Experiences of the brave Gendarmerie
Discussion
Hi
I thought I'd start a thread to see what others have found from the French police. We were stopped last year for no particular reason, we weren't speeding and fined 90 Euro. The police were threatening and didn't want to give us receipts. All this 1/2 a mile from the ferry terminal. Took the edge off the trip down. I know people do speed and plenty get nicked for it but how many others have experienced the French Police picking out Le Mans visitors as a fund raising exercise?
I thought I'd start a thread to see what others have found from the French police. We were stopped last year for no particular reason, we weren't speeding and fined 90 Euro. The police were threatening and didn't want to give us receipts. All this 1/2 a mile from the ferry terminal. Took the edge off the trip down. I know people do speed and plenty get nicked for it but how many others have experienced the French Police picking out Le Mans visitors as a fund raising exercise?
I was passing close to LeMans last year, mid september. We decided to stop off for a visit to the museum as Mrs GG has never been to LeMans for the race.
Stopped at he unmanned ticket barrier, the accelearated away down the short linky bit to the roundabout at the N road, gunned it a bit for noise effect but not excessive. Got to the roundabout (about 400yds away) when three of them jumped out of the wooded crop on the middle of the roundabout and surrounded me, it fealt like I was in a movie.
They confiscated my licence and V5 until I returened with 90 Eur to pay the fine.......
Stopped at he unmanned ticket barrier, the accelearated away down the short linky bit to the roundabout at the N road, gunned it a bit for noise effect but not excessive. Got to the roundabout (about 400yds away) when three of them jumped out of the wooded crop on the middle of the roundabout and surrounded me, it fealt like I was in a movie.
They confiscated my licence and V5 until I returened with 90 Eur to pay the fine.......
When we were stopped, the police checked papers, all fine, when asked what we had done wrong the reply was "drove on a white line", they stopped two out of three of us, when asked what the other car had done, reply was "the same".....very unhappy to give us receipts...clearly trying to pocket Euro 90. I was really mad about it, the trouble is what can you do? Complain and spend 4 hours at a police station while they take the car apart?
I've always found them to be polite & businesslike. Some are real car nuts & enjoy a chat about the cars or bikes etc.
While most are a little straight faced, the odd few have a good sense of humour if you can smile & remain polite.
What i find suprising is that brits are shocked at being stopped & fined for speeding etc. Would you also be suprised at being stopped in the UK.
I also don't believe for a second that they "pocket" the fines.
While most are a little straight faced, the odd few have a good sense of humour if you can smile & remain polite.
What i find suprising is that brits are shocked at being stopped & fined for speeding etc. Would you also be suprised at being stopped in the UK.
I also don't believe for a second that they "pocket" the fines.
darreni said:
I also don't believe for a second that they "pocket" the fines.
Maybe I'm overly cynical, but if there is a push for greater enforcement of on the spot fines then the opportunity for *some* police to take advantage of this is greatly increased, on the basis that the odd fine here and there won't be missed given the larger overall value of fines they collect.Even if they only pocket one €90 every other day then it would still be a nice little supplement to their proper earnings.
I have to say I've never had a single problem with the French police (I can tell I'm going to regret saying that).
The past couple of years I've had my car fully stickered up and never been stopped. I've driven past dozens of speed traps - some very sneakily camoflaged - but always at a few kph below the limit.
This year I have a secret weapon. A French car for stealth effect!
The past couple of years I've had my car fully stickered up and never been stopped. I've driven past dozens of speed traps - some very sneakily camoflaged - but always at a few kph below the limit.
This year I have a secret weapon. A French car for stealth effect!
Some year ago we got pulled over having gone through the Payage
Hadn't done anything wrong, OK speeding earlier on but payed my dues there and then
They asked all the usual questions, as my lady friend wasn't driving she stayed in the car
One of them asked her to get out, she wasn't quick enough so he just grabbed her and hauled her out
Then opened the boot asking what was in there, so said clean and dirty clothing, we had been on two weeks holliday
They opened all the cases, items stewn all over the place, all though her Personal bags, even asking what the Tampax were
They agreed we were all Cleer to leave, still had to repack all the cases etc and hope we still reached the ferry on time
What can one do though when they are brandishing their side arms
Just wonder, are they allowed to shoot to kill or just a threat, not shure I want to be the first to find out
Hadn't done anything wrong, OK speeding earlier on but payed my dues there and then
They asked all the usual questions, as my lady friend wasn't driving she stayed in the car
One of them asked her to get out, she wasn't quick enough so he just grabbed her and hauled her out
Then opened the boot asking what was in there, so said clean and dirty clothing, we had been on two weeks holliday
They opened all the cases, items stewn all over the place, all though her Personal bags, even asking what the Tampax were
They agreed we were all Cleer to leave, still had to repack all the cases etc and hope we still reached the ferry on time
What can one do though when they are brandishing their side arms
Just wonder, are they allowed to shoot to kill or just a threat, not shure I want to be the first to find out
I got stopped a couple of years back leaving Arnarge after a spot of lunch, was driving in traffic so no offences commited they must have spotted the Registration.
Quite rudely told to get out the car while they searched through it. Then was breathalised with nothing more than a blowup bag and filter on the end. Passed with no issues but we was not spoken to politely at all.
Once the test was finished they just turned there back and that was it, not even told we could leave etc.
Quite rudely told to get out the car while they searched through it. Then was breathalised with nothing more than a blowup bag and filter on the end. Passed with no issues but we was not spoken to politely at all.
Once the test was finished they just turned there back and that was it, not even told we could leave etc.
I'm sure one of my colleagues will be along to tell me that I dreamt this - but I got stopped on my first visit in 2004.
I was trailing the pack and fearing I would get lost made some rather speedy overtaking manouvres, one of these manouvres was just as I was coming off a roundabout and although all completely safe the blue lights and sirens started a few cars behind me.
Pulled over and 2 rather attractive female gendarmerie got out of the van, one blonde and one brunette.
They couldn't speak english, I couldn't speak french but they made some hand gestures indicating my overtaking was not appropiate, I said sorry, they smiled and sent me on my way.
sorry - no pics!
I was trailing the pack and fearing I would get lost made some rather speedy overtaking manouvres, one of these manouvres was just as I was coming off a roundabout and although all completely safe the blue lights and sirens started a few cars behind me.
Pulled over and 2 rather attractive female gendarmerie got out of the van, one blonde and one brunette.
They couldn't speak english, I couldn't speak french but they made some hand gestures indicating my overtaking was not appropiate, I said sorry, they smiled and sent me on my way.
sorry - no pics!
LivingTheDream said:
I'm sure one of my colleagues will be along to tell me that I dreamt this - but I got stopped on my first visit in 2004.
I was trailing the pack and fearing I would get lost made some rather speedy overtaking manouvres, one of these manouvres was just as I was coming off a roundabout and although all completely safe the blue lights and sirens started a few cars behind me.
Pulled over and 2 rather attractive female gendarmerie got out of the van, one blonde and one brunette.
They couldn't speak english, I couldn't speak french but they made some hand gestures indicating my overtaking was not appropiate, I said sorry, they smiled and sent me on my way.
sorry - no pics!
That does sound awfully like the preamble to a European porn movie. I was trailing the pack and fearing I would get lost made some rather speedy overtaking manouvres, one of these manouvres was just as I was coming off a roundabout and although all completely safe the blue lights and sirens started a few cars behind me.
Pulled over and 2 rather attractive female gendarmerie got out of the van, one blonde and one brunette.
They couldn't speak english, I couldn't speak french but they made some hand gestures indicating my overtaking was not appropiate, I said sorry, they smiled and sent me on my way.
sorry - no pics!
I drove down on my own last year (in a bright yellow e36 M3, stickered up!) I was stupidly cruising at 110-120+mph and about an hour outside Le Mans caught a glimpse of a sneaky fed with a speed gun next to a bridge talking on the radio - I knew I had been captured. A policeman on a bike pulled me over and two guys came over to the car and asked for my docs. They said they caught me doing 180kph and fined me 90 euros. Both where very pleasant and not rude at all. Lesson learnt - Ive heard of people getting the 750 euro fine and car nicked off them for similar speeds.
Seany88 said:
Question: Am I likely to get fined without a mounted front numberplate? (its in the window)
Depends on the direction of the wind, if your face fits and if the plod in question got it the night before. I have seen on here tell of VX220 owners having to rivett through front clamshells or have their car impounded for such things.
We've been going down in the Chim for years now without a sniff* but then we arrive very early and leave late sunday or early Monday and don't 'race' about the palce.
- Once had our documents checked on the Friday as we were parked up working out if we should take the long route back to camp via the morons on the road outside Karting or the short trip via the morons on the mulsanne but he was a very happy chappie with lots of Bon amie.
The point I was originally making was it does seem to me that UK cars are targeted unfairly. In our case we were stopped because we stood out. I'm not talking about speeding, personally I don't speed on the way to Le Mans, pretty much asking for it I would have thought. I'm talking about being seen as an easy target.
Darreni I wouldn't be surprised or shocked for being stopped for speeding, or driving badly, inconsiderately or dangerously anywhere. I am shocked at the way UK cars are being targeted by the French Police. It feels deliberate to me, in many years of driving I've never been stopped in the UK.
The policemen we met were reasonably aggressive (no gun waving though) and about to drive off without giving out tickets or receipts, so yes I do think they wanted to pocket the cash. Hasn't the prospect of on the spot fines in the UK been raised recently? I seem to remember concerns over the potential abuse of this by the UK police being one of the reasons not to go with on the spot fines here. So yes I do believe some policemen abuse their positions.
These were the local Calais police, in a white van, it wasn't some high speed chase situation! They were waiting by the ferry terminal and we were an easy target. In most cases I'm sure on the spot fines are a chance to raise some additional revenue for the government rather than for the individual policemen involved. In my case I'm sure the policeman was abusing his position. Either way it puts me off France as per Vanya and NormanD. Not nice feeling you are being targeted.
Darreni I wouldn't be surprised or shocked for being stopped for speeding, or driving badly, inconsiderately or dangerously anywhere. I am shocked at the way UK cars are being targeted by the French Police. It feels deliberate to me, in many years of driving I've never been stopped in the UK.
The policemen we met were reasonably aggressive (no gun waving though) and about to drive off without giving out tickets or receipts, so yes I do think they wanted to pocket the cash. Hasn't the prospect of on the spot fines in the UK been raised recently? I seem to remember concerns over the potential abuse of this by the UK police being one of the reasons not to go with on the spot fines here. So yes I do believe some policemen abuse their positions.
These were the local Calais police, in a white van, it wasn't some high speed chase situation! They were waiting by the ferry terminal and we were an easy target. In most cases I'm sure on the spot fines are a chance to raise some additional revenue for the government rather than for the individual policemen involved. In my case I'm sure the policeman was abusing his position. Either way it puts me off France as per Vanya and NormanD. Not nice feeling you are being targeted.
Rs2oo said:
Been stopped a couple of times for a b
king when they could easily have booked/fined us. Have spoken to frog-plod a couple of times and they were very pleasant. SRS (think thats right) not so friendly though cos they are hard innit......
CRS - actually whilst they are usually knobs (from experience and talking to French friends) when we had our camper broken into in Arnarge on the Tuesday pre race a few years ago they were very helpful and gave us a blue light escort to the cop shop.king when they could easily have booked/fined us. Have spoken to frog-plod a couple of times and they were very pleasant. SRS (think thats right) not so friendly though cos they are hard innit......Anyone know if the Gendarmes are on the prowl more than any other day, what’s the worst day? I heard the speed freaks go down on the Friday so the French plod target that day more than others or is that nonsense? We're going down Thursday morning. Don't plan on going mental but just want to be aware if I should be driving no more than 80mph on the way down...
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