# Flashed by French Speed Camera!



## Gereshom (Jul 7, 2007)

Hello! I would welcome advice and anyone's experience at being flashed by a fixed speed camera on French motorways please!

My fault was running late for the boat! My main concern is that I was using a friend's car!

What will or could happen?

Thanks!
Gereshom


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## 113044 (Jun 6, 2008)

Gereshom said:


> What will or could happen?
> Gereshom


You're in the best position to judge that as he "was" your friend,,

he probably won't lend you his car again ,,,,,,,,,,he might help you to understand the full meaning and understanding of the words "OH God!!! my nose hurts"

I would expect him to receive a letter from France ,,,,,,,,,


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Unlike the namby-pamby UK, the French will expect their fine to be paid.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Don't forget that everything is computerised nowadays, so pay up if you do get a demand. 8O 8O 

I'm not sure if it's true, but I heard that you can be stopped next time you try to enter France if you owe a fine. I can believe it too, since it takes only a couple of key presses to put a "flag" against your name on the database, and you can bet our customs databases are linked with theirs . . . and a good many others!!

Dave


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

Have you any other friends as you may be a bit short in the near future


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## 101776 (Nov 13, 2006)

I believe all of the databases are becoming (if not already) linked, and they intend to impose fines on people by post.

I know foreign lorry drivers are starting to pay a bit more attention when in UK as we apparently are now chasing them for fines etc;

Guess you will have to just wait and see and if necessary pay up to your friend with a big apology...I guess they have the speed camera on that road to stop people 'running for the boat' as we truckers say....


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Buy your friend a big bottle of wine (French) and give him a cheque to cover the cost BEFORE the demand hits his letterbox.


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## Caggsie (Aug 19, 2008)

And get any points, if they do that, on your licence 8O 

regards

Karen


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## justlooking (Jun 5, 2008)

i got flashed on a major road and i never recieved a thing, 

Not actually read or heard anyone being done by camera so you may just get lucky,

they may be like our cameras and only 20% work at one time the rest just flash and you think you have been caught ,


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

First, warn friend that you may have been caught by camera in France but it may have been the car that was overtaking you at that time. I would also add make sure you were insured for that vehicle.
Then wait and see.


Dave P


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

I got flashed twice while on route to Spain in my car.. Never heard a thing about it ..
However.. That was over 18 months ago and I did hear something about the UK now passing over vehicle details ??

Just wait and see, plus advise your friend ready..


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## bigfoot (May 16, 2005)

If they are going to harmonise things it should also have the same statute of limitations across Europe. We should also be on the ball with foreign drivers and persue them like Pierre le Gendarme does with us.
Also our traffic police should target French drivers like they do with us!!!


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

*French Fines*

You could keep stum, and the next time your friend enters France and is marched of to Madam La Guilotine hope he is thinking "It is a far far better thing that I do" 

But I would warn him and pay up.

The French are lovely coppers if you do as you are told quickly.

Steve


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

1 They will contact DVLA and get a name and address of owner

2. They may send a penalty notice to the owner, with, as in UK , provision to say it was someone else driving

3. He should fill is saying it was you and your address and return, otherwise he and vehicle may have problems... see below

4. The Penalty notice may then be sent to you

5. If it is they cannot enforce it here or award penalty points on your British Driving record

6. They can programme their computer to stop you next time you go through French immigration control and 

7. there may be penalties for not paying on time and 

8. it could extend to the vehicle being balcklisted and stopped and held until any fine and penalties are paid off, if the vehicle ever goes back to France. 

9. Your friend can always change number plates!


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

I got flashed in Germany last December and nothing happened YET
It may be because I live in Spain and things happen soooooooooooo slow here.


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

I was once flashed by a young lady standing in a layby just outside Reims.

I suspect it would have cost me about the same as being flashed by a speed camera over here - £60 and a blemish or two on my manhood.


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## blongs (Jan 12, 2009)

I got flashed by a forward facing camera in france in May 2008.

Never heard a thing. 

Wonder if it zoomed in on the wrong side and caught my g/f asleep without a steering wheel in front of her!


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## Gereshom (Jul 7, 2007)

Thanks for your feedback and comments. I've spoken to the Police and all seems that it should be well! But will speak to my friend JUST in case a letter should still arrive!

I thought the first reply to my Topic was "interesting"!

Keep to the speed limits everyone!!!

