Speeding fines - payment of

[hedgepig]

I was apparently speeding in June - 60kph in a 50kph zone - but the first I knew of it was a registered letter (sent to the wrong address) containing an "Amende Forfaitaire Majoree" asking for €375 which I received on December 1.

I immediately went on to the website to pay it but received a message (in English) that I was too late, and would receive notice of an even bigger fine.

On talking with friends who live in France it appears that a typical fine would be €45 but I was being asked for more as I had not paid the initial request.

I have written to the authorities in Bordeaux explaining that this was the first notice I had received (maybe the initial one was sent to the hire car company?) and I am happy to pay what I really owe.

Needless to say, my two e-mails (one in English, one in French) remain unanswered so probably my letter (in French) will be similarly ignored.

Any advice for me as to who else I can contact - maybe a consumer rights group?

Thank you

[cooperlola]

I can't answer your question but what I do know is that the fines are heavier in 50 limits - 45€ is way under the norm for speeding in urban areas.

My code de la route is a couple of years out of date so I'm not sure the fines I have on my list are still correct.  I'll look into it a bit more but I'd imagine Sunday Driver and others will have this sort of info' to hand.

[cooperlola]

Here you are:

http://www.radars-auto.com/sanctions_radars.php

[Sunday Driver]

The original speeding ticket will have been automatically sent to the address which is shown on the vehicle's carte grise, in this case, the car hire company.  They will have sent your name and address to the fines office who will have re-issued the ticket (and the subsequent majoration notice) to that address.  It would now seem that the address provided by the hire company was incorrect resulting in you missing the deadline for payment of the lower amount and now being pursued for the increased fine.

Forget about e-mails - you need to write to the fines office (by registered letter with confirmation of delivery) explaining this.

 

[Pierre ZFP]

Have the French traffic cops been playing 'Catch-up' or are short of targets at the end of the year?   

I just received a fine from 18th July.  I thought it couldn't be me as it was from Thionville (Lorrain) and I was on holiday near Spanish border!  But no, it was me, on my way home doing 100 in a 90.  I just didn't notice the limit changes for a short section of the autoroute, just long enough for a speed camera and then the limit changes back again.

Oh well, at least no points deducted and €45 if I paid within the 40 days or else €63 and climbing.

At first I thought the clock started counting from the date of the offence!  Then I read it again and realised I only had to pay the minimum.  Interestingly, if I wanted to see the evidence I would have to pay the €63 up front.  I thought a picture was sent automatically as in UK or Germany?

[sid]

Is a photo automatically issued to the culprit in the UK nowadays? It certainly didn't used to be the case; you had to ask for one. Not that it affects this case though, I'm just interested.

Sid

[sid]

Is a photo automatically issued to the culprit in the UK nowadays? It certainly didn't used to be the case; you had to ask for one. Not that it affects this case though, I'm just interested.

Sid

SORRY - DUPLICATE POSTING!

[Daft Doctor]

When my wife got caught speeding in the UK by a mobile camera a couple of years ago, the letter informing her of the offence contained a web link to the photo with a reference number to enter see it.  It was her car alright and (thankfully) she rather than me who was driving!

[AnOther]

Different forces will have different policies on the subject. The last time my OH got caught with a mobile camera they sent a photo of the rear of the car from which I was able to determine that the van had been parked on private property where they had no right to be, somebody's front garden actually, and when we  wrote to them pointing this out we  received a reply stating that 'due to site irregularities no further action would ensue' [;-)]

[sid]

Ha! Result! [8-|]

[Oboulez]

What is the legal process in France? Is it that the registered owner is de facto responsible for any traffic offences allegedly committed in relation to the use of the vehicle? In the UK the police must send the RO a notice of intended prosecution within 14 days, otherwise the process is discontinued, likewise if the RO was not the driver, the NIP must be sent to the alleged driver also within 14 days. Furthermore there is a 6 months time bar on proceedings notwithstanding the above. There must be a similar time constraint here, as how can an owner possibly know who was driving at a particular time and place 6 months ago. Before you pay the fine or respond, check the legal process. Natural justice would suggest that it must be an abuse of process to receive the first notification 6 months after the alleged offence??

PS - yesterday I renewed my TOM TOM SatNav speed camera site subscription for £15. Money well spent as it knows where every fixed site is located & perfectly legal.

[PaulT]

Lousie and Gary wrote: PS - yesterday I renewed my TOM TOM SatNav speed camera site subscription for £15. Money well spent as it knows where every fixed site is located & perfectly legal.

 

Or a waste of money - if you obey the law then you are not going to get done for speeding - or are you one of these that speeds between cameras and when getting near one stands on your brakes

[Sunday Driver]

[quote user="Louise and Gary"]  Before you pay the fine or respond, check the legal process. Natural justice would suggest that it must be an abuse of process to receive the first notification 6 months after the alleged offence??

[/quote]

If you read the previous postings, you'd see that the letter that the OP received six months after the alleged offence was not the first notification.  It was the follow up resulting from non payment of the original fine.

[;-)]

 

 

[Bob T]

[quote user="PaulT"]

Lousie and Gary wrote: PS - yesterday I renewed my TOM TOM SatNav speed camera site subscription for £15. Money well spent as it knows where every fixed site is located & perfectly legal.

 

Or a waste of money - if you obey the law then you are not going to get done for speeding - or are you one of these that speeds between cameras and when getting near one stands on your brakes

[/quote]

Even a waste of money when you consider that the speed camera database is available as a POI file for free off the web.

[Oboulez]

The point of my post was to enquire whether anybody KNEW how the French system worked regarding 'automated justice'. I gave an overview of how the British system worked with respect to legal processes & judicial time bars. The fact that an incorrect fine/summons had been sent was part of my enquiry, as legal proceedural loopholes are exploited to clear suspects from murder to parking tickets as we all know. That is the legal 'game' played by defence lawyers. The upshot of my question was that the original poster may find that because of proceedural or time issues the fine was void. re the TomTom, I did not know about the free info on t'internet - so thanks, and the other Daily Mail readers rant re speeding between cameras does not merit response.

[powerdesal]

Anyone know what happens if the driver (me) of a hire car gets ''flashed'' and the credit card address for the hire is in UK?

[Les]

[quote user="powerdesal"]Anyone know what happens if the driver (me) of a hire car gets ''flashed'' and the credit card address for the hire is in UK?[/quote]

If the hire company only have a UK address for you, they will probably debit your credit card with the amount of the fine.