Speeding question

[Hagar]

[quote]I'm not too sure of my ground here, but I was talking to a friend the other day and he told me that he had been caught for an offence annd he said that now there is a reciprocal agreement between the ...[/quote]

John,

According to this article the reciprocal agreemnet won't be in place until 2007 at the earliest -

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,22749-1723138,00.html

"In February the EU council of ministers, the main decision-making body, formally adopted a decision to remove protection for drivers who commit traffic violations abroad. As a result, legislation is being drafted in Brussels for incorporation into national laws as early as 2007..........

.......A spokesman for the Gendarmerie Nationale said that, because traffic fines are not currently enforceable in UK courts, it did not bother finding out addresses through the DVLA and sending tickets to UK addresses. .......

......One issue yet to be resolved concerns appeals. Brussels has not decided whether appeals should be made in the country where the offence was committed or the country of residence. Another issue on which there is no agreement yet is licence penalty points"

On a related matter - How does the Gendarme know you are resident in France if you present a UK driving licence (which can only have a UK address on it)?.

Last time I was stopped for speeding in France the Gendarmes never asked me where I was resident , nor did they ask for any ID other than the driving licence.

rgds

Hagar

 

[naps]

Errrmm while on the subject, what can I expect for 130 in a 90?  It was just after midnight and I reached a restricted part of the road.  I got flashed (face on), then slowed immediately and passed the next camera at below the restricted speed (some 500m on from the first).  I've only been here a couple of months, still have a UK licence and was driving a hire car at the time. 

I already know the best case.... it was late, no other traffic, not picked up on the second camera, hire car - forget it (OK, so I'm being hopeful)

But what's the real story?

[Alan]

[quote]I must admit I did wonder for 2 seconds when I was stopped what would happen if I had told the gendarmes that I lived in England. At the time I was stopped I was driving a friends hire car ( I was a n...[/quote]

3 months later got a call from the gendarmes, had to take all my paperwork back tot hem for more copies. after a further 2 weeks got a another call one sunday morning to say that i needed to go back, was in the station for one hour as was told that i would now have to change the uk lience for a french one.

No problem in changing it and it did not cost anything, only problem if you still wish to tow a trailer or the like then you have to have a medical. i was just entered a 50 and was doing 70 to 75 and will get 2 points taken off

[derf]

[quote]Errrmm while on the subject, what can I expect for 130 in a 90? It was just after midnight and I reached a restricted part of the road. I got flashed (face on), then slowed immediately and passed th...[/quote]

I guess if you gave the car hire company your French address then expect a letter in the post, you can look up the the penalties on this link.

  http://www.code-route.com/infractions.htm

[Jonzjob]

Very interesting litle web site that one Les.

Below is a bit from it and it makes you wonder what the situation is for people driving U.K. registered cars for a long time whilst living here in France if they have an accident and the insurance company tell them that as they are not road legal they have no insurance?

 

Défaut d'assurance

CR L324-2

3 750

Suspension 3 ans Annulation 3 ans

-

TIG / Interdiction de conduire certains véhicules terrestres à moteur, y compris ceux pour la conduite desquels le permis de conduire n'est pas exigé, pour une durée de 5 ans au plus Immobilisation / confiscation du véhicule

 

John.