Nobby Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Hi, Just a line to warn you all of what you may come up against 'over there'. I was pulled in on Monday (2nd July) by the Gendarmes near Pont-Audemer to the west of Rouen on the old N175 (now D675) and weighed on a portable roadside weighing device operated by the equivalent of our 'Ministry' man. There are many weight restrictions on this road so this may have been the prime reason for the check but all camping-cars were being hauled in. Having passed my first test, the Gendarmes then compared the weight to my maximum limit. I'm pleased to say that I was 100kg below and drove away feeling almost elated!! A Hymer owner was not so lucky and was pulled over to the side while copious amounts of paperwork was being completed. The whole process took no more than 3 to 4 minutes. You have been warned! Nobby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Nobby, may I ask what it is that you get if you are over??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby Posted July 5, 2007 Author Share Posted July 5, 2007 Hi - The Gendarmerie are not the friendliest of people so I didn't stick around to ask that bit but my understanding from past forum reading somewhere (last year I think) is that an on the spot fine will be charged. I seem to recall that the French have a standard charge plus extra additional charges on a rising scale commensurate with your excess weight. I don't recall the figures that I read but I do recall that it was punitive - enough to take the shine off a nice holiday. I imagine that they would also insist upon the vehicle losing sufficient weight to make it legally roadworthy - I don't have chapter and verse on this but would be surprised if they allowed you to continue without doing so. Nobby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 michele - 2007-07-05 7:09 PM Nobby, may I ask what it is that you get if you are over??? A French colleague has reliably informed me that all British transgressors of Napoleonic law, will be transported to Paris on an open top carriage. once there - publicly executed.... Good old Madam Guillotine has been especially brought out of mothballs for the summer season. A Barbaric and unnecessarily messy form of dispatch in my book. But what can you expect from those French Blighter’s! - They have no Queen don’t you know! Don’t say you have not been warned.... :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 My incomplete understanding of this is that (at least for French drivers of French-registered vehicles), if you are caught driving an overweight vehicle there is an intricate system of penalties based on the type of vehicle, its 'plated' weight and the percentage of overweight-ness. As Nobby says, the more overweight the higher the fine and the more penalty points on the driving licence, plus it will also be demanded that the vehicle be unloaded until legal. In June 2006 "Le Monde du Camping-Car" published an article on motorhome dimensions and weights. This compared the sizes and 'on the road' weights of 7 motorhomes as given in their manufacturers' literature against examples of the real thing. One motorhome (a Burstner A-Class) was found to be 189.60kg over the catalogue weight figure, reducing the payload available for passengers, luggage, accessories, etc. to a mere 150kg. Now, although this vehicle was not small (6.80m long), it was a good deal smaller than many motorhomes being marketed in France on driving-licence-friendly 3500kg chassis. It would be interesting to know what would happen if one of these 'biggies', after being caught overweight, couldn't be brought below its weight maximum after everything easily removable had been taken off it. We stayed at the aire de services at Ducey recently on a Sunday night and during that evening and the following Monday morning there was a steady stream of French motorhomes visiting the service point. All of them emptied their waste water and immediately drove off: none took water on board (Well, you have to pay for it at Ducey!) I thought at the time that these people were dumping waste at Ducey because it was easier to do it there than back home, but I now wonder if it was more as a precautionary measure to keep their motorhomes' weights down in case they encountered a road-side check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 I think it's worth bearing in mind any "Penalty Points" gained in the EU will be added to your UK license. So I think the message is get that weight checked and slow down. As the Judge has already pointed out Fabulous country- grim people Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enodreven Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Hi, While we are on the subject, does anyone know the sort of penalties that you could expect if your vehicle was within its weight capacity but you were over the road weight limit, The reason I am asking is that there seems to be a lot of roads especially along the tourist routes that are being limited to 3.5ton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby Posted July 6, 2007 Author Share Posted July 6, 2007 Derek Uzzell - 2007-07-06 9:13 AM a steady stream of French motorhomes visiting the service point. All of them emptied their waste water and immediately drove off: none took water on board (Well, you have to pay for it at Ducey!) I thought at the time that these people were dumping waste at Ducey because it was easier to do it there than back home, but I now wonder if it was more as a precautionary measure to keep their motorhomes' weights down in case they encountered a road-side check. Hi Derek, I have stayed on many dozens of French Aires and have laughingly noticed this routine by the French who almost always dump but rarely fill up if it means that they have to put their hands into their pockets to do so. Most of them would rather bite their own arm off than pay 2 