 Poster: A snowHead
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got nicked two months ago doing 135 KPH but it was raining hard so limit was 110. 90 euro on the spot and they were very interested in seeing my green card insurance certificate. luckily i had one but the feeling i got was there was angro in my future if i hadnt one to hand.
definately will be getting a green card for all future EU trips......
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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yeah not sure about why they wanted to see it but they were more interested in that than my license. I got the feeling there were additional fines in the offing if you were drivingin uninsured....
my french is rubbish so can t be sure though...
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skimottaret, it could have been that they were looking for your green insurance card - the thing that French cars have stuck to their windscreen.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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MrDan,
I know what you mean. I had just negotiated a bend and the speed limit drops dowm from 90kph to 60kph and when the road straightened up, there were 2 bikes standing where the concrete barrier was. One was operating the gun from his bike and the other was flagging down the motorist. The rest is in my story where they asked for money but gave out NO ticket. Very odd...!! Our police are in danger of ostracising a large propotion of the public with their revenue-raising antics but even they can't pull strokes like that...!!
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Speeding fines are like the lottery - it's just a tax on the stupid... 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
| Was going to take V5, licence and insurance docs - nothing else is there? |
Don't forget your red triangle, first aid kit and spare set of light bulbs just in case they get really picky
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| Martin Nicholas wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Was going to take V5, licence and insurance docs - nothing else is there? |
Don't forget your red triangle, first aid kit and spare set of light bulbs just in case they get really picky |
and beam deflectors
and GB sticker
Driving licence (both bit's) for all drivers 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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boredsurfin, and reflective jacket(s) be seen, be safe! 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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AxsMan, If the H+S lot have their way we'll need to take a trailer for all the safety kit
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Might just fly. Less hassle
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
| Ann,almost all of the speeding and bad driving we witnessed was not from the French, but from other neighbouring nations, including Britain. We know the fixed camera positions now, altohugh I think they've sneaked in a couple of extras since last year, but you're right there's not really any need to exceed the speed limit. |
I agree completely, if any feel the need to exceed the 130kmp limits, or any of the others, be my guest, but dont be surprised at the outcome. 
Be happy at the relatively easy movement you get on French Toll roads and compare that to the UK. You are able to set cruise and never switch it for a long time. There are very few journeys in the UK that it is possible to do that.
Be safe...
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Outside the Eurotunnel on a friday morn couple of weeks ago-I have never seen as many traffic cops with hand helds as this year-outside Chambery airport every week -I got done on the far side of Lake Annecy 90 E on the spot 
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Thu 19-04-07 9:56; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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BMF_Skier, 130kph is fast enough.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you really want to save yourself some journey time, get a telepeage badge for the autoroute.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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If you're on the A35 today, they have a handheld speed trap at the Bagersee junction (5) on the southbound side going towards Colmar.
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Helen Beaumont wrote
| Quote: |
| BMF_Skier, 130kph is fast enough. |
I agree totally. I 've seen cars pass me a speeds well above the 100 mph, i suspect they'll complain if they get hit with a ticket. I've no simpathy for inapropriate speed! If people want to go way fast, they should do it in the unrestricted autobahns of Germany!
Maybe i'm different but I dont seen the need to rush when I'm driving to the Alps, I just allow adequate time. The French police will not only make you poorer, they'll hold you up for more time than you'll have saved.
Also
| Quote: |
| If you really want to save yourself some journey time, get a telepeage badge for the autoroute. |
Got the badge, and it worked flawlesly! 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Helen Beaumont, Sound advice They are cheap (virtually free @ 10 euros) and I reckon ours saved us at least an hour of queueing this year. I can't see any reason NOT to have one - puzzles me why more French dont?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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AxsMan, maybe cause the French avoid the main Brit routes through their country?
(round here it's all free)
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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boredsurfin, maybe we'd better keep quiet about it then? I just checked my online bill, the total tolls were less than I thought, and certainly less than travelling to the Tarentaise.
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| Quote: |
drove down last month and saw the fixed cameras easily enough but there were a couple of handhelds sneakily positioned behind trees, bridges, parked cars, coke cans , etc. Very inventive fellows and aided my wakefulness on the over night drive.
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very glad to hear it. Vive les flics.....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Helen Beaumont, too late! I have mine and am looking forward to seeing if it works tomorrow en route to the EoSB - will report from Val T in due course
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Yes, the Police has hardened its stance.
Yes, Viamichelin will show you the fixed traps.
No, the Police doesn't check the péage cards.
On the autoroute, speeding under 180 km/h will cost you a fine. Over 180 km/h can get you into more serious trouble.
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philippeR, thanks for your comments. No doubt many of us will be interested that the police don't check the péage tickets. Why do we think that they do? I have never noticed a time on the ticket, but the journey time must show up on the computer at the pay booth, as they have a 24 hour limit on them I think. I have seen a lot of gendarmes stopping motorists at the booths though.
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You know it makes sense.
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In the event the journey was ideal. Didn't see a traffic cop anywhere, made the journey in just under seven hours. Hardly anything else on the roads and save for some roadworks around Dijon no problems at all. Took me nearly five hours to get from Leeds to Folkestone the night before, and that's less than half the distance. philippeR, thanks for that info, will bear in mind on the way back
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| philippeR wrote: |
Yes, the Police has hardened its stance.
Yes, Viamichelin will show you the fixed traps.
No, the Police doesn't check the péage cards.
On the autoroute, speeding under 180 km/h will cost you a fine. Over 180 km/h can get you into more serious trouble. |
170km/h on autoroutes, 130km/h on country roads and 90km/h in towns I believe... you will be invited to walk the rest of your journey as this means an immediate 2 week ban (even for Brits).
Driving back from Val Tho yesterday everyone was careful to do 80kp/h through the Moutiers tunnel (speed trap) then Jonny Frenchman in a Tourag accelerated out the end like an F16 with the afterburners on only to pass two motorcycle cops waiting at the first layby. One of the cops was a pretty young blonde woman too.
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Poster: A snowHead
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davidof, Moutier Tunnel incident, GOOD! The amount of times I have gone through there at the speed limit only to have all the 73 plates and Belgiums accelerate like bats out of hell as soon as they have passed the camera!
Even been flashed by French cars for sticking to the speed limit
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Helen Beaumont wrote: |
| philippeR, thanks for your comments. No doubt many of us will be interested that the police don't check the péage tickets. Why do we think that they do? I have never noticed a time on the ticket, but the journey time must show up on the computer at the pay booth, as they have a 24 hour limit on them I think. I have seen a lot of gendarmes stopping motorists at the booths though. |
They could use the ticket to trap you (though it would present, I assume, some legal issues) but they don't, never. Péages are private operations, probably not too keen to turn their customers to the police anyway.
The gendarmes love to intercept motorists at the booths because it's convenient, that's all.
BTW, beware of the last stretch of motorway between the last exit or rest area and the péage booth... very convenient to set a radar.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Just a quick note, I was listening to the French radio when they introduced the first speed cameras in the Tarentaise - there's one in the Moutiers tunnel, btw. They caught over a thousand people in the first weekend. One man who had one put outside his house was interviewed - "eet ees laike a thunderstorm. Flash, flash, flash. Can they not turn off zis thing in ze evenings? Sacre bleu, etc..." The end of the report said that for the moment they would not be pursuing foreign registered cars, for which I was grateful as Mrs Lizzard was driving one at the time and we didn't need any extra expenses.
As far as I know they still don't chase foreigners for camera offences, though daytripper.net has an article saying that the Police in the Calais region were prosecuting British drivers from camera evidence. A disturbing trend.
The recent crackdowns all started after a horrific accident. The Pompiers had been called to cut someone out of his car when a passing motorist, doing 130 in a 70 zone, mowed down and killed 8 firemen. He was a retired police chief. And pi...over the limit. It was all over the papers, the nation were calling him an assassin and worse. Then the driving stats for that year came out and despite being half as crowded as English roads, the French had twice the number of accidents per km of road. The road accidents and fatalities have been steadily dropping since the crackdown started, though I'm not sure I approve as they have removed a partially Darwinian factor from the French equation. 
I definitely wouldn't approve if my car could break the speed limit.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Well hopefully I was OK, but since my speedo doesn't work I have no idea. (British plates on the van though)
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I got flashed in Reims going to the EoSB. Passed about 6 speed traps.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just as a follow up, returned from Verbier yesterday - and got stopped by a speed trap doing 150kph on the autoroute just outside Bourg-en-Bresse. 45 Euro fine, cops seemed more interested in how fast my car would go rather than road safey implications. Also a marvel of policing efficiency - eight cops all lazing about in the sunshine chatting whilst one wrote the ticket. Had the desired effect though as the ensuing delay meant I missed the Chunnel crossing I was hoping to get. Less haste, more speed etc. etc. Speed limits for me in future 
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BGA,
| Quote: |
| Just wondered what, if any, problems other snowHead s have had driving to the Alps this year? |
I guess that answers your question then?
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I was fined last week, in a very quiet sleepy village, with no speed limit signs (I had been sticking to the ones I'd seen, we were driving back off the peage). Ignorance of the law is no defence, and all that. I didn't know that in any place with a village name, even if it consists of two dilapidated pigsties and a long closed restaurant, the limit is 50 kph, whether or not there are any speed limit signs. I was doing 70 kph. 90 euro fine. In cash (which I didn't have, so he kept my documents whilst I drove back to the nearest place with a cash point machine). We live and learn. Whilst I was beside their car, paying, filling in forms etc, he ignored a significant number of people who went by at speeds very similar to the one I was doing when I was flagged down, but perhaps he had his required bag for the day.
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FAQ
, etc. Very inventive fellows and aided my wakefulness on the over night drive.
