Guest Syd Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 I have Sat Nav, Navman, that is about six/seven years old and although it gets me around here in the UK fine it struggles quiet a bit when in France. The time that it spends travelling over the open fields of France is beginning to equal the time that it spends on the motorways. Im a bit fed up with "Perform a legal U turn" so I thought I would look at changing it for a up to date all singing all dancing gadget and seem to like the Tom Tom Go 510 with it's GPS location facility but one thing about it worries me a bit and that is the speed camera detection part of it. I was under the impression that speed camera detection devices use in France was illegal and if found in your vehicle by the plod wether switched on or not they would be confiscated and you would be quiet heavilly fined into the bargain as well. Does anyone know if this is correct and if it is what does everyone else use or suggest I update to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Hi Syd I have been using TomTom Navigator 5 on a PDA for a few years and am ready to change now for a variety of reasons. I too am worried about the speed camera rules abroad so when purchasing I had intended to ask for the software (usually an extra offered by the seller) not to be included. I particulary wanted a dedicated unit that could be used in pedestrian mode and the TT Go series seemed a bit big to carry around. My two main contenders at the moment are the TT ONe Europe and the Garmin nuvi 360T. The latter is favourite as it has all the maps stored on a built in memory as opposed to a SD card. Both units have the pedestrian facility and both have bluetooth connectivity so can be used as a mobile phone hands free kit - save another gadget on the dashboard. Hope to make a final decision this week so that I can use it a bit before heading for Germany in August. Would certainly be interested too in hearing the definitive answer on the speed camera rules in France etc. Regards, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 I was reading that the other day and apparently it is against their laws to have any type of Gatzo camera seeker in your vehicle you can and will be pulled over and a hefty fine. I was always given to think that you could turn it off if you did not want it on apparently my daughter can . She has the Tom Tom 510. I,m sorry I cannot for the life of me remeber where I was reading it . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J9withdogs Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 http://www.safermotoring.co.uk/SpeedCameraDetectors.html This website has some info on using GPS in Europe, but it doesn't look like it is a cut-and-fast rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Syd - 2007-07-11 8:50 AM I have Sat Nav, Navman, that is about six/seven years old and although it gets me around here in the UK fine it struggles quiet a bit when in France. The time that it spends travelling over the open fields of France is beginning to equal the time that it spends on the motorways. Im a bit fed up with "Perform a legal U turn" so I thought I would look at changing it for a up to date all singing all dancing gadget and seem to like the Tom Tom Go 510 with it's GPS location facility but one thing about it worries me a bit and that is the speed camera detection part of it. I was under the impression that speed camera detection devices use in France was illegal and if found in your vehicle by the plod wether switched on or not they would be confiscated and you would be quiet heavilly fined into the bargain as well. Does anyone know if this is correct and if it is what does everyone else use or suggest I update to Syd, Have lifted the following from the Motorhome List, I'll post the link as and when. "You are OK if it is only a passive speed camera warning device not a radar detector. I have a print out at home from a French web site that you can show the police. When I get home I will try and find the URL for you." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 The power of the Motorhome Forums, this from MHF. http://english.controleradar.org/speed-camera-detector.php Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 As I understand it Don is correct. It is illegal in France to have an active speed camera detector in your possession but speed camera location database units (i.e. passive systems ) are ok. Sat nav systems with speed camera location databases are NOT active detectors they simply compare the current location of the unit with a database of known speed camera locations and are therefore passive. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 However, it may be easier to ensure you can switch off, or maybe not load, the cameras database. There is also the little matter of how up to date the database actually is. By the time the data has been compiled, entered onto the CD or sat nav memory, sat on the seller's shelf awaiting sale, bought, installed, and used in France, it is very likely to be out of date here and there. If you're going to rely upon it for anything more than a very general check on speed limits, you'd better hope the inaccuracy is there, rather than here!If you are pulled over it will generally be for some infringement, or suspected infringement, so having anything that could be mistaken for a radar detector, as opposed to a passive database, would be likely to prolong your delay while it is checked out and verified.Anyhow, the greatest risk in France is not the fixed devices, it is the radar guns used by the Police, usually from a well