Current "safe" speed(ing) limit on French autoroute?
Discussion
Some real dumb f
k questions on PH!
There's always those who think they're exempt from the law or want to know how far the law can be pushed.
We do Europe every year, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, poland, Switz, Austria, Italy, Spain to name just a few over the years and have never encountered a problem. Sticking the cruise on at 130kph on the autoroute, pistas, stradas ect and leaving it there isn't difficult, you won't have to keep looking for cameras or coppers and you'll get there just as quick.
Dont want problems? Stick to the posted limit., its really not that difficult.
No one's above the law not in any country, no one but the usual nerdy, goofy, geeky types that infest PH it seems..
k questions on PH!There's always those who think they're exempt from the law or want to know how far the law can be pushed.
We do Europe every year, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, poland, Switz, Austria, Italy, Spain to name just a few over the years and have never encountered a problem. Sticking the cruise on at 130kph on the autoroute, pistas, stradas ect and leaving it there isn't difficult, you won't have to keep looking for cameras or coppers and you'll get there just as quick.
Dont want problems? Stick to the posted limit., its really not that difficult.
No one's above the law not in any country, no one but the usual nerdy, goofy, geeky types that infest PH it seems..
I shall be doing a road trip through France and on into Italy shortly. I will be making extensive use of Autoroutes. I will be in my yellow Lamborghini. I will therefore be driving a massive brightly lit neon sign for all Gendarmerie to see that says “fast car”. I will be sticking to the speed limits. I will be using a gps speed measuring device to ensure I do. Bet I still receive a fine, given some of the tolerances people have indicated on here. I don’t have cruise control, so drifting +/- 5/10kph above and below is very likely.
A1VDY said:
Some real dumb fk questions on PH!
There's always those who think they're exempt from the law or want to know how far the law can be pushed.
We do Europe every year, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, poland, Switz, Austria, Italy, Spain to name just a few over the years and have never encountered a problem. Sticking the cruise on at 130kph on the autoroute, pistas, stradas ect and leaving it there isn't difficult, you won't have to keep looking for cameras or coppers and you'll get there just as quick.
Dont want problems? Stick to the posted limit., its really not that difficult.
No one's above the law not in any country, no one but the usual nerdy, goofy, geeky types that infest PH it seems..
What about cruise on at 160kph?k questions on PH!There's always those who think they're exempt from the law or want to know how far the law can be pushed.
We do Europe every year, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, poland, Switz, Austria, Italy, Spain to name just a few over the years and have never encountered a problem. Sticking the cruise on at 130kph on the autoroute, pistas, stradas ect and leaving it there isn't difficult, you won't have to keep looking for cameras or coppers and you'll get there just as quick.
Dont want problems? Stick to the posted limit., its really not that difficult.
No one's above the law not in any country, no one but the usual nerdy, goofy, geeky types that infest PH it seems..
Pan Pan Pan said:
braddo said:
Pan Pan Pan said:
Exige77 said:
Pan Pan Pan said:
Even the speed limits in this country would not be too bad, if people just stuck to them, but unfortunately for several reasons they don't.
Try doing 70 mph in the centre lane on most motorways, and you will find that you have to keep changing lanes to pass people who are doing 60 -65 on the centre lane. If they just stuck to the motorway NSL good progress can be made legally.
In France it is a different situation, Just like a ship does not need to be going fast to cover great distances, on French motorways they are so lightly trafficked, a driver can easily sit at the dry motorway speed limit for long spells at a time, only pulling out to overtake the HGV traffic in the nearside lane. The main problem with UK roads is that they are grossly over crowded and congested for most of the time, which makes sticking to the speed limit difficult if not impossible for most of the time.
Are you one of these people that sit in the middle lane ?Try doing 70 mph in the centre lane on most motorways, and you will find that you have to keep changing lanes to pass people who are doing 60 -65 on the centre lane. If they just stuck to the motorway NSL good progress can be made legally.
In France it is a different situation, Just like a ship does not need to be going fast to cover great distances, on French motorways they are so lightly trafficked, a driver can easily sit at the dry motorway speed limit for long spells at a time, only pulling out to overtake the HGV traffic in the nearside lane. The main problem with UK roads is that they are grossly over crowded and congested for most of the time, which makes sticking to the speed limit difficult if not impossible for most of the time.
One of the reasons our motorways are so congested I dare say.
I always travel at the posted limit where road conditions allow. If I am in the middle lane travelling at the posted limit, there is still the outer lane for anyone who believes the law does not apply to them. Does your car have a throttle pedal which allows you to control what speed it is doing, or does it just have an on- off switch in place o a throttle, which means you are either stopped, or going flat out, with nothing in between?
I agree Exige77 could have just answered yes. But it seems you too are one of those who believes the law does not apply to you.?
Coz limit innit old boy
768 said:
A1VDY said:
...and you'll get there just as quick.
Let me introduce you to speed, distance and time.On the way there, drove at the limit and got there in just under 5 hours
On the way back, I maintained around 20k over the limit. I had to stop for fuel and arrived at just under 5 hours. Any time won was lost by a simple fuel stop.
