# Speeding in France be warned..



## 88781 (May 9, 2005)

When School's out for the long summer break, the dog's in kennels and the M/H is packed. Dad's already getting a bit tetchy behind the wheel - but once the ramp drops on that ferry and passport control becomes a spot in the rear-view mirror, he can mash the throttle, leave all his troubles behind and begin the run to the sun in earnest. Open her up. Drive like the French. Hit the beach or campsite in record time - great roads and no speed cameras, you see, not like in Britain. Over there, you've got carte blanche.

At least that's what motoring in France used to be like. British drivers could rely on the Gendarmerie having a laissez-faire attitude to anyone with a GB sticker and a steering wheel on the wrong side. If they did stop you, it was simply a matter of pleading ignorance, demonstrating a woeful lack of O-level French and being sent on your way with a slapped wrist to while away the next leg of the journey with some hilarious Inspector Clouseau impersonations.

Now, however, that carte blanche appears to have been superceded by the carte rouge. The EU is on a mission to cut road deaths by half across mainland Europe, and with a lamentable tally of more than 7,000 fatalities a year, double that of Britain, France is placing road safety high on its agenda.

Furthermore, with falling government funding, it has been suggested that the traditional on-the-spot fines handed out for motoring offences represent a useful source of revenue - and with the arrival of a large percentage of the 12 million British drivers who visit France every year, it could be boom time for the gendarmes.

The French police offered a preview of their new "zero-tolerance" attitude during this year's Easter break, stopping 126 vehicles on the A26 south of Calais, 110 of which were speeding Britons. Seven were claimed to have been travelling at more than 45mph above the 81mph motorway limit, with one driver being stopped outside Bethune at an alleged 146mph. All received on-the-spot fines of up to £200 and the seven were arrested and bailed to appear in court. Car drivers obviously M/H's don't go that fast!

Roads in northern France such as the A26, A16, A131 and N13 - fast routes from the ferry ports of Calais, Boulogne, Le Havre and Cherbourg - are likely targets for a speeding blitz, as are the A61, A9 and A8 in the south. The A8 is where the Colombian Formula One star, Juan Pablo Montoya, was stopped for travelling at more than 120mph in a BMW X9, earning himself a £720 fine. 8O

If you think speeding drivers receive harsh treatment in Britain, take comfort in the fact that at least our high-visibility Gatso cameras allow you to slam on the brakes and continue your journey before spending the next fortnight nervously awaiting the bad news from the postman. France has just 50 Gatso type cameras that photograph speeding vehicles and result in a penalty notice being mailed to the owner. These are irrelevant to drivers with foreign number plates as France does not have a reciprocal arrangement with other countries (except Switzerland) whereby fines and penalties can be carried across borders (although the EU has plans to ensure fines are enforced from one member state to another).

What British visitors need to worry about are the hand-held and vehicle-mounted laser guns that the Gendarmerie use to clock speeders. They are often concealed - perfectly legally - behind signs, bushes and other obstructions where motorists won't notice them until it's too late and they're about to be flagged down by a patrol car.

There are now more than 1,000 laser guns in use throughout the country and being caught speeding by one can seriously ruin a holiday,there is often the suggestion that the French police lie in wait for tourists, but what they say is that the tourist routes have a higher level of crashes.

What British drivers must appreciate is the fact that the on-the-spot fine system used in France means you are not allowed to continue your journey until you've paid up. As a result, someone stopped on a remote part of the A6, for example, could find themselves escorted 30 or 40 miles out of their way to the nearest bank to withdraw cash to pay the fine. They don't take plastic, and if you don't have sufficient money to pay the fine, the car will be impounded until the debt is cleared. If you don't settle up, any passengers will be advised to take the TGV.

With fines ranging from a minimum of £50 for travelling at up to 90kph (56mph) in a 50kph (31mph) limit to more than £500 for 170kph (106mph) in a 130kph (81mph) limit, the cost of speeding can make a dent in the holiday budget. If you really go over the top, as in the case of a BMW driver stopped earlier this year near St Omer, a week in a no-star campsite could start looking like the height of luxury. For driving at 243kmh (151mph), he was handcuffed and kept overnight in a police cell before being sentenced by a judge to five days' imprisonment and a £500 fine.

There are, of course, electronic devices on sale that will give you plenty of warning of a speed trap ahead - but don't take them to France because the mere presence of one in your car is illegal, and being caught using one will result in a fine of £1,000, plus confiscation and destruction of the detector.

Be wary, too, on the autoroutes - they're the motorways where everyone with a French numberplate seems to be travelling at the speed of light. The reason they are going faster than you is that they know they can get away with up to 90mph with little risk of being stopped, and they know that the people who take the money in the péage booths are good at maths and in cahoots with the police.

If the time printed on the ticket you took when you arrived on a stretch of autoroute is too close to the time you arrive at the péage tens or hundreds of miles later, it takes only a simple calculation to reveal your average speed. If this proves to be substantially above the limit, the police may be informed and are likely to pull you over as you resume your journey.

The rules, however, are not always that straightforward. Cars towing caravans, for example, may travel within the same speed limits as solo vehicles provided the total weight does not exceed 3.5 tonnes - but on long declines, the maximum speed must be reduced by 10kph. The same applies to all cars in rain and bad weather, when motorway speed limits drop from 130kph to 110kph, the dual carriageway limit falls from 110kph to 100kph and the limit on all roads outside built-up areas becomes 80kph instead of 90.

