Cyclist stickers compulsory for vehicle going to France.

[mariesnowgoose]

According to another post the cross border directive has now stopped. So make the most of it, I know, you can't at the moment.

Wonder if the French border control will have access to speeding/driving offences in other EU countries. Sure that won't be too far down the road.

And they could easily adopt more on the spot instant traffic fines instead.

Anyway, my speeding days are over.
It's much easier to just drive within the law.

 

[mark61]

And they could easily adopt more on the spot instant traffic fines instead.

Anyway, my speeding days are over.
It's much easier to just drive within the law.

They'll be needing a lot more coppers to do that, and at the moment it looks like the current police are needed elsewhere. We think we are divided.
Anyway, speeding is different to exceeding a limit.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

They'll be needing a lot more coppers to do that, and at the moment it looks like the current police are needed elsewhere. We think we are divided.
Anyway, speeding is different to exceeding a limit.

You might be stepping over the Mark there ...

 

[Snapster]

According to another post the cross border directive has now stopped. So make the most of it, I know, you can't at the moment.

Wonder if the French border control will have access to speeding/driving offences in other EU countries. Sure that won't be too far down the road.

Like a saddo, I read ( some) of the final trade deal that was signed off by the government. IT has a rather large section on how the EU have access to the DVLA database. So, unless this has changed in the last 2 weeks, the French can still access the DVLA.

 

[Snapster]

This is the article I mentioned above. . It allows other states to share vehicle registration and owner data.
Whether this will apply in speeding or other motoring offences, is not Clear, but probable.

Article LAW.PRUM.15: Automated searching of vehicle registration data
1. For the prevention and investigation of criminal offences and in dealing with other offences within the jurisdiction of the courts or a public prosecutor in the requesting State, as well as in maintaining public security, States shall allow other States' national contact points, as referred to in paragraph 2, access to the following domestic vehicle registration data, with the power to conduct automated searches in individual cases:
(a) (b)
data relating to owners or operators; and data relating to vehicles.
2.Searches may be conducted under paragraph 1 only with a full chassis number or a full
registration number and in compliance with the requesting State's domestic law.
3. For the purposes of the supply of data as referred to in paragraph 1, the States shall designate a national contact point for incoming requests from other States. The powers of the national contact points shall be governed by the applicable domestic law.

 

[mark61]

This is the article I mentioned above. . It allows other states to share vehicle registration and owner data.
Whether this will apply in speeding or other motoring offences, is not Clear, but probable.

Article LAW.PRUM.15: Automated searching of vehicle registration data
1. For the prevention and investigation of criminal offences and in dealing with other offences within the jurisdiction of the courts or a public prosecutor in the requesting State, as well as in maintaining public security, States shall allow other States' national contact points, as referred to in paragraph 2, access to the following domestic vehicle registration data, with the power to conduct automated searches in individual cases:
(a) (b)
data relating to owners or operators; and data relating to vehicles.
2.Searches may be conducted under paragraph 1 only with a full chassis number or a full
registration number and in compliance with the requesting State's domestic law.
3. For the purposes of the supply of data as referred to in paragraph 1, the States shall designate a national contact point for incoming requests from other States. The powers of the national contact points shall be governed by the applicable domestic law.

Would appear The Times has it wrong.

 

[Snapster]

Like most official stuff, it’s not really clear if this is in place now or something for the future, but I assumed it would come into force on 1st January and will give the same access to drivers details as before.

 

[TJBi]

They'll be needing a lot more coppers to do that, and at the moment it looks like the current police are needed elsewhere. We think we are divided.
Anyway, speeding is different to exceeding a limit.

It is my understanding that in France the detection of speeding offences has, at least in part, been subcontracted to private companies.

 

[Wooie1958]

I had a dream last night and have now come up with a cunning plan to avoid these unnecessary, worrying and financially debibiltating fines.

