Crit’Air

Author
Discussion

RL17

1,231 posts

94 months

Friday 26th May 2023
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//j17 said:
I'm sure we'll still get the annual post-Le Mans thread of "I was caught by the French police and it wasn't fair." followed by one excuse or other about "they were hiding", "they only stopped me because I'm British", "they just did it to make money and probably kept the cash for themselves", etc - all trying to ignore the elephant in the room that:
a) The poster was speeding.
b) Speeding is against the law.
c) The police are there to enforce the law.
Don’t recall seeing any of those threads in recent years.

Things have definitely changed in last 10 years or so especially compared to coming back to Calais after 2014 Classic.

Got stuck in a 7 vehicle convoy of French police vans and minibuses for 45 mins or so early Thursday am after Abbeville in 2017- presumably going to the last 10km or so of the peage bit. Does this still happen Thursday or Friday and for Sunday return at Calais?

Didn’t see any police on last 2 trips to Le Mans going on a Wednesday or to the Classic last year. Haven’t seen any real high speed small convoys either in last 2 visits - all bar 1 journey via Calais.

I’m fact some of the faster cars are French - either small cars getting held up by longer convoys of mainly Brits going to the Classic or bigger French saloons or SUVs on the more open parts of motorways.

Stevorocket

408 posts

220 months

Wednesday 7th June 2023
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I’ve just spent 2 hours trying to get a sticker off the French sticker site, every time I get to the continue at the bottom of the first page it goes nowhere, I’ve reduced the size of the image of the reg doc info to what I consider is the relevant info of the second page of the v5 and it goes nowhere! It says 2 meg max and I’m down to a quarter of that!

So I’ve photo graphed every stage and that will be my excuse when and if they stop me!

What a waste of time!

MB140

4,071 posts

104 months

Thursday 8th June 2023
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Stevorocket said:
I’ve just spent 2 hours trying to get a sticker off the French sticker site, every time I get to the continue at the bottom of the first page it goes nowhere, I’ve reduced the size of the image of the reg doc info to what I consider is the relevant info of the second page of the v5 and it goes nowhere! It says 2 meg max and I’m down to a quarter of that!

So I’ve photo graphed every stage and that will be my excuse when and if they stop me!

What a waste of time!
Yeah I struggled to get it to work on my phone. In the end I had to fire up the archaic laptop. £7 including postage. I wonder how many journeys it was valid for so emailed their helpline about 3 weeks ago.

Apparently it’s for the life of the vehicle so for what it cost including postage I can’t complain.

Currently sat in the Le shuttle waiting to depart in 10 mins.

Lovely to se the effort of all the stick weed up cars.

Also a lovely Bright orange ultima in a Coke livery and the first in person Corvette C8. The wife has decided that’s what’s she’s trading the mustang in for.

NDA

21,588 posts

226 months

Thursday 8th June 2023
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MB140 said:
Currently sat in the Le shuttle waiting to depart in 10 mins.
I am off this time next week - was it quiet on the shuttle? Any issues?

Thanks....

MB140

4,071 posts

104 months

Thursday 8th June 2023
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NDA said:
MB140 said:
Currently sat in the Le shuttle waiting to depart in 10 mins.
I am off this time next week - was it quiet on the shuttle? Any issues?

Thanks....
Nope piece of piss. We were booked in the 0900 service but turned up early due to a good drive down from Nottingham.

Did the check in, as there was space on the 0820 service booked on early to that instead free of charge. In the train by 0810 and away on time. Perfect. Just checking all the cars sticker Ed up for Le Man on the train whilst walking to the toilet and it appears we are in the minority. Probably only 1 in 10 has a citi air pass on the window screen.

Stevorocket

408 posts

220 months

Thursday 8th June 2023
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All they needed to do was a version of ANPR cameras and look them up in a database automatically and charge a fine if required, instead they devise a sticker system which is not fit for purpose and a painful way to collect fines.
So French and so stupid.

NDA

21,588 posts

226 months

Thursday 8th June 2023
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MB140 said:
Nope piece of piss. We were booked in the 0900 service but turned up early due to a good drive down from Nottingham.

Did the check in, as there was space on the 0820 service booked on early to that instead free of charge. In the train by 0810 and away on time. Perfect. Just checking all the cars sticker Ed up for Le Man on the train whilst walking to the toilet and it appears we are in the minority. Probably only 1 in 10 has a citi air pass on the window screen.
Great thanks.... you have eased a mild anxiety! smile

SixPotBelly

1,922 posts

221 months

Thursday 8th June 2023
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Stevorocket said:
All they needed to do was a version of ANPR cameras and look them up in a database automatically and charge a fine if required, instead they devise a sticker system which is not fit for purpose and a painful way to collect fines.
So French and so stupid.
It works the same way in Germany..