Euro's for water or an overnight parking charge. I visit the Le Touquet yacht club Aire regularly as a stopover (last time was Tuesday this week) and it always used to be loaded with French and Belgians in the days when charges were rarely levied. It is now 6.50 a night (always) and you find very few of them there. The French turn 'free' parking into an art form and their desire to do this in a quite indiscriminate way is leading to many thousands of 'Interdit Camping-Car' signs being erected by many local councils, especially around the coasts. I noticed a big change around the Brittany coast this year over 2 years ago. There are definite signs that the French municipal love affair for the Camping-Car has ben eroded in many more popular areas. The next few years will be interesting I feel but not necessarily to our liking. Nobby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Nobby, The French have a saying "It's my right" and that just about sums them up. I better not say any more or all the "Froggy" lovers will be up in arms :-D :-D Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby Posted July 6, 2007 Author Share Posted July 6, 2007 Hi Don, Yeah, I agree. I'd assumed that this behaviour was over principles rather than meanness. That only leaves the Belgians?? I must say that the Brits generally seem quite happy to pay these small charges - feels like a positive bargain to us! Sorry - this has strayed a little off topic. I refer you to Enodreven's query a few posts above. Nobby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Derek Uzzell - 2007-07-06 9:13 AM My incomplete understanding of this is that (at least for French drivers of French-registered vehicles), if you are caught driving an overweight vehicle there is an intricate system of penalties based on the type of vehicle, its 'plated' weight and the percentage of overweight-ness. As Nobby says, the more overweight the higher the fine and the more penalty points on the driving licence, plus it will also be demanded that the vehicle be unloaded until legal. In June 2006 "Le Monde du Camping-Car" published an article on motorhome dimensions and weights. This compared the sizes and 'on the road' weights of 7 motorhomes as given in their manufacturers' literature against examples of the real thing. One motorhome (a Burstner A-Class) was found to be 189.60kg over the catalogue weight figure, reducing the payload available for passengers, luggage, accessories, etc. to a mere 150kg. Now, although this vehicle was not small (6.80m long), it was a good deal smaller than many motorhomes being marketed in France on driving-licence-friendly 3500kg chassis. It would be interesting to know what would happen if one of these 'biggies', after being caught overweight, couldn't be brought below its weight maximum after everything easily removable had been taken off it. We stayed at the aire de services at Ducey recently on a Sunday night and during that evening and the following Monday morning there was a steady stream of French motorhomes visiting the service point. All of them emptied their waste water and immediately drove off: none took water on board (Well, you have to pay for it at Ducey!) I thought at the time that these people were dumping waste at Ducey because it was easier to do it there than back home, but I now wonder if it was more as a precautionary measure to keep their motorhomes' weights down in case they encountered a road-side check. To answer Derek's above point regarding what would happen if the vehicle could not be brought within it's plated limit, I think the answer is that it would be impounded and removed by the police. Just as in UK, it is the driver's responsibility to ensure his vehicle complies with legal requirements.Where goods do have to be removed from a vehicle to bring it within its legal limits, my understanding is that the goods are technically forefeit, and charges, in additional to any fine, may be made for their disposal.The French played "fast and loose" over vehicle weights for years, which is one of the reasons Michelin introduced their "XC Camping" tyres. There are no "grandfather rights" on French driving licences so, unless they hold HGV licences, they cannot drive anything over 3,500Kg. Until fairly recently everyone had realised that the payloads resulting on many vans were unworkable but, with a system of nods and winks, the technical infringements were generally overlooked. In any case, many of the larger vans were on higher rated chassis, merely plated down to 3,500. Thus the "overload" was "safe" in terms of the vehicle, just a bit more on the day than the driver should have been in charge of. A bit like the old French definition of alcohol, which somehow never applied to beer or wine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby Posted July 6, 2007 Author Share Posted July 6, 2007 Hi Brian, I seem to remember reading last year of somebody being stopped while overweight in France and he was allowed to jettison fresh water to enable him to continue (after paying a quite significant fine). Of course some Gendarmes may be less accommodating in this respect than others but I have met many in the course of my travels and most seem to feel their militaristic position in the scheme of things. While the technicalities of this are interesting, the point in raising the issue was to highlight that people should not bury their head in the sand on the weight issue as the pitfalls are there and waiting. A run in with the Gendarmerie can really spoil your day in a way in which the most officious UK Cop can only dream of. Many motorhomers of most nationalities, when engaged in conversation on this issue will openly admit that they travel significantly overweight. If that is the true case, then we might reasonably anticipate more frequent roadside checks in response to their 'success' rate. A little aside the issue of vehicle payload - I