wheezy
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 07:33 PM |
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Le Mans motoring clamp down
A quick word of warning for those members on there way to Le Mans this year.
Currently the French Authorities are going all out to clamp down on motoring offences.
Figures published on Pistonheads from last weekends Moto GP at Le Mans show that large events are a major target for the Authorities.
"9,083 alcotests (79 positive, but here it isn't black and white; if you are just over it is 2 points.)
21 positive drug tests
1,835 speeding fines
66 licences taken away on the spot."
The Police set up road blocks and were breathalizing 50 at a time.
I can only imagine that they will hit the 24hr just as hard.
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Neville Jones
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 07:44 PM |
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And don't forget your triangles, first aid kit, and hi viz vest! I have been asked to present them in the past, had all but the vest, and bingo!
I just wonder how many french drivers have a hi viz vest in their car? Anything with french plates is exempt, I forgot to say. 
Cheers,
Nev.
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Ben_Copeland
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 07:45 PM |
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They hit it pretty hard last year too 
Couple of TVR drivers lost their licences before they even got there...
Ben
Locost Map on Google Maps
Z20LET Astra Turbo, into a Haynes
Roadster
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femster87
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 07:48 PM |
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How can you loose your British license to french police? when the offence for speeding in england is 3 points. What do you do about it then after you
have lost it?
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 07:55 PM |
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Depends what the offence is I guess - you can effectively lose your licence immediately if you fail an alcohol test in the UK, so maybe they have the
same system.
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wheezy
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 08:01 PM |
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The new regulations which came in earlier this months are:
1. any excess speed more than 30mph over the prevailing limit will incur a fine of 3,750 euros and the car/bike impounded. see 3.
2. the offence has now been uprated to a serious crime, and punishable with up to five years in prison
3. the vehicle will be confiscated and sold for state funds
4. Any use of a mobile phone will incur a fine of 135 euros on the spot
5. Motorcyclists must from hereon wear a high viz jacket at all times
6. The alcohol limit has remained at 0.5 grammes, not reduced to 0.2 as thought
7.The request to reduce the maximum speed limit in town to 20mph has not been applied
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RK
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 08:08 PM |
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Remember you are dealing with a different view of the law. It isn't common law like we and you have, it is civil. Essentially, it is
"guilty until you prove otherwise", although I am sure it can be made much more complicated than that if you annoy someone!
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Steve Lovelock
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 08:12 PM |
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What, the country that gives us Louis Vuitton expects all bike riders to wear a bright orange jacket, can you imagine the Champs Elysees will look
like.
Don't believe it
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Confused but excited.
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 08:29 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by wheezy
The new regulations which came in earlier this months are:
1. any excess speed more than 30mph over the prevailing limit will incur a fine of 3,750 euros and the car/bike impounded. see 3.
2. the offence has now been uprated to a serious crime, and punishable with up to five years in prison
3. the vehicle will be confiscated and sold for state funds
4. Any use of a mobile phone will incur a fine of 135 euros on the spot
5. Motorcyclists must from hereon wear a high viz jacket at all times
6. The alcohol limit has remained at 0.5 grammes, not reduced to 0.2 as thought
7.The request to reduce the maximum speed limit in town to 20mph has not been applied
Is it just me? I don't see anything wrong with any of the above.
If you drive like a tw@t, expect to pay the price (usually it's some other poor sod). You are a volunteer after all.
Remember boys and girls, the Gumball Rally was only a film.
Tell them about the bent treacle edges!
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Ben_Copeland
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 08:37 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by femster87
How can you loose your British license to french police? when the offence for speeding in england is 3 points. What do you do about it then after you
have lost it?
130mph in a TVR did it for him....
Ben
Locost Map on Google Maps
Z20LET Astra Turbo, into a Haynes
Roadster
Enter Your Details Here
http://www.facebook.com/EquinoxProducts for all your bodywork needs!
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 08:39 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by wheezy
The new regulations which came in earlier this months are:
1. any excess speed more than 30mph over the prevailing limit will incur a fine of 3,750 euros and the car/bike impounded. see 3.
