Safe Speed Forums

What currently happens if a UK car is caught by a fixed speed camera in france?

you're sent to the optometrist for a new pair of glasses seeing as they have huge signs a few hundred metres before them saying something like "slow down speed camera ahead". I don't think the points sharing arrangement has come into force yet.

If you manage to get caught by a BiB then you will either be fined on the spot or even lose your licence if you're doing more than 30mph over the limit.

Proberbly nothing, I assume they could try and trace you to give you the fine but you won't get points.

Yes it's the BiB's that will fine you on the spot, and I've heard reports they can be 'flexible' depending on what cash you've got in your wallet. My brother was once tugged in France when 'pressing on' but kept his car after he kept the notes flowing. I also know a mate who got off with no fine after he protested he had absolutely no cash on him. I'd assume you'd have to be really going for it to be pulled over - even when doing 90mph it felt like I was going backwards!

It can depend on the REGION as to whether they bother to try and trace you.
Most will not at present, and there is little they can do to recoup any fine imposed. However, consider whether you wish to set foot in their country again - they DONT like to lose, and may be alert enough if you are a frequent traveller!!
A word of warning when encountering Gendarmes (as opposed to the municiple police). They are liable to attempt to extort money from you - even to go as far as pulling you on a trumped up charge.
This is more likely to happen at Christmas time!! They know the carrying of guns is intimidating to British drivers, and will refuse to use English, even if they speak it. In any event, it is probably not wise to carry too much cash when travelling, but the best defence is to offer a credit card, and chocolate, and strenuously deny any wrong doing.
The last thing they want is to take you to court to prove you guilty!!

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Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!

ain't it just. the standard of our roads really strikes home when you do 120mph paris-calais, smooth as the wind itself and tony beside me fast asleep. off the ferry at dover and comparitively bouncing up the A20 at 80 like noddy's bloody clown car.

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Fear is a weapon of mass distraction

Tell me about it Ben.

I regularly drive in France, and I can tell you right now that their roads are racetrack quality compared to the shite that I pay £170 a year for to drive on in the UK.

What really gets on my tits though is when I have some earhole in a Vauxhall Whatever giving me a tug on an open motorway because I have the audacity to overtake him while he is crawling along at 55mph on the inside lane.
As if that wasn't bad enough, the spotty 22 year old prick that gets out of the drivers seat keeps referring to me as "son" until he actually does a PNC check on the details I provide.....when he gets the answer back, he all of a sudden seems to develop a little bit of respect because he doesn't quite get the answer he was expecting

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What makes you think I'm drunk officer, have I got a fat bird with me?

He said 'shite'!!


He said 'tits'!!


He said.. (Ok, you've got the message...)

See this -

[ url =http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=320165&in_page_id=1770 ] BEWARE [ /url ]

I assume they can only ban a driver when stopped by police, as otherwise they would need some way of identifying who was driving the vehicle.

I dont know if they operate some sort of driver identification system.

From the article -
The new regulations will affect many of the 12million Britons who travel across the Channel each year. At present, those who commit a motoring offence abroad and are stopped by police may receive an on-the-spot fine.
But if they are caught on camera speeding or committing a minor offence, they are seldom pursued by the authorities.

That is to change, however, because the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is to give Continental courts access to its database so they can trace British drivers.

The courts will then be able to issue drivers with fines or penalty points.

But how will they know who was driving?

Doesen't say, presumably as with the internal scheme, but the last sentance gives hope -
Wonder about the legality of it all
But other motoring experts say the cost and practicalities of pursuing cases across the Channel would too great to make the scheme worthwhile.

So apart from legal problems, cost and practicalities could ruin it - but isn't the uk the only one to obey EEC rules at all times.

I for one would be a little concerned - in 2003, I got a parking ticket for parking in a disabled parking bay in Cherbourg.
Unfortunately for them, I had returned home 4 days before!!
I sent a copy of my ferry ticket and heard nothing more.

Who is to say they wont mistake the new number plate system - confusing zeros with noughts etc, and send out the ticket to the wrong vehicle?

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Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!

From Ernest -Who is to say they wont mistake the new number plate system - confusing zeros with noughts etc, and send out the ticket to the wrong vehicle?

And wonder how many,like sheep, will pay up ?

Hmmm, I beg to differ, at least as far as motorway road quality is concerned when comparing UK motorways with those in the Netherlands and Germany. I do agree though that the French motorways are generally excellent and smooth as a billiard table.
I always thought that UK motorways were very good, wide and well marked. And cat's eyes are brilliant.
Dutch motorways can be good, but a lot are far worse than the M4, say, sometimes with undulating surfaces and often with "tramlines" in lane1 caused by the HGVs. And no cat's eyes and worn out paintwork, so driving at night in the rain can mean that you have to concentrate hard on identifying lane markings
German motorways (at least the bits I use a lot like the A3, A42 and A57) are also a bit patchy as far as road surface is concerned (and again, no cat's eyes). Definitely not as smooth as my favourite UK motorways.

HOWEVER, the German motorways are great to use, lane discipline is excellent and the drivers seem to be much better than Dutch drivers, so loads of cars drive at about 120mph with no problem.

Meanwhile , foreign drivers in the uk.........................owe £10m in congestion charges ,£30m in parking fees.

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/articl ... 07,00.html


Nice bit is that in the rush to decriminalise parking , they can't chase the parking fees--

A separate European directive, coming into force in February 2007, will allow authorities to take foreign nationals to court for motoring offences.

However, the directive applies only to criminal offences, and illegal parking has been decriminalised by most authorities in Britain, including London.


Now what else can't they get ??


nice