Just a little heads up for any of you that holiday here in France with your car, the speed limit on “single” carriageway National/Departmental roads is going down to 80kph, down from 90, (50mph down from 56) to be confirmed by the Interior Minister on Tuesday.
The speed limits on other roads will not change.
Lost count how many times I’ve been flashed by a camera in France, usually around Paris… never heard anything.
One day I’ll probably get off the boat and be handed a huge bill.
There’s also one on the N31 between Compiegne & Soissons… never fail to get a flash from that one… well hidden and I always forget… blithering idiote memory thingy… 
50 mph NSL and 80 mph motorway limit on deserted straight RN’s suitable for 80 mph and autoroutes designed for 100 mph +. 
As for the even sillier non motorway route NSL reduction it’s obvious that they are trying to stop drivers avoiding the rip off over regulated motorway regime.I long ago gave up on France as viable route to drive anywhere maybe with the exception of over night use of autoroutes.But un manned cameras now added to the hazard of getting nicked by paramilitary style hidden laser traps during the day probably makes even that a relatively pointless option now.So it’s Belgium and Germany for Italy and the ferry for Spain for me with France being a pointless lose lose liability of big distances combined with rip off tolls and a silly draconian speeding regime.
That’s bad news.Like Jingle Jon I expect to get stopped by a gendarme one of these days and be handed a fine of several thousand euros.At least they should play the game and use bright yellow boxes instead of anonymous black poles.
Gidders:
That’s bad news.Like Jingle Jon I expect to get stopped by a gendarme one of these days and be handed a fine of several thousand euros.At least they should play the game and use bright yellow boxes instead of anonymous black poles.
Speeds which the old school French plod would have laughed at with just an agreeable fine 20 + years ago can now mean car seizure and possibly jail time territory if caught in a manned trap.All bets are off if they then also want to combine those types of penalties with cameras and a NIP.IE massive fine and maybe an extradition warrant regarding custody ?.
While like here unrealistic limits just massively increase the scope for penalties which no way match the level of the offence.That issue being much worse in the case of empty fast French roads.It’s obvious that their next move will be a blanket 110 kmh motorway limit regardless of if it’s wet or dry.
Jingle Jon:
Lost count how many times I’ve been flashed by a camera in France, usually around Paris… never heard anything.
Thanks Jon
On the way home before Christmas, sequence of events (around Dunkirk) for me was…
Saw the camera sign
Backed off to 110 kmh
Saw the camera
Checked speed limit on prat nav
Eeek 90 kmh
Backed off even more
Flash - your bonus for a prat nav indicated speed of 95 kmh
Happy Christmas everyone
Paul
Extradition for a speeding ticket. The mind boggles.
Carryfast:
50 mph NSL and 80 mph motorway limit on deserted straight RN’s suitable for 80 mph and autoroutes designed for 100 mph +.As for the even sillier non motorway route NSL reduction it’s obvious that they are trying to stop drivers avoiding the rip off over regulated motorway regime.I long ago gave up on France as viable route to drive anywhere maybe with the exception of over night use of autoroutes.But un manned cameras now added to the hazard of getting nicked by paramilitary style hidden laser traps during the day probably makes even that a relatively pointless option now.So it’s Belgium and Germany for Italy and the ferry for Spain for me with France being a pointless lose lose liability of big distances combined with rip off tolls and a silly draconian speeding regime.
Many AR’s are easily capable of Autobahn speeds without issue.
Its a monopoly Sanef have knowing full well using D and N roads instead can easily add 4-6 hrs plus from the north to the s.o.f…
Olog Hai:
Extradition for a speeding ticket. The mind boggles.
The idea and question of that is no sillier than the all too real possibility of jail time if caught in a manned trap for using an autoroute ( or an RN ) at the type of speed it was designed for.IE if the despots intend to jail someone for ‘speeding’ why would that be expected to change in the case of being nicked retrospectively by a camera and possibly ordered to attend a French court rather than just paying a fine.Although it’s possible that even just the ‘fine’ could result in someone losing their house assuming it’s based on the value of a decent car.
Those sat navs can be so helpful at times, and an annoyance at other times…but my trusty speed camera spotter has never let me down…and although illegal in some countries like france…it has never been spotted, as just before i get pulled, i push a button and its covered up…clever these mercs eh !
AndrewG:
Carryfast:
As for the even sillier non motorway route NSL reduction it’s obvious that they are trying to stop drivers avoiding the rip off over regulated motorway regime.I long ago gave up on France as viable route to drive anywhere maybe with the exception of over night use of autoroutes.But un manned cameras now added to the hazard of getting nicked by paramilitary style hidden laser traps during the day probably makes even that a relatively pointless option now.So it’s Belgium and Germany for Italy and the ferry for Spain for me with France being a pointless lose lose liability of big distances combined with rip off tolls and a silly draconian speeding regime.Many AR’s are easily capable of Autobahn speeds without issue.
Its a monopoly Sanef have knowing full well using D and N roads instead can easily add 4-6 hrs plus from the north to the s.o.f…
That’s the point.We know ‘without an issue’ regarding safety.But that certainly isn’t the case regarding the speed ‘enforcement’ regime combined with the ridiculous 80 mph limit.While the idea of a strictly enforced 50 mph limit on RN’s is similar.Also don’t see how SANEF totally gain from all that when it’s obvious that the real elephant in the room is the fast rail lobby and the French government also wanting to cash in,in the form of speeding ‘fines’ at the lower ‘infringement’ speed levels.
IE how do SANEF gain when people decide to just avoid driving long distances in France because the risk of car seizure and/or jail for using French roads as they were designed just isn’t worth taking ?.Bearing in mind that much of the reason for using RN’s instead of autoroutes is because the risk of getting seriously nicked at reasonable autoroute type speeds makes it not worth paying the tolls.The ever increasing reduction of RN speed limits obviously defeating that object.As I said the next move,after this,will inevitably be a 110 kmh autoroute limit with the intention of pushing more people onto fast rail services and increasing speeding fine revenues even more.
The difference in our case,unlike local French drivers,is that we can just avoid the place.Which is the conclusion I reached long ago.Bearing in mind the risk of being nicked by cameras now removes even the relative advantage of the lesser night time enforcement regime. 
Local French drivers will get to know the location of the cameras and act accordingly.Normally I wouldn’t be too concerned were it not for the fact that other European authorities can now access our DVLA.As with our own government it’s another form of taxation and taking money off travellers has been going on for centuries.
I drive to and from Spain about 3 or 4 times a year.I would like to go direct by ferry to Bilbao or Santander but they are very expensive.
When I travel I use a mix of RNs and Motorways.What used to be good national roads south from Rouen to Poitiers via either Le Mans or Chartres are now an obstacle course of numerous roundabouts and various traffic calming measures.The upgraded motorway from Bordeaux towards Bayonne which used to be free now has 3 tolls.Motorway all the way is very nice and quick but costs just short of €100 for a car and heaven only knows how much for a lorry.
Gidders:
Motorway all the way is very nice and quick but costs just short of €100 for a car and heaven only knows how much for a lorry.
My monthly bill is pretty eye watering but… no where near as bad as the fuel bill
Gidders:
Normally I wouldn’t be too concerned were it not for the fact that other European authorities can now access our DVLA
Yip got my 1st speeding ticket through the post from Germany this yr, 80 in a 60 at midnight & deserted. €100
iguana:
Gidders:
Normally I wouldn’t be too concerned were it not for the fact that other European authorities can now access our DVLAYip got my 1st speeding ticket through the post from Germany this yr, 80 in a 60 at midnight & deserted. €100
To be fair the lesser margins are easier than the regime at home so long as it stays at just a reasonable fine.While 80 in a 60 at home means 3 points let alone 6 points for 81 mph and a much larger fine than that.
The problem is when they inevitably ramp up the ante such as,like here,in the case of the French,increasingly lowering the limits to increase the level of the offence.
While in the case of France it’s really all about the potential penalties for getting caught at the natural 110-120 mph on autoroutes and 80 mph on RN’s which before at worse would have meant just a token on the spot fine and that only in the case of relatively few and far between manned radar traps.While reducing those speeds by around 10-20 mph would generally have just been ignored altogether.
As opposed to a strictly enforced 50 mph limit on RN’s and inevitably soon 110 kmh on autoroutes.While the fact that this silly draconian regime is being applied to French road and traffic conditions proves that the agenda has nothing to do with safety.
Carryfast:
As opposed to a strictly enforced 50 mph limit on RN’s and inevitably soon 110 kmh on autoroutes.While the fact that this silly draconian regime is being applied to French road and traffic conditions proves that the agenda has nothing to do with safety.
Can’t totally agree with you there Carryfast.
Taken from a recent press release
Une expérimentation de baisse de la limitation de vitesse à 80 km/h sur les routes secondaires a justement été menée en France entre 2015 et 2017, sur trois tronçons de 86 km au total.
An experiment lowering the speed limit to 80, on secondary roads (non duals) was actually in place in France between 2015 and 2017, on 3 different section of roads of a total of 86km
Dans une lettre adressée à un sénateur, et révélée par BFMTV, le Premier ministre précise que 20 accidents faisant 3 morts et 42 blessés ont été enregistrés sur ces trois portions entre le 1er juillet 2015 et le 1er juillet 2017, contre 67 accidents faisant 15 morts et 108 blessés sur les cinq années qui ont précédé l’expérimentation. “Ramenés à une échelle de deux ans, ces chiffres correspondent respectivement à 27 accidents, 6 tués et 43 blessés”, observe le chef du gouvernement, qui voit dans ces résultats la preuve que ce test a porté ses fruits.
In a letter to a senator, the Prime Minister stated that 20 accidents with 3 deaths and 42 injured were recorded on these stretches of road between 1st July 2015 and 1st July 2017, against 67 accidents with 15 dead and 108 injured, in the five years preceding the experiment. Bring these figures down to 2 years, it evaluates as 27 accidents, 6 dead and 43 injured, which he sees that this test has provided proof that it works.
pierrot 14:
Carryfast:
As opposed to a strictly enforced 50 mph limit on RN’s and inevitably soon 110 kmh on autoroutes.While the fact that this silly draconian regime is being applied to French road and traffic conditions proves that the agenda has nothing to do with safety.Can’t totally agree with you there Carryfast.
Taken from a recent press releaseUne expérimentation de baisse de la limitation de vitesse à 80 km/h sur les routes secondaires a justement été menée en France entre 2015 et 2017, sur trois tronçons de 86 km au total.
An experiment lowering the speed limit to 80, on secondary roads (non duals) was actually in place in France between 2015 and 2017, on 3 different section of roads of a total of 86km
Dans une lettre adressée à un sénateur, et révélée par BFMTV, le Premier ministre précise que 20 accidents faisant 3 morts et 42 blessés ont été enregistrés sur ces trois portions entre le 1er juillet 2015 et le 1er juillet 2017, contre 67 accidents faisant 15 morts et 108 blessés sur les cinq années qui ont précédé l’expérimentation. “Ramenés à une échelle de deux ans, ces chiffres correspondent respectivement à 27 accidents, 6 tués et 43 blessés”, observe le chef du gouvernement, qui voit dans ces résultats la preuve que ce test a porté ses fruits.
In a letter to a senator, the Prime Minister stated that 20 accidents with 3 deaths and 42 injured were recorded on these stretches of road between 1st July 2015 and 1st July 2017, against 67 accidents with 15 dead and 108 injured, in the five years preceding the experiment. Bring these figures down to 2 years, it evaluates as 27 accidents, 6 dead and 43 injured, which he sees that this test has provided proof that it works.
It’s difficult to believe that a reduction of 6 mph would make that type of difference.On that note it would be interesting to find out the exact locations and as to whether the comparison was based on the totally different situation of increased detection and enforcement of ‘inappropriate’ speeds in selectively chosen hazardous locations.
As opposed to the difference between 75-80 mph,let alone 90 kmh,as opposed to 80 kmh here for example where strict enforcement of even the 90 kmh limit let alone reducing it to 80 kmh is just ridiculous ?.On that note there’s really just too much conflict of interest with the the state run fast rail lobby wanting to increase its captive market or forcing drivers onto over regulated expensive autoroutes for an even easier nick and revenue raising,for the statistics and the anti car French government to be trusted.
Crikey used to be my fav country to drive in, both RN and AR but reading this quite sickens me, of course heard a lot about weight limits on A10 and others etc but what the hell, this job really is going the wrong way fast… Could explain why virtually no young people would give a rat’s arse for it anymore.
The cynic in me thinks it is all about raising revenue for the government.In theory the slower we travel the fewer accidents there should be so how slow is preferable.Apart from that there’s lies,damned lies,and statistics.You could prove the opposite of any argument from selecting from the same set of statistics.Politicians do it all the time.
short walk:
Crikey used to be my fav country to drive in, both RN and AR but reading this quite sickens me, of course heard a lot about weight limits on A10 and others etc but what the hell, this job really is going the wrong way fast… Could explain why virtually no young people would give a rat’s arse for it anymore.
Short go back to the top and read my OP again, the post has nothing to do with HGV’s. It is a reduction in speed limits on nationals for CAR drivers. I posted it as a heads up for people that visit France in their CARS