France To Ban Sale And Use Of Speed Camera Warning Systems

milysev · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 9:15 pm Post subject:

At the moment whether you know where the fixed cameras are is probably quite useless. The Gendarmes are very inventive at concealing their mobile cameras and there is more chance of a ticket from a mobile site than from a fixed camera. I would strongly advise against exceeding the speed limit ANYWHERE in France. It is open season on the motorist.

cunnind · Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 10:45 am Post subject:

I live in France and recently noticed that a few of the Radar warning signs have gone and some are replaced by the small board that indicates your actual speed, just before a radar camera. I have just read the Coyote web site news flash - they are one of France's largset producers of passive warning devices - and that states that if you have their latest update then you are 100% legal.
It would seem that if you give a warn of a radar on an autoroute by saying that a stretch of 4km is dangerous then that is legal, as is 2km on rural roads and 600m in towns and villages.
May be the database could be updated to allow for this?
Cheers,
David
Crying or Very sad

milysev · Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2012 1:12 pm Post subject: Warning Signs

Last year the French government announced the removal of all warning signs for cameras.
Regarding "Zone Dangereuse" this may well be the way forward as an interim measure.

Gurubarry · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 16, 2012 Posts: 22

I live in Montpellier , Southern France . I have a Tom Tom One , my Daughter a One v3 , both have traffic accounts.
We rarely see any stops here, and both devices are used inside the cars normally.....mine appears as a screen covering the i pod socket and cigar lighter socket...I blacked out the logos. I use just the sounds on an old Western Europe map for radar ,so far with huge success, saved me 3 times after new lower limits were put in place with no signs on the A9 . The limits are difficult to pick up here, and vary without reason from 130kph to 110kph frequently...always with a camera in the first few KMs of the 110!!

I believe...I can't verify it , that the police have NO Right to switch on and interrogate your GPS device . I will use the speed limit warning from now on, and your advice is corect, speeding in France is the New Bloodsport ....since the 4th Jan it is only the Swiss and Belgians that speed ....except in Montpellier!
Also the Red Light Flashes are going up on a daily basis here.

TuppyTrucker · Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 6:00 pm Post subject:

French speed camera warning GPS ban.
This is what I have done for my French map on a TomTom unit.

Download the latest PocketGPS EUR speed zoned file including French sites.
Set POI warnings at 250m or more, and record a new sound for each speed e.g. Speed Limit 80kmh.
Or just record a general 'speed limit' warning.
Approaching a camera the unit will annouce a speed limit and display the speed limit sign icon on the screen.
No mention of a camera is made or shown, just the speed limit.
They can't argue with that can they? If they do, argue back in friendly way, they normally back down.
The French get very literal when it comes to laws. If something is not specifically disallowed, then it is, by definition, allowed. That's why, on dual carriageways etc. they have 'no entry' signs at the bottom of on-slips, and 'no-right turn' signs just before the on-slip.
In my recent travels around France I have never been pulled over by the forces of order, (apart from when doing my job, which involves interaction with the police). They seem only interested in obvious speeders. They ignore faulty lights, dangerous driving, drunks, unlit tractors and a myriad of other offences that could draw in a regular cash supply.
Passing the 'attitude test' is a very important part of dealing with the French Police.
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milysev · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 12:20 pm Post subject:

Just received this message as a translation of a query re speed cams in France....

The Decree of January 3, 2012 prohibits * to hold, carry, or use alarms of radar (GPS, detector of radar or smartphone) equipped with the function "alert radar" to report fixed and mobile radar in France. You have a GPS? To be in compliance with the law, it is necessary to carry out an update of your device. To do this, you simply connect your GPS to your computer with the supplied cord. Visit the website of the manufacturer and launch the update procedure stated by the manufacturer. This update removes display of radar and radar warning function disables. Now, your GPS will display a message when you arrive and leave a "dangerous zone".

So it would seem ok to have warnings of dangerous zones.
If we need to know when we enter and leave a "zone dangereuse" will it be possible to change the database to reflect this?

Andy_P

RogerTil · Lifetime Member Joined: Aug 01, 2011 Posts: 42

ranger_6 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 19, 2005 Posts: 31

sysinfo · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 24, 2005 Posts: 9

Go for the SCDB as a source for Speed cameras. Cheap as chips, and up to date.

PaulB2005 · Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 12:24 am Post subject:

sysinfo · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 24, 2005 Posts: 9

Nothing at all, just my preference.

Darren · Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:35 am Post subject:

cunnind · Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 9:52 pm Post subject:

I found a translation somewhere of the supposed full consequences of getting caught. Not only was there the 1,500€ fine and the 6 points but also confiscation of the equipments AND the vehicle! I have just deleted my camera DB for a long journey I was making today, just in case.....

Dave Twisted Evil

JQL · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 2:29 pm Post subject:

I live in Paris and no one seems to be taking a blind bit of notice of this new law. Everyone (Parisians) I speak to says the law is un-enforcable as:

it Breaches the Constitution
The Police probably need a Search Warrant to investigate your GPS once switched off
Locals will use the "Get-out" of Dangerous Zones and the Police know it**

**All (or nearly all) French Laws are designed with a "get-out", you just have to know the "get-out."

Most seem to think it has more to do with the "Political Silly Season" - The elections are due shortly, and the Courts will probably overturn the laws anyway.

Having said that, foreign plated vehicles are an easy target.

There are a couple of new Traffic Laws going through the system so expect large parts of France to be at a standstill this summer due to various "Manifestations".
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