have regular correspondence with a chap from Devon who discovered after one year of ownership that his (French built) motorhome didn't even have enough payload for him to take his (slim) wife away with him. While there is some scope for humour in that, he didn't in any way see it and eventually secured a full refund for the return of the vehicle. Nobby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Nobby - 2007-07-06 3:56 PM I must say that the Brits generally seem quite happy to pay these small charges - feels like a positive bargain to us! Nobby Err.. not when i stayed at le Toquet Aire recently, the few brits scutttled oft like guilty school boys before tax man came around. it was So obvious, and they actually told me to do like wise - no thanks! God, all for 6.50 Euro! *-) P.S. By the way, Michele was one of them. Well.... she did call me fatty:-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby Posted July 6, 2007 Author Share Posted July 6, 2007 Haha! - You should keep better company :-D All the Brits there on Tuesday night behaved impeccably I'm pleased to say. Mind you - they're very keen there now. I saw the collectors 3 times during one overnight stop. Nobby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Hi, Somebody queried about driving a vehicle which exceeded the weight limit of the road. Dunno! But driving through Upton-upon-Severn I met a limit of 6ft 6ins (2 metres?) I understand that if you get caught exceeding this, the charge is "Failing to comply with a road sign", which is endorsable, and could possibly lead to disqualification. I guess a lot of campervan drivers do know how wide their van is, but what about people who have hired a van, or some towed vans? 602...just back from 9 weeks in France Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olley Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 hi I know your going to hate me for this (lol) but got weighed last week, with full petrol, water, LPG domestic and propulsion (over 250litres) stack of clothes etc. I still have over 700kg left of my payload. :-D Olley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 olley - 2007-07-07 4:56 PM hi I know your going to hate me for this (lol) but got weighed last week, with full petrol, water, LPG domestic and propulsion (over 250litres) stack of clothes etc. I still have over 700kg left of my payload. :-D Olley Olley, I don't hate you :-D :-D I just feel sorry for you having to hump that great thing around :-D :-D :-D I do envy your extra space sometimes but on the other hand I get to places you can only dream of. :-D :-D :-D Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Nobby - 2007-07-06 5:59 PM Hi Brian, I seem to remember reading last year of somebody being stopped while overweight in France and he was allowed to jettison fresh water to enable him to continue (after paying a quite significant fine). Of course some Gendarmes may be less accommodating in this respect than others but I have met many in the course of my travels and most seem to feel their militaristic position in the scheme of things. While the technicalities of this are interesting, the point in raising the issue was to highlight that people should not bury their head in the sand on the weight issue as the pitfalls are there and waiting. A run in with the Gendarmerie can really spoil your day in a way in which the most officious UK Cop can only dream of. Nobby Yes Nobby, if you travel with a full water tank you should be allowed to dump the water to reduce weight. However, I wouldn't bank on being allowed to dump waste!I have generally found the Gendarmes couterous and polite, in contrast to the sarcastic and heavily ironic tones of too many our fuzz. Even if they call you Sir, some manage to make it sound as though that was the very last thing they were thinking! True, the Gendarme will always tend to go by the book, but that is as much a defence as anything. They can levy on the spot fines, so if you infringe the law and are due a penalty, but they let you off, they are then liable to be accused of having taken a bribe. Can't win, can you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Nobby - 2007-07-06 4:56 PM Hi Don, Yeah, I agree. I'd assumed that this behaviour was over principles rather than meanness. That only leaves the Belgians?? I must say that the Brits generally seem quite happy to pay these small charges - feels like a positive bargain to us! Nobby I suppose it's what you're used to. We've lived in Spain for four years now and the only place I've ever had to pay to park is a shopping centre multi storey in the middle of Valencia. Unlike the UK where you have to pay to park almost everywhere, here in Spain (well Valencia anyway) you don't. e.g stations, town car parks, hospitals, car parks in beach resorts, the majority of streets etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 One of the responses I got to my MMM articles about motorhome weights and licences a couple of years' ago or so, was from a gentleman weho was stopped and weighed in the UK and was just OK - because he'd just been home and dumped a lot of stuff from the motorhome. The Police told him he was THE FIRST motorhome they'd stopped so far that was legal! Once they cotton on that this is an easy way to raise revenue, expect more such roadside checks. As far as FRENCH MOTORHOMES are concerned, my last one was a Mobilvetta on an Iveco chassis, bought in France and plated at 3500Kgs. I had it weighed by my servicing garage as soon as I got back and it appeared to have sensible spare capacity. They used pressure pads to weigh it and I suspect they forgot to put pads under the inside wheels at the rear (it had twin rears). Cos when I weighed it a year later it was overweight even when empty!! Rapid up-plating to 4200 Kgs followed. Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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