over.

 

[GPW]

I am actively avoiding France now. Too many strikes and now they seem to be trawling the cameras for UK drivers to fine before B****t.

Glad I took the autoroutes now.
Of course I still may have got caught on some minor road and haven't received the invoice yet, but I can safely say I'll not be doing much touring in France while they are being juvenile and stupid about us using their roads.

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[Larrynwin]

Presumably a train to catch

 

[gus-lopez]

but as I have not heard of others being fined, I must conclude that I am a bad driver.

There are loads just on here?

 

[buttons]

You should count yourself fortunate that they don't give points on your licence like on UK roads...

 

[Northernraider]

3 kph tolerance seems low ! That's just over 1 MPH that's a bit tight!

They are in it to make money

Sod all to do with safety

 

[EX51SSS]

3 kph tolerance seems low ! That's just over 1 MPH that's a bit tight!

But it is exceeding the speed limit. As most speedometers are not accurate anyway, I'd imagine the speedo was probably stating over 90 if op was doing 88.

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[Northernraider]

But it is exceeding the speed limit. As most speedometers are not accurate anyway, I'd imagine the speedo was probably stating over 90 if op was doing 88.

My Speedo tells me I'm driving 5 or 6mph more than I'm actually doing . I've to go by my satnav if I want actual speed. 60mph on my dashboard is actually 53mph on my satnav.
If I want to set my cruise control at 60 I've to be doing about 67 on the dash.

 

[GPW]

But it is exceeding the speed limit. As most speedometers are not accurate anyway, I'd imagine the speedo was probably stating over 90 if op was doing 88.

But what is the speed limit? It's an arbitrary number rounded to the nearest 5 or 10 applied to roads of all different types, safety factors and surfaces.

Most of us have had about 40 years+ experience of driving and we adapt to the conditions, all humans adapt, it's a basic natural law. If we all fined politicians every time they lied they'd all be bankrupt.

A speed limit cuts off the top of our hard learned decades old adaption of driving to conditions to an arbitrary number, the number 90 on a speedo is important to your wallet but not to instinct, safety and making progress ingraind by decades of learning to drive, that's why the low limits are so insidious and catch so many, they are basically legislating against human nature and adaption.

Driving to the 80kmh / 50kmh speed limits in France is quite unnatural and tiring, it just turns into a ridiculous game of matching the needle to a mm below the number: that's not safe and it's not driving, it's like playing an extremely boring video game from 1980.

On the autoroute I was able to see much of France because I was looking out of the window instead of matching a needle to a mm below a number on a stupid gauge. And that was actually a clear BMW gauge I could see, not a modern 'hunt the numbers' Fiat speedo.

The Santander / Bllbao ferry has a lot going for it. If you take the evening sailings each way you can do some whale watching too, far more interesting than watching a needle on your dashboard in a largely closed and deserted France to safeguard your bank account.

 

[EX51SSS]

But what is the speed limit? It's an arbitrary number rounded to the nearest 5 or 10 applied to roads of all different types, safety factors and surfaces.

How can a speed limit be arbitrary when it's a statute.. That's not a debatable thing, it's the law.
The speed limit, irrespective of whether it's boring or not is something that that you either respect or face the consequences.
Yes, I've over 40+ years driving and had hgv/psv licences for 30 years and I understand that if it says 50 mph (80 kph on the continent) then that is the limit not the target.
Tbf, I don't understand the need for excessive speed and I don't think your argument about being unsafe would win a case. However, who am I to say, try it in any country and say the speed limit is arbitrary

 

[EX51SSS]

My Speedo tells me I'm driving 5 or 6mph more than I'm actually doing . I've to go by my satnav if I want actual speed. 60mph on my dashboard is actually 53mph on my satnav.
If I want to set my cruise control at 60 I've to be doing about 67 on the dash.

Thank you. So by that, it probably would show 90 kph and be marginally over.
So when the speed limit states 80 kph and your speedometers reads in excess of 90 kph, don't be surprised if you get a fine

 

[GPW]

How can a speed limit be arbitrary when it's a statute.. That's not a debatable thing, it's the law.

What is 'the law'? The 'law' is a set of rules made up on the spot by largely self apponted bureaucrats, and to apply to us we have to contractually agree to under - stand that law and accept the jurisdiction of any court they invent.

Of course the numbers are arbitrary, if you don't think that then show me the physics behind the decision to make say the D940 80kmh when a week earlier it was 90kmh ?

Fining people for victimless 'crimes' like this is big business:
https://www.connexionfrance.com/Fre...ise-12-and-reach-over-1-billion-euros-in-2019

This type of petty extortion is exactly how England ended up with Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights and I suspect was more than a passing trigger to the ongoing yellow vest protests, now in their 18th week.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-03-16/yellow-vests-turn-violent-again-macrons-great-debate-ends

Has an englishman under Common Law committed a crime if there is no victim? The answer is no. A technical speed infringement in France is purely a money making exercise and we only pay to keep them off our backs next time we visit, morally and legally it's a purely arbitrary charge. At least Dick Turpin was honest in his intentions.

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[Northernraider]

Aswell as the speed cameras..what's a this green zone nonsense ...looks like there's a few big patches in South of France ...I planned to just follow the coast to Italy but not sure if I can drive through them

 

[Larrynwin]

Whatever our views it’s the law and if we’re not in control of our driving to the extent that we break the law it’s pointless complaining as only one person at fault.

 

[Bart]

My Speedo tells me I'm driving 5 or 6mph more than I'm actually doing . I've to go by my satnav if I want actual speed. 60mph on my dashboard is actually 53mph on my satnav.
If I want to set my cruise control at 60 I've to be doing about 67 on the dash.

LOL mine is the exact opposite 60mph on my speedo is like 55mph on my sat nav. With the sat nav seeming to bet the more accurate one of the two.

 

[TinaLes]

Having read thus far, I think I had better throw my cards in at this point and maybe vow never to drive in France again.
I will put my hands up and state for the record that I would find it difficult to say the least to maintain the same speed in the MH for mile after mile trying to get safely between two long distance points on a map.
The reason that I would find this so difficult is because of up & down hills in a heavy van, observing other road users, and making allowances for them to either get past me, or stay away from me.
I am probably over conscious of getting off the mark away from traffic lights and roundabouts, so as not to make THEM inpatient and maybe encouraging them into doing something risky in an overtaking manoeuvre to get past me.( I can make allowances, but I cant think for them)
I always try to keep pace "Go With The Flow"with all traffic through towns, and rural areas, that said I do always leave a sensible gap between me and the vehicle in front, almost guessing their next manoeuvre in that they may well brake, not use their indicators before turning, or even undertake when ever possible just to gain few places up the traffic lane, normally carving up me or someone else in the process.
Therefore if I am going to get nicked & fined for driving at 1-3KPH= 1MPH over the speed limit, albeit driving as safely and being as considerate as I can be to all other road users, in all traffic conditions...then I had better not go to France in the van....Sad innit?
Les

 

[Northernraider]

LOL mine is the exact opposite 60mph on my speedo is like 55mph on my sat nav. With the sat nav seeming to bet the more accurate one of the two.

That isn't opposite ..It's the same lol

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