Gereshom


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

Just thought that I would update on the EU directive on harmonisation of motoring penalties

1. GB has managed to acheive reciprocal status with NI 

2. UK has semi reciprocal status with IOM GY and JY, over driving bans, which are now reciprocal but not over anything else

3. UK and NI have been having bilateral discussions about full reciprocal recognition for 12 years and are farther apart now than when they started

4. EU wide its a total shambles even over reciprocal bans recognition. let alone penalty points and fines. Think why should GB recognise a drink drive ban at a lower level than its own, ie you are banned in country X for driving with what would be a legal amount in England, why should you be banned here?

What you have to remember is that if you do infringe in an EU country you will have s driving record created on which your detaisl will be entered and your penalties and unpaid fines. so if you do a runner and don't pay, you can't go back 

The result will come only when there is an EU licence agency and driving law is EU. That will be never. 

Even the states in US don't manage that.


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## Gereshom (Jul 7, 2007)

Thanks for your previous post!


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## waz (Jan 5, 2008)

I have been flashed twice in France but never received anything about it. 
Waz


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Been flashed in norhern France and Birmingham. Never received anything.

Phew!

C.


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## blacksville (Dec 2, 2007)

NOTHING WILL HAPPEN IT DOES NOT PAY FOR THEM TO FOLLOW IT THROUGH TO UK. BUT BE MORE CAREFUL IN FUTURE.SOON THEY WILL BE ABLE TO FINE YOU. BLACKIE


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Camera*

I don't think you will hear a thing. I have been flashed at humpteen times on the SS11 in Italy near Peschiera del Garda - always the same blooming camera too.

Russell


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## Gereshom (Jul 7, 2007)

Thanks Russell!

I haven't heard anything, thankfully!

Gereshom


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

One day Russell that camera will be armed

Dave P


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## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

Next time use a sat nav with a speed warning and make sure it is up and running. That way you will know if your speed is excessive. Alternatively just stay under the posted limits!

And make sure you grovel to your friend and cough up quick!!


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*France Speeding*

I was flashed in France 130 in a 110kH zone 3am in the morning. I was in my Brothers T5 and he never received anything.

That was 4 years ago however and reading the French press they are having a major crack down on speeders.

Trev.


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## Gereshom (Jul 7, 2007)

It's been a few years now and I've been back and forwards to France umpteen times and thankfully nothing happened! I am more careful these days!

Bon voyage à tous!
Gereshom


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

With the latest French crackdown (this year) does anyone know if we in the UK are now fully joined up to Euroville for driving offences?
I have my breathalyser kit, light bulbs, extra breakdown cover, GB plate, headlamp dipper, and spare glasses which we now must have to drive in France so I cannot believe that a joined up computerised system for speeding has not been set up.
Alan


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

The UK Government refused to pay the conversion costs so the two databases (Europe and the UK) cannot exchange details....

In France you LOSE points off a maximum of 12 to start with, in the UK it is the opposite and that apparently is the problem that would require investment....

At present they can follow it through manually but are less likely to than if French registered...... unless of course you are way above the posted limit........

BUT they have lots more speed detection devices now including average speed and the ability to read speed for up to 12 vehicles at once while underway and even reding the other direction....

so you have been warned........

Dave


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

No you, and IOM, are not joined up to any pan European Endorsement and disqualification system, there isn't one, although one has been in the pipeline for years, although UK and IOM are joined up (ie bans recognised and enforced reciprocally), UK and IRL are not even joined up. There is ability for bilateral agreemenst to be eneterd into, but there are not all that many. Everyone has different offences, points systems and numbers at present

So points acquired in France do not count, apart from in France and still cannot be endorsed on your UK licence, but of course if you are stopped you may have to pay a fine and if you are travelling too fast you may be summonsed to court and may be disqualified in France. Again that does not affect you back home and is not entered onto your licence, driving record or criminal record.

The same applies to any EU country, 

BUT beware, several countries now require you to retake your test of competency to drive in the country of disqualification before you can drive on their roads again, so UK licence, disqualified for 6 months in counry XYZ. ok to drive at home during and after the XYZ disqualification period, but go back to XYZ and try and drive on your UK licence, without having retaken your test in XYZ, after the end of the disqualification and you are driving whilst disqualified.

That system operates in IOM, by the way.


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## lesanne (May 1, 2008)

you may be able to ask for a photo ,if there are two cars in photo and you were the second one they can,t say that you were speeding ..maybe ? good luck ..if your caught ..just pay up...Les


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