Alane Posted November 7, 2004 Share Posted November 7, 2004 I was "flashed" by a speed camera on the A13 coming into Caen this morning. I was travelling at 110km/h and obviously had missed an earlier sign indicating a lower limit. It was the first time we had used the Caen -Portsmouth BF crossing and I was probably too busy (careless?) looking for roadsigns.Can anyone confirm the limit at that point (approaching from the East). The camera was well signed and I checked my speed to make sure I wasn't speeding!Does anyone know what happens in the case of UK registered cars getting caught on camera? Do they pass on the details to the DVLA, make a note to stop the car next time it's in France, or just forget it? Further on from where I was flashed the limit is signed at 70km/h. If that was the limit at the camera (which would be surprising given the nature of the road) then I was more than 30km/h over the limit which would normally result in a licence confiscation. Do the French try to confiscate licences of foreign nationals?I'm not trying to avoid the penalty - I'd just like to be forewarned on what to expect. In some respects it would be better to pay up than be expecting to get my collar felt every time I travel in future.Best RegardsAlan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tresco Posted November 7, 2004 Share Posted November 7, 2004 Not just for you Alan, but for everyoneWe got caught, and rightly so, about 18 months ago, going the other way from Caen. I was dozing, when I would normally have been saying 'are you speeding etc etc etc?'.We got pulled and got a 750E on the spot fine, we were doing 100 in a 70 limit. The road was wide, empty and straight, but the limits are there for a reason. Often, in France, I think the limits are over generous.Others may be able to say whether you will be nabbed, or not. What I can tell you is that I have seen more mobile speed traps in France than I have ever seen in UK, so it's best to adjust and stay well within the speed limit.tresco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babnik Posted November 7, 2004 Share Posted November 7, 2004 " If that was the limit at the camera (which would be surprising given the nature of the road) "I was recently 'nabbed' doing 71 on a 50km/h road.....the road is one I pass on daily, and it's extremely difficult to do 50 on this road, it's wide, straight and it's not a residential area. When you do stivk to the limit, you invariably get tail-gated. So the 'nature of the road' means nothing. I obviously now keep to 50 always on this road, but it seems I'm the only one. A good spot for the police to make some money..and they know it!Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alane Posted November 7, 2004 Author Share Posted November 7, 2004 In my defence the road was wide, unobstructed, dual carriageway where the limit had been 130km/h a few hundred metres earlier, but as it was drizzling intermittently I assumed 110 was the current limit. No excuses though, I should have seen the signs, but didn't, so I still don't know what the limit was. I suspect that if it wasn't 110 then it was 90. A 750E fine for travelling at the equivalent of 70mph on a motorway seems a bit steep but if that's the law of the land well there you (I?) go.It was a fixed camera as far as I can tell, as I said in my earlier post, it was well signed. A pity I paid more attention to the sign for the radar controlled camera and not the speed limit sign - it was the first time I'd seen one in France. I suppose it's possible that the flash was for someone else but somehow I don't think so.I make every effort to make sure I don't exceed the limit in France as well as the UK. On a recent trip from Calais to Normandy we passed three controles on the same journey and they are now a feature of everyday life in our area. Apart from the safety aspects I want to avoid hefty fines!Best RegardsAlan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted November 9, 2004 Share Posted November 9, 2004 "Does anyone know what happens in the case of UK registered cars getting caught on camera? Do they pass on the details to the DVLA, make a note to stop the car next time it's in France, or just forget it? I can assure you that their is currently no reciprocal arrangement between the UK and France relating to Road Traffic law enforcement and details from the DVLA's computer are not passed to the French police. It's the same for French registered cars pinging cameras in the UK - we just ignore them.Further on from where I was flashed the limit is signed at 70km/h. If that was the limit at the camera (which would be surprising given the nature of the road) then I was more than 30km/h over the limit which would normally result in a licence confiscation. Do the French try to confiscate licences of foreign nationals?"No - they just apply an excessive fine and, if appropriate, imprison you! (but that's only in the case of 'manned' cameras)Best advice is to watch for the signs and adjust your speed accordingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jc Posted November 10, 2004 Share Posted November 10, 2004 A reciprocal agreement is on the way.Also look out for old vans parked at the side of autoroutes with a small hole in the back door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted November 10, 2004 Share Posted November 10, 2004 Going back to the original posting, if it is the section of road that I am thinking of, then the limit drops to 90 and then to 70 within a short space (I am not certain that it may well then drop to 50).Mark61120 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted November 10, 2004 Share Posted November 10, 2004 [quote]A reciprocal agreement is on the way.Also look out for old vans parked at the side of autoroutes with a small hole in the back door.[/quote]It is but they've got to harmonise EU Vehicle Regristration Documents first and that's not due to be completed in the UK until 2006. There then has to be some EU wide primary legislation changes.