They don't spend millions putting up cameras everywhere to catch you. They just wander past parked cars looking at the windscreens. Or have a quick check if you get pulled over for something else.


Edited by SixPotBelly on Thursday 8th June 11:10

RallyChamp

105 posts

192 months

Thursday 8th June 2023
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So, just inadvertently been thru Rouen city centre in old 911 with no CritAir.. all clear and no problem. Even overtaken in town by police bikes thinking I was going to be pulled over. Nothing, not interested..

RL17

1,231 posts

94 months

Monday 12th June 2023
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No problems for 2 cars in group with no stickers both ways. Didn’t see any signs or police there, nor tanks and special forces at the peage!

RobbyJ

1,571 posts

223 months

Tuesday 13th June 2023
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When we went through Rouen yesterday lunchtime they were seemingly doing checks at a crossroads by the river. A Policeman stopped me, then pointed at my sticker and my mates and waved us on. They're was another one with binoculars checking cars approaching from the other direction, mainly French cars coming that way.

Truckosaurus

11,310 posts

285 months

Tuesday 13th June 2023
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We followed a French Passat billowing black smoke out the exhaust on Sunday evening all the way through Rouen.

Didn't see a single sign suggesting there was a Crit-air zone either.

I suspect the whole thing is a wheeze to sell 4 Euro stickers to Englishmen.

delta0

Original Poster:

2,355 posts

107 months

Tuesday 13th June 2023
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RobbyJ said:
When we went through Rouen yesterday lunchtime they were seemingly doing checks at a crossroads by the river. A Policeman stopped me, then pointed at my sticker and my mates and waved us on. They're was another one with binoculars checking cars approaching from the other direction, mainly French cars coming that way.
I think with next year if those proposed cameras go in then the checks will get more consistent and widespread.

105.4

4,097 posts

72 months

Tuesday 13th June 2023
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S600BSB said:
RSpiston said:
S600BSB said:
It's very easy to get the permits. I have a place in France and have them for each of my cars.
Not if your car is older than 1997 it's not !
Haha. Then you select your route carefully. Have permits for all 5 of my cars, but the oldest is 2006!
I was just wondering what sort of character would find amusement in the misfortune of others.

Upon noticing the username, it came as little surprise that such a person was you.

S600BSB

4,644 posts

107 months

Wednesday 14th June 2023
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105.4 said:
S600BSB said:
RSpiston said:
S600BSB said:
It's very easy to get the permits. I have a place in France and have them for each of my cars.
Not if your car is older than 1997 it's not !
Haha. Then you select your route carefully. Have permits for all 5 of my cars, but the oldest is 2006!
I was just wondering what sort of character would find amusement in the misfortune of others.

Upon noticing the username, it came as little surprise that such a person was you.
Don't be daft.

LawrieC

571 posts

105 months

Wednesday 14th June 2023
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Truckosaurus said:
We followed a French Passat billowing black smoke out the exhaust on Sunday evening all the way through Rouen.

Didn't see a single sign suggesting there was a Crit-air zone either.

I suspect the whole thing is a wheeze to sell 4 Euro stickers to Englishmen.
Most French cars billow black smoke, and the vans are worse.

I finally saw a Critair sign at Rouen! Hardly noticeable and the bottom section was covered in black gaffer tape, which could be the rules for trucks or vandalism.

LawrieC

571 posts

105 months

Wednesday 14th June 2023
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Found it on Google. Class 1,2 and 3 only

Truckosaurus

11,310 posts

285 months

Wednesday 14th June 2023
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LawrieC said:
Found it on Google. Class 1,2 and 3 only
Found the sign on the southern end of the zone alongside the railway sidings:

https://goo.gl/maps/3iyJ4eSpCntwnruK6

Blink and you'll miss it.


105.4

4,097 posts

72 months

Monday 26th June 2023
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Forgive me if I’m being thick.

I’m trying to complete the Crit’Air form and it’s asking me for a ‘serial number’. Is that referring to the VIN number or something else?



Cheers smile

Gander101

204 posts

114 months

Tuesday 27th June 2023
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IIRC that’s the VIN number smile

Edited by Gander101 on Tuesday 27th June 13:19