French Speed Cameras - UK Reg Car & UK Licence

[Rjpfrancais]

I have searched (trawled) through the archives but can't find a definitive answer on the subject.(Apologies if I have missed it, please let me have the link.) So here goes;

If you are driving in France and are flashed by a speed camera in a UK registered vehicle will the French authorities send you a fine to your UK address and will you receive points on your UK licence? If not, are the rumours true that there are plans to link the French system to the UK system and when will this come into effect?

Please, please only answer if you have definitive information. The forum contains plenty of sanctimonious drivel about speeding, UK Reg cars in France, licences etc. I am not condoning speeding etc etc. I just want to know the facts. Thanks (Oh dear, I sound a bit sanctimonious myself, bet no one replies now!!)

 

 

[cyclebum]

Hi, read on one of the forums a few months ago, a chap got flashed by camera in the north of france, and when he got home to britian received a fine from the french authorities. He put it on as a warning, just to let everyone know, cant remember which forum, maybe he will read this and confirm. Also have read info on Totalfrance, 5th Jan go into speeding penalties. Obviously this is old news, and do not know the update as yet. But I dare say things will have advanced. 

[Nick Trollope]

Sanctimony or not, here is my understanding of the situation;

It is not as cut and dried as you might expect. However, the French authorities can send a speeding fine to your UK address (via DVLA, with whom they have an agreement to do just this). If you don't pay, then you could be summonsed to France, under the Hague Convention, to stand trial as if you were French. In reality, this is not going to happen.

You cannot have points added to your licence by the French.

However, if you are French resident, then they would a) insist that you register your car here and b) insist that you change to a French driving licence, so that the points can be added (or rather deducted).

Of course, you shouldn't speed in the first place...

[cyclebum]

Theres only one way to find out the true facts Ripfrancais. Head for your nearest speed camera. Point your car in it's general direction. Stick the pedal to the metal. Observe the flash as you pass and then wait a while. Is that classed as sanctamonious? If so my apologies in advance.

[Will]

Aah, but what if the camera has run out of film (or has been vandalised, which seems to be the case with most of them round here)?

Seriously, the mechanism is in place for British offenders in France to be traced by the DVLA, as has been said. But whether its always worth the hassle and paperwork seems to be regarded differently by different offices, or even different policeman or officials.

[Punch]

[quote]Aah, but what if the camera has run out of film (or has been vandalised, which seems to be the case with most of them round here)? Seriously, the mechanism is in place for British offenders in France...[/quote]

I wouldn't bank on that. The French fixed speed cameras have no film, the digital image is directly relayed to the administration centre for processing.

It would be useful to know if anyone has had any direct experience of recriprocal fines being levied from either the French or the uk authorities, and could post their experience here.

Paul 

[Jon 1]

There was a full spread article in last weeks Sunday Times which said that although a system was in place for pursuing French registered cars in the UK it was not really followed up.  As an experiment the correspondent tried virtually in vain to have a ticket issued by parking on double yellow lines in various locations.  The police admitted that they tended to ignore French cars caught on camera.  It must be something to do with the paperwork.  I don't know if it is the same the other way round.  Perhaps the ST article can be accessed online.

Jon

[Punch]

Jon,

Thanks for mentioning the article. here is a link to what I found which seems to confirm that you are virtually untraceable at the moment in terms of parking related fines by using a French registered vehicle in the UK.

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,12389-1566595,00.html

My mother is seriously ill with a cancer related disease at the moment so have been to-ing and froing to the Uk in a French registered vehicle. When I got an urgent call about 8 weeks back I raced up to Caen to get the ferry within minutes of getting a phone call here in France. I had only minutes to spare to catch the ferry and got caught by the camera on the peripherique, I've yet to recieve a fine. Conversely there is a new camera at Ernée in Mayenne, and friend of mine got her ticket 8 days later from that one.

Once I arrived at the hospital in the Uk, because I had left in such a hurry from my home in France I had no loose change for the parking outside the hospital so went off get some notes from a cash dispenser and then try to obtain some change from a shop. Of course I then got one of two parking tickets during that weekend. I have not receieved any tickets (yet from the Uk.

It seems the only way the Uk authorities can combat this problem is by either impounding the vehicles or issuing on the spot fines, but judging by the 12 million revenue they are losing I'm sure legislation will be forthcoming.

Would still be interested to hear from anyone with direct experience.

Paul

 

 

[Richard-R]

[quote]There was a full spread article in last weeks Sunday Times which said that although a system was in place for pursuing French registered cars in the UK it was not really followed up. As an experiment...[/quote]

It's not a case of the police being lazy ( heaven forbid) but if people do not pay right away they sell on the debt ( factor out) and so far no one wants to buy it here in France. It's not worth the hassle for only a couple of fines a month. This is from the horses mouth when i asked a nice policeman in Bond St when my car may have been on a yellow line a little bit.

Bad news for Brit cars in Franch though. They will chase you in the U.K.

[Rjpfrancais]

Thanks for the replies. So in summary, it's possible you will receive a fine but there's a good chance you won't. Correct? No doubt others will add there 2 Cent's worth as to whether this is good or bad.

The Sunday Times article mentioned by 'Jon' is entitled 'Britons turn expat to beat all the fines' and can indeed be currently accessed online at http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,12389-1566595,00.html

The last para caught my attention;

"The European Commission is seeking a directive under which fines imposed by English courts could be enforced by baliffs throughout the European Union. Another European scheme would give EU member states access to each other’s licensing databases. This is not expected to happen until after 2010."

PS Cyclebum, I recently did (unintentionally) try just the experiment you suggest, I was flashed full in the face in the pitch black at about 1am heading south from Limoges to Aixe Sur Vienne on the N21. I will post a follow up if I hear anything. (And no I don't condone speeding and yes I should be taken out and shot ...)

 

[cyclebum]

[quote]Thanks for the replies. So in summary, it's possible you will receive a fine but there's a good chance you won't. Correct? No doubt others will add there 2 Cent's worth as to whether this is good or b...[/quote]

PS Cyclebum, I recently did (unintentionally) try just the experiment you suggest, I was flashed full in the face in the pitch black at about 1am heading south from Limoges to Aixe Sur Vienne on the N21. I will post a follow up if I hear anything. (And no I don't condone speeding and yes I should be taken out and shot ...)

Chapeau my friend, chapeau

[Chas]

In a similar instance a visiting family member was flashed last September near La Rochelle whilst driving our French registered car.  I duly filled in the get out of jail free form that comes with the fine, giving his details and a photocopy of his UK licence. to date nothing further has been heard.