Suspended in France...

Author
Discussion

aakashb7

Original Poster:

9 posts

94 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
Hi all,
So I got done going 173 on a French highway by a gun, police further down the road pulled me over and took my licence for being 40+ over. Apparently a 90 EUR fine but nothing has come through yet...
I gave them my French address where I'm staying temporarily for a few more weeks and they said they'll return my UK one to me here (didn't want to wait until I got back to the UK to get it...). Got a letter from the Prefet advising of a 4 month ban (but no fine?), but they're now asking me to do a medical and exchange my licence for a French one. I'm contesting that by saying my main residence is in the UK and I'm here as an int'l student for now. Any tips on whether that's worth it?
DVLA question - I assume I'm still fine to drive in the UK/ other EU countries that don't share reciprocity with France? Also I understand many people just apply for a replacement licence as "lost", but on the form online there's a part that asks you to declare whether you're disqualified in any country. Do people normally "admit" that and does anyone know if it has any impact on the UK licence? Eg if a car rental company or insurance provider ran a check code, would it show up?
Cheers

normalbloke

7,401 posts

218 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
You’re doomed!

dudleybloke

19,717 posts

185 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all

zzrman

633 posts

188 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
Kph or Mph?

randlemarcus

13,507 posts

230 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
zzrman said:
Kph or Mph?
Got to be kph. They get quite cross if they catch you at 170mph, and ban you for quite a long time biggrin

dreamcracker

3,212 posts

216 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
Great first post.... Only took four years. rolleyes

emperorburger

1,484 posts

65 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
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How long have you been over there?

4rephill

5,040 posts

177 months

Tuesday 16th June 2020
quotequote all
dreamcracker said:
Great first post.... Only took four years. rolleyes
Wow! - After over 14 years of being a member of Pistonheads, and with over 2900 posts to your name, what an incredibly insightful, and useful post you've made there! rolleyes

zzrman

633 posts

188 months

Wednesday 17th June 2020
quotequote all
randlemarcus said:
Got to be kph. They get quite cross if they catch you at 170mph, and ban you for quite a long time biggrin
You're probably right but they also get quite excited if it's over the ton.

omniflow

2,545 posts

150 months

Wednesday 17th June 2020
quotequote all
My understanding is that the magic number is 40Km/hr over the posted speed limit. Assuming it wasn't raining that's 170Km/hr. Given that 173 is over that then I would expect a fine in the region of €750 - €900. However, given that this also triggers an on-the-spot instant ban, you might have got away with it.

Of the two people I know personally who got done for over 170Km/hr, one of them had to swop drivers, the other was solo on his motorbike so he had to leave it at the Gendamerie (?), get a lift on the back of someone elses bike and then collect it one month later.

aakashb7

Original Poster:

9 posts

94 months

Wednesday 17th June 2020
quotequote all
@zzrman - definitely KPH! I understand it can be a lot worst if that was mph...
@emperorburger - Since January, but spent a month back home during COVID lockdown - it hasn't been the magic 6 months that would "require" me to get a french licence
@omniflow - yep it's over 40kmh. Luckily I had a replacement driver, which the gendarmes were fine with even though he didn't have insurance... I was told that I'm getting a 90 EUR fine but nothing has come through yet, understand it can take time
I don't really care about the French ban - I wasn't aware they could do that but needless to say I won't be exceeding 130 by that much any time soon. More concerned about whether I'd have to disclose this to DVLA in my 'lost licence' application - and whether that can have any impacts?

Beggarall

550 posts

240 months

Wednesday 17th June 2020
quotequote all
You have probably been asked to swap your licence because you gave a French address. You have done the right thing by writing to explain that. No idea how long they will take to respond. Didn't realise that 40kph over meant a ban - must have done that a few times - very easy on long open autoroutes. Bad luck

Edited by Beggarall on Wednesday 17th June 10:09

QBee

20,903 posts

143 months

Wednesday 17th June 2020
quotequote all
I have known people to get done for just a little more speed than that in France and suffer vehicle impounding, an immediate €750 fine at the road side and more to come, and then all sorts of costs and hassle trying to get their car back several months later.

You seem to have got away lightly by comparison.

CDP

7,454 posts

253 months

Wednesday 17th June 2020
quotequote all
QBee said:
I have known people to get done for just a little more speed than that in France and suffer vehicle impounding, an immediate €750 fine at the road side and more to come, and then all sorts of costs and hassle trying to get their car back several months later.

You seem to have got away lightly by comparison.
Silly question but there are an awful lot of people who can't get hold of €750 just like that. What happens to them?