Stay within the speed limit

 

[Compo]

go to bed

 

[Derekoak]

I had a dream last night and have now come up with a cunning plan to avoid these unnecessary, worrying and financially debibiltating fines.

Stay within the speed limit

I totally agree. However it is not that easy. Speed limits vary from 130km/hr to walking pace across Europe. Signs can be small , obscured by vegetation and hard to see because of the other clutter of attention needing stimuli present in urban environments, such as pedestrians wanting to cross the road. Sat navs are not always correct as to what the speed limit is. It is not always the case that urban speed limits have a clear notice that they are over, at least the 30 km ones within the boundary of French 50 km villages. I have been fined 3 times, once in Britain twice in France when I thought I was driving sedately within the speed limit.

 

[Luckheart]

Is it something to be particularly scared about?

They're only stickers

Just another thing to add to the checklist before setting off?

Yeah, but the're like - sticky!

 

[Wooie1958]

Only been fined for speeding once and that was at 05.30am one November morning back in 1987 on the A66 near Cockermouth.

There was no one about then all of a sudden i saw a Police car flashing at me from the rear so i pulled into the next layby.

He`d clocked me doing 56MPH on the 50MPH section but it probably didn`t help when i asked him which crack in the ground he`d crawled out of ?

I also refused point blank to let him into the cab of the wagon i was driving as it was full of electronics worth a bloody fortune.

If he needed to do further checks i would follow him to the nearest Police station otherwise just give me the ticket and let me go which he did.

 

[Derekoak]

My 3 were Wales 45 in what I thought was rural 60mph but they thought was 30 urban, but no sign I could see and no street lights except perhaps occasional wooden telegraph posts some of which might have had a light on.
The last in France 36 when I thought the 30km speed bump area must be over as speed bumps had stopped hundreds of metres ago and so thought I was in 50km.
The other 86 in 80km where the road signs said 90 still and my satnav still showed 90 even though I updated it before leaving. This was about a month after the French change. Yes I knew that the law had changed but all the cues I use were against me.

 

[Deleted member 86180]

I was stopped in a French village years ago by a local gendarme. I didn’t see any speed limit, he was very good in the way he dealt with me. He asked me what the speed limit was in the village. I replied quite honestly that the last speed limit I saw was 60. I couldn’t have been doing more than 55 due to do to the usual village chicanes!

He didn’t fine me but chose to educate me instead and explained that any white village sign with a thin red line around the border specifically meant no more than 50 unless you see a sign saying slower.

His tactic worked, I’ve never sped in a French villages since.

As for the cyclists stickers, it seems daft that I recently up plated our van to 4 tons from 3.5 because of the ridiculous load allowance. The footprint and volume of the vehicle hasn’t altered a jot. Perhaps it’s the increased kinetic energy that risks causing harm to cyclists........... not!

Hope this one is consigned to the same paper bin that breath test kits seem to have ended up in!

 

[mark61]

Must confess to having a wee snigger when those preaching don't speed, get speeding tickets.

I was stopped in a French village years ago by a local gendarme. I didn’t see any speed limit, he was very good in the way he dealt with me. He asked me what the speed limit was in the village. I replied quite honestly that the last speed limit I saw was 60. I couldn’t have been doing more than 55 due to do to the usual village chicanes!

He didn’t fine me but chose to educate me instead and explained that any white village sign with a thin red line around the border specifically meant no more than 50 unless you see a sign saying slower.

His tactic worked, I’ve never sped in a French villages since.

As for the cyclists stickers, it seems daft that I recently up plated our van to 4 tons from 3.5 because of the ridiculous load allowance. The footprint and volume of the vehicle hasn’t altered a jot. Perhaps it’s the increased kinetic energy that risks causing harm to cyclists........... not!

Hope this one is consigned to the same paper bin that breath test kits seem to have ended up in!

Don't think we can expect legislation to take account of the very few % of vehicles that are up plated. Pretty sure that mostly happens to MH's, don't really hear of many other users up plating. Would be better if manufacturers actually put their conversions on the right model in the first place.

