Escape from les flics 2

[Thedunnes]

Slightly different situation here.

Driving down the A20 towards Uzerche. Two cars coming the other way flash us, my passenger and I discuss this and wonder if there is a problem or a speed trap. I check my speed, 50 mph in UK regd car, I explain that this equates to 80 Kph and my passenger helpfully points out that the limit here is 90 k.

Round the next coner bingo we see in the distance flics on the side of the road and cars coming out of junction ahead of us. I slow further on account of the cars emerging from junction.

We get to Flics a couple of hundred metres after the junction and I get pulled. Chap comes straight to the drivers door and I get out and ask what the problem is in french. I am informed I was clocked doing 115 kph and am told that I face a very very big fine. I frown and point out that I disagree a little feeling confident that I was in the right. Le flic points out that he prefers to believe the electronic equipment operated by his buddy. I open my car door and invite my passenger to confirm my story. At this point things get very interesting. My passenger is very well known to the Flics as he is a Lt Col in the Gendarmes and is far from impressed at the allegation of speeding. The equipment is rapidly packed away and conversation turns to an apology and threats from my chum that he will speak to various people about rather obvious picking on cars with GB plates.

My chum was genuinely shocked by the encounter as he is on the army side of things and does not have a bad bone in his body. I am very grateful that he was in the car otherwise I can easily see that I would have been on the verge of an expensive trip to the bank. A very salutory lesson and not one I can really draw any comfort from apart from the fact that on that day someone was wathcing over me.

Stephen (19)

[Kevinmc]

I wonder how easy it is to fit a tacho type device to a car. I drive an oil burner and am never in a hurry to get anywhere, so it would be nice to prove my inoccence should the worst occur.

[David584]

Kevinmc

GPS is fine, however unlike the tachograph, it is not recognised as a legal document.

To fit a tachograph to a car is a VERY expensive option. It also means a severe modification to the dashboard of your pride and joy. Also there has has to be a fitment between the gearbox and the device to ensure its calibration. This calibration also has to be checked at least every two years (in the UK) to ensure that the tachograph is accurate. This is also accompanied by a certification sticker that has to be displayed on the vehicle.

Are you really prepared to have to carry an adequate supply of tachographs in your car at all times as required by law?
In addition to that, you will also have to carry a minimum of 7 days previous charts and also have to account for the days in which you do not use the vehicle.

Another consideration is that you will have to complete ALL the fields on the chart i.e. your name, place of departure, place of end of journey, the date started, the date ended and the start and end kilometres covered along with the total covered.
Bear in mind that your name, your place of departure, the date of your departure and your start kilometres have to be recorded on that chart BEFORE you commnce your journey.
Failure to complete all these fields at the end of the day is an offence

Yes a tachograph can cover multiple journies - you just leave the chart in the device - but you have to be au fait with the mode switch.
Will anyone else drive the vehicle? If so, and you are not present on the vehicle, then your chart has to come out, be completed and theirs inserted. You also have to ensure that you take the chart out before the end trace pattern meets the start trace pattern.

Drivers hours will not apply to you for the simple reason that the regulations (EEC 543/69 and EEC 1463/70) only apply to goods vehicle and passenger carrying vehicles.

Having said all that, there is no legal requirement for a standard motor car to be fitted with a tachograph device.
You may find it extremely hard to find a company who will fit such a device. I am not saying that it is impossible but probably rather difficult.
Any suppliers of such devices will probably turn round and say "You want do what???"

How do I know all this?? I am a retired police officer who was also a traffic officer - I specialised in tachograph offences.
I am also a part time coach driver who endeavours to stay up to date with changes with tachograph legislation.

David