Motorway speeding fine

[WendyG]

Has anyone had this experience?

Some friends of mine drove back recently to take ferry and were very surprised at the peage to be taken to one side and told that there was a fine of 40 euros as they had been "speeding".  Now they always stick to the speed limit except as they say very rarely when overtaking and then only for a few minutes.

I am wondering whether this was some "scam" and nothing to do with authorities as it seems bizarre.

I did not ask whether they were given official ticket or how they paid.

This subject had come up on forum some time ago as to whether they could tell if anyone had been speeding by the times printed on the toll tickets but I seem to remember someone posting that this would be an infringement.

I set my vehicle to 65 mph so that I do not inadvertently go over the limit but of course one has to beware of the frequent lower limits on road works etc.

WendyG

[Pickles]

[quote user="WendyG"]Has anyone had this experience?

Some friends of mine drove back recently to take ferry and were very surprised at the peage to be taken to one side and told that there was a fine of 40 euros as they had been "speeding".[/quote]

There was probably a car parked on the hard shoulder containing a camera and radar just after the last exit before the toll station. If this corresponded with a time when they were breaking the speed limit whilst overtaking, then that's all it takes. The result is radioed ahead to the waiting gendarmes at the toll.

Regards

Pickles

[Bugsy]

They do sometimes check vehicles approaching a peage barrier where the speed limits drops in increments on the approach.

.

[Chancer]

Your posting is unclear as to whether it was the Gendarmes that gave the speeding penalty.

As always it is unwise to give a view on incomplete and second hand information but a proper amende would be €90 so something doesnt add up.

[Pierre ZFP]

If it was at the peage on the A26 between junctions 3 and 4 I'm not surprised.  Les Flics are often out in force at that peage with a long queue of customers as its so easy to go fast coming up from Paris and so tempting to get to the ferry/Tunnel as quick as poss.  Knowing this I always set my cruise control to 129 (by GPS) to be on the safe side.  Always I am overtaken (mainly by Brits it has to be said) doing huge speeds.

I have seen cars pulled at the peage when I have been sure there was no speed camera by the side of the road.

I have often seen speed traps after this toll booth and cars caught once, caught again, presumably with the possibility of having their car impounded.

Strangly they never pull a car going through the telepeage booth, maybe another good reason for getting a Doofah [:P]

 

[AnOther]

It's said that they sometimes do average speed checks between peage stations where the booth operator flags up vehicles which have completed the distance in under the minimum time it would take at the maximum speed limit.

As Pierre says, no such problems for dofah users of course [;-)]

[andyh4]

It used to be the case Ernie.  In fact I have seen les flics patrolling the back of the booths to read the average speed s it came up on the screen. 

 

The data protection act and an EU ruling put paid to all of that which is why the back of most booths now are shielded with blinds.

Many of the peages I go through have either the Gs or the Ds stationed and pulling in vehicles, so the practice is common.  Also as others have said I have frequently seen traps set between the previous exit and the final peage barrier.

40€ does sound an odd amount though.

[WendyG]

Hi

Thanks everyone for the info - I will try and get more details.

Normally when I go through (with doofer) I never see a human being at the booths or nearby. 

Take care everyone

WendyG 

[andyh4]

It depends where you exit and join the peage Wendy.  If you are joining or leaving at the ends of the peage sections then you tend to get the patrols, if it is an intermediate exit then I agree you hardly ever see anyone.

[Pierre ZFP]

Still whatever fine you might get it can't be as bad as the one I heard on the radio this morning.

A Swedish guy drove his big black BMW through Switzerland and was clocked  at 280 Kph (180 mph)

Now in Switzerland the fine is calculated on the seriousness of the offence AND the income of the offender

This was a rich bloke so the fine?

1,000,000 Swiss francs !!!

that's about  €726 000 in real money [:'(]

[Théière]

On that basis if i drove through Switzerland they would have to pay me [:D]

[bubbles]

A friend of a friend who is notorious for his heavy right foot was stopped in Spain and told that he had exceeded the speed limit.

He tried to lessen the blow by explaining that he was a doctor.

He was then told that the fine would be double in that case because he could afford it!

Doubt it will make any difference to his driving though.