 

[Snapster]

I totally agree. However it is not that easy. Speed limits vary from 130km/hr to walking pace across Europe. Signs can be small , obscured by vegetation and hard to see because of the other clutter of attention needing stimuli present in urban environments, such as pedestrians wanting to cross the road. Sat navs are not always correct as to what the speed limit is. It is not always the case that urban speed limits have a clear notice that they are over, at least the 30 km ones within the boundary of French 50 km villages. I have been fined 3 times, once in Britain twice in France when I thought I was driving sedately within the speed limit.

We’ve been travelling around France on holiday for over 35 years and have lived here for 4. As far as I can tell, all speed limit signs in France are of uniform size and should be the same type as in the UK (1968 Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals)
They are just as easy, or hard to see as UK signs. They signal speed limit changes quite clearly and are always on the outskirts of towns and villages, many will even give you advance warning up to 200 meters from the limit change.
I really don’t see how anybody can be confused. The signs show you the speed limit, you stick to the limit. Simple. You even get advance warning of many speed cameras. I’m sure local authorities are more concerned with ensuring there are adequate signs to tell you what speed you should be driving, rather than hide them to encourage you to exceed the speed limit and get fined.
True, Gendarmes and police might be more enthusiastic about catching you speeding, but they only catch you if you are driving too fast.
Ive never had a speeding ticket in France.....

You watch, I’ll probably get one tomorrow

 

[Deleted member 86180]

I guess that depends on your definition of “other users” Mark. I consider our Chausson 630 a camper van rather than a motorhome. My experience of our type of camper van/motorhome leads me to understand that many are in a similar position and really should up plate or run the risk of having no insurance following a RTC.

Clearly the fault of the many camper van/motorhome manufacturers because they downplay the problem at the point of sale. They’d sooner not sell camper vans/motorhomes and fess up the implications should you choose to drive with a little extra weight (some as little as a full water tank - something many wild campers surely rely on) without up plating. They should tell you exactly how much weight you are allowed to carry, where to go to get up plated, how much it costs, what licence you must have should you want to carry essential equipment and how you might qualify.

My guess is that the majority of coach built camper van/motorhomes are insurance void simply because they are overweight, uninsured and not using the vehicle any way towards it’s potential.

Only my opinion of course, but might be worth looking into. Most local immunity sites will either weigh you for free or take a fiver for their bother

 

[Deleted member 86180]

We’ve been travelling around France on holiday for over 35 years and have lived here for 4. As far as I can tell, all speed limit signs in France are of uniform size and should be the same type as in the UK (1968 Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals)
They are just as easy, or hard to see as UK signs. They signal speed limit changes quite clearly and are always on the outskirts of towns and villages, many will even give you advance warning up to 200 meters from the limit change.
I really don’t see how anybody can be confused. The signs show you the speed limit, you stick to the limit. Simple. You even get advance warning of many speed cameras. I’m sure local authorities are more concerned with ensuring there are adequate signs to tell you what speed you should be driving, rather than hide them to encourage you to exceed the speed limit and get fined.
True, Gendarmes and police might be more enthusiastic about catching you speeding, but they only catch you if you are driving too fast.
Ive never had a speeding ticket in France.....

You watch, I’ll probably get one tomorrow

We don’t have anywhere near that much experience driving in France as we only started in 2006, however we’ve experienced many French villages all over the country with no official speed limit displayed other than the red line around the white village name as you enter, hence-wise my anecdote about the French policeman.

 

[Snapster]

The vast majority of towns and villages have speed limits set at 50kph so there is no need for extra speed signs to be displayed. You see a village/ town sign, you know it’s 50. If it isn’t 50, then you will see an alternative speed sign. ( 70, 45, 30 or whatever) When it’s 50, that’s the only time you won’t see a speed limit sign, but you may see repeater speed signs throughout the village or town)