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcazar Posted November 11, 2004 Share Posted November 11, 2004 Also..........the police WILL chase you up if you have a local address they can got to, and leave a form requiring you to report to the local gendarmerie at your earliest convenience. Believe me............I knowAnd further...........they certainly do confiscate the licenses of non-nationals on the spot for higher than "just a bit over" speeds, and immobilise the vehicle too if you don't have another driver!Eric Clapton was "done" recently.Alcazar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miki Posted November 11, 2004 Share Posted November 11, 2004 Eric Clapton was "done" recently.So old slowhand got done for fast feet then !Can't gloat though, been done myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alane Posted November 14, 2004 Author Share Posted November 14, 2004 Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like it was a 90 limit at that point - I wouldn't have missed both 90 and 70 signs. I still can't believe I missed the 90 signs. Unfortunately I'm unlikely to go that way again to check as we were only using BF because they were doing the "France for £5" deal and otherwise they are too pricey."Also..........the police WILL chase you up if you have a local address they can got to".Alcazar - are you referring to UK registered cars? Presumably that only applies if the local force picks you up and know where to find you?Best RegardsAlan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard-R Posted November 14, 2004 Share Posted November 14, 2004 I have heard of some horror stories in Northern France. The traffic police target U.K. plated cars for speed fines. Stop you and if you do not have the cash on you kindly drive toyou to the nearest cash point, where you pay up and they then leave you there. Better hope there is a passanger with a driving licence in the car., so can can follow you. First thing i would buy driving over from the U.K. is a copy of AUTO PLUS magazine. This lists all the main speed cameras in France with maps to show what areas they are in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alane Posted November 14, 2004 Author Share Posted November 14, 2004 I'm not sure that you need a map - the camera in Caen is well signed. The b*****r of it was that I thought that, at 110, my speed was within the limit having missed the sign(s) indicating a reduction to 90 - or worse.Does the magazine give the speed limits at each camera?RegardsAlan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavie Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 Ive never seen the magazine mentioned, but this site shows the locations of speed cameras in francehttp://www.securiteroutiere.equipement.gouv.fr/infos-ref/regles/csa/csa.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard-R Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 [quote]I'm not sure that you need a map - the camera in Caen is well signed. The b*****r of it was that I thought that, at 110, my speed was within the limit having missed the sign(s) indicating a reduction...[/quote]Yes it does gives speed limits of camera's. The magazine looks a little like Auto Express from the U.K. and comes over every 2 weeks i think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard-R Posted November 15, 2004 Share Posted November 15, 2004 [quote]Ive never seen the magazine mentioned, but this site shows the locations of speed cameras in france http://www.securiteroutiere.equipement.gouv.fr/infos-ref/regles/csa/csa.html[/quote]I had a look at this site. It said my local camera is in a 70kmp zone, when in fact in is in a 90kmp zone that is used or over taking after to 70kph junction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alane Posted November 15, 2004 Author Share Posted November 15, 2004 The web site also gives the speed limits for each camera. The Caen limit was 90kph. Interestingly it shows a speed camera on the approach to Rouen that I must have passed many times but never noticed.RegardsAlan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted November 20, 2004 Share Posted November 20, 2004 [quote]Ive never seen the magazine mentioned, but this site shows the locations of speed cameras in france http://www.securiteroutiere.equipement.gouv.fr/infos-ref/regles/csa/csa.html[/quote]I'm confused - I've looked at the map on the web site but it doesn't show the camera near Hennibont (which Ouest France carried a feature about at the end of October) or the one I passed earlier that month near St Jouan l'isle. The latter may have been a portable but the former is certainly a fixed camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave&Olive Posted November 22, 2004 Share Posted November 22, 2004 it would be nice to be perfecthttp://uk.news.yahoo.com/041121/344/f7286.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted November 22, 2004 Share Posted November 22, 2004 Not the first time this has happened in the UK. So has anyone seen it happen in France, even a humble gendarme getting a speeding ticket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Well, like a lot of people, I have had my photo taken on the autoroute (A26 near Calais 142 ish KPH) by a mobile speed cop. Expected to get pulled over at the next peage which was 2 Km on but no! just waived on. Maybe because I was in a rented Luxembourg plated car or maybe just within a tolerance amount - I'll never know. One thing I have noticed is that the speed crackdown has caused most French drivers to keep to the limits but I am a bit dismayed at the number of Brits who still do 150 MPH on the long fast autoroutes. I know it's tempting, especially with the congested state of UK roads but something had to be done in France to reduce the carnage and it seems to work.Another point (which I'm sure many of you know) is that radar detectors are absolutely illegale in France. I know someone who had one in his car not switched on, but was stopped, on the spot 750 euro fine (yes the free trip to a money machine) and the 300 pound detector confiscated and destroyed. Then let go with a cheery 'Av a nice 'oliday' - Yeah, not now I've paid that lot!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcazar Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Alcazar - are you referring to UK registered cars? Presumably that only applies if the local force picks you up and know where to find you? Yep, UK registered cars, still dunno how they got onto me, or where I lived. I backed into what I thought was a large concrete block on a parking space, put there, so I thought, to deter HGV parking. I turned out to have had a sign on top which I never saw, and knocked over. All setteld amicably when I got back off my hols though Alcazar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 For anyone driving in the SW - there will be three new speed cameras on the N21 between Auch and Tarbes in the near future. These don't appear on the map shown on the site earlier in this thread. Pat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon 1 Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Mapsonic 1.3 software for use in a PDA/GPS has alerts to all the speed cameras in France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alwah Posted January 4, 2005 Share Posted January 4, 2005 One of the cameras mentioned by Pat is on the southbound side of the N21 just after the layby at the end of a straight section of road about 2 kms south of MIRANDE. Anyone know where the others are?Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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