Confiscation In France
Discussion
They treat nationals and tourists differently.
Over a certain amount above the limit, nationals' cars can be confiscated and sold at auction, or permanently retained by the state.
If you're a tourist, over a certain amount there is no fixed penalty. You must see a magistrate. As the appointment with the mag. will not be until a future date, to ensure that the tourist returns to face his punishment, the police may impound the vehicle until after the hearing. Your right to drive in France will probably be suspended in the interim.
In due course, the vehicle will be returned once the tourist has paid the fine.
Over a certain amount above the limit, nationals' cars can be confiscated and sold at auction, or permanently retained by the state.
If you're a tourist, over a certain amount there is no fixed penalty. You must see a magistrate. As the appointment with the mag. will not be until a future date, to ensure that the tourist returns to face his punishment, the police may impound the vehicle until after the hearing. Your right to drive in France will probably be suspended in the interim.
In due course, the vehicle will be returned once the tourist has paid the fine.
flemke said:
They treat nationals and tourists differently.
Over a certain amount above the limit, nationals' cars can be confiscated and sold at auction, or permanently retained by the state.
If you're a tourist, over a certain amount there is no fixed penalty. You must see a magistrate. As the appointment with the mag. will not be until a future date, to ensure that the tourist returns to face his punishment, the police may impound the vehicle until after the hearing. Your right to drive in France will probably be suspended in the interim.
In due course, the vehicle will be returned once the tourist has paid the fine.
Under the Road Safety Bill changes are being made to the Road Traffic Offenders Act that mean anyone who doesn't have a satisfactory UK address may have to pay Financial penalty deposit following traffic offences, so that they can't avoid enforcement.
The only current reciprocal points fines system in mainland Europe exist between Switzerland und France.
French have always confiscated cars if own citizens are OTT in behaviour. They can temporarily apply to tourist.
No EU directive has come into force as far as points und cross border prosecutions are concerned. Ist being debated but ist NOT YET a directive und thus NOT incorporated into UK LAW!
French have always confiscated cars if own citizens are OTT in behaviour. They can temporarily apply to tourist.
No EU directive has come into force as far as points und cross border prosecutions are concerned. Ist being debated but ist NOT YET a directive und thus NOT incorporated into UK LAW!
WildCat said:
The only current reciprocal points fines system in mainland Europe exist between Switzerland und France.
French have always confiscated cars if own citizens are OTT in behaviour. They can temporarily apply to tourist.
No EU directive has come into force as far as points und cross border prosecutions are concerned. Ist being debated but ist NOT YET a directive und thus NOT incorporated into UK LAW!
Under the road safety bill FPNs will also be able to be issued to foreign licence holders for offences.
They will get a GB drivers record & points on it here.
There is already a reciprocal aggreement between GB , Northern Ireland & IOM to recognise driving disqualifications in each member.
vonhosen said:
The only current reciprocal points fines system in mainland Europe exist between Switzerland und France.
French have always confiscated cars if own citizens are OTT in behaviour. They can temporarily apply to tourist.
No EU directive has come into force as far as points und cross border prosecutions are concerned. Ist being debated but ist NOT YET a directive und thus NOT incorporated into UK LAW!
Under the road safety bill FPNs will also be able to be issued to foreign licence holders for offences.
They will get a GB drivers record & points on it here.
There is already a reciprocal aggreement between GB , Northern Ireland & IOM to recognise driving disqualifications in each member.
Northern Ireland ist part of UK. There may be a Assembly - which become suspended at time - but they are UK und not part of Eire.
Isle of Man may have Manx government - und slightly different taxation requirement .. but still part of UNITED KINGDOM und thus UK law apply as UK law apply in Isle of Wight (despite some move to "go it alone" over some disageement with mainland und was in Times which have not readily to hand as I read at work.)
But this law will not apply to fines only for the foreigners caught in THIS country. It ist not applying overseas yet. There ist no EU directive which enforce throughout all member states und Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France have system whereby low key "offences" are fined und no points - a bit like the idea which Tories suggested back in 2003
WildCat said:
The only current reciprocal points fines system in mainland Europe exist between Switzerland und France.
French have always confiscated cars if own citizens are OTT in behaviour. They can temporarily apply to tourist.
No EU directive has come into force as far as points und cross border prosecutions are concerned. Ist being debated but ist NOT YET a directive und thus NOT incorporated into UK LAW!
Under the road safety bill FPNs will also be able to be issued to foreign licence holders for offences.
They will get a GB drivers record & points on it here.
There is already a reciprocal aggreement between GB , Northern Ireland & IOM to recognise driving disqualifications in each member.
Northern Ireland ist part of UK. There may be a Assembly - which become suspended at time - but they are UK und not part of Eire.
Isle of Man may have Manx government - und slightly different taxation requirement .. but still part of UNITED KINGDOM und thus UK law apply as UK law apply in Isle of Wight (despite some move to "go it alone" over some disageement with mainland und was in Times which have not readily to hand as I read at work.)
