Speeding fines

[bishop]

Just got one myself, via the kind people at Avis who took 14 days to process it before sending it on to me, so its now beyond the 15 days for the E90 'discount'.  I'm inclined just to pay the 90 and see what happens.  Any thoughts?  The document is a photocopy of the original so it doesn't have the payment advice that should be on the reverse.  You mention paying online.... I've examined the website indicated on the document (www.securiteroutiere.gouv.fr) and can't find anywhere that I can do this.  Can I send a sterling cheque?  Any advice welcome.

[Clair]

It's worth trying paying the €90 first, at worse, they say no...

https://www.amendes.gouv.fr/saisienum.jsp

[bishop]

You're a life-saver, Clair.  That was easy and pain-free.  I'm now E90 lighter but its a weight off my mind.  I'll have to watch the speed limits in future.  Thanks.

[Clair]

No problemo!

I can google with the best of them![:)]

[Ron Avery]

Apparently it is tradition in France that when a new President takes over there is an amnesty on outstanding parking tickets and speeding fines, however, according to the Midi Libre last week,  to the great dismay of 277 people in Rodez and many others across France presumably, expecting to be let off,  M.  Sarkosy has not folowed tradition and all these amendes (fines) have to be paid.  Maybe the New President has looked across the water and saw that he could clear France's social security black hole from a few well place speed cameras.........[Www

[Gyn_Paul]

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

You only have to exchange your licence if you commit an offence involving points, withdrawal or suspension of the licence.

However, if your "ticket" mentions only a single point, then this is

often waived for foreign licence holders, so just pay the fine, keep

your fingers crossed, and drive more carefully in future.....[;-)]

 

 

[/quote]

SD

 My wife was caught doing 96 in a 90 zone and we of course

received the avis de contravention through the post. I paid it on line

but notice it says  "Perde du point(s) de conduire? - OUI "

Being France, the car is in my name but the points should - by rights -

go on her licence when she eventually changes it to a French one. What

happens to the deducted points 'hanging around' in a case like this

where there are 2 UK licences involved?

p

[Sunday Driver]

As the titulaire of the carte grise, the speeding ticket is addressed to you.  If you pay it, then you admit the offence and the points penality is applied to you.  If you weren't driving at the time, then you complete the attached formulaire d'exoneration with the name and address of the actual driver.  The authorities then redirect the fine (and points) to him/her.  It's the exact same procedure as applies in the UK.

For that speed, it's one point.  If they decide to waive it, then it won't "hang around".  However, if they decide otherwise, then you'll have to exchange your licence to receive it.  [:(]

 

[Gyn_Paul]

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

As the titulaire of the carte grise, the

speeding ticket is addressed to you.  If you pay it, then you

admit the offence and the points penality is applied to you. 

If you weren't driving at the time, then you complete the attached

formulaire d'exoneration with the name and address of the actual

driver.  The authorities then redirect the fine (and points) to

him/her.  It's the exact same procedure as applies in

the UK.

For that speed, it's one point.  If they decide to waive it,

then it won't "hang around".  However, if they decide

otherwise, then you'll have to exchange your licence to receive it.  [:(]

 

[/quote]

Oh Buggar !   For the first time in my life I've paid a bill too quickly !

p

The situation never arose in the UK as the only time either of us got a

speeding fine was me when I was driving my car (driving my boss home as

a favour: hence our family expression 'no good turn goes unpunished').

One more question: I know the points count down rather than up over here, but what does one start with?

 

[Sunday Driver]

You start with a balance of twelve points (six points for newly qualified drivers).

 

[Pamela-Aix]

We are British residents with a maison secondaire in France. We keep a French registered vehicle in France. My husband got caught speeding - 127 kph in a 110 kph zone. It says that he will lose points but he has English driving licence and needs it back home. Can anyone tell me what his situation is.

Many thanks. Pamela

[Clair]

A couple I know were both caught speeding within a few weeks of each other. At the time, they both had UK licences.

Alan was caught by an automatic speed trap, paid up as instructed by post

and that was all he heard, despite notification of point deduction on the fine.

Wendy

was caught by a hand-held speed trap. The gendarme wrote on her fine

that she HAD to change to a French licence in order for the points to

be deducted. She paid up and was made to change to a French licence.

[woolybanana (ex tag)]

Say to the Brits you lost it in UK and get another.

[Sunday Driver]

"Say to the Brits you lost it UK and get another"

Then be prepared to be arrested for fraud after the DVLA receive the exchanged UK licence back from the French prefecture.

A really clever piece of advice there..........[8-)] 

 

[Ron Avery]

 Tag really  helpfully suggests "Say to the Brits you lost it in UK and get another".

...........and using what address?  Surely you of all people are not suggesting that an immigrant lie to get a driving license that they are not entitled to?  Wan't there a thread on this being illegal in the UK for immigrants,  so why advocate it in France?

