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Speed Cameras


Miffy
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While driving in France last week we had our photo taken by a speed camera at Toulouse.  We were driving on a 3 lane motorway at 110kph but were so busy discussing the plots of land we had been viewing for our new home project that we had not noticed the speed limit had reduced to 90kph. We had seen the sign warning of the camera but did not realise we were travelling too fast,  our own stupid fault.  I wondered if anyone could tell me what the penalties and procedures are in these instances.  We are back the UK now and would like an idea of what to expect.

Could anyone tell me what I should expect to happen now ?

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Hi Miffy,

The French and English Police have a policy of passing on details of speeding offences in order that you can be dealt with in your own country. However, this might not be enforced in the UK, for one reason or another. We were in the same position before we moved out here and I was fully expecting to receive the penalty through the post. It never came. That's not to say that things haven't changed in the last year. I don't know how long these incidents are kept on file here, if at all, but I wonder if you happened to be stopped here by the Gendarmes next time, would/could they could fine you retrospectively?

You could always contact your local speed camera department of the Police and ask them what their policy is and the time frame they have to act within.

Paul

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hi

while im sure details are exchanged, ive never heard of regulations, allowing enforcement in uk, and even if there was, the uk requires you to be notified with 14days, if you arent stopped at the scene.

i think you might be ok, as the dvla, have enough troubles  enforcing uk speeders

kim

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From April this year,EU countries agreed to exchange registration details between countries;so it would not be UK police chasing you but a letter from a French policeman.Having said that,it is unlikely that anything will happen.
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I got flashed by a camera back in July this year and as yet have not heard anything.

 

Had spend 3 hours on the auto route at 80 mph and had been on the D road for about 5 minutes and came into a 50kph limit which I dropped down to. But I crept back up a few kph, still under 55 though, so they don't give much leeway.

Only got 1 flash, is it the same as the UK cameras? need 2 flashes to record your speed?

 

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Almost 30% of all fixed radar speed offences in 'transit' countries such as France and Germany are committed by foreign registered vehicles, and up until recently, there was no formal method of identifying and pursuing the offenders.  It's a similar situation in most mainland EU countries - that's why the EU cross border traffic enforcement initiative was introduced to bring about a common platform for prosecutions.

Since January 2005, France has had an informal agreement with Luxembourg whereby it sends the registration numbers to the Luxembourg police who then provide the contact details for the owner.  The French then send off the speeding ticket in the post.

The UK has been a long time signatory to this initiative, and in March of this year, the UK Road Safety Act (2006) was enacted giving the Secretary of State powers to authorise the DVLA to provide driver and vehicle licencing details to other EU traffic authorities.  Once this information exchange mechanism has been formalised, it's likely that the French will start sending off speeding tickets to UK based drivers.

The next stage is to introduce arrangements to allow foreign traffic offences involving points or licence suspension to be enforced through the driver's home courts, although the current lack of EU wide harmonistion of penalties means this is unlikely to appear in the short term.

 

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In a slightly different vein, a friend's husband regularly travels abroad for work, usually necessitating hiring a car. On his last trip to Germany a junior colleague, eager to impress on his first trip away for the company, offered to make the hire car arrangements and drive his boss, my friend's husband, for the duration.

On presenting his details at the hire desk, the Junior Member was told he had outstanding speeding offences on cars cars hired in Spain through the same company and that they would be in no position to offer him a car prior to sorting out the fines.

I don't know if this is the done thing  across the board. Anyway,  JM said, not that he wouldn't speed again but that he would pay his fines in future so I'm guessing he must have had some sort of notification that he ignored.

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