French police roadside ban for speeding
Discussion
A993LAD said:
Currently biking home through France.
Got pulled over by cops and they took my wife's licence immediately. They let me off thankfully and made it clear they were doing me a favour.
But it did leave us stuck by the side of the road with 2 bikes, lots of luggage and only one rider.
Despite being slightly smug that I was clocked at a lower speed than the missus I'm now faced with the difficulty of getting back to UK and then returning for the second bike.
Bang to rights for exceeding the limits by a good margin although not dangerously so and the roads are so empty and flowing it's hard to resist. We were doing 130kph in a 90.
They took all our cash in fines too.
Can you imagine if UK cops started doing that to foreigners visiting Blighty.
Any tips on how to get the second bike back gratefully received.
I had to knock on a door in the village were we were stopped and ask a stranger to store it for me.
About 300 miles from calais
Had been a great 2000 mile trip until that point.
Been through France a few times without trouble so obviously a bit overconfident re speeding I guess.
My bad
But wife takes the rap.
Lol
Hi Bud Got pulled over by cops and they took my wife's licence immediately. They let me off thankfully and made it clear they were doing me a favour.
But it did leave us stuck by the side of the road with 2 bikes, lots of luggage and only one rider.
Despite being slightly smug that I was clocked at a lower speed than the missus I'm now faced with the difficulty of getting back to UK and then returning for the second bike.
Bang to rights for exceeding the limits by a good margin although not dangerously so and the roads are so empty and flowing it's hard to resist. We were doing 130kph in a 90.
They took all our cash in fines too.
Can you imagine if UK cops started doing that to foreigners visiting Blighty.
Any tips on how to get the second bike back gratefully received.
I had to knock on a door in the village were we were stopped and ask a stranger to store it for me.
About 300 miles from calais
Had been a great 2000 mile trip until that point.
Been through France a few times without trouble so obviously a bit overconfident re speeding I guess.
My bad
But wife takes the rap.
Lol
Sorry to hear about your trouble with the France police
I own motorcycle transportation company. All do the myself I’m bikes
I can collect the bike for you no worries give me a call
07809865094 or email me motomovers.uk@gmail.com
Cheers Mike
Me and a mate were heading down to Le Mans in the late 80s via the little scenic roads.
He'd gone ahead and I came passed him pulled over by French bike cops.
I waited for him at the next village.
He'd been done for crossing the white line.
The fine was equivalent to all our cash for the weeks holiday. No cash point collections then.
He stumbled through apologies in schoolboy French where they then pulled out a book of offences and translations in various languages.
It continued to say that although stopped for said offence we hope that you will continue to enjoy your time in our country and please obey the laws.
They let him off.
Would have been end of Holiday if they hadn't.
He'd gone ahead and I came passed him pulled over by French bike cops.
I waited for him at the next village.
He'd been done for crossing the white line.
The fine was equivalent to all our cash for the weeks holiday. No cash point collections then.
He stumbled through apologies in schoolboy French where they then pulled out a book of offences and translations in various languages.
It continued to say that although stopped for said offence we hope that you will continue to enjoy your time in our country and please obey the laws.
They let him off.
Would have been end of Holiday if they hadn't.
black-k1 said:
Easiest way may be to take her into Germany then return for your bike to Dijon. Both then ride back through Germany & Belgium and get a ferry from somewhere like Zeebrugge. She's only banned in France.
130kph in a 90 resulting in a loss of license is very worrying. I know that if you doubled the limit then it was bye bye license not as little as 50kph over!
This sounds like a plan, Dijon not too far from German border then get a train, bus or taxi return unless you can get a local man with van to carry the bike? Just make sure she doesn't get stopped anywhere else as with no actual licence to show they will not be happy.130kph in a 90 resulting in a loss of license is very worrying. I know that if you doubled the limit then it was bye bye license not as little as 50kph over!
Otherwise find secure parking, ride home on the one bike and get a low cost flight back to fetch the bike.
Of course she can get a replacement for a lost licence once home if the old one not returned.
Also worrying that a ban for not a lot over the limit, I got stopped there some years back for 201kmh in a 130 but got away with a fine, how times have changed...
That is a concerning story...I hope you manage to find a reasonable solution.
I got stopped in a car on the way back from Le Mans 10 years ago doing 135 kph in a 90 and was relieved of 130 euros and felt lucky. An instant roadside ban is another level of punishment entirely.
From 1st July route French national speed limit goes from 90 kph to 80 kph...I am finishing my trip this year on 27th of June as I don't think I could bimble along their long straight roads at that sort of speed...a quick overtake of 2-3 cars could see me way above that easily and I ride a GS!
