# French speed cameras



## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

This is a reply from an email to Garmin concerning the new French laws on speed camera POIs on their satnavs.

Dear John,

Thank you for contacting Garmin Europe.

There are two options that you can do. Either update your European
Safety Cameras which will give you Danger Zones for France instead of
Safety Cameras, Danger Zones are fully legal and warn of a 'Dangerous'
road instead of a camera location.

You can look at Safety Camera Updates for Europe at the below link:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=68098

I have included a link below to a French website which you can use to
help you disable the French Safety Cameras, it also has a picture guide,
if you put the website into Google Chrome you can translate it to
English.
http://www.garmin.com/fr/100pourcentlegal/

I have included the instructions written below for you to use too.

Touch Tools
Touch Settings
Touch Proximity Points
Touch Change
Untick Garmin Speed Cameras or Safety Cameras.

This also disables your UK Safety Camera alerts but when you get back to
the UK you can simply activate these again.

You can find more information about this by clicking the link below:
http://www.garmin.com/uk/extras-camera-alerts/#france

If there is anything else I can help you with then please let me know.
Alternatively you can search for a solution here: http://www.garmin.co.uk/support

Kind regards,

Will Taylor

Garmin Europe


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

From that it would APPEAR that its an offence to merely have the capability of displaying speed camera sites (as opposed to a detector) on your sat nav.

Never really struck me as a problem (speed cameras in France that is) as I have a sure fire never fails system of beating them.

I stick to the speed limits :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: 

In 41 years of driving I have had one speeding offence recorded, and that was in 1972 when I was 17 !!! So it CAN be done (sticking to the speed limit that is) and before anyone asks no you DONT get let off if you are a copper, even in a marked car (unless of course on an immediate response call) anyway I a retired 6 years ago and STILL do high mileage all over the place and I STILL have a clean licence thank you.

I know (and have heard) all the arguements " I didnt realise it was only xxmph, I didnt see the signs, I thought it was XXmph, I wasnt driving dangerously was I, I'm sure I wasnt going THAT fast officer, together with a hundred other ones.

So PLEASE dont bother to post your excuses or reasons for being caught speeding. 

We all know (or should know :roll: ) what the various speed limits are and what the signs look like, there is only a single person to blame and thats the driver. 

I am not trying to crow or prove how smart I am, just pointing out that it is perfectly possible to drive within the speed limits. (tip, I use cruise control all the time, even in 30 limits, its really good at protecting your licence!!)


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Mrplodd said:


> From that it would APPEAR that its an offence to merely have the capability of displaying speed camera sites (as opposed to a detector) on your sat nav.
> 
> Never really struck me as a problem (speed cameras in France that is) as I have a sure fire never fails system of beating them.
> 
> ...


I wasn't questioning penalties for speeding.

Most of us have these speed camera POIs on our satnavs and it now appears that, in France, it is now illegal.
I started driving in 1964, and have only one speeding offence, one of only two traffic offences in 48 years so although speed limits are no problem for me, innocently having revenue cameras on my satnav could indeed get me stopped and fined whilst touring in France.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

Mrplodd said:


> So PLEASE dont bother to post your excuses or reasons for being caught speeding.


I wouldn't dream of it, I live in Dorset as well after all.


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## baldlygo (Sep 19, 2006)

Mrplodd said:


> ...snip....
> I have a sure fire never fails system of beating them.
> 
> I stick to the speed limits :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
> ...


Do I detect a whiff of irony here  Sure - if you have cruise control and the journey consists of reasonable sections - then that is great but not so easy if you don't have cruise control. I have never had a car or van with cruise control but surely if the restrictions keep changing - eg 30 for a mile, 50 for a mile, 40 for 300yrds, 50 for half a mile, then back to 30 then surely to keep having to set and reset cruise control is quite a distraction.

I have been driving for nearly 50 years without a speeding fine but have to say that I find it very difficult to keep below some limits - despite trying quite hard.

In the last year in Limousin several small town's, including Le Dorat and Bellac, have introduced signs in restricted areas which display your speed and give you your speed and a smilley face if below and a sad face if above (or red if over - green if under. These are moved around to different roads after a few days. They really work on me and I know others too. It has promoted a feeling that drivers in France are more responsible and not all law breakers to extract fines from. I hope it does not go the way UK have done.

Paul


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Our local regional newspaper announced last Friday that the Lot et Garonne council have started to remove the warning signs about speed cameras but are placing more of the digital "you are doing XYZkph" signs with the smiley or not.

I came across one of these smiley speedos at Lauzan this afternoon.

So it IS happening........  

Dave


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## ThursdaysChild (Aug 2, 2008)

That third link from Garmin doesn't seem to do what it should. Instead of France, it's an invite to buy US topography.


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

Spacerunner, using info from your profile and post you started driving at minus 6 years old!!!!!!!!  :roll:


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

eurajohn said:


> Spacerunner, using info from your profile and post you started driving at minus 6 years old!!!!!!!!  :roll:


Yeah I know. Seems every time I change my avatar I get a new lease of life!.......I wish. :lol:


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## Yaxley (Jul 25, 2008)

Thursdayschild
If you type in the link it brings you to the right place.
Ian


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I'm sure this is a retrograde step removing warnings of road dangers.

Next signs warning of crossroads or dangerous bends might vanish??? :roll: 

Ray.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

raynipper said:


> I'm sure this is a retrograde step removing warnings of road dangers.
> 
> Next signs warning of crossroads or dangerous bends might vanish??? :roll:
> 
> Ray.


In the UK it has long been established that speed cameras are on the safest roads so perhaps the French will do the same thing.


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