But this law will not apply to fines only for the foreigners caught in THIS country. It ist not applying overseas yet. There ist no EU directive which enforce throughout all member states und Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France have system whereby low key "offences" are fined und no points - a bit like the idea which Tories suggested back in 2003
NI & IOM disqualifications weren't always recognised in GB or vice versa.
For NI it's only been since 2004 & for IOM since 2005.
Flemke
Do you know what this limit is, over which one's car can be impounded? My guess is that it is 160 km/h or thereabouts.
I was recently caught in Belgium on the way back from the 'Ring, by a radar trap on an autoroute. I was doing 142 km/h and given a Euro 60 fine. I considered myself quite lucky because I seem to recall the fines rise very steeply over 150 or 160 km/h.
Kind regards
Herr Einz
Do you know what this limit is, over which one's car can be impounded? My guess is that it is 160 km/h or thereabouts.
I was recently caught in Belgium on the way back from the 'Ring, by a radar trap on an autoroute. I was doing 142 km/h and given a Euro 60 fine. I considered myself quite lucky because I seem to recall the fines rise very steeply over 150 or 160 km/h.
Kind regards
Herr Einz
matchless said:Calm down, superstar.
how on earth can an Englishman be fined by a Foreign State?, its simply not legal here under English Law, surely you are not one of the spinnelss ones are you who always do as you are told no matter what?
Stefan1 appears to have been pulled over by the police whilst he was in Belgium. In that case it wouldn't really matter how stiff his spine might be, does it?
In the case of one who has received a Belgian speeding fine in the post after he has returned to Britain (and it does happen, owing to a cooperative agreement between Belgium and the DVLA), it is true that the Belgian authorities cannot reach into Britain and collect a driving fine from a British national.
However, before you get all hot and bothered about whether someone is "spinnelss", as you put it, think about what would happen to the Brit who ignored the Belgian postal fine but who had to drive through Belgium ten times a year, as Stefan in fact does.
His reg plate will be on the Belgian national database, reflecting the fact that he had ignored a previous fine and was in contempt of court.
With that on his record, if he is pulled over in Belgium again, he is liable for a custodial sentence.
Duuuuh.
flemke said:
how on earth can an Englishman be fined by a Foreign State?, its simply not legal here under English Law, surely you are not one of the spinnelss ones are you who always do as you are told no matter what?
Stefan1 appears to have been pulled over by the police whilst he was in Belgium. In that case it wouldn't really matter how stiff his spine might be, does it?
In the case of one who has received a Belgian speeding fine in the post after he has returned to Britain (and it does happen, owing to a cooperative agreement between Belgium and the DVLA), it is true that the Belgian authorities cannot reach into Britain and collect a driving fine from a British national.
However, before you get all hot and bothered about whether someone is "spinnelss", as you put it, think about what would happen to the Brit who ignored the Belgian postal fine but who had to drive through Belgium ten times a year, as Stefan in fact does.
His reg plate will be on the Belgian national database, reflecting the fact that he had ignored a previous fine and was in contempt of court.
With that on his record, if he is pulled over in Belgium again, he is liable for a custodial sentence.
Duuuuh.
stefan1 said:H E,
Flemke
Do you know what this limit is, over which one's car can be impounded? My guess is that it is 160 km/h or thereabouts.
I was recently caught in Belgium on the way back from the 'Ring, by a radar trap on an autoroute. I was doing 142 km/h and given a Euro 60 fine. I considered myself quite lucky because I seem to recall the fines rise very steeply over 150 or 160 km/h.
Kind regards
Herr Einz
I've been told that the impoundment threshold in France is 40 kph over the posted limit (which you will recall is only 110 on the Autoroute if it's raining).
Thanks - and for the support!
To clarify, it was indeed an on the spot fine. The radar equipped car was calling ahead to a series of motorbikes that would pull in front of each offender, escort them to the next junction and then loop back for the next punter. Two police cars were at the exit processing us. I joined a queue of 8 cars! All very efficient. The policeman was very polite but despite my best attempts at contrition - "Je suis desolé" and so forth - I had to cough up.
Matchless - I am sure you are jesting in your comments. Surely you recognise that whilst in another country you are bound by its laws - break them and you have to accept the consequences! I seem to recall just a smidgeon of politics on this issue recently in the UK
.
Stefan
To clarify, it was indeed an on the spot fine. The radar equipped car was calling ahead to a series of motorbikes that would pull in front of each offender, escort them to the next junction and then loop back for the next punter. Two police cars were at the exit processing us. I joined a queue of 8 cars! All very efficient. The policeman was very polite but despite my best attempts at contrition - "Je suis desolé" and so forth - I had to cough up.
Matchless - I am sure you are jesting in your comments. Surely you recognise that whilst in another country you are bound by its laws - break them and you have to accept the consequences! I seem to recall just a smidgeon of politics on this issue recently in the UK
. Stefan
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