Swiss police and the passes?

[havoc]

Am I right in thinking the various passes are free of cameras but frequented by police bikes?

...and if so, how often are the coppers there and how easy are they to spot? Also, do they just patrol or do they set up static laser-traps like in France?



Basically after some advice as to when/where it MAY be suitable to open the taps up when driving through Switzerland next month - be a shame to drive through the Alps and drive it all like Miss Daisy!

Thanks,

Martin.

[G Man]

The Swiss police take town and village speed limits very seriously, if its a 50kph we always obeyed to the letter ...

Never saw a speed trap outside a town or village ...

You will find plenty of places in the Alps in Switzerland where there is no-one your play will disturb ....

Edited by G Man on Sunday 12th June 12:22

[Allyc85]

Ive only ever seen a couple police cars and they have been in towns, but of course thats not to say you wont see any and we all know how strict they are when they catch you.

[v15ben]

They are indeed very strict in towns/villages, but anywhere else we never had a problem. The one time we saw a police car was in a lay-by where a mountain pass went from 1 lane to a 2 lane crawler lane section uphill. My mate in the first car passed them at circa 100mph and we weren't going much slower. Police didn't bat an eyelid

[mikey k]

Just got back from two weeks round the alps
As other have said plenty of prescence in town and on M ways
Did happen across one traffic car at the top of Iseran

[havoc]

I saw your thread Mikey...have taken some inspiration for some of the routes (although I think we're going to cut into Switzerland further north)

[batphink]

In my experience, swiss police do not have a sense of humour so abide by the advice given to stick to speed limits in towns etc. Also, residents can often be awkward if they dont take kindly to you overtaking them - a chap from Zurich in his SL500 didnt like our trio blasting past him on the Sustenpass and called the police!

My advice for hitting the passes would be to go as early as possible - ideally embarking the upward climb while its still dark to experience first (or early) light at the top. Incredible experience and NO traffic

Good luck

[4pot]

batphink said:

In my experience, swiss police do not have a sense of humour so abide by the advice given to stick to speed limits in towns etc. Also, residents can often be awkward if they dont take kindly to you overtaking them - a chap from Zurich in his SL500 didnt like our trio blasting past him on the Sustenpass and called the police!

My advice for hitting the passes would be to go as early as possible - ideally embarking the upward climb while its still dark to experience first (or early) light at the top. Incredible experience and NO traffic

Good luck

I'll second that one. The Swiss WILL call the police if you start overtaking them in any form of "convoy". A group of us used to drive through Switzerland every year, on our way to the annual Lotus Stelvio event. The Swiss police knew the week we were coming and they were primed and ready.

A couple of guys got reported by a biker, Swiss plod came out in an unmarked car and they got the guys slowing from a 120KPH limit to a 100KPH one and they were over the limit by (if I recall correctly) no more 15KPH.

They were escorted to the nearest station and kept there for questioning for over 5 hours. 5 hours and £1250 lighter they eventually made it to the hotel, with a further court case scheduled for the following year. They lost and were fined approx £6k each!

They didn't attend court and cannot go back to Switzerland ever again!

Great roads, but be mindful of the locals attitude to fast cars overtaking.

Just be mind

[dcb]

4pot said:

Great roads, but be mindful of the locals attitude to fast cars overtaking.

+1

I stopped going to Switzerland many years ago.

I go to Austria instead. Not only is everything cheaper,
they use the Euro, so no bother about changing into / out of
CHF and they aren't obsessed about speed like the Swiss.

Local Austrian mountains aren't too bad, either ;->

[Janosh]

Hmm - 1 week till our Stelvio trip and suddenly mixed reports are flooding in

[4pot]

Janosh said:

Hmm - 1 week till our Stelvio trip and suddenly mixed reports are flooding in

So you're passing through Switzerland then

If you are, it's not all bad, just be mindful on overtakes:up

[kazino]

Careful when getting onto the motorways too, I was there a couple of months back and there were three speed traps when coming onto the motorway of all places, I was flashed by one but did not receive a ticket.
Also a lot of the tunnels have cameras and you will notice the majority of people will slow down for them.

