avoiding the French police this year.
Discussion
We are going from Boulogne.
so we will trek across country
and meet up with the N138 at some point.
I reckon by not going on the toll roads
there may be a better chance of avoiding
the police.
Having just read the Calais thread pulling
brits at will, the French coppers have stepped
up a gear this year and will make a special effort in early June.
so we will trek across country
and meet up with the N138 at some point.
I reckon by not going on the toll roads
there may be a better chance of avoiding
the police.
Having just read the Calais thread pulling
brits at will, the French coppers have stepped
up a gear this year and will make a special effort in early June.
Dream on! Police are coming in from all over France just to have fun catching you lot. Radar traps will be on the motorways, Route Nationales, D roads and C roads all over the place anywhere north of Le Mans on virtually every conceivable route in an arc from St Malo to Paris. If you spend a lot of time with a large scale map using only the tiny roads you'll miss them and frankly have a lot of fun without going exceptionally fast, but on anything approaching a fast road they'll be there in force.
(for some of it anyway). 
.
We do the Calais - Le Mans trip up to 25 times a year. Perhaps this is qualification to comment?
Gendarmes are no different to UK police. They generally do their job because they are into cars/bikes and like to think they are keeping the roads safe. If you drive like a t
t then expect to be pinged for cash. Be ever-so polite and nice and they just might let you off if you are within around a 20kph-30kph of the limit (we've been let off 4 times). Above that, you are getting a ticket and your attitude may determine the fine/punishment (3 times in this category and always a 90 Euro fine).
Frequency of French mobile speedtraps ON MOTORWAYS has increased 10-fold in the last few years, and NOT especially for the LM24 week IMHO. Every time we drive down during daylight it's a 95% certainty that we'll see at least 1 mobile speedtrap, usually 2 or 3. However, at last years LM24 we saw NO Gendarmes on the drive down (Weds) or back (Mon), which was probably due to them all being so busy taking cash in laybys! Remember you MUST pay in cash on the spot, so make sure you have between 90 and 500 Euros on you depending on how fast you want to drive. French fixed speed camera fines do NOT find their way to your UK address.
Want to use the N138? Speeding in towns/villages is a BIG no-no and the local village/town police all have their own LTI 20/20 lasers. These are the ones who come out more than usual for LM24. Just stick to any posted limits.
Time of day makes the most difference to Gendarmes. I've NEVER seen a Gendarme at dusk or in the dark (perhaps we really couldn't see them
). If you've got an evening drive, then you should be pretty much OK.
Particularly favourte places for Laser-Equipped Gendarmes are:
- The short 110kph tunnel just after joining the Peage at Boulogne.
- The Long downhill/uphill straights on the A28 around Neufchatel.
- Anywhere in Rouen
- Both Viaducts on the new A28
- The fast downhill section at the Gace turn-off on the new A28 (Kilometer marker 202)
Gendarmes are no different to UK police. They generally do their job because they are into cars/bikes and like to think they are keeping the roads safe. If you drive like a t
t then expect to be pinged for cash. Be ever-so polite and nice and they just might let you off if you are within around a 20kph-30kph of the limit (we've been let off 4 times). Above that, you are getting a ticket and your attitude may determine the fine/punishment (3 times in this category and always a 90 Euro fine). Frequency of French mobile speedtraps ON MOTORWAYS has increased 10-fold in the last few years, and NOT especially for the LM24 week IMHO. Every time we drive down during daylight it's a 95% certainty that we'll see at least 1 mobile speedtrap, usually 2 or 3. However, at last years LM24 we saw NO Gendarmes on the drive down (Weds) or back (Mon), which was probably due to them all being so busy taking cash in laybys! Remember you MUST pay in cash on the spot, so make sure you have between 90 and 500 Euros on you depending on how fast you want to drive. French fixed speed camera fines do NOT find their way to your UK address.
Want to use the N138? Speeding in towns/villages is a BIG no-no and the local village/town police all have their own LTI 20/20 lasers. These are the ones who come out more than usual for LM24. Just stick to any posted limits.
Time of day makes the most difference to Gendarmes. I've NEVER seen a Gendarme at dusk or in the dark (perhaps we really couldn't see them
). If you've got an evening drive, then you should be pretty much OK. Particularly favourte places for Laser-Equipped Gendarmes are:
- The short 110kph tunnel just after joining the Peage at Boulogne.
- The Long downhill/uphill straights on the A28 around Neufchatel.
- Anywhere in Rouen
- Both Viaducts on the new A28
- The fast downhill section at the Gace turn-off on the new A28 (Kilometer marker 202)
lowdrag said:
Dream on! Police are coming in from all over France just to have fun catching you lot. Radar traps will be on the motorways, Route Nationales, D roads and C roads all over the place anywhere north of Le Mans on virtually every conceivable route in an arc from St Malo to Paris. If you spend a lot of time with a large scale map using only the tiny roads you'll miss them and frankly have a lot of fun without going exceptionally fast, but on anything approaching a fast road they'll be there in force.
Oh, just as well I'll be riding up from Spain!