2. the offence has now been uprated to a serious crime, and punishable with up to five years in prison
3. the vehicle will be confiscated and sold for state funds
4. Any use of a mobile phone will incur a fine of 135 euros on the spot
5. Motorcyclists must from hereon wear a high viz jacket at all times
6. The alcohol limit has remained at 0.5 grammes, not reduced to 0.2 as thought
7.The request to reduce the maximum speed limit in town to 20mph has not been applied
As above - can't really complain, and won't affect anyone driving reasonably sensibly.
re. 1. 30mph over the speed limit will probably result in a ban and a fat fine in the UK (certainly for 100mph on the motorway).
re. 4. Use of mobile phone will get you a steep fine and points in the UK (if the police can be bothered to enforce it).
As for the hi viz vest/first aid kit/triangle - I put these in my car when I went to France a couple of years ago, and they're still there now.
They seem quite a sensible idea to me...
[Edited on 18/5/11 by David Jenkins]
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wheezy
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 09:04 PM |
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I think we can kiss goodbye to Mad Friday.
Dont forget you will need to carry all your documents as well. V5, both parts of your licence and insurance cert.
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femster87
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 09:11 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Ben_Copeland
quote:
Originally posted by femster87
How can you loose your British license to french police? when the offence for speeding in england is 3 points. What do you do about it then after you
have lost it?
130mph in a TVR did it for him....
Thats was a bit naughty.
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Ben_Copeland
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 09:23 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by femster87
quote:
Originally posted by Ben_Copeland
quote:
Originally posted by femster87
How can you loose your British license to french police? when the offence for speeding in england is 3 points. What do you do about it then after you
have lost it?
130mph in a TVR did it for him....
Thats was a bit naughty.
Indeed
Ben
Locost Map on Google Maps
Z20LET Astra Turbo, into a Haynes
Roadster
Enter Your Details Here
http://www.facebook.com/EquinoxProducts for all your bodywork needs!
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bi22le
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 09:31 PM |
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No different to when I went to the ring on a random weekend. I got pulled over and my details \ saftey equipment checked. They were pulling anyone
and everyone over. French bikers, German caravaners and me in the striker!
This was in Germany.
Track days ARE the best thing since sliced bread, until I get a supercharger that is!
Please read my ring story:
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/13/viewthread.php?tid=139152&page=1
Me doing a sub 56sec lap around Brands Indy. I need a geo set up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHksfvIGB3I
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mediabloke
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 09:39 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
quote:
Originally posted by wheezy
The new regulations which came in earlier this months are:
5. Motorcyclists must from hereon wear a high viz jacket at all times
It does sound like the French have the same moronic approach to driving as the UK. I'm not daft: I'll wear a hi-vis jacket when riding if
I value my safety, but to be legally obliged to wear one because some numpty can't be bothered to see me?!? Seems barking mad to me. Someone
please explain the logic! 
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Steve Lovelock
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 09:49 PM |
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Sometimes I'm glad that I had a lot of fun when I was young. Le Mans meant a weekend of great driving, now it means being sensible, when was
that ever fun. I don't get €3, 750 for speeding. You can stick the 'if one drives sensibly then one will not get any trouble'
argument where the sun doesn't shine. It's that sort of talk that led to the onslaught of speed cameras in the UK under the pretence of
safety. And how does a high visibility jacket help motorcyclists? Everybody knows that they get hit because car drivers don't look rather than
they don't see.
Whatever next, oh I know, lets make cyclists, as in pedal, wear helmets all the time and oh, how about they get compulsory registration as well so we
can fine them if they jump a red light. After all, they might hurt themselves.
I want to be sick
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clairetoo
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 10:31 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Steve Lovelock
Sometimes I'm glad that I had a lot of fun when I was young. Le Mans meant a weekend of great driving, now it means being sensible, when was
that ever fun. I don't get €3, 750 for speeding. You can stick the 'if one drives sensibly then one will not get any trouble'
argument where the sun doesn't shine. It's that sort of talk that led to the onslaught of speed cameras in the UK under the pretence of
safety. And how does a high visibility jacket help motorcyclists? Everybody knows that they get hit because car drivers don't look rather than
they don't see.
Whatever next, oh I know, lets make cyclists, as in pedal, wear helmets all the time and oh, how about they get compulsory registration as well so we
can fine them if they jump a red light. After all, they might hurt themselves.
I want to be sick
Couldnt have put it better myself 
When did this become filled with law abiding do-gooders who wouldnt dream of breaking traffic laws , happy to condemn a speeding motorist as worse
than a mass murdering pedophile ? ?
Its cuz I is blond , innit
Claire xx
Will weld for food......
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omega 24 v6
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| posted on 18/5/11 at 10:59 PM |
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Its simple Clairetoo.
