UKC

Was in France a couple of months ago and I've just been sent a 135 Euro speeding fine for doing 56km in a 50 zone! Does anyone know if I don't pay up whether I'll get locked up for 10 years next time I go to France or if they're just trying their luck and won't follow anything up?

I'm guessing I'd have to at least get stopped next time I'm there for anything to happen or are they more aggressive about chasing these things?

Ta!

In reply to Matt Vigg:

This may or may not be of help: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=523273

As a matter of interest, were you driving a UK registered car at the time or a French registered one?

My understanding is that they can send the fine but at present you don't have to pay it. However new reciprocal laws across Europe in 2013 will allow for prosecution and the ability to collect if you don't pay.

By the way, if you don't pay it, don't expect to drive the same car in France in the future without being pulled up by the gendarmerie! (My reason for asking about the car.) I recently read that a motorcyclist who'd fairly recently received a French speeding ticket through the post (and had decided to ignore it) was immediately picked up by numberplate recognition cameras at the ferry port on re-entering France on the same bike, was stopped and arrested and then escorted to an ATM to pay a 500 euro fine, a sum much in excess of the original fine.

Again, at the moment they cannot enforce points on your licence, but from 2013 any EU country can enforce them via the DVLA on your UK licence.

Not so good news perhaps ....

Dave

In reply to Dave Williams:

Ta, didn't spot that other thread. It was a French hire car and I'll soon be changing my UK licence to a German one (where I know live)....

Any idea if the reciprocal laws will be back-dateable?? I guess not....?

In reply to Matt Vigg:

if it's a french hire car i think you are stuck with paying it. At least that was always my understanding of it.

In reply to Matt Vigg:

The last time I had a ticket on a hire car (parking ticket, LA) it got sent to the hire company, who then charged it off my credit card (along with a hefty 'admin' fee) so I'm surprised this hasn't happened to you.

In reply to yorkshireman:

I should probably check, but I don't think it has...

In reply to Matt Vigg:
On the other hand you were caught breaking the law so maybe you should accept your punishment. You may not think it but speed limits are usually there for a purpose.

In reply to M0nkey:

I have worked all over Europe. Normally a speeding fine or parking ticket,if unpaid will go to the Hire company. When you took out the rental agreement they will have taken an excess on your credit card. Sometime you will be charged sometimes not. Just check your credit card bill. It's highly unlikely
you will get points. I was banned from driving in Spain and this had no effect on my situation in any other EU country, although this could change next year.

In reply to graeme jackson:

Yeah that's true, but... rules are imperfect by their nature and sometimes we think that a rule has been applied unfairly or is disproportionate as I do in this case, you may have a different opinion or may always just go along with the rules, and that's your choice.

In reply to Matt Vigg:

You've said yourself you were doing 56kmh in a 50 zone, therefore speeding. What's disproportionate about that.

Man up. Pay up.

In reply to Matt Vigg:

€135 seems a lot for only 6kms over the limit. I watched a programme the other night that followed a pair of motorcycle cops around. All their on the spot fines for various offences were €90.

In reply to JTM:

Actually looking again it says I can pay early and then it's only 90 Euros, but it's 135 "normally".