concealed position! If oncoming drivers are flashing you, think radar, and check your speed!The general speed limit is 90KPH, or about 56MPH (reduced to 80KPH in rain). As soon as you pass a town, or village, nameboard, there is an automatic presumption of a 50KPH (30MPH) speed limit, terminated by the town or village exit sign unless otherwise indicated. There are occasional 70KPH (40MPH) limits at black spots, and as transitional limits on approach to towns. Dual carriageways are limited to 110KPH (68MPH) (100KPH in rain, including on autoroutes subject to an indicated 110KPH limit), but only if the carriageways are physically separated by some form of barrier, and only where there are two lanes or more in each direction. Autoroute limits are generally 130KPH (80MPH) and 110KPH in rain; lower in fog. Emergency, police and customs vehicles are exempt from the limits if on a call. In good driving conditions you should not use the overtaking lane on autoroutes if travelling below 80KPH.The above limits are for vehicles classed as normal vehicles: there are lower limits for various other classes of vehicles, mainly goods vehicles over 12 Tonnes MAM and coaches over 10 Tonnes MAM.Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Tom Tom have new models out this month, which promise to be better then older models. they are the 520 (UK) and 720 (Europe) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Way2Go Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Give a bloke a chance . . . you can't ALL be retired ;-)I've just got back early from work :-) :-)OK, I've got the TomTom GO 510/710 (the map is the only difference) and it comes with TomTom's own speed camera POIs which I've taken off. They've only been upgraded once in the last year so are not that accurate.Instead, I subscribe to Pocket GPS World and get my speed camera updates twice a month.The joy of having an SD card system is that you can swap in and out different maps ie GB and I or Western Europe etc.The other major benefit is that with SD cards now being so inexpensive I tend to take two SD cards with me when I go abroad. One has the speed cameras installed and the other doesn't. If I were ever to get pulled over I should be able to swap over cards if I can stop my hand shaking long enough ;-)The earlier comments are correct in that radar devices are banned but currently you 'should' be OK with a PND. However, make sure you have no speed camera aids of any sort if travelling through Switzerland. They'll confiscate your device, rape your wife, eat your children and reduce your motorhome to a 2ft cube of scrap metal . . . . . I think you get the idea.The other thing to bear in mind is that drivers used to be able to get away with being zapped as they were usually out of the country before the film was processed. Apparently, DVLC and their counterparts in Europe are now entering into an agreement where a speeding driver's details will be sent to the appropriate county's authority and will be processed in the usual way.I forget where I read it but some European countries already have an agreement up and running and others are coming on stream all the time.The watchword is keep to the speed limit and you'll be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 OTOhand, if you stick to the speed limits, you should not have a problem. I have a SAT-Watch loudware, which reads the speed off the Satnav display and makes warning sounds if the speed is deemed to excessive. aka "The Wife" Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Syd Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Many thanks to all contribtors to my post and for the advice given. I can understand the need for more than one sim card as I have ALL of Europe on my one sim card and I have to get up two or three hours before I plan to set out, to switch it on, just to let the thing have enough time to get through the full program and be ready in time. Like many on here Im afraid I tend to drive too fast and so all I need is yet another problem if I get stopped. By the way I don't own a motorhome I tow, (Sedona), a caravan, (Tabbert), I tend bite off big distances, such as from Nice to Benedorm in a day, my wife has taken to sitting in the back of the vehicle and reading Just have not got the hang of how big Europe is yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Syd - 2007-07-11 7:33 PM By the way I don't own a motorhome I tow, (Sedona), a caravan, (Tabbert), I tend bite off big distances, such as from Nice to Benedorm in a day, my wife has taken to sitting in the back of the vehicle and reading Just have not got the hang of how big Europe is yet. For the uninitiated, Nice - Benidorm = 720 miles! "Nice" one Syd! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 In the words of the sultry rabbit from the caramel adverts "slow down, take it easy" D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Syd Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Brian Kirby - 2007-07-12 11:45 AM For the uninitiated, Nice - Benidorm = 720 miles! "Nice" one Syd! Yes Brian dont I know it, actually it was 613 miles from where we were camped, wife suddenly thought it a good idea to "nip down and suprise our Ann" (her sister) as if it was just around the corner. Left at 8am and arrived at approx 8pm totally wacked out, doing 70/80mph nearly all day, it is a very good road without any holdups. Did 491miles non stop on the return journey and then got robbed on the aire. Will not be doing those milages again though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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