We have cars therefore we have money. We are traceable, we are USUALLY hard working, normal law abiding citizens who do uphold the law apart from
"driving offences" ( read that how you want).
On the other hand the system needs money ( we have it) they need results ( we are easilly traced to get these results )
They need minimal manpower ( mostly done by computer and low paid employees rather than Police) to catch us. We do not put up a struggle and pay up
almost every time ( i'd imagine a 80% sucsess rate). Most of us would not qualify for legal aid if we did decide to fight (so we are not a
burden on the system).
And for these reasons it's easy to keep the numbers up on the results list.
There's a lot to be said for being an underhand good for nothing benefit scrounging theif who probably will never be caught, and will be
unlikely to do time, and will not have any money to pay a fine. Easy life ( if highly undesireable and for most of us uncomprehendable).
If it looks wrong it probably is wrong.
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snapper
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| posted on 19/5/11 at 05:40 AM |
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Remember we are in the European community and laws are made and agreements of how to deal with them across nations, we are not an island.
Wel we are but you know what I mean.
The licence loosing thing, in the UK you can't loose your licence until the court takes it away, the French can take the physical licence away
and effectively ban you from driving on the spot but you should be able to apply to DVLA on your return and get a new one.
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
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MikeCapon
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| posted on 19/5/11 at 06:45 AM |
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I'm sure all this is going to depend on the cop you have the uncomfortable conversation with on the side of the road.
In terms of licences being confiscated here's my recent (4 months ago) experience:
Late for the plane from Geneva to Brum. Wide open road (90kph limit). Passed fixed camera at 90 kph and then got a hurry on. 2 kms later nice man in
blue uniform waving to me in that 'stop here Now' kind of way they do.
146 kph showing on his hand held gun jobbie. 138 kph shown on documents for 90 limit.
His words to me, "You're lucky you have a UK licence. Anything 40kph over the limit is instant confiscation of licence now. This only
applies to french licences though"
Me, "Sorry sir, won't do it again sir, etc, etc...."
90 Euro fine and that's all......
Not big, not clever, lesson learnt.
So do watch out over here. It is no longer the speedster's paradise it once was. And if they're having one of their clampdowns watch out
even more. You will find they hide in some very nasty places and will be on a zero tolerance policy.
The favorite for catching the unaware (read forrin) is to set up a speed trap just after the white signs with red borders announcing the begining of a
town or village. These signs mean an automatic 50 kph limit unless shown otherwise.
Oh, and last of all don't do the +10% thing that most people do in the UK. Over here people get done for 52 in a 50 limit.
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wheezy
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| posted on 19/5/11 at 08:00 AM |
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Nice to see that even the pro's get stopped as well. Apparently one of the BMW Team drivers got pulled traveling to St Malo after the test day.
160 kph on cruise and he was relieved of 750 Euros.
The police are getting better at conceling themselves as well. Fully camouflaged hide hidden in a bush just outside the town limit. My mate only
spotted it as the cop was standing next to it having a smoke
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 19/5/11 at 08:56 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Confused but excited.
Is it just me? I don't see anything wrong with any of the above.
You think up to five years in prison for 30mph over the limit, irrespective of the type of road is reasonable?
Every single year people post on forums about the French police cracking down for LeMans. They are certainly out in much larger numbers than usual,
but you can still have fun without driving like an idiot.
[Edited on 19/5/11 by MikeRJ]
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 19/5/11 at 11:05 AM |
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Apart from what I said above - be aware that the French police can be absolute bar-stewards who will pick on British drivers ANY time of the year!
Especially within 50 - 100km of any channel port (probably the eurotunnel terminal as well).
If you're pulled over for any indiscretion (such as a trivial traffic violation) expect your lights to be checked for dipping correctly, that
you have a first aid kit, that your warning triangle is easily accessed (i.e. not under all the luggage in the boot! It's OK if you can open the
boot and grab it immediately though) and that every passenger has a hi-vis vest IN THE CAR. Oh - and if you do get stopped on a main road -
don't get out of the car to speak to the police without putting the vest on, or they may decide to fine you on the spot.
However, once you are a long way from the English Channel they just treat you like any other foreigner... "foreigner" being anyone who
isn't French, that is!
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Jasper
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| posted on 19/5/11 at 12:48 PM |
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Dave I thought it was one high vis vest for the driver, and not for the rest of the passengers?
If you're not living life on the edge you're taking up too much room.
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