So yes, you're right that of course you'll get there sooner if you drive faster. The reality is that you don't get there MUCH earlier and is saving those precious few minutes worth the stress of continually watching out for cameras and police as well as the risk of getting caught never mind dealing with slower traffic?
feef said:
Some time ago, on a drive from the tunnel to Dijon, I did an experiment.
On the way there, drove at the limit and got there in just under 5 hours
On the way back, I maintained around 20k over the limit. I had to stop for fuel and arrived at just under 5 hours. Any time won was lost by a simple fuel stop.
So yes, you're right that of course you'll get there sooner if you drive faster. The reality is that you don't get there MUCH earlier and is saving those precious few minutes worth the stress of continually watching out for cameras and police as well as the risk of getting caught never mind dealing with slower traffic?
Your example isn't a very good one.On the way there, drove at the limit and got there in just under 5 hours
On the way back, I maintained around 20k over the limit. I had to stop for fuel and arrived at just under 5 hours. Any time won was lost by a simple fuel stop.
So yes, you're right that of course you'll get there sooner if you drive faster. The reality is that you don't get there MUCH earlier and is saving those precious few minutes worth the stress of continually watching out for cameras and police as well as the risk of getting caught never mind dealing with slower traffic?
To put it into actual numbers - Dijon to the tunnel is 573km according to google. Your 5 hours equates to 114kmh AVERAGE (71mph) which is good going. If you were to AVERAGE 20kmh more than that, the journey would take 4hr 15mins, so 45 minutes less.
Even if one's car only does 30mpg at the higher speed, that will use 53 litres of fuel, which I think is a pretty typical top-up for an average fuel tank (60-65L). My V8 Cayenne has atrocious fuel economy and if I thrashed it so badly that it did 20mpg on a long motorway trip, it still wouldn't need a fuel stop between Dijon and Calais.
So, the need for an extra fuel stop due to the higher speed you mention is not guaranteed at all. Your car might need it, but most will not. In which case it is 45 minutes saved for that journey. Or 90 minutes saved for a journey twice as long. Those kinds of time savings can really help for giving you 'free' stop time for kids/pets/drivers to have short breaks while still keeping an average speed above 70mph for the entire journey. These time savings really matter if you have impatient passengers!
braddo said:
feef said:
Some time ago, on a drive from the tunnel to Dijon, I did an experiment.
On the way there, drove at the limit and got there in just under 5 hours
On the way back, I maintained around 20k over the limit. I had to stop for fuel and arrived at just under 5 hours. Any time won was lost by a simple fuel stop.
So yes, you're right that of course you'll get there sooner if you drive faster. The reality is that you don't get there MUCH earlier and is saving those precious few minutes worth the stress of continually watching out for cameras and police as well as the risk of getting caught never mind dealing with slower traffic?
Your example isn't a very good one.On the way there, drove at the limit and got there in just under 5 hours
On the way back, I maintained around 20k over the limit. I had to stop for fuel and arrived at just under 5 hours. Any time won was lost by a simple fuel stop.
So yes, you're right that of course you'll get there sooner if you drive faster. The reality is that you don't get there MUCH earlier and is saving those precious few minutes worth the stress of continually watching out for cameras and police as well as the risk of getting caught never mind dealing with slower traffic?
To put it into actual numbers - Dijon to the tunnel is 573km according to google. Your 5 hours equates to 114kmh AVERAGE (71mph) which is good going. If you were to AVERAGE 20kmh more than that, the journey would take 4hr 15mins, so 45 minutes less.
Even if one's car only does 30mpg at the higher speed, that will use 53 litres of fuel, which I think is a pretty typical top-up for an average fuel tank (60-65L). My V8 Cayenne has atrocious fuel economy and if I thrashed it so badly that it did 20mpg on a long motorway trip, it still wouldn't need a fuel stop between Dijon and Calais.
So, the need for an extra fuel stop due to the higher speed you mention is not guaranteed at all. Your car might need it, but most will not. In which case it is 45 minutes saved for that journey. Or 90 minutes saved for a journey twice as long. Those kinds of time savings can really help for giving you 'free' stop time for kids/pets/drivers to have short breaks while still keeping an average speed above 70mph for the entire journey. These time savings really matter if you have impatient passengers!
The only safe limit is the one on the road sign . You can drive as fast as you want , just keep in mind if you get caught at grand vitesse or whatever the gendarmes call it you'll get your license confiscated , so make sure you have another driver with a license to continue your journey or your car will also be confiscated as your not allowed to drive without being able to produce it , and you'll be finding your own way home or to your destination .
I too used to drive way over the limits back in the day from the Dordogne to Calais , then when the law clamped down I used to drive at the limits , it was a half hour difference on the journey taking in an extra fuel stop , and a lot more tiring with your eyes out on stalks looking for speed traps . I still visit - drive through france every year but just stick to the limits using cruise control these days , it's far easier.
I too used to drive way over the limits back in the day from the Dordogne to Calais , then when the law clamped down I used to drive at the limits , it was a half hour difference on the journey taking in an extra fuel stop , and a lot more tiring with your eyes out on stalks looking for speed traps . I still visit - drive through france every year but just stick to the limits using cruise control these days , it's far easier.
