Sneaky Gendarmes..... (1 Viewer)

[Allanm]

over the years we have been travelling in France, we have never approached a speed check without being flashed by oncoming drivers for about 3 miles before we see "les garçons en bleu".
Well, yesterday, we saw them, complete with speed cam, pointing at us as we approched. Quick check of the Sat Nav speed readout showed we were doing 71 in a 70! Luckily, they put the camera down and smiled as we drove past, but, they had parked their car down a lane and were standing in front of a hedge, so drivers coming the other way couldn't see them!
Now, that's just not cricket!

 

[Mr B]

sacré bleu

 

[Fenman]

Speed cameras in France have a strange mixed life.
The static ones are signposted in advance with warnings so you can see them coming.
However, the mobile varieties are a different ball game. The handheld hairdryer ones are more often than not hiding behind bridge stanchions, hedges, signposts and anything else they fancy.
The semi-sneaky ones, often on dual carriageways are just before or just after viaducts. Invariably viaducts are down to 90 or 110kmh and the warning of the speed change is quite close to the bridge. So blink and you miss it.

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[sciac2001]

sacré bleu

"Et defense de fumer mon petit pois"

 

[Mr B]

"Et defense de fumer mon petit pois"

Had to google translate

 

[sciac2001]

Had to google translate

I can categorically translate it for you as:

"This hovercraft is full of eels!"

No need to thank me. Knowing that I have helped sees me through!

Auf wiedersen!

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[Shrimp]

We were parked one day and the Gendarmes were hiding behind the corner of a building, peeping around the corner then holdong the camera out at the right moment!

 

[Glandwr]

They are amateurs compared to North Wales Police

Dick

 

[Welsh girl]

We got flashed yesterday while driving to Le Treport and thought there maybe a mobile speed van but didn't see him. He must have been hiding as well.

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[Mr B]

Looks like I'll be putting the old french plates back on in September

 

[Lenny HB]

over the years we have been travelling in France, we have never approached a speed check without being flashed by oncoming drivers for about 3 miles before we see "les garçons en bleu".
Well, yesterday, we saw them, complete with speed cam, pointing at us as we approched. Quick check of the Sat Nav speed readout showed we were doing 71 in a 70! Luckily, they put the camera down and smiled as we drove past, but, they had parked their car down a lane and were standing in front of a hedge, so drivers coming the other way couldn't see them!
Now, that's just not cricket!

I reckon you have been driving with your eyes closed I've seen them doing that for over 30 years.
Another favorite trick is speed traps on the Autoroutes when it's hissing down when the lower speed limit applies especially near the channel ports.

 

[Allanm]

I reckon you have been driving with your eyes closed I've seen them doing that for over 30 years.
Another favorite trick is speed traps on the Autoroutes when it's hissing down when the lower speed limit applies especially near the channel ports.

I meant we have been warned about every speed camera site by other motorists as we approach. This was the first one we have been through that we saw first, but, we generally drive within the speed limits anyway.

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[Just smiffy]

We all shouldn't be speeding anyway and just because it's in France or wherever we shouldn't do it....

Be safe out there everyone

 

[Madcaravanner]

WE have been travelling France for years and have seen alsorts of hiding places used over there they do not wear high viz clothing unlike the UK plods

The sneakiest two motorcycle cops one was parked up under a bridge in an alcove and he was laid on his bike seat pointing the radar gun backwards whilst his partner was 1/2 a kilometer down the road in wait

and in department 17 there is a certain road where they wait behind a barn which conveniently has a hole though which they can see traffic approaching

 

[Allanm]

WE have been travelling France for years and have seen alsorts of hiding places used over there they do not wear high viz clothing unlike the UK plods

The sneakiest two motorcycle cops one was parked up under a bridge in an alcove and he was laid on his bike seat pointing the radar gun backwards whilst his partner was 1/2 a kilometer down the road in wait

and in department 17 there is a certain road where they wait behind a barn which conveniently has a hole though which they can see traffic approaching

If they are going to be like that, I'm going to have to stick to the speed limits!

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[Madcaravanner]

If they are going to be like that, I'm going to have to stick to the speed limits!

We tend to never speed as I saw took many hamburgers in A&E when I was a Student Nurse (in the 70's) the memory is just to bad so never exceed the limit on purpose and always slow down when it's wet better to get there in on piece than a box

 

[KeithChesterfield]

They see him here,

They seek him there,

That damned elusive Gendarme !

Doesn't have the same ring, does it?

The boys in blue were stopping cars on the approach to the A26 the other day - I just smiled as they waved me by - merci Monsieur.

 

[MR. FUSION]

We got flashed yesterday while driving to Le Treport and thought there maybe a mobile speed van but didn't see him. He must have been hiding as well.

