New speeding cameras in France

[johnmc]

Hi,
The Motorhome magazines this month are warning their readers that the French police are installing automatic number plate recognition cameras on all paege stations on the autoroutes, starting with the main route from Calais to the South of France.

Their goal is 100% enforcement of the average speed. There's been other threads about whether or not measuring your speed between the tolls actually happens, and it only used to happen occassionally is the police attended the tool booth and started checking tickets. The authorities have now realised, after a short study, that foreign drivers and bikers are a potential goldmine and the cameras will measure your average speed all the way on your journey and the fine will be instant at the tollbooth. Watch out for this one! May need to spend some more in the aires between toll booths!

If anyone finds out more, perhaps by getting nailed, please update us!

John

 

[02 A160 AG]

Just returned from a weekend in Paris, drove across and didn't notice anything. Any idea on what their cameras are supposed to look like, are they using SPECS or something?

If you've got any more information on the article please let us know!

Although we were in a bit of a rush, we only got charged for the standard tolls at the payment booths - phew...

 

[Hibbo]

This is a worrying trend, and you can be sure that it WILL happen in this country, it's just a matter of time.

ANPR cameras are spreading all the time, they are used for good reasons, like catching uninsured drivers, but it's no great leap for them to say "your car was spotted in London at xx:xx time, and then in Liverpool at xx:xx, so you must have exceeded the speed limit; give us all your money!"

It's a bit like the story of the 'reciprocal' deal between the police and various councils, whereby traffic cameras can be used by the filth to catch criminals, and the absolutely huge network of anti-crime CCTV cameras can be used to catch - illegal parkers!
I read an article in one of the Sunday papers (The Times I think) that told of how residents of a posh part of that London where pleased when CCTV cameras where installed after a wave of break-ins, only to all start getting hit with parking fines. People where getting done for things like double parking for 45secs whilst they helped their elderly folks out of the motor infront of their house, before parking up properly, or unloading shopping and such-like. This was all genuine as they demanded to see the tapes that had incriminated them. Appalling.

That's the world for you today though :-(

 

[Ian B Walker]

Hang on a mo. Calais to Montpellier is the best part of 650 miles. So you are going to take a break in the journey. That being so a Specs Camera is as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike. All you have to do is take an hours break and Robert is your fathers brother

 

[television]

Hang on a mo. Calais to Montpellier is the best part of 650 miles. So you are going to take a break in the journey. That being so a Specs Camera is as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike. All you have to do is take an hours break and Robert is your fathers brother

How did you know that Robert is my fathers brother

Malcolm

 

[davidsl500]

Hang on a mo. Calais to Montpellier is the best part of 650 miles. So you are going to take a break in the journey. That being so a Specs Camera is as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike. All you have to do is take an hours break and Robert is your fathers brother

Actually Ian you still have to be a bit careful. If you averaged 10mph over the speed limit you would have to take at least a 50 minute break to avoid being caught. Unlikely I suppose but with two drivers swapping over, even with fuel stop and a quick break, and a night journey it would be easily possible.

 

[jon_harley]

Hang on a mo. Calais to Montpellier is the best part of 650 miles. So you are going to take a break in the journey. That being so a Specs Camera is as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike. All you have to do is take an hours break and Robert is your fathers brother

Sounds like you are assuming you would go through a peage at the very start and very end of the journey, but that's not how they work. In that distance you'd be using motorways owned by two or more different companies and they'd each charge you as you go from one into another. Also, some of them work by ticket on entry/pay on exit but others simply have tolls at regular intervals along the route.

That said taking a total of an hour's break in a 650 mile drive sounds like a very good idea anyway!

 

[jberks]

Ok - hands up anyone who, after a long motorway journey, has an 'average speed' on the computer at anything approaching 70?
I find that if I press on and cruise well over 90, I will average perhaps 60. With hold ups, slow muppets etc there is no chance over long distances in the UK. Short distances however are another story.

 

[Blobcat]

Ok - hands up anyone who, after a long motorway journey, has an 'average speed' on the computer at anything approaching 70?
I find that if I press on and cruise well over 90, I will average perhaps 60. With hold ups, slow muppets etc there is no chance over long distances in the UK. Short distances however are another story.

On my 1,000 miles in a day my average speed according to the trip computer was 60mph. The actual average including stops was 52mph. I don't know about the 211 but the trip computer in the 210 doesn't take into account the time when you are not moving sat at junctions or in queues. This of course makes your average speed look higher.