Speeding in Switzerland. Notice all in French
Discussion
Just received a notice from the Geneva Police for a speeding office whilst over in Switzerland. Heading out of the airport towards France, joining the motorway from the slip road, they were doing some road works in the tunnels ahead (or at least they were during the day - I drove through at 10:30pm). The speed limit was 40kph, I noticed to0 late and I've been done at 72kph - as I was joining a motorway clearly I was accelerating up to motorway speed - but hardly tanking it!!
Anyway, the notice is entirely in French and I don't speaka the lingo. Well, not much anyway. I can make out the speed I've been done at and I can also see that there are some forms I need to fill in, some of which is asking for income.
I've heard that Swiss speeding fines can be linked to income. Anyone have any experience of this and any idea of what I could be looking at % wise?
I assume that authorities are sufficiently connected that the good ol' days of ignoring international offences are behind us. Besides, I will likely travel to Geneva regularly for ski trips so really dont think ignoring it is an option.
Over to the wisdom of the PH collective. What are my options?
Anyway, the notice is entirely in French and I don't speaka the lingo. Well, not much anyway. I can make out the speed I've been done at and I can also see that there are some forms I need to fill in, some of which is asking for income.
I've heard that Swiss speeding fines can be linked to income. Anyone have any experience of this and any idea of what I could be looking at % wise?
I assume that authorities are sufficiently connected that the good ol' days of ignoring international offences are behind us. Besides, I will likely travel to Geneva regularly for ski trips so really dont think ignoring it is an option.
Over to the wisdom of the PH collective. What are my options?
I've had one of these come through and there is a great solution.
Through the wonders of technology, go onto the App or Play Store (depending on your smartphone) and download an app called: Google Translate.
There is a feature in the app that allows you to hover your phone camera over foreign documents and it will translate in real-time on to the screen. It's not 100% perfect, but it is good enough to give you the main points.
HTH
Through the wonders of technology, go onto the App or Play Store (depending on your smartphone) and download an app called: Google Translate.
There is a feature in the app that allows you to hover your phone camera over foreign documents and it will translate in real-time on to the screen. It's not 100% perfect, but it is good enough to give you the main points.
HTH
There is no definitive answer.
However, there are some facts:
They aren't obliged to provide you the material in English (though I believe an EU country would)
The Swiss have long memories
The Swiss do not have open borders and can/do stop people
Some probabilities:
The fine is likely to accrue interest over time, no time limits. You might return next time with nothing happening; a return in 10 years might see it flagged up and you may be detained until it is paid.
It may get escalated to a judge.
They may set a fine without your input and than pass it to a local UK debt collection
Essentially, my advice would be that if you ever, ever intend on returning to Switzerland, then pay it soon. You may find that in calling the number or emailing them, that they will respond in English.
Some helpful threads:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=121...
http://zurichexpats.com/speeding-in-switzerland-th...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=134...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Thanks for the responses.
From what I can gather (using google translate - thanks!), there are two forms I need to complete. One is basically a confirmation it was me driving - which it was - and the other is a declaration of income, which I then need to support with a payslip, tax return or other such documentation.
The issue I have is there is no mention of the fine amount. So I am worried that it is linked to income. Now I am not a powerfully built director type (cringe as I write that), but do okay. Anyone have any idea of multipliers or how fines are worked out?
I'm not looking to ignore or avoid paying the fine. At the end of the day, whatever the circumstances are, the limit was 40kph and I was driving faster than that. I'll be heading back to CH so dont want future hassle.
From what I can gather (using google translate - thanks!), there are two forms I need to complete. One is basically a confirmation it was me driving - which it was - and the other is a declaration of income, which I then need to support with a payslip, tax return or other such documentation.
The issue I have is there is no mention of the fine amount. So I am worried that it is linked to income. Now I am not a powerfully built director type (cringe as I write that), but do okay. Anyone have any idea of multipliers or how fines are worked out?
I'm not looking to ignore or avoid paying the fine. At the end of the day, whatever the circumstances are, the limit was 40kph and I was driving faster than that. I'll be heading back to CH so dont want future hassle.
As you were 32kph over, it looks like iit will be going to court for the fine to be determined:
https://www.ch.ch/en/driving-over-speed-limit/
Some recent guidance in the later pages here:
http://www.englishforum.ch/transportation-driving/...
https://www.ch.ch/en/driving-over-speed-limit/
Some recent guidance in the later pages here:
http://www.englishforum.ch/transportation-driving/...
What I can't find is the Geneva Canton speeding fines (courts are per Canton and do vary). The latest "Conference of the criminal prosecutors" guidance which covers the main speed limits (30, 50/60 and autobahn) but not temp limits.
