French Police on Autoroutes

[goodlife]

For all those people who think the French police only make an extra effort to nick Le Mans attendees each year - think again. From what we've just witnessed they are far worse to French people...

It's the French holidays this week and we came down to Le Mans from Calais on Friday afternoon/evening. I do the A16/A28/A13/A28 journey 3 times a month and would say the normal level of speed-gun toting Gendarmes is 2-3 during the whole trip. The most we've ever seen on one trip is 4 speed traps.

On Friday there was 1 on the A16 coming down from Calais to Rouen, then 7 (yes, seven) speed traps on the A28 between Rouen and Le Mans. An unprecidented level, aimned at extracting revenue from the local French population, not Le Mans goers.

Seems to me they actually just come out in force when traffic levels are due to be high, trying to keep the speed down to make things safer. Seems to be sensible policing rather than brit-hating Nazis?

[tucker20]

Well this year we saw......one speed trap but they were only just setting it up so wasn't active!! And that was on the way home just before the last toll exit at Calais.

The warnings about increased speed traps only for our annual hoon seem to get worse every year and your post goes to prove that the French authorities don't set out just to target us old boys!


although I'm sure they enjoy it more!!!!

[Kneetrembler]

goodlife said:

For all those people who think the French police only make an extra effort to nick Le Mans attendees each year - think again. From what we've just witnessed they are far worse to French people...

It's the French holidays this week and we came down to Le Mans from Calais on Friday afternoon/evening. I do the A16/A28/A13/A28 journey 3 times a month and would say the normal level of speed-gun toting Gendarmes is 2-3 during the whole trip. The most we've ever seen on one trip is 4 speed traps.

On Friday there was 1 on the A16 coming down from Calais to Rouen, then 7 (yes, seven) speed traps on the A28 between Rouen and Le Mans. An unprecidented level, aimned at extracting revenue from the local French population, not Le Mans goers

Seems to me they actually just come out in force when traffic levels are due to be high, trying to keep the speed down to make things safer. Seems to be sensible policing rather than brit-hating Nazis?

Exactly,

I was in some of the villages around Le Mans a couple of weeks ago and was gunned twice, where you would least expect it and with a bit of luck have just managed to avoid a fine.

[rev-erend]

My mother lives south of Le Mans in the Vendee region and she said one Sunday morning the police road blocked all entry and exits to a local village and breath tested every driver..

Now that is bad..

[James P]

rev-erend said:

My mother lives south of Le Mans in the Vendee region and she said one Sunday morning the police road blocked all entry and exits to a local village and breath tested every driver..

Now that is bad..

Sounds reasonable enough to me if it deters drink driving. I assume that this level of attention is not carried out too often at her particular village?

[lowdrag]

Only a few weeks back I had to take a breath test twice in the space of a few kilometres here at Le Mans. We had been into town for dinner and there were several controls on the way out. Everybody is stoped and everyone blows. However, the french system is far more reasonable than the english since it is a graduated system depending on how much over you are, not a black or white keep or lose your licence.