# speed in france this summer and good bye m/h



## chapter (May 1, 2005)

i just come across this see here
chapter


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

*Re: france this summer*



chapter said:


> i just come across this see here
> chapter


Thanks Chapter. Very useful link.

_Can I suggest you make your title a bit more dramatic to grab people's attention. This is potentially quite important information - especially as some of the laws have been updated quite recently._

Cheers


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## chapter (May 1, 2005)

hi dave i had a heavy night so the brains on half speed but you are right i heard about a lady who had to have her car transported back by train after having her licence take on the side of the road for doing twice the speed limit past a village sign post and the signs are some times a fair way from the first building 
chapter


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

My understanding is that the village signpost IS also the sign that the speed is limited whilst going through the village & right up to the sign saying your leaving the village . . . keep it to under 28mph & you'll not fall foul of the ler :wink:


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## chapter (May 1, 2005)

yes a sign like this red boarder going in to town/village without red boarder and a red bar leaving speed limit 50k 28 mph

see here
chapter


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## thefman (May 1, 2005)

:roll: serves them right whats the hurry their on holiday for gawds sake


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Speeding*

Also be aware, if your vehicle is over 3500kG's or if you are towing, many towns no have new lower speed limits for your vehicle. Max 30kph rather than the 50kph for a car and you better stick to it.

Trev.


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## 107925 (Oct 27, 2007)

50 kph used to equate to 31 mph, unless something's changed.

Shaun


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## chapter (May 1, 2005)

you are right it's 31 but when we are france i change the satnav from miles to km and it as a speedo 
chapter


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*kph*



Shark said:


> 50 kph used to equate to 31 mph, unless something's changed.
> 
> Shaun


Yes it is roughly. However, in many French towns there are new lower limits for vehicles over 3500kG's. This includes vehicles that may alone weigh <3500kG but when towing the train weight is over the 3500kG limit.

So should you be driving towards a town that has a sign stating

50

With another sign under it stating
30 
with a truck or similar sign stating over 3,500kG's it means just that. Any vehicle or combination that is over 3500kG's must not excede 30Kph.

Yes you will get irate drivers up your rear end because they have no idea why you are near to a crawl. However, you will often find a group of Police towards the exit of the town waiting to pounce. Where drivers often fall foul of the law as they do not realise that towing often takes them over the aforementioned weight limit.

Trev.


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Don't have any sympathy for speeders, especially with a motorhome. Lose a licence, tough!

These vehicles are for enjoying your surroundings, not belting from A to B.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

GerryD said:


> Don't have any sympathy for speeders, especially with a motorhome. Lose a licence, tough!
> 
> These vehicles are for enjoying your surroundings, not belting from A to B.


Agreed Gerry - no argument in principle here, but can you honestly say you have NEVER drifted above the speed limit, even by accident?

I'd be honoured to shake your hand if you can!


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## Bob45 (Jan 22, 2007)

*Re: France generally on speeding*

We have travelled around most part of France over the years but noticed a big increase in both fixed and hand held speed cameras this September. With the fixed cameras there is at least a warning sign so look out for them. 
We used the auroroute back to the Tunnel and the the French Police were ready with speed cameras a few kms before the payage and then they pick you up as you exit the payage(toll booths). Easy money for them as we are all usually dashing back to the ferry/tunnel. So beware!!
Luckily for me I had a Garmin Sat NAV with warnings on speed cameras which saved me many times for fixed and hand held cameras.
Don't you love technology.
Bob45


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

My TomTom 910 has proved invaluable in reminding me about €U speed limit transgressions (boing - boing).

Especially useful is the facility to switch to kph on the TT as virtually all UK mph speedometers have ridiculously small lettering for kph, often in red which is even harder to see in the dark.


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## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

pippin said:


> My TomTom 910 has proved invaluable in reminding me about €U speed limit transgressions (boing - boing).
> 
> Especially useful is the facility to switch to kph on the TT as virtually all UK mph speedometers have ridiculously small lettering for kph, often in red which is even harder to see in the dark.


Throught the old Western Europe

The speed limit sign is the town name

The de-restriction sign is a normal sign

Moral........ Do not speed


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Big question, why have we still got analogue speedometers when they are converting a digital signal into an analogue readout? None of the current MHs have a speedo cable that goes to the instrument.
If we had a digital readout like the Citroen Picasso or Toyota Yaris, we could change from MPH to KPH as soon as we hit the Continent.
Also remember, your speedo is designed to show a speed up to 10% above the actual. Under construction and use regulations, a speedo must not be capable of showing a speed below the actual. 
So if the indicated speed is no higher than the limit, it is not possibe to be caught speeding.
For those worried about exceeding the speed limit on motorways, I will wave as you go past. An indcated 60mph is fine for me and more economical.


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## NEV3 (Feb 7, 2007)

On the topic of speedometer accuracy. Our P206 and Smart Car both read 4.5 miles faster than actual speed as indicated by my SATNAV. The motorhome however (American RV) is spot on. I wonder if they have different calibration tolerances in the U.S.A.?

NEV3


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

I notice in one of the articles the A28 is now fully completed between Aberville and Tours . Does anyone know if this once free route is now to become "peage"?

peedee


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

Oh no. Not more Rappels.


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## Melly (Jul 5, 2007)

Here's a useful site for the latest French speed camera database.
CASH COWS


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

*Speeding In France*

Thanks for that Steve. One of the main reasons we started going abroad years ago on the motorbike was it was the only place you could use your machines performance. Thankfully now I am older,grumpy and drive a truck its of less importance.

Steve


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

It would be nice to have a motorhome that could actually speed apart from downhill with the wind behind it


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

I wish the Spanish police were as hot on speeding as the in the UK and France.They drive like demons here and just have to overtake as soon as they can.We are just getting fixed speed cameras in a few places but unlike the UK these are only 2 to 3 feet off the ground and they are all covered in pint over the lenses.Every week we read of deaths on the road and the cause is always bad weather conditions/light/heavy traffic.You never hear of a accident caused by bad driving/speeding.The mind boggles. :evil:


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## sennen523 (May 6, 2006)

Hi All,
Last week I got a camera "flash"in France on the N1 north of Abbeyville towards Nouvion with my MH, heading towards Le Torquet. I was doing 40mph and the camera isn't in a town or village with the 50kph red border on the sign to the entry of the town. Am I likely to hear from the French/ our DVLA? 
Has anyone else seen this camera?
Thanks,
Sennen523.


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

*Speeding In France*

Some of the preceding comments remind me of a retired headmaster who used to lecture us about speeding when we were members of a 6,000 strong motorcycle club. He was eventually caught speeding, you could hear the laughter from the club meetings all over the UK.

I do find the cruise control helps to moderate the speed when overseas. I just set it on 5kph below the limit. Not much help in the UK tho the traffiic is usually far to dense.

Steve


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## SpeedyDux (Jul 13, 2007)

Also worrying is that the Gendarmes set up road blocks to do random breath checks.

This happened to me on the N137 heading north from Bordeaux, on a Sunday afternoon in September. I got the impression that most local French drivers were waved through and the GB stickered Brits were being targeted. 

The limit for alcohol is lower in France so luckily I hadn't uncorked the vino that lunchtime. :roll:


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