I got stopped in a car on the way back from Le Mans 10 years ago doing 135 kph in a 90 and was relieved of 130 euros and felt lucky. An instant roadside ban is another level of punishment entirely.
From 1st July route French national speed limit goes from 90 kph to 80 kph...I am finishing my trip this year on 27th of June as I don't think I could bimble along their long straight roads at that sort of speed...a quick overtake of 2-3 cars could see me way above that easily and I ride a GS!
GM182 said:
From 1st July route French national speed limit goes from 90 kph to 80 kph...
This is my issue - their current limit isn't that much below ours (56 vs 60mph) however the French coppers are FAR more likely to set up a speed trap and are a lot less likely to be letting you off with a warning. Hell - you wouldn't even get a speed awareness for less then 68 or so in the UK.Dropping it to 80kmh is the last nail in the coffin of the great French holiday driving experience for me - that and the disturbing D road speed trap from the OP.
I say this as an ex-French resident and worker who loves France. But going there to enjoy their vast open roads is finished. Hard to believe you can make better progress in the UK.
(Remember 20 to 30 years ago? The French would all be belting along at 100mph plus on the autoroutes? It was great. They've become a nation of speedometer watchers now).
We have to be very careful when riding or driving in France now....
https://www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/Speedi...
https://www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/Speedi...
Dog Star said:
GM182 said:
From 1st July route French national speed limit goes from 90 kph to 80 kph...
This is my issue - their current limit isn't that much below ours (56 vs 60mph) however the French coppers are FAR more likely to set up a speed trap and are a lot less likely to be letting you off with a warning. Hell - you wouldn't even get a speed awareness for less then 68 or so in the UK.Dropping it to 80kmh is the last nail in the coffin of the great French holiday driving experience for me - that and the disturbing D road speed trap from the OP.
I say this as an ex-French resident and worker who loves France. But going there to enjoy their vast open roads is finished. Hard to believe you can make better progress in the UK.
(Remember 20 to 30 years ago? The French would all be belting along at 100mph plus on the autoroutes? It was great. They've become a nation of speedometer watchers now).
Had a house there since 2005 and spend between 3 and 8 weeks a year there, always driving down.
Complete change in behaviour in that period, but especially the last few years. And that has been accompanied by a distinct drop in driving standards too. Lane discipline has dropped, loads more lane-changing without indicating, vehicles pulling out in front of you. The full UK zombie thing.
When I first started going in 1988 it was exactly as you say, doing 100 as a cruise on the main routes was normal and there were loads doing it, including the Police.
Current approach seems way over the top when their real issues were mostly old buggers with bad eyesight and a generally laid back attitude to booze, neither of which involved much 'speeding'.
cmaguire said:
This daft Worldwide anti-speed thing is just becoming plain ridiculous now, this nonsense in France really takes the shine off using the roads there. They've threatened to ban me twice recently.
I would go through the motions, come back later and drive/ride anyway. And then hope my next visit was after the ban expired.
Being a biker myself and knowing how quickly 90 can turn into 130...I still wonder, do you only like the roads when you can go 50% faster than the legal speed limit?I would go through the motions, come back later and drive/ride anyway. And then hope my next visit was after the ban expired.
Birky_41 said:
Gutting to read that. Bloody French, I find so many rude and the police just see an opportunity in my opinion
Not worth stopping when you know that's the outcome
I think the "bloody French" will just be happy if foreign bikers do not come over, most people do not like bikers anyway.Not worth stopping when you know that's the outcome
I say that being a non-French biker myself.
bozzy. said:
Sorry to hear about your troubles OP.
They’ve got no sense of humour when it comes to speeding le frogs.
Hope you get everything sorted.
Do not come to Switzerland! +40kmh on 90 limit - you will not only lose your licence, you will need to sell your kidney to pay the fines. :-DThey’ve got no sense of humour when it comes to speeding le frogs.
Hope you get everything sorted.
Potentially lucrative insurance buisness here...... Premium dependant on where in france your going, but say a £30 premium to insure against getting your Bike home within a week if your knicked and banned in France?
Employ some ex-pats to pick bike up and deliver to a port and then deliver back to the owner?
Any Takers?
Employ some ex-pats to pick bike up and deliver to a port and then deliver back to the owner?
Any Takers?
Pre-DVLA sharing details with French police, we've done some crazy things over there. Even passed a police van at well over, and when he pulled out and popped the lights on, simply cracked open the throttle some more. Never saw him again. Other stretches were like being famous, what with all the flashes it was like paparazzi on a red carpet. Now all this stuff follows you home.
Nowadays it's just not worth bothering. Luxembourg still exists, but how to get there without s
tty France?
Nowadays it's just not worth bothering. Luxembourg still exists, but how to get there without s
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