Radar detectors in France - worth the risk?

Radar detectors in France - worth the risk?

Author
Discussion

craig

Original Poster:

1,181 posts

283 months

Monday 3rd June 2002
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Anyone taking their radar detectors to Le Mans with them this year? Is it worth the risk?

Leithen

10,799 posts

266 months

Monday 3rd June 2002
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If you must..... make sure it's well concealed and you have a large wad of Euros to hand.... alternatively keep your eyes peeled and abstain from blind corner kamikazee overtaking antics in view of le plod (or is that "la" - bloody french grammar)

grevlinggott

175 posts

261 months

Monday 10th June 2002
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As I understand its €5000 fine for this, plus confiscation. I have no idea if the stealth circuitry works - but i'll leave mine I think. the fine for speeding will be less...

FWIW i got fined 2 years ago for crossing the end of a solid white line overtaking (at 95mph in a 50) - they were not fussed about the speed (radar not activated), they were just looking for illegal overtaking. 3 other brits got pulled in behind me for the same... FF600 for that one.

I gather fines have risen since then, so i'll have a glovebox full of cash at the ready.

VENOM500

2,984 posts

282 months

Monday 10th June 2002
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I THINK IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO JUST PUT THE HAMMER DOWN AND OUT RUN THEM?UNLESS THERE COPE CARS CAN EXCEED 198 MPH. ANYONE KNOW HOW FAST THERE HELICOPTERS ARE.....ONLY JOKEING...I,LL BE ON THE LIMIT THE WHOLE WAY....NOT!!!!!!!!

johnny boy

340 posts

270 months

Tuesday 11th June 2002
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I was going to take my AP22 performance meter but presumably if stopped the frenchies may think this is a radar detector as well?

raceboy

13,081 posts

279 months

Tuesday 11th June 2002
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Johnny,

Are they any good? Been umming and arrring about one for a while

johnny boy

340 posts

270 months

Tuesday 11th June 2002
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Short answer is yes.

I must confess, I've hardly used mine and when I have, I've only used it for testing 0-60 times!

It seems fairly accurate though when compared with magazine figures.

But it'll measure braking distances, cornering g force etc and all sorts of other stuff and you can download all the stuff to your PC if you want.

I was going to take it to Le Mans for the toll booth challenge - measuring time from 0-170!!



raceboy

13,081 posts

279 months

Tuesday 11th June 2002
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All sounds very childish, right up my street
Might make the drive to work entertaining, see if you can beat yesterdays G rating

dougal

597 posts

283 months

Tuesday 11th June 2002
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Fines are pretty steep for Le-Mans weekend, I found out the hard way. Got caught coming into 50k limit doing 147k, not a village, just a junction that was about 1/2 a mile from the trap, that I was slowing down for, could see for miles away, no houses or other cars, dead straight road. Buggers had put the trap in a field at the end of a 5 mile straight. Anyway got fined £700!!! £500 on the spot £200 later by post after court hearing I wasn't aware of. Near Alencon. Radar detectors are a no-no too.

raceboy

13,081 posts

279 months

Tuesday 11th June 2002
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At least thats one thing I will be avoiding this year, as I don't think the motorhome is capable of exceding the speed limit wave as you go sailing past, white Fiat Ducato with Pistonheads on the back

RipItUp

5 posts

264 months

Monday 17th June 2002
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On the subject of speeding in the nation of World Cup departees.....

Picked up last night near Bernay returning from the race; 152kmh in a 90kmh (say 95 in a 56 in our money). Licence retained by those lovely Gendarmes (immediate ban on driving in France pending court hearing) and an on-the-spot fine of €750. Ouch.

Car 'impounded' unless I could find another driver; managed to discover two very generous and understanding gents (Michael from Sheffield and Andy from Ampthill - thanks very, very much for helping me get the car to Calais!!).

All very dodgy - car that I was following when overtaking pulled in to traffic - no conrete proof it was me they caught.

Anyone know if there is anything that can be done other than sit in some stuffy little provincial court listening to Monsieur slap my wrists? Can it be transferred to the UK in any way?

All comments (and no doubt abuse!) gratefully received.

Interestingly, a chap I was talking to on the Shuttle later - fined €135 for 141kmh in a 90kmh. Hmmm.....

apguy

50 posts

283 months

Monday 17th June 2002
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Sit in a courtroom in France? Nah.

There's no Euro way of applying points on a foreign licence. If it was me, I'd apply to the DVLA for a replacement licence and ignore the letters from France.

There is no way they will persue a prosecution over the channel. Same works in the USA - I have 2 speeding tickets in my drawer at home.
Obviously if you get pulled again in France then you'll be a bit of doggy do-do but I'd say its worth it for avoiding the hassle of a return trip to Le Sarthe and the inevitable increased fine that you'll get. Your mileage may vary of course.

mattjbatch

1,502 posts

270 months

Monday 17th June 2002
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Heard about a guy who was done in France. His fine escalated and now he avoids France altogether in case he gets stopped again. Not sure how true that is. Read it in M Pv

craigalsop

1,991 posts

267 months

Monday 17th June 2002
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quote:

There's no Euro way of applying points on a foreign licence. If it was me, I'd apply to the DVLA for a replacement licence and ignore the letters from France.


I'm sure saw on the news (last year I think) that the UK & French governments had done a back-to-back deal whereby you could get UK points from a French offence & vice versa.
This is not a Euro thing, but an individual agreement between countries....It's quite possible that it isn't ratified yet though.
I would say that you lost your licence if I were you.
cheers,
Craig