[Janosh]

Thanks for the replies

I know all about the speed traps on motorways & tunnels, etc.. I was just starting to get the impression that we're not entirely free to drive fast on the passes now!?

I live in Chamonix and regularly ride my motorbike between France and Switzerland, and have never seen a copper on the twisty bits...

We will be sensible on the motorways and in towns, so I'm hoping we can 'enjoy' the passes!

[plenty]

I spent a week hooning on the Swiss passes last summer en route to Stelvio. No issues at all. I didn't even bother with the motorway vignette as it's easy enough to get across the country staying away from motorways.

[skodamanpat]

dcb said:

+1

I stopped going to Switzerland many years ago.

I go to Austria instead. Not only is everything cheaper,
they use the Euro, so no bother about changing into / out of
CHF and they aren't obsessed about speed like the Swiss.

Local Austrian mountains aren't too bad, either ;->

Cheaper, really? I always find petrol cheaper in Switzerland than anywhere else in western europe. (except of course Livigno and other tax free havens.)

[plenty]

skodamanpat said:

dcb said:

+1

I stopped going to Switzerland many years ago.

I go to Austria instead. Not only is everything cheaper,
they use the Euro, so no bother about changing into / out of
CHF and they aren't obsessed about speed like the Swiss.

Local Austrian mountains aren't too bad, either ;->

Cheaper, really? I always find petrol cheaper in Switzerland than anywhere else in western europe. (except of course Livigno and other tax free havens.)

Plus Swiss petrol stations (and retail outlets and hotels) are all geared up for credit-card payment. In seven days I didn't bother with cash once.

[dcb]

skodamanpat said:

Cheaper, really? I always find petrol cheaper in Switzerland than anywhere else in western europe. (except of course Livigno and other tax free havens.)

You need to get out more ;->

According to this website

http://www.drive-alive.co.uk/fuel_prices_europe.ht...

CH is nothing special for fuel prices. I count seven
countries cheaper, not all in Western Europe, though.

Let's not forget that one tends to buy other
things than only fuel when visiting somewhere, too.

According to this website, CH is the fourth
most expensive place in Europe for cost of living,
after Norway, Denmark and Finland.

http://geneva.angloinfo.com/countries/switzerland/...

So it would appear my opinion is supported by
some websites too.

[Fuchs]

Switzerland is indeed awful and the police will nick you for any speeding.

Everything is expensive and the mountains are better in austria.

Please dont come here.

[skodamanpat]

dcb said:

You need to get out more ;->

According to this website

http://www.drive-alive.co.uk/fuel_prices_europe.ht...

CH is nothing special for fuel prices. I count seven
countries cheaper, not all in Western Europe, though.

Let's not forget that one tends to buy other
things than only fuel when visiting somewhere, too.

According to this website, CH is the fourth
most expensive place in Europe for cost of living,
after Norway, Denmark and Finland.

http://geneva.angloinfo.com/countries/switzerland/...

So it would appear my opinion is supported by
some websites too.

ooo whoopie doo, Spain and Luxemberg, and only because the Euro as very nearly lost as much value to the Franc as the pound as over the last 12 months.
Cost of living, I don't think the OP was planning on buying property there! Eating out, attractions and hotel rooms can be no dearer for similar quality than the rest of Western Europe, with the above proviso. The police are fine, if you speed through a village or a 1000yds either side then you might risk a motorcycle copper, on the passes .............. certainly less of a presence than in the UK. Never found them to be anti-car you have watched too much Clarkson.

[mikey k]

Fuchs said:

Switzerland is indeed awful and the police will nick you for any speeding.

Everything is expensive and the mountains are better in austria.

Please dont come here.

+1 it's a st hole steer well clear!