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carribine
Original Poster
8 posts
41 months
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We were on the way to Disneyland Paris last Monday. We got about 20 Miles from Disney and i was keeping up with the flow of traffic on the motorway doing about 120 KPH in a 110 KPH section, looked in my mirror and a police motor bike was flying up behind me weaving in and out of the traffic with it's blue lights on. It pulled in front of me and made it quiet clear that i was to follow him. I looked in my mirror and there is another police bike with it's blue lights on right behind me! I followed him to a services were there was a coned off area with 4 people with 'stop sticks' waiting for us who guided us in. I stopped, turned off the engine and went to get out. An official looking guy in a stap vest came up shut the door and told me to stay in the car (by now we were getting worried). Then a woman (also wearing a stap vest) opens the door asks us were we had traveled from and were we going. Then she says thank you have a good journey, bye. What's it all about? Is it just an aggressive traffic survey?
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vonhosen
27,132 posts
86 months
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They probably mistook you for a carbine (carabine in French) & then realised when they stopped you that you were in fact a carribine.
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bulldog5046
963 posts
47 months
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Sounds like a similar operation to the Le Mans traffic. I guess in this case you were jusr unlucky to get caught in the middle of it.
The other year we had a similar experience of being make to follow police bikes into an organised trap for the speeders on our way back from Le Mans....
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streaky
18,232 posts
118 months
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Exceeding the speed limit in a British registered vehicle in France ... and you're asking why you were stopped?
Ever hear of Agincourt?
Streaky
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smegmore
1,696 posts
45 months
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La Douane, without a doubt. Popular locations for a stop are peage pay stations, I've been stopped loads of times, mostly they ask where you've come from and where you're going. 'Avez-vous des produits interdits?' will sometimes be asked.
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Mill Wheel
4,990 posts
65 months
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vonhosen said: They probably mistook you for a carbine (carabine in French) & then realised when they stopped you that you were in fact a carribine.   Somebody with a sense of humour is using Von's account!  Streaky, the French have largely forgotten all about Agincourt - aside from a few bolshy academics wanting an argument! When my father ever broaches the subject, they always say they know nothing about it! The battlefield has only comparatively recently had an interpretation centre and viewing tower!!
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GadgeS3C
1,953 posts
33 months
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Can always mention Waterloo as a backup 
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theironduke
6,195 posts
57 months
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GadgeS3C said: Can always mention Waterloo as a backup  or... Albuera Badajoz Salamanca Vitoria Leipzig 
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Red Devil
4,242 posts
77 months
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You forgot Quebec.  On the other hand many people forget, or do not know, the considerable part played by the French in the loss of the British colonies in North America. The army of le Comte de Rochambeau at Yorktown and the fleet of le Comte de Grasse at the Chesapeake. And of course the most important one. Hastings.
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harryowl
967 posts
50 months
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Red Devil said: And of course the most important one. Hastings. They weren't french, they were normans 
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number 46
363 posts
117 months
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You were lucky, last time that happened to me I followed the m/c cop to a parking area in the middle of no-where near the auto-route. There were a number of only english cars all parked up. Then the short French m/c cop (with a clouseau moustashe!!!) started shouting at me!! He then led me over to a van with a table in the back. Sat at the table was a French female cop with a receipt book and a cash box, she charged me 70 euro for going 30 k's over the limit!! It is just a modern day Dick Turpin racket/robbery aimed at the English and a f**king disgrace that they get away with it. At the time I was in my 456GT following a French reg 360, of course the Frenck bloke was not stopped but I was!!! The way things are going with the EU at the moment, France will be completely f**ked in a few months time and they wont be able to pay these government employed highwaymen!!!!
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bilsland
247 posts
15 months
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theironduke said: GadgeS3C said: Can always mention Waterloo as a backup  or... Albuera Badajoz Salamanca Vitoria Leipzig  Or Poitiers.
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ExFiF
18,382 posts
120 months
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Devils advocate, didn't the French give nasty King John a good shoeing at Rochester Castle upon invitation by the Barons after he got a tad upset being forced to sign Magna Carta? 
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Mill Wheel
4,990 posts
65 months
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If you went over via the ferry, it is probably worth mentioning Trafalga, Quiberon, the Nile, etc., etc.! Made me laugh in Le Havre, where Portsmouth Tourism had placed leaflets advertising trips around HMS Victory, and in the shopping center, they were playing ABBA's 1st UK hit, "Waterloo"!!
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Motorrad
3,878 posts
56 months
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Simple solution don't travel to or through France. It's easily avoided, I wouldn't piss on their chips.
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cptsideways
9,868 posts
121 months
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Douane's = Customs
Usually a friendly bunch if you get stopped
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Wozy68
1,370 posts
39 months
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number 46 said: You were lucky, last time that happened to me I followed the m/c cop to a parking area in the middle of no-where near the auto-route. There were a number of only english cars all parked up. Then the short French m/c cop (with a clouseau moustashe!!!) started shouting at me!! He then led me over to a van with a table in the back. Sat at the table was a French female cop with a receipt book and a cash box, she charged me 70 euro for going 30 k's over the limit!! It is just a modern day Dick Turpin racket/robbery aimed at the English and a f**king disgrace that they get away with it. At the time I was in my 456GT following a French reg 360, of course the Frenck bloke was not stopped but I was!!! The way things are going with the EU at the moment, France will be completely f**ked in a few months time and they wont be able to pay these government employed highwaymen!!!! Frances loss, I just don't drive through it anymore, nor me mates, thats a loss of around 2000 euros per trip fro the French economy....... and thats sometimes twice a year. Getting stopped for speeding is one thing, getting stopped for speeding whilst following a bunch of Frenchys (who were not stopped is another) fined heavely and licence taken off you, not returned even after it has been paid is shocking. This is what happened to a Brit with is family in the car. They can shove it. OP was lucky.
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streaky
18,232 posts
118 months
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Mill Wheel said: Streaky, the French have largely forgotten all about Agincourt ... That's because they don't want to remember. Plus, eating snails gives you the memory of a goldfish. Mill Wheel said: The battlefield has only comparatively recently had an interpretation centre and viewing tower!! Have you ever noticed that most battles were fought near visitor centres? Streaky PS - Stonehenge was built near the A303 for obvious reasons - S
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Vince70
1,186 posts
63 months
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Never trusted them myself after Dunkirk lol. The only Frenchman I agreed with was De Gaulle and that was only because he hated us and wanted to keep us out the common market lol.
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Mill Wheel
4,990 posts
65 months
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streaky said: ave you ever noticed that most battles were fought near visitor centres?
Streaky My parents live near the Les écoles de Saint-Cyr Coëtquidan, and are subject to frequent road blocks at gunpoint, as the sprogs are taught basic anti terrorist measures! You are not allowed to exit the vehicle in case you are a real terrorist!  However, the rest of the time, you are "free" to wonder around the "Terrain Militaire" despite the "Interdite" warning signs! http://www.st-cyr.terre.defense.gouv.fr/
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