Sebring440

1,926 posts

95 months

Wednesday 17th June 2020
quotequote all
CDP said:
Silly question but there are an awful lot of people who can't get hold of €750 just like that. What happens to them?
See post # 3.

QBee

20,903 posts

143 months

Wednesday 17th June 2020
quotequote all
CDP said:
QBee said:
I have known people to get done for just a little more speed than that in France and suffer vehicle impounding, an immediate €750 fine at the road side and more to come, and then all sorts of costs and hassle trying to get their car back several months later.

You seem to have got away lightly by comparison.
Silly question but there are an awful lot of people who can't get hold of €750 just like that. What happens to them?
I don't know, but have done some research back through PH's archives and have found the post I remembered.

The report back was that you qualify for the €750 on the spot fine, plus immediate driving ban, if you are 50kph over the limit.
The car gets impounded UNLESS you can cough up the €750 there and then.
They will take you to a cash machine, but you will need three cards, as there is a €300 a day limit in France on cash withdrawals.
So if you do manage to find the cash, you still need to find someone to drive the car.....
And then some months later it goes to court and if they are in a bad mood you get the fine increased by anything up to another €750.

martinbiz

3,047 posts

144 months

Wednesday 17th June 2020
quotequote all
QBee said:
I don't know, but have done some research back through PH's archives and have found the post I remembered.

The report back was that you qualify for the €750 on the spot fine, plus immediate driving ban, if you are 50kph over the limit.
The car gets impounded UNLESS you can cough up the €750 there and then.
They will take you to a cash machine, but you will need three cards, as there is a €300 a day limit in France on cash withdrawals.
So if you do manage to find the cash, you still need to find someone to drive the car.....
And then some months later it goes to court and if they are in a bad mood you get the fine increased by anything up to another €750.
That doesn’t make sense, if you’ve paid the 750 on the spot fine, that’s the end of the matter, they can’t then take it to court as well

QBee

20,903 posts

143 months

Wednesday 17th June 2020
quotequote all
martinbiz said:
QBee said:
I don't know, but have done some research back through PH's archives and have found the post I remembered.

The report back was that you qualify for the €750 on the spot fine, plus immediate driving ban, if you are 50kph over the limit.
The car gets impounded UNLESS you can cough up the €750 there and then.
They will take you to a cash machine, but you will need three cards, as there is a €300 a day limit in France on cash withdrawals.
So if you do manage to find the cash, you still need to find someone to drive the car.....
And then some months later it goes to court and if they are in a bad mood you get the fine increased by anything up to another €750.
That doesn’t make sense, if you’ve paid the 750 on the spot fine, that’s the end of the matter, they can’t then take it to court as well
My guess is that the correct legal procedure for a French resident would most likely be as in this country, ie they give you a ticket on the spot and summons you to court. With the exception that the French have the common sense to impose an immediate ban on someone who has seriously infringed, whereas in the UK, with the exception of drunk drivers, they let you keep your license so you can do it again next week.

I am guessing, but I suspect that, from bitter experience, they know that if they don't take an on the spot fine then they have all the hassle of trying to collect their fines later. As €750 is the minimum fine for that speed, they take that as a deposit there and then and offset it against the eventual fine you are given.

CDP

7,454 posts

253 months

Wednesday 17th June 2020
quotequote all
Sebring440 said:
CDP said:
Silly question but there are an awful lot of people who can't get hold of €750 just like that. What happens to them?
See post # 3.
That's a lot worse than a ban.

biglaughbiglaughbiglaugh

vonhosen

40,198 posts

216 months

Wednesday 17th June 2020
quotequote all
martinbiz said:
QBee said:
I don't know, but have done some research back through PH's archives and have found the post I remembered.

The report back was that you qualify for the €750 on the spot fine, plus immediate driving ban, if you are 50kph over the limit.
The car gets impounded UNLESS you can cough up the €750 there and then.
They will take you to a cash machine, but you will need three cards, as there is a €300 a day limit in France on cash withdrawals.
So if you do manage to find the cash, you still need to find someone to drive the car.....
And then some months later it goes to court and if they are in a bad mood you get the fine increased by anything up to another €750.
That doesn’t make sense, if you’ve paid the 750 on the spot fine, that’s the end of the matter, they can’t then take it to court as well
The on the spot money is effectively a deposit against your court hearing. Invariably the court hearing imposes a fine exactly the same amount as the deposit taken. If it's more however then you are in deficit with more to pay as your deposit doesn't cover the balance of the fine.