Caught speeding in France in classic fashion

[Wollcage]

Driving down to the Languedoc over the weekend, I was stopped by the gendarmerie and fined for speeding - 127kmh in a 90.

I had actually been behind their car a few miles before but hadn’t realised it was police. They did a couple of dodgy overtakes and when the opportunity came, I overtook the same cars but their Megane was long gone. I certainly hadn’t been hassling their vehicle to get a move on.

Anyway, a few miles up the road, a car is at the junction of the main road and edges out into the road as I was approaching. I gave him a bit of a look as I went past then as soon as he pulled out I saw him put a light on the roof.

I had all the right bits, so handed them over and paid the €90 fine. One them said I would be getting three points when I got home, but I don’t think that’s the case. I’ve done plenty of searching but most of the threads are talking about fixed cameras.

Can anyone confirm whether I’ll get the points on my UK license?

[SS2.]

You won't be getting any points on your GB licence from an infraction in France.

[QBee]

Grande Bretagne nul points.....has a familiar ring about it, Non?

[poo at Paul's]

When he said you'd be getting points, you should have said, you'd better not, or you'd be back to sort him out, good and proper. Then wheelspun away

[zbc]

I'm not sure if it applies to the UK any more (or if it ever did) but there's a system of virtual licences between some European countries. It means that you don't get them put on your licence at home but they create one for you in France and add points to it. If you get too many points on your virtual licence they'll ban you in France.

[A993LAD]

My wife got an instant 2 month ban in France for sppeeding and her UK licence was unaffected.

The French sent her licence back at the end of the 2 month ban.

They confirmed in France that her UK licence was unaffected and that the UK DVLA wouldn't be notified.

[LesXRN]

In France you start with 12 points and lose them for offences, so you have nothing to worry about.

[Turbobanana]

QBee said:

Grande Bretagne nul points.....has a familiar ring about it, Non?

See what you did there.

Worth considering, OP, whether you'd be happy doing 79mph (ish) in a 60mph (ish) limit. According to the oft-quoted matrix, that would certainly land you points / SAC in the UK.

[havoc]

Turbobanana said:

Worth considering, OP, whether you'd be happy doing 79mph (ish) in a 60mph (ish) limit. According to the oft-quoted matrix, that would certainly land you points / SAC in the UK.

Depends on the roads / circumstances. I've seen plenty of occasions where that would be a perfectly reasonable speed in a modern car...

(Yes, I know...legality is a different matter... )

[Wollcage]

Turbobanana said:

See what you did there.

Worth considering, OP, whether you'd be happy doing 79mph (ish) in a 60mph (ish) limit. According to the oft-quoted matrix, that would certainly land you points / SAC in the UK.

This is a very fair point. In my defense, the D956 between Levroux and Chatteauroux has about 15km of straight road between them, there was very little traffic around and it was dry and 40 degrees. I’d call it a fair cop in the UK, but felt a bit baited into this one over here.

[Turbobanana]

Wollcage said:

In my defense, the D956 between Levroux and Chatteauroux has about 15km of straight road between them, there was very little traffic around and it was dry and 40 degrees.

Did you have a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, was it dark and were you wearing sunglasses?





Hit it!

[Wollcage]

Tres bien

[CArmo123]

the tiger has no teeth here, as long as you don't have your car impounded and have the cash to pay, the speed limit in France is more an advisory than mandatory for us now ;-)

[croyde]

My wayward son and his mates had their little bits of weed taken off them by police in Girona.

The police then said that fines would be sent to their home addresses back in the UK and that it'd take a few months.

Like the points for speeding in France, surely not!

There has to be some positives to Brexit

[IroningMan]

Not strictly relevant, but I saw a fully-liveried Gendarmerie A110 yesterday: chics flics.

[croyde]

IroningMan said:

Not strictly relevant, but I saw a fully-liveried Gendarmerie A110 yesterday: chics flics.

In the 90s I used to see Dutch police Porsche 911 Targas, fully liveried with a pole holding their blue light.

ETA found a pic just in case I thought I was making it up

Edited by croyde on Friday 25th August 08:45

[Wollcage]

All Dacia Dusters down in the south western Languedoc.

[pits]

Wollcage said:

All Dacia Dusters down in the south western Languedoc.

I have just come back from France, and honestly the Dacia Duster on a French road starts to make me anxious, they all can't drive and it is terrifying, not as terrifying as the inner Paris inner ring road and seeing a Mk1 Clio barrelling down the slip behind you, all the panels dented, gearstick was probably shaking like a stting dog with parkinsons and then cutting accros all lanes in front of you.



As a curiosity, lets say you were to get a ticket from a static camera in France these days, can we just throw them in the bin? I know the cross border directive has finished so there shouldn't be any shared information anymore, but hypothetically speaking as there is a lot of muddied information out there regarding procedure these days.

[havoc]

pits said:

As a curiosity, lets say you were to get a ticket from a static camera in France these days, can we just throw them in the bin? I know the cross border directive has finished so there shouldn't be any shared information anymore, but hypothetically speaking as there is a lot of muddied information out there regarding procedure these days.

Do you want to go back to France in the same vehicle again? Or through France, for that matter?

...because I'll wager a note will be registered against that car, and the French customs probably have something like ANPR...

[21st Century Man]

I'm surprised people still speed in France? One used to be able to make progress, about 20 yrs ago, but for the last 10-15 yrs it's been almost impossible, no matter where or what the type of road. The Police/Gendarmes/Cameras are seemingly everywhere and with zero tolerance. One will get nicked for it, it's inevitable. France is just about the only place I put some real effort into compliance.