Guest starspirit Posted August 13, 2006 Share Posted August 13, 2006 Some friends have just returned from a BB holiday in France and they tell me that French police were waiting outside the tunnel terminal at Calais and 'randomly' stopping and checking cars and motorhomes. They were not stopped, but the impression they gained was that people who did not have easily spotable headlamp beam deflectors were being targeted, at which time every other requirement was also being checked and on the spot fines dished out for transgressors. They figured they were not stopped simply because they had deflectors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted August 13, 2006 Share Posted August 13, 2006 That Tony Blair has a lot to answere for !!!!!! lol . chas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John H Posted August 13, 2006 Share Posted August 13, 2006 I'm glad they weren't around when we went at the beggining of June. I didn't actually put them on until our first stop at Honfleur. The drive was in daylight but as you said, they can still nick you, can't they. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick H. Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 Who wants to travel on the tunnel anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 We haven,t bothered with any beam deflectors or bits of tape since they removed the requirement for yellow bulbs. We don,t drive at night so don,t use the headlights. Have I missed something important? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Hi Clive- the only problem with that idea is the police will think along the lines that lights are required in wet bad weather during the day, and fine you just the same. I wonder what would happen if our police waited for foreign vehicles at our ports looking for headlamp converters, they would have to stop every one of them because others dont seem to fit them. chas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 The requirement for modifioed headlights is not weather dependent - it is a requirement for driving in France at any time regardless of whether lights are used or not - on the grounds that in heavy rain or fog you could need them in daylight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 [QUOTE]starspirit - 2006-08-13 11:33 AM Some friends have just returned from a BB holiday in France and they tell me that French police were waiting outside the tunnel terminal at Calais and 'randomly' stopping and checking cars and motorhomes. They were not stopped, but the impression they gained was that people who did not have easily spotable headlamp beam deflectors were being targeted, at which time every other requirement was also being checked and on the spot fines dished out for transgressors. They figured they were not stopped simply because they had deflectors? [/QUOTE] Here's some more. Do make sure you all wear your seatbelts whenever you are on public roads. A neighbour was "done" when he exited a supermarket car park before he had put his belt on. He'd only travelled 100 metres or so when he was pulled.Another person was "done" for driving away from an autoroute toll booth before the passenger, who had released her belt to reach the pay counter, had re-belted. The policeman was standing just behind the toll booth, so the veicle had barely started rolling when he was stopped and fined.Do make sure that you do actually stop at "STOP" signs. The wheels must have ceased rotating. Even if you can see that the road is quite clear, you will be liable to an on the spot fine if you're spotted rolling forward without coming to an actual standstill.France has suddenly become very law abiding about speed limits. The French police play dirty, and hide with their radar guns. If you're flashed by any oncoming driver, motorhome or not, don't just flash/wave back - check your speed!Don't take it personally, the French police do it to the French as well. When they're looking, they enforce! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 Brian I don't think it's playing dirty for the Police to hide with the radar guns. If you don't speed you haven't got a problem, whether they are out in the open or not. All of the rules are there for OUR safety as well as others, fastening seatbelts is a case in point, I would think that you are more likely to get shunted up the derrier when pulling away from a junction, or just setting off (rather than when you've been on the move for a while) so that's exactly when you need your seatbelt on. Safety should come first always. Stop signs - isn't it good of the French to put these in English now ... at least we can understand them and as they mean the same in England ... ie STOP ... we haven't got any excuse for not doing so. But, what about all the idotic French drivers who pull out from the side roads and assume you will stop ... even when the road signs indicated that this practice is not applicable anymore ... we nearly squished a Smart car last year who did this and he didn't bat an eye-lid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 Well Mel, I'm not as confident as you are that I'll always be "proceeding" within any given speed limit! On long, straight, D roads in France with, little traffic, it is all too easy to overstep to 100 kph limit! However, I'm not complaining, just warning. Our own "boys in blue" do at least make themselves visible so, if you haven't seen them, you were'nt really paying attention.As to the priority on the right, it is still applicable in towns - unless otherwise stated. By far the great majority of towns have now got "stop" signs, and road markings, on the side roads, but not all, and not every junction! You even get the odd roundabout where "vous n'avez pas la priorite". They're fun!Eyes peeled!Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnP Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 When did you last see a mainland European vehicle in the UK with beam benders? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 [QUOTE]starspirit - 2006-08-13 11:33 AM Some friends have just returned from a BB holiday in France and they tell me that French police were waiting outside the tunnel terminal at Calais and 'randomly' stopping and checking cars and motorhomes. They were not stopped, but the impression they gained was that people who did not have easily spotable headlamp beam deflectors were being targeted, at which time every other requirement was also being checked and on the spot fines dished out for transgressors. They figured they were not stopped simply because they had deflectors? [/QUOTE] Be very careful if you are using the "Peage". If you have to get out of a RHD vehicle to pay the toll make sure you switch the engine off. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 sorry entered in error just reading back over a few topics. Just out of interest anyone know where he is ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter B Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Brian, Don't know what you mean by our Policemen making themselves 'visible'. i haven't seen a Policeman down my road for years! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 [QUOTE]Peter B - 2006-11-21 7:24 PM Brian, Don't know what you mean by our Policemen making themselves 'visible'. i haven't seen a Policeman down my road for years! :-D[/QUOTE] No Peter, not that! Ours police do tend to zap you while standing more or less in the open. The French police, on the other hand, go to some lengths to hide away while they zap you. That was all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A W Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 This is nothing to do with headlamp beam deflectors. The french Police tend to hunt in packs and set up road blocks to check whoever they fancy. If there was a roadblock near the tunnel the chances are that it was not just the Police but mainly the French Customs who at a quick glance look like Police,complete with guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Way2Go Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 Back to the subject.We were sat on the dock at Newhaven last June and were told by the dock staff to put our beam benders on. I explained that we would arrive at our destination by mid afternoon in full sunshine and no intention of driving at night.We were told that 'driving' in France demanded lights to be on permanently and that beam benders were compulsory as it was an insurance requirement. In other words, if we had a prang in France we couldn't claim anything because our insurance was deemed invalid.It made me think and bought some at their little shop as I wasn't prepared to take the chance.Mind you, they might have been trying to sell their stock of 'essentials abroad' but I wasn't prepared to take the chance for a few ££. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spartan3956 Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 Brian Our own "boys in blue" do at least make themselves visible, You havent accounted for the North Wales police then, They hate speeding the one that got me hid behind a wall at 7am in the morning. Appear not to be interested in crime just road traffic. Easy prey. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 I wonder if this obsesion with motorist breaking speed limits would stop, if the prosecutions were not allowed to be shown in the yearly conviction/ crime figures, North Wales police please note. chas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 One simple fact here, if we don't break the speed limit then prosecutions for speeding would go down and the revenue from cameras would be drastically reduced. I appreciate we all do it occasionaly by accident but that does not account for the numbers of prosecutions that are brought, somewhere along the line there are motorists who break the speed limits by habit. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 [QUOTE]spartan3956 - 2006-11-22 9:25 AM Brian Our own "boys in blue" do at least make themselves visible, You havent accounted for the North Wales police then, They hate speeding the one that got me hid behind a wall at 7am in the morning. Appear not to be interested in crime just road traffic. Easy prey. Pete [/QUOTE] Well, I did say ours, and I live in England. The Welsh and the Scots can do what they like, so far as I'm concerned. Let's ban their MP's from our parliament!Regarding speeding habits, I agree with Dave. I do have some difficulty with the number of 40mph limits that have recently been imposed on rural roads around here, that seem designed more to encourage traffic onto the much more congested main roads than to serve the interests of the local communities or enhance safety.However, the ones I really hate, are those who storm past you well over the limit and then, when they get to a speed camera, slam on their brakes, slow to 5mph below the limit and then storm off at well over the limit again. We don't have so many cameras locally (but they're growing), so I nearly pooped the first person who cut me up that way! Seems to be particularly prevalent on the Surrey fringes of London. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John S Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 The subject of whether or not radar detectors are legal in France seems to have got onto the thread of "Freeview" and some folk are getting a bit steamed up about it. I have just looked at the website of the British Embassy in France and their advice to travellors, and I quote: "Radar detectors are illegal in France whether in use or not. If you are caught with such equipment in your vehicle, you are liable to a fine, confiscation of the device AND the vehicle (ouch!!) You should therefore ensure radar detectors are removed from your vehicle before commencing any journey to France". The law seems clear on the subject. John S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 I'd be a bit surprised if these are, actually, legal in UK. There won't be a law against, but sooner or later someone is bound caught speeding in posession, and prosecuted. After all, the intention is clear enough, it is to avoid being caught speeding in a radar trap. Then, why would one spend money equipping one's self with such an item, it might be asked, if one is not in the habit of exceeding the limit? As one would have just been booked for speeding, the case would seem to have been rather well made! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Frank Wilkinson Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 Brian, I can assure you that they are not illegal at present. It can be argued that they aid safety by reminding people of cameras and encouraging them to slow down although to be fair it's not a view that I take. It can also be argued that one is using a detector mainly to remind you of when you accidently allow yourself to creep over the limit, which is something that the majority of motorists have done. I don't think that any counsel could successfully argue that possessing one is a clear intention of speeding.Anyway, Parliament will soon debate a bill which will make radar/laser detectors illegal. The bill should have been introduced last year but the Goverment abandoned it because they were keener on banning foxhunting and I believe that the time taken for that debate scuppered the speed cameras' bill.Nevertheless, even if this bill goes through, it will not affect what has become the most popular type of detector, the GPS-based versions, which are often found as part of the features of many sat nav systems.For a further explanation of the kinds of detectors and their legality, see my post in the Talex GPS thread.I hope that this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrickr Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 Go to this site: http://www.fixedspeedcamera.com/ You can check all the speed cameras in France, Belgium and Spain and by clicking on the Download GPS Plug-ins you can select your device ie TomTom and download speed camera POIs As to legal use in France I was stopped by the Gendarmerie in July on a routine 'stop the Brit' exercise. They were very interested in my Snooper S4 GPS and TomTom PDA and the POIs downloaded from the above site. Once they were satisfied that there was no radar detectors fitted to either system they waved me on. But only after asking for the website so that they too could download the POIs. I was happy to oblige! I treat the camera warnings as an extension of my speedometer which at the end of the day is a just visual warning of your speed. They are particularly useful off the Autoroutes in France where reductions in speed limits are almost immediate and often poorly signed. The POIs give you a sporting chance of avoiding the well camouflaged Gendarmes or local Police and lessen the chance of a rear shunt by warning Pierre behind you that you are gradually slowing down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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