EDIT Typed at same time as SD  and similar thoughts

[woolybanana (ex tag)]

But my point is that it is high time we all had one licence and why give jobs for the boys across Europe when one would do.

Actually I think the people concerned live in UK. My solution by the way is what lots of people do anyway. Alternatively say you've lost your licence, get another then come to France on hols. It is what happens. Forget the pretty pretty.

Another example. Loads of people work in different countries in Europe and in each one they get a licence. Bet they don't hand them back either. And the computers ain't joined up yet. I even have a Kuwaiti licence I am waiting to use.

Its real, what happens. Alternatively try not to speed. Which is virtually impossible in France because their limits change all the time and aren't always that clear. So accept you are going to get clobbered.

And you definitely don't have to change your licence for petty stuff whatever the gendarme said because the points are held on computer now. But the gendarmes want everyone to change their licences so they can clobber you and control you easier.

Or do what the French do and buy points on the web. Frith knows how they do that by the way.

Of course if you want legal, then half the expats would be on the banana ferry boat tomorrow.[6]

[Danny]

I agree that if we have a european licence it should work throughout Europe and, maybe one day, it will. The fact is that if we live in another EU country and commit an offence there we should follow the instructions of the police in that country.

When I left the UK I informed DVLA that I was leaving permanently - they refused to take my new French address and also refused to take my parents' UK address as I was not living there. They told me to keep my UK licence with the old, useless address on it. I have just applied for a French licence for two reasons - it is a useful form of 'french' ID (my UK passport was recently refused as ID to back up a cheque payment because it was not a 'french' form of ID...) and because it is a new photocard licence it requires updating soon. I can't update it because I don't live in the UK anymore.  I handed in my UK licence as part of the french application - that was obligatory. I can't get a french licence without handing in my current UK one.

If I now speed here then I am more likely to have points deducted (I did so once two years ago and because the gendarme didn't know what to do with my UK licence he fined me and didn't deduct points - I was lucky). This is absolutely normal and justified. You can't expect Europe-wide licences and avoid being penalised when you break the law.

Just because it's 'what lots of people do anyway' does not justify anything.

Jane

 

[woolybanana (ex tag)]

Jane,

You have undoubtedly followed the correct and righteous path and are to be congratulated. Your attitude to living in another country and respecting their laws and customs is right. Unfortunately too few Brits do this when they get off the ferry.

On the other point, if everyone did it that would be the law most likely.

But then what kind of Europe do you want? One where everything is the same. I certainly don't. Look at what is happening to Camembert.

Never had a passport refused but it could be because of the address not being there. But I would have queried it all the same.

I could tell you stories about having and not having the paperwork but they would be boring besides my dog story calls.

[Ron Avery]

Sometimes your logic escapes me, how does issuing licenses in each country  give a job for the boys, what boys?  If everybody in Europe has to have a license then that is the same number of licenses as if it was a EU wide license or a nationally issued one, it may also have escaped your notice but the "boys" here also do car registration, so why do them out of a job? 

There is already an EU license, been one for years.  The original member states, not the newly joined ones, accept the license of other EU states.  I certainly do not agree that it hard to stay under the speed limit, on most roads it is 90kph and if you cannot see a village sign or a 70 or 30 you really should not be driving.  Limits change for a reason, tight bends, through villages and on bendy or dangerous sections of roads and Autoroutes.

I can't shout,  I picked up two fixed camera tickets on restricted parts of Autoroutes this year in both cases my fault I wasn't watching my speed, but I was well aware of the limit, luckily I have only had to pay a fine, no points deducted........  yet.

[Sunday Driver]

"My solution by the way is what lots of people do anyway. Alternatively say you've lost your licence, get another then come to France on hols. It is what happens. Forget the pretty pretty."

Why are you responding to the genuine concerns of honest members by inciting them to commit criminal offences involving potential prison sentences and large fines - then saying 'forget the pretty pretty'.....? 

"Another example. Loads of people work in different countries in Europe and in each one they get a licence. Bet they don't hand them back either. And the computers ain't joined up yet. I even have a Kuwaiti licence I am waiting to use."

Given that you have to surrender your current licence when exchanging in Europe and the old licence goes back to the original issuing authority, please tell us how these 'loads of people' get a licence in each country?

"Its real, what happens. Alternatively try not to speed. Which is virtually impossible in France because their limits change all the time and aren't always that clear. So accept you are going to get clobbered."

Any responsible driver will have read the code de la route, therefore they will understand exactly how the speed limits work in France and how clearly and logically they are signed.  Obviously you haven't.

"And you definitely don't have to change your licence for petty stuff whatever the gendarme said because the points are held on computer now. But the gendarmes want everyone to change their licences so they can clobber you and control you easier."

So which part of French traffic law do you base this stunning revelation on?  [8-)]