If you break down in France, it is a legal requirement to display either a red warning triangle behind the vehicle or to activate its hazard lights. Having defective tyres can result in a fine of £600 and an escort to the nearest (yet not necessarily the cheapest) tyre dealer, while using a mobile telephone at the wheel carries an instant £75 penalty.

If you do make it to your destination without an encounter with the gendarmes, at least you can relax after the long drive with a refreshing glass of vin blanc - making sure, of course, that the car keys are well out of reach. Having 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood might mean you're on the cusp of the British drink-driving limit, but it's enough to get you locked up in France.

Bonnes vacances.

Ignorance is no defence 
You're driving on a main road in France and pass a road sign with a yellow diamond in a white border. Does it mean: a. You have priority? or b. Priority must be given to traffic emerging from the right?

If you plumped for b, you obviously know the priorité à droite rule. But on this occasion, you've got it wrong - because that yellow diamond indicates that the rule does not apply and drivers on the main road have right of way, and will continue to do so until there is another yellow diamond with a black line through it.

If you got the answer wrong, you are certainly not alone. According to the latest edition of Driving Abroad (£12.99, Haynes), the priorité à droite rule is "the motoring law most likely to catch out British drivers in France". But, of course, ignorance is no defence in law if you cause an accident. So forget the latest beach blockbuster; if you want to drive safely abroad this year, this is the book that should be top of your reading list.

The guide is divided into two sections. The first provides a wealth of practical information on driving abroad, and the second gives country-by-country advice, including speed and drink-driving limits, examples of road signs that are most likely to cause confusion, details of parking restrictions and any other peculiarities: in the chapter on France, for example, the guide urges drivers to take extra care when elections are due. This is because it's traditional for a new president to grant an amnesty for all but the most serious traffic offences - so in the run-up to an election, motorists feel they can ignore the rules with impunity. In Croatia, apparently, it is illegal to overtake military convoys, while in Spain you must carry a spare pair of spectacles if you need them to drive.

Essentially, Driving Abroad's advice to motorists travelling overseas this summer is to proceed with caution at all times. "Driving styles in some countries can seem rude and aggressive to British eyes," it observes, "...but don't be tempted to follow their example. Local drivers may know just when, where and how far the law can be stretched; it's much easier for a foreigner to be caught out."

Rules of the road

French speed limits*

Built-up areas 50kph (31mph), but can be raised to 70kph (43mph) on important through roads.

Non built-up areas 90kph (56mph)

Priority roads and toll-free urban motorways 110kph (68mph)

Toll motorways 130kph (81mph).

Minimum speed for vehicles travelling in the left lane of motorways 80kph (50mph).

New drivers (including UK licence holders) who have held a full licence for less than two years are restricted to 80kph on normal roads outside built-up areas; 100kph on urban motorways and dual carriageways and 110kph on toll motorways.

*Figures are for motorcycles over 80cc, private cars and towing vehicles under 3.5 tonnes. They are supplied by the RAC Traffic Information Service

M&D

_ Sticky for a short time as it affects large numbers of us - dodger_


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## MOTORHOMER (May 9, 2005)

Hello Mandy & Dave.

Phew.

They havent started planting plastic trees yet then. Along the A326 in Hampshire among all the other fir trees etc a plastic fir tree has grown overnight. I have no idea what it is hiding but its obviously hiding something.



Elizabeth


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## colian (May 11, 2005)

Wait till this time next year when all your fines over their are transfered to over here. and on record!!!!


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## Motorhomersimpson (May 9, 2005)

Excellent post M&D, a lot of very useful and informative information, many thanks for taking the time, and making the effort, to bring all this to our attention.

I’m sure most, if not all of us are law-abiding citizens :wink: , but it helps to be aware of these things.

Homer…..Rob


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Looks like we will all have to be GOOD and drive at the correct speed. On a nice empty stretch of road it is often difficult to keep to the correct speed and find one is over the limit without even trying.


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## 93158 (May 1, 2005)

*French speed limits*

Great article!

We live in France and spends many months each year travelling in our MH, both in France and elsewhere.

We are regularly overtaken by speeding Brits so I have no sympathy for those who get caught. The gendarmes now have laser binoculars and they are in use everyday, you only see them when it is too late.

Rather than get caught invest in cruise control its alot cheaper than fines!


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## Yorky (May 10, 2005)

I'm going to really annoy them next time I go, I'm going to keep within the speed limit!!!
Regards Eddie


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## 89499 (May 25, 2005)

This is good info, thanx. When you get fined (bad enough), at least you don't get the dreaded points on your licence...do you???? :?:


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## 93158 (May 1, 2005)

*Points equals prizes*

I think you will find quite soon that the penalty points are transferred to the UK!


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## Andysam (May 10, 2005)

M&D wrote "If you do make it to your destination without an encounter with the gendarmes, at least you can relax after the long drive with a refreshing glass of vin blanc - making sure, of course, that the car keys are well out of reach. Having 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood might mean you're on the cusp of the British drink-driving limit, but it's enough to get you locked up in France."



That is exactly the same drink drive limit as the UK, which in breath terms equates to 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 ml of breath.


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## 93158 (May 1, 2005)

*Drink driving*

The French version of random breath test, stopping everyone on a particular road and giving them a test is growing in popularity. I got stopped twice in the same week along with about 20 others. I had not been drinking so no problem. You can expect to get stppoed near the popular tourist spots and off the autoroute.


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## 89499 (May 25, 2005)

Handy to know, but not a problem for me....I drink and I drive but never mix the 2!!! I need all the help I can get when driving.


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