Exige77 said:
Pan Pan Pan said:
braddo said:
Pan Pan Pan said:
Exige77 said:
Pan Pan Pan said:
Even the speed limits in this country would not be too bad, if people just stuck to them, but unfortunately for several reasons they don't.
Try doing 70 mph in the centre lane on most motorways, and you will find that you have to keep changing lanes to pass people who are doing 60 -65 on the centre lane. If they just stuck to the motorway NSL good progress can be made legally.
In France it is a different situation, Just like a ship does not need to be going fast to cover great distances, on French motorways they are so lightly trafficked, a driver can easily sit at the dry motorway speed limit for long spells at a time, only pulling out to overtake the HGV traffic in the nearside lane. The main problem with UK roads is that they are grossly over crowded and congested for most of the time, which makes sticking to the speed limit difficult if not impossible for most of the time.
Are you one of these people that sit in the middle lane ?Try doing 70 mph in the centre lane on most motorways, and you will find that you have to keep changing lanes to pass people who are doing 60 -65 on the centre lane. If they just stuck to the motorway NSL good progress can be made legally.
In France it is a different situation, Just like a ship does not need to be going fast to cover great distances, on French motorways they are so lightly trafficked, a driver can easily sit at the dry motorway speed limit for long spells at a time, only pulling out to overtake the HGV traffic in the nearside lane. The main problem with UK roads is that they are grossly over crowded and congested for most of the time, which makes sticking to the speed limit difficult if not impossible for most of the time.
One of the reasons our motorways are so congested I dare say.
I always travel at the posted limit where road conditions allow. If I am in the middle lane travelling at the posted limit, there is still the outer lane for anyone who believes the law does not apply to them. Does your car have a throttle pedal which allows you to control what speed it is doing, or does it just have an on- off switch in place o a throttle, which means you are either stopped, or going flat out, with nothing in between?
I agree Exige77 could have just answered yes. But it seems you too are one of those who believes the law does not apply to you.?
Coz limit innit old boy
ruhall said:
boz1 said:
No, they don't. They get your address from the DVLA and send you a letter and obvs have your reg. So if you plan to take the same car to France again, you probably need to pay up. Otherwise, you're fine.
I find most of the rest of the discussion on this thread really rather odd . My two cents:
1. Getting caught is idiotic. All you need to do is (a) switch on Waze; and (b) switch on your eyes!
Every fixed camera is signed...
2.
3. Working out where it's safe (from a fines perspective) to drive above the limit is trivial... follow the locals!
1) Presumably Waze is only as reliable as the information input by others.I find most of the rest of the discussion on this thread really rather odd . My two cents:
1. Getting caught is idiotic. All you need to do is (a) switch on Waze; and (b) switch on your eyes!
Every fixed camera is signed...2.
3. Working out where it's safe (from a fines perspective) to drive above the limit is trivial... follow the locals!
Not every fixed camera is signed, not by any stretch of the imagination.
2) Following the locals would be a foolproof tactic providing you know that that 'local' (by local, do you mean a genuine 'local', or just 'French') actually knows where all the cameras and speed checks are.
Other than that, sound advice.
Anyway, I think the subject has been well-aired now.
Johnniem said:
ruhall said:
boz1 said:
No, they don't. They get your address from the DVLA and send you a letter and obvs have your reg. So if you plan to take the same car to France again, you probably need to pay up. Otherwise, you're fine.
I find most of the rest of the discussion on this thread really rather odd . My two cents:
1. Getting caught is idiotic. All you need to do is (a) switch on Waze; and (b) switch on your eyes! Every fixed camera is signed...
2.
3. Working out where it's safe (from a fines perspective) to drive above the limit is trivial... follow the locals!
1) Presumably Waze is only as reliable as the information input by others.I find most of the rest of the discussion on this thread really rather odd . My two cents:
1. Getting caught is idiotic. All you need to do is (a) switch on Waze; and (b) switch on your eyes!
Every fixed camera is signed...2.
3. Working out where it's safe (from a fines perspective) to drive above the limit is trivial... follow the locals!
Not every fixed camera is signed, not by any stretch of the imagination.
2) Following the locals would be a foolproof tactic providing you know that that 'local' (by local, do you mean a genuine 'local', or just 'French') actually knows where all the cameras and speed checks are.
Other than that, sound advice.
Anyway, I think the subject has been well-aired now.
bolidemichael said:
Yes, but using waze raises awareness of potential danger spots, which are policed through the presence of speed cameras. No one likes an accident to sour an otherwise safe and swift journey on excellent roads with fantastic visibility, whilst travelling in modern vehicles capable of traversing autobahns in safety.
Right on. You tell that the the nice gendarme and let us know how you get on.deckster said:
bolidemichael said:
Yes, but using waze raises awareness of potential danger spots, which are policed through the presence of speed cameras. No one likes an accident to sour an otherwise safe and swift journey on excellent roads with fantastic visibility, whilst travelling in modern vehicles capable of traversing autobahns in safety.
Right on. You tell that the the nice gendarme and let us know how you get on.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff