Discussion
I've been on this forum for years and every year we get the I've lost my car/licence/135 tale/750 euros tales. Surely everyone who reads this forum knows there's a good chance if you speed in France this weekend you'll be nicked. There's a recent thread about some stupid bugger who's still trying to get his car back from the plod after last year. Lowdrag constantly warns us all about the perils of speeding in France so it's not as if we're not warned.
I live in France now, only for last 2mths and have been to LM for the last decade and watched it change. Posted some of the warnings along with other expats here along with media coverage in the UK and other information. Lowdrag has banged this drum consistently and eloquently for years.
I am far from innocent from the late blast to the ferry and home on the Monday, but France has changed, it's been heavilly policing all of it's roads and it's drivers and there is no focus for the Brits as much as some would like to believe. COnviction rates for speeding, drink driving etc etc are all up in France. The French drivers are feeling the heat.
Reality is, they know we're coming, they know when we're coming, they know the route we're taking and they know some of us will flout their laws and they are prepared to enforce them.
Theirs is the country where the accident rate in the first trimester of this year has gone up considerably. Imagine the grief in the UK if you saw a 20% rise in death rates on the roads . . . It is so serious here they created a cross party emergency group to look at the issue, hence the changes in the laws and speeding fines, numbers of traps etc etc
One significant difference I see between here and the UK is that here they invest in their Police and there are numbers of them, in the UK I barely see one these days.
The people complaining about the scale of the fine have nothing to complain about. It's as if it's been made up for the British, when it hasn't and you should know the approximate consequences of driving laws you are intending to break in any country you go to.
I drove back into Paris on Sunday evening passing only one Speed trap, well warned by the oncoming traffic and the only really fast people to go past me were the Danes, doing about 145-155, the rest of the traffic was sat between 110-140, depending on conditions.
How much do you think you stick out in France in a UK registered car doing 160kph when the vast majority of the traffic on the autoroutes is doing 30kph-50kph less than these kind of speeds?
I love driving quickly as much as the next man, however, I don't choose to do it the weekend on LM anymore as I like my license and like my car, both of which the French are perfectly capable of removing - permanently.
France is no longer the drivers playground it once was, certainly not on a run to Le Mans with 100k other Brits
I am far from innocent from the late blast to the ferry and home on the Monday, but France has changed, it's been heavilly policing all of it's roads and it's drivers and there is no focus for the Brits as much as some would like to believe. COnviction rates for speeding, drink driving etc etc are all up in France. The French drivers are feeling the heat.
Reality is, they know we're coming, they know when we're coming, they know the route we're taking and they know some of us will flout their laws and they are prepared to enforce them.
Theirs is the country where the accident rate in the first trimester of this year has gone up considerably. Imagine the grief in the UK if you saw a 20% rise in death rates on the roads . . . It is so serious here they created a cross party emergency group to look at the issue, hence the changes in the laws and speeding fines, numbers of traps etc etc
One significant difference I see between here and the UK is that here they invest in their Police and there are numbers of them, in the UK I barely see one these days.
The people complaining about the scale of the fine have nothing to complain about. It's as if it's been made up for the British, when it hasn't and you should know the approximate consequences of driving laws you are intending to break in any country you go to.
I drove back into Paris on Sunday evening passing only one Speed trap, well warned by the oncoming traffic and the only really fast people to go past me were the Danes, doing about 145-155, the rest of the traffic was sat between 110-140, depending on conditions.
How much do you think you stick out in France in a UK registered car doing 160kph when the vast majority of the traffic on the autoroutes is doing 30kph-50kph less than these kind of speeds?
I love driving quickly as much as the next man, however, I don't choose to do it the weekend on LM anymore as I like my license and like my car, both of which the French are perfectly capable of removing - permanently.
France is no longer the drivers playground it once was, certainly not on a run to Le Mans with 100k other Brits
Edited by Johno on Monday 13th June 18:36
I only saw one police car this time - and he was coming towards me on his way to somewhere very quickly with the lights on, on MY side of the road 
Apparently there was someone official looking at Caen ferry port taking pictures of the cars.
Anyone know why this might be?
Apparently there was someone official looking at Caen ferry port taking pictures of the cars.
Anyone know why this might be?
Edited by Barreti on Monday 13th June 19:49
Driving back yesterday I saw a few cars pulled over:
A Bentley (I think) on Belgian plates
A UK registered 1 series coupe (which had come past me about 15 minutes before at about 100 mph - this was being escorted off the motorway - I guess to go to a cash point
A group of,an Audi R8, a Gallardo spider, a Gallardo and a Ferrari 360 - interestingly, these came past me, got stuck behind a few other cars, then blitzed off - I repassed the Gallardo, which had slowed to about 60 mph just before the toll booths - the rest of the group I caught up with at the toll booths - they were all greeted by the Police, who ushered them into a parking area off to the right - interesting because their average speed was similar to mine, but had obviously been seen at some point going quicker
There was also a biker pulled over from the tolls at the same time - again, picked out as if they were expecting him
A Bentley (I think) on Belgian plates
A UK registered 1 series coupe (which had come past me about 15 minutes before at about 100 mph - this was being escorted off the motorway - I guess to go to a cash point
A group of,an Audi R8, a Gallardo spider, a Gallardo and a Ferrari 360 - interestingly, these came past me, got stuck behind a few other cars, then blitzed off - I repassed the Gallardo, which had slowed to about 60 mph just before the toll booths - the rest of the group I caught up with at the toll booths - they were all greeted by the Police, who ushered them into a parking area off to the right - interesting because their average speed was similar to mine, but had obviously been seen at some point going quicker
There was also a biker pulled over from the tolls at the same time - again, picked out as if they were expecting him
I drove from Le Mans to Cannes in 7.5 hours yesterday afternoon and didn't see a single speedtrap. I guess they were all up north 
With reference to the people being pulled over at the toll booth; they would have been caught in a speed trap a few miles before. That's normal procedure. They are not checking average speed.
With reference to the people being pulled over at the toll booth; they would have been caught in a speed trap a few miles before. That's normal procedure. They are not checking average speed.
I stuck to 80mph on the toll roads towards Rouen then the n138 but this was late friday afternoon/early evening. From Rouen to Le Mans I saw 17 cars 4 lorry and no police and had a great time driving the road I love for one weekend a year. On the way back used toll road all the way and again stuck to 80mph and again had a good bit of fun in the Racing Puma. Left 9am arrived home 1630pm
Superhoop said:
Driving back yesterday I saw a few cars pulled over:
A group of,an Audi R8, a Gallardo spider, a Gallardo and a Ferrari 360 - interestingly, these came past me, got stuck behind a few other cars, then blitzed off - I repassed the Gallardo, which had slowed to about 60 mph just before the toll booths - the rest of the group I caught up with at the toll booths - they were all greeted by the Police, who ushered them into a parking area off to the right - interesting because their average speed was similar to mine, but had obviously been seen at some point going quicker
That sounds v much like some of our group, White & Black Lambo's White R8 Red Ferrari ? All got a 90e fine. A group of,an Audi R8, a Gallardo spider, a Gallardo and a Ferrari 360 - interestingly, these came past me, got stuck behind a few other cars, then blitzed off - I repassed the Gallardo, which had slowed to about 60 mph just before the toll booths - the rest of the group I caught up with at the toll booths - they were all greeted by the Police, who ushered them into a parking area off to the right - interesting because their average speed was similar to mine, but had obviously been seen at some point going quicker
They were not to happy about being pulled, saying that the speed the Gendarmes did them for was b
ks, backed up to some extent by your comments ! May or may not have been the case but all had certainly been a lot quicker at times so no real cause for complaint.
Despite me warning everybody, it is noted in today's paper that 25 licences were taken away Thursday/Sunday, up 10 on last year. One Lexus and one Jaguar owner must be changing their underwear quite often since they were both caught at 197kph (122mph) and cars impounded, so if they are their own property they'll have to buy them back at auction if they still want them, and if the case comes to court after the 1st September (likely) I am asking myself if they risk a fine of 3,750 instead of the current 1,500 euros. Not sure on that one. Yesterday a Belgian was caught at 200kph.
Me, I toddled around, waved to the BiB, they waved back sometimes, and all was well in the Lowdrag household. I can think of a lot of things I can do with that amount of money in my pocket instead of the state's.
However, I am available for hire to represent them in court and do the translation if they want, just like I did earlier this year for the Ferrari california owner caught at 254kph (157mph). He was without his car for seven months and had an additional 1,000 euros garaging fee to settle, as will the two above. It's an ill wind and all that!
Me, I toddled around, waved to the BiB, they waved back sometimes, and all was well in the Lowdrag household. I can think of a lot of things I can do with that amount of money in my pocket instead of the state's.
However, I am available for hire to represent them in court and do the translation if they want, just like I did earlier this year for the Ferrari california owner caught at 254kph (157mph). He was without his car for seven months and had an additional 1,000 euros garaging fee to settle, as will the two above. It's an ill wind and all that!
Edited by lowdrag on Tuesday 14th June 11:41
Any chance some of you locals could enlighten me on a police question please?
Tugging a trailer back towards Caen, saw cameraman on the bridge but I was being law abiding so not fussed. Shortly after, police car pulls out behind me and follows for a minute or so, then overtakes, pulls in front and hits me with an amber light bar below his blues. He then knocks those off and pulls right into the slip road. I didn't stop and he made no effort to come back after me.
My folks live in France but no idea what he was up to, anyone else?
Tugging a trailer back towards Caen, saw cameraman on the bridge but I was being law abiding so not fussed. Shortly after, police car pulls out behind me and follows for a minute or so, then overtakes, pulls in front and hits me with an amber light bar below his blues. He then knocks those off and pulls right into the slip road. I didn't stop and he made no effort to come back after me.
My folks live in France but no idea what he was up to, anyone else?
Yup, hands up. I was escorted yesterday off the A28 yesterday afternoon between Neufchatel and Abbeville. Once down the slip road I was third in the queue behind a Ferrari 355 and a Nissan GTR. I knew I was doing about 100mph and didn't object, told I was doing 170kph (which was coincidentally the same speed the others mentioned they were told), apologised and paid up the 90 Euros. Polite guys, they took pics of themselves with our cars for their wall. I have no complaints.
CampDavid said:
Two in our group were billed 750euros for 170kph in a 110. Silly speed (we were a fair chunk slower) but the fine does seem massive. Still, don't like the fine, don't do the crime...
Then they can count themselves very lucky, since an excess of more than 50 over the prevailing limit normally will get you 1,500 euro fine, 2 year ban on driving in France, and car impounded and sold for state funds. Compared to that 750 euros is a mere bagatelle.until such time as my vw t5 transporter is remapped to 130hp, i think the chances of me getting much above 80mph are very small indeed... this did therefore make the drive there and back particularly relaxing... although i didn't see one speedtrap or cop car between caen and le mans on friday morning and le mans and st malo on monday morning.
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