Buck
mattygooner said:
I believe the toll roads are timed point to point so if your gonna give it some rememer to take some of the road slowly.
This is an urban myth. You may see people being 'pulled' by the Gendarme at the toll booths, but it is as a result of an earlier speed trap, not your speed between tolls.
The French are very good at flashing their lights to warn of speed traps, so keep a careful eye on the oncoming traffic. Also slow down for bridges on the autoroute...if they're not on them then they'll probably be hiding behind them.
I think it helps to have an anonymous motor....we were the support vehicle last year and went down in my company beige diesel Octavia....even though we were running it flat out for a lot of the time .. we got away with it...upset a few exotics tho'....but them blasting past really made the journey down (Thursday day time).
goodlife said:
We do the Calais - Le Mans trip up to 25 times a year. Perhaps this is qualification to comment?
Gendarmes are no different to UK police. They generally do their job because they are into cars/bikes and like to think they are keeping the roads safe. If you drive like a tt then expect to be pinged for cash. Be ever-so polite and nice and they just might let you off if you are within around a 20kph-30kph of the limit (we've been let off 4 times). Above that, you are getting a ticket and your attitude may determine the fine/punishment (3 times in this category and always a 90 Euro fine).
Frequency of French mobile speedtraps ON MOTORWAYS has increased 10-fold in the last few years, and NOT especially for the LM24 week IMHO. Every time we drive down during daylight it's a 95% certainty that we'll see at least 1 mobile speedtrap, usually 2 or 3. However, at last years LM24 we saw NO Gendarmes on the drive down (Weds) or back (Mon), which was probably due to them all being so busy taking cash in laybys! Remember you MUST pay in cash on the spot, so make sure you have between 90 and 500 Euros on you depending on how fast you want to drive. French fixed speed camera fines do NOT find their way to your UK address.
Want to use the N138? Speeding in towns/villages is a BIG no-no and the local village/town police all have their own LTI 20/20 lasers. These are the ones who come out more than usual for LM24. Just stick to any posted limits.
Time of day makes the most difference to Gendarmes. I've NEVER seen a Gendarme at dusk or in the dark (perhaps we really couldn't see them). If you've got an evening drive, then you should be pretty much OK.
Particularly favourte places for Laser-Equipped Gendarmes are:
- The short 110kph tunnel just after joining the Peage at Boulogne.
- The Long downhill/uphill straights on the A28 around Neufchatel.
- Anywhere in Rouen
- Both Viaducts on the new A28
- The fast downhill section at the Gace turn-off on the new A28 (Kilometer marker 202)
Gendarmes are no different to UK police. They generally do their job because they are into cars/bikes and like to think they are keeping the roads safe. If you drive like a t
t then expect to be pinged for cash. Be ever-so polite and nice and they just might let you off if you are within around a 20kph-30kph of the limit (we've been let off 4 times). Above that, you are getting a ticket and your attitude may determine the fine/punishment (3 times in this category and always a 90 Euro fine). Frequency of French mobile speedtraps ON MOTORWAYS has increased 10-fold in the last few years, and NOT especially for the LM24 week IMHO. Every time we drive down during daylight it's a 95% certainty that we'll see at least 1 mobile speedtrap, usually 2 or 3. However, at last years LM24 we saw NO Gendarmes on the drive down (Weds) or back (Mon), which was probably due to them all being so busy taking cash in laybys! Remember you MUST pay in cash on the spot, so make sure you have between 90 and 500 Euros on you depending on how fast you want to drive. French fixed speed camera fines do NOT find their way to your UK address.
Want to use the N138? Speeding in towns/villages is a BIG no-no and the local village/town police all have their own LTI 20/20 lasers. These are the ones who come out more than usual for LM24. Just stick to any posted limits.
Time of day makes the most difference to Gendarmes. I've NEVER seen a Gendarme at dusk or in the dark (perhaps we really couldn't see them
). If you've got an evening drive, then you should be pretty much OK. Particularly favourte places for Laser-Equipped Gendarmes are:
- The short 110kph tunnel just after joining the Peage at Boulogne.
- The Long downhill/uphill straights on the A28 around Neufchatel.
- Anywhere in Rouen
- Both Viaducts on the new A28
- The fast downhill section at the Gace turn-off on the new A28 (Kilometer marker 202)
....thanks for that. All very useful stuff from someone who is qualified to comment and quashing some of the urban myths.
two of us got booked on n138 village called sees.
alledgedly doing 77kph. 90 euro fine.
we were going no more than 35 mph, same speed as the locals, two of whom were in front of us.
when we got to caen, found 7 or 8 brits all done in same village, all doin 77 kph.
been goin to le mans for 12 years , first speeding fine.
just be aware that they are there to make money.
alledgedly doing 77kph. 90 euro fine.
we were going no more than 35 mph, same speed as the locals, two of whom were in front of us.
when we got to caen, found 7 or 8 brits all done in same village, all doin 77 kph.
been goin to le mans for 12 years , first speeding fine.
just be aware that they are there to make money.
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