Assuming it goes to court and your temp limit is treated as a 50/60 (within city limits), the guidance for the court is 50 days wage. If it is treated as a breaking the lower limit then it is 90 days. Plus court fees (up to 2000 CHF)
Of note, having a lawyer doesn't seem to help unless you have a really solid defence.
Assuming it goes to court and your temp limit is treated as a 50/60 (within city limits), the guidance for the court is 50 days wage. If it is treated as a breaking the lower limit then it is 90 days. Plus court fees (up to 2000 CHF)
Of note, having a lawyer doesn't seem to help unless you have a really solid defence.
kapiteinlangzaam, that is out of date and was superseded in 2013?...
See:
http://www.englishforum.ch/transportation-driving/...
See:
http://www.englishforum.ch/transportation-driving/...
robinessex said:
That's reminded me to never drive in Switzerland!!!!!
It's lovely and there are some great roads. The fixed speed traps are well marked and well known. If you want to hoon up a mountain, you just do a sighting run first, and pick one that terminates at the end of a valley. But day to day, use cruise control and obey the limits or it does get pricey.
It was Autoroute N1 - the main motorway that heads from Geneva airport to the French border. So will be hopefully the motorway rules. Given that it was a temporary speed limit, perhaps there is some different approach. Doing 72kph on a motorway at 10:30pm whilst no workers were around is hardly a terror!
In my defence, which probably matters not, I was accelerating to join a motorway from a slip road. Good driving dictates that you build up to motorway speed. About 300 yards past the slip road you enter a series of tunnels which is where the roadworks are and the 40kph limit is imposed. I saw it too late/or was decelerating when I assume I was flashed - I dont recall the exact point, but do recall driving with other traffic at the 40kph limit for the remainder of the road works.
But, back to the point, I guess all I can do is fill in the forms (once I have a colleague who speaks French translate for me on Monday) and send them back and wait to see what comes through.
50x daily rate does seems crazy though and something that will be extremely hard to swallow
In my defence, which probably matters not, I was accelerating to join a motorway from a slip road. Good driving dictates that you build up to motorway speed. About 300 yards past the slip road you enter a series of tunnels which is where the roadworks are and the 40kph limit is imposed. I saw it too late/or was decelerating when I assume I was flashed - I dont recall the exact point, but do recall driving with other traffic at the 40kph limit for the remainder of the road works.
But, back to the point, I guess all I can do is fill in the forms (once I have a colleague who speaks French translate for me on Monday) and send them back and wait to see what comes through.
50x daily rate does seems crazy though and something that will be extremely hard to swallow
skibum said:
It was Autoroute N1 - the main motorway that heads from Geneva airport to the French border. So will be hopefully the motorway rules. Given that it was a temporary speed limit, perhaps there is some different approach. Doing 72kph on a motorway at 10:30pm whilst no workers were around is hardly a terror!
In my defence, which probably matters not, I was accelerating to join a motorway from a slip road. Good driving dictates that you build up to motorway speed. About 300 yards past the slip road you enter a series of tunnels which is where the roadworks are and the 40kph limit is imposed. I saw it too late/or was decelerating when I assume I was flashed - I dont recall the exact point, but do recall driving with other traffic at the 40kph limit for the remainder of the road works.
But, back to the point, I guess all I can do is fill in the forms (once I have a colleague who speaks French translate for me on Monday) and send them back and wait to see what comes through.
50x daily rate does seems crazy though and something that will be extremely hard to swallow
Who said the Swiss don't have a sense of humour then ? No wonder they've not had a war for years, who'd want to invade country like that. But, of course, we all know there attitude to breaking the law when it comes to foreign dictators shoving there illegally procured mountains of cash into their banks.In my defence, which probably matters not, I was accelerating to join a motorway from a slip road. Good driving dictates that you build up to motorway speed. About 300 yards past the slip road you enter a series of tunnels which is where the roadworks are and the 40kph limit is imposed. I saw it too late/or was decelerating when I assume I was flashed - I dont recall the exact point, but do recall driving with other traffic at the 40kph limit for the remainder of the road works.
But, back to the point, I guess all I can do is fill in the forms (once I have a colleague who speaks French translate for me on Monday) and send them back and wait to see what comes through.
50x daily rate does seems crazy though and something that will be extremely hard to swallow
FurtiveFreddy said:
Do you have any examples of this happening?
Not personally, no. Though the first link I gave:http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Saw local Met police involvement?
I don't see any legal reason why the Swiss couldn't pursue it as a civil debt, and if was high enough amount then it would be worth them doing. Though IANAL.
When I lived there my friends always paid up when caught, though they were locals (well, expats but living in CH), though that was before the recent-ish law change.
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