It's not May yet and the EU vehicle details sharing scheme has not officially kicked in yet, you might get away with it. http://etsc.eu/faq-eu-cross-border-enforcement-directive/

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[Baldeagle7470]

Coming back from PT recently somewhere in the countryside near Bordeaux I saw a Gendarmes Berlingo parked in a field on top of a hill.
Thought it strange,then saw him in full camouflage gear laying flat in the grass with his camera just inside the farmers fence.
Virtually impossible to see till you were level with him.
I generally keep to the limits but it has got uncomfortable here now as you need to be constantly watching the speed.
Yes I know you should do but it has sure taken some of the pleasure out of driving here.
Plus the reintroduction of more old "priorite a droit" signs

 

[Welsh girl]

It's not May yet and the EU vehicle details sharing scheme has not officially kicked in yet, you might get away with it. http://etsc.eu/faq-eu-cross-border-enforcement-directive/

I meant to say that we had been flashed by an oncoming motorist to warn of a hazard ahead so we took it to mean there was a camera laying in wait ahead. We weren't speeding. We are very careful not to, in France or at home.Dont fancy ending up too early in graveyard.☺

 

[Dorset Diver]

If they are going to be like that, I'm going to have to stick to the speed limits!

That's telling em! .

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[Manic]

I meant to say that we had been flashed by an oncoming motorist to warn of a hazard ahead so we took it to mean there was a camera laying in wait ahead. We weren't speeding. We are very careful not to, in France or at home.Dont fancy ending up too early in graveyard.☺

We're gave a warning flash, so far in advance that I nearly forgot the warning, but no they were near a roundabout, not hiding at least.

 

[rangi]

Some roads in Australia have Cameras in the Cats eyes. In NZ the M/Way cops can pick you out in 3 lanes of traffic and take photo, while they are going the other way, on the other side of the M/Way

 

[nicholsong]

It's not May yet and the EU vehicle details sharing scheme has not officially kicked in yet, you might get away with it. http://etsc.eu/faq-eu-cross-border-enforcement-directive/

The Directive does not apply to UK, ROI and Denmark until May 201

It's not May yet and the EU vehicle details sharing scheme has not officially kicked in yet, you might get away with it. http://etsc.eu/faq-eu-cross-border-enforcement-directive/

The explanation of the Directive in the link states, Inter Alia

"Upon deciding whether to follow-up on the traffic offence in question, the authorities in the Member State of offence send an information letter to the owner of the registration certificate. This information letter has to be written in the same language as the registration certificate in the Member State of registration and it must include relevant information about the traffic offence – the nature of the offence, the date and time of detection, the article of the relevant piece of legislation infringed – and the legal consequences of the offence."

Interesting phrase 'owner of the registration certificate' . I suppose that is meant to cover the UK situation, and maybe other States, where the 'Owner' is not the 'Registered Keeper'. Am I the 'Owner' of the V5C or is the DVLA? - it is their document, presumably recallable at their will.

I can see lots of challenges based on different laws in different legal systems and in different legal jurisdictions.

I can forsee that if enough challenges are made and the Police forces have to pay the costs of proceedings that the costs will kill the idea stone-dead.

Does anyone know what has happened since May 2015 in countries where the Directive applies?

Geoff

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[MR. FUSION]

The Directive does not apply to UK, ROI and Denmark until May 201


The explanation of the Directive in the link states, Inter Alia

"Upon deciding whether to follow-up on the traffic offence in question, the authorities in the Member State of offence send an information letter to the owner of the registration certificate. This information letter has to be written in the same language as the registration certificate in the Member State of registration and it must include relevant information about the traffic offence – the nature of the offence, the date and time of detection, the article of the relevant piece of legislation infringed – and the legal consequences of the offence."

Interesting phrase 'owner of the registration certificate' . I suppose that is meant to cover the UK situation, and maybe other States, where the 'Owner' is not the 'Registered Keeper'. Am I the 'Owner' of the V5C or is the DVLA? - it is their document, presumably recallable at their will.

I can see lots of challenges based on different laws in different legal systems and in different legal jurisdictions.

I can forsee that if enough challenges are made and the Police forces have to pay the costs of proceedings that the costs will kill the idea stone-dead.

Does anyone know what has happened since May 2015 in countries where the Directive applies?

Geoff

Yes it's complex, because UK law requires the driver is prosecuted whereas French law it's the vehicle owner. However the bottom line seems to me at present if you fail to pay the fine(s) in the letters sent to the address on the V5 under this system, if you go back to the country where the offence was committed they are entitled to treat you as a local resident. So that may well mean if you are caught you end up in their legal system for non payment of fines???

 

[Camdoon]

Are lots of Funsters now not giving their details to the French authorities by sending their V5 details for the Crit'Air certificate? Just a thought.

 

[DL42846]

Having lived in France for almost 20 years I have come round to the fact that if you speed you will get caught. Much more stricter than in the UK .4 or 5 years ago in Marseille one frustrated driver threw a grenade at the police hiding behind a bush with a speed camera. Made the news headlines.

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[chaser]

Are lots of Funsters now not giving their details to the French authorities by sending their V5 details for the Crit'Air certificate? Just a thought.

That's a hell of a good point, best keeping your head down and out of Paris