Just another weekend at Le Mans
Discussion
Here we are, Sunday afternoon, and so far there have been, up to Saturday evening since Friday morning, just 1,159 speeding tickets issued, 15 driving licences taken off people on the spot, numerous arrests for driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol/both, thefts galore including garments being worn by people stolen at knifepoint. Over 1,000 cops and riot police, 25 extra mobile radars and police controls everywhere; I blew into the bag at 10am at a checkpoint this morning. Just another normal weekend in the Sarthe. Or could it just be because of the 24 hour bike race taking place?
lowdrag said:
Here we are, Sunday afternoon, and so far there have been, up to Saturday evening since Friday morning, just 1,159 speeding tickets issued, 15 driving licences taken off people on the spot, numerous arrests for driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol/both, thefts galore including garments being worn by people stolen at knifepoint. Over 1,000 cops and riot police, 25 extra mobile radars and police controls everywhere; I blew into the bag at 10am at a checkpoint this morning. Just another normal weekend in the Sarthe. Or could it just be because of the 24 hour bike race taking place?
sounds like the school run where I live !lowdrag said:
Here we are, Sunday afternoon, and so far there have been, up to Saturday evening since Friday morning, just 1,159 speeding tickets issued, 15 driving licences taken off people on the spot, numerous arrests for driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol/both, thefts galore including garments being worn by people stolen at knifepoint. Over 1,000 cops and riot police, 25 extra mobile radars and police controls everywhere; I blew into the bag at 10am at a checkpoint this morning. Just another normal weekend in the Sarthe. Or could it just be because of the 24 hour bike race taking place?
And some people moan about the 24hr Car race beign rowdy!
Ah, the tradition of the 24 hour bike race! You bring either a car or bike or mobylette which will never pass an MOT again, you jam open the throttle, then take bets on how long till it seizes/blows up/ catches fire. Same with old caravans. If they don't catch fire on their own, you make sure they do anyway. Then of course, although the police now take them off people, there was the tradition of wandering around with a chain saw held aloft revving it to hell. Hence, no trees left on the main camping area! The ACO are now thoughtful enough to provide enormous piles of old broken pallets for them to burn and keep warm. There is only one way in nowadays, everyone is searched, andall V5s, MOT, insurance papers scrutinised before you are allowed to proceed to the camping areas.
Excuse the ignorance here but what sort of numbers turn up for the bikes?
Either way I have a nasty feeling this is just the sort of thing that will have Le Plod in a particularly draconian frame of mind come June time. Let’s hope not, the sun shines and things get back on track in 2008
Either way I have a nasty feeling this is just the sort of thing that will have Le Plod in a particularly draconian frame of mind come June time. Let’s hope not, the sun shines and things get back on track in 2008
The official figure was 83,500 this year which was down on the usual because of the lousy weather - cold and wet so let's say, what with cars and two up on bikes, 60,000 vehicles. There will be about 220,000 here for Le Mans in June but less police although as usual there will be a CRS (riot police) presence. The main worry now is the ever increasing number of mobile radars. The french are getting rather pissed off by the brits who think that once they are on foreign soil the law doesn't apply to them so just remember that at more than 50kph (30mph) over the recommended speed limit you are likely to have your licence taken off you on the spot. The local paper has at least one or two a week in who've lost their licences in that way, mostly on the autoroute. They are tolerant of minor high jinks but overstep the mark and you'll be for the high jump. I remeber one local plod telling me that he was directing traffic at Arnage and caught someone letting down the tyres of his police car. Turned out the chap doing it was a London copper too and there with his two teenage children. 45 minutes handcuffed, tears flowing like rain, in the back of the paddy wagon cooled him off and my mate then let him go but it just shows that senseless things like that can get you into deep doodoo.
Normally the french radars allow a tolerance of 10% since speedos are set to that tolerance. On the motorway though be careful because here in France the limit is 110kph if it is misty/damp/raining but 130kph if dry. I set my speed control at 145kph and have never been stopped. Where you are likely to get caught now is just as you enter/leave towns or villages. The b*****ds sit just inside/outside the speed restriction signs to catch you.
Today's paper has some amusing photos and details. Over 500 tons of rubbish to be cleared so about 10lbs per person, three sofas, burned tents, loads of bbq's plus goodness knows what all over the place. However, they have at least given temporary employment to 80 people over 10 days to get the place cleared up. people are as usual combing through the rubbish to find anything saleable and the final comment is that they are meaner than the crowd who come for the 24 hour car race since they make huge profits out of the stuff left in June!
Today's paper has some amusing photos and details. Over 500 tons of rubbish to be cleared so about 10lbs per person, three sofas, burned tents, loads of bbq's plus goodness knows what all over the place. However, they have at least given temporary employment to 80 people over 10 days to get the place cleared up. people are as usual combing through the rubbish to find anything saleable and the final comment is that they are meaner than the crowd who come for the 24 hour car race since they make huge profits out of the stuff left in June!
Edited by lowdrag on Tuesday 22 April 11:37
The final episode arrived in court yesterday. One biker refused to stop at a control and was chased by the police bikes. In the end, after he tried to run one police bike off the road, the cop drew his gun and shot his rear tyre out (three shots to do it). The biker will now reflect at leisure having got 2 years in jail with one of those suspended. His bike was confiscated and will be sold by the state plus a 2,000 euro fine. Ah, never dull here at Le Mans!
lowdrag said:
The final episode arrived in court yesterday. One biker refused to stop at a control and was chased by the police bikes. In the end, after he tried to run one police bike off the road, the cop drew his gun and shot his rear tyre out (three shots to do it). The biker will now reflect at leisure having got 2 years in jail with one of those suspended. His bike was confiscated and will be sold by the state plus a 2,000 euro fine. Ah, never dull here at Le Mans!
Wowsers.He was lucky that he wasn't winged too.
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