O/T French Police and Driving Bans

As the Maximum speed allowed anywhere in France is 130km/h, this means your friend exceeded it by >50km/h. This is a class 5 offence which is the highest you can get and is in the same category as hit-and-run, for example.

The basic penalty for this is €1500 and a suspension of the license for up to 3 years. The judge has the possibility to not go up to this maximum if he feels generous!

If it is a UK License, I think it will be returned to the UK authorities to do with as they please.

I'm 99% sure that your friend will thereafter have to apply for a French license as the suspension of the UK one will be registered and this is one of the single cases that you aren't allowed to use the "EU License is valid anywhere in EU" clause. The next time round with a so-called class 5 offence is a prison sentence up to 3 months.

It's only my opinion, but your friend might consider a lawyer could be advisable here!

 

For swiss driver, the limit in Europe is now 170km/h without liscence suspension. But with a penalty.

 

????????????????????????
Could you please enlight me on this?????
a.) Speed limit is NOW 170km/h in Switzerland? No!?
b.) A Swiss driver is ONLY allowed to drive up to 170km/h in Germany....where is no speed-limit...but for the Swiss dudes? No!?

 

European law states that the revokal of your license can only happen if the same rule would apply in your own country.
Normally revokal of your license will happen if your speed is more than 50 km above the limit. This means that if the limit is 120 km/h that your license will be revoked above 170 km/hr.

Ton

 

Thanks Ton,
understandable so far....
But if there is NO speed-limit?
(It was indeed just the sentence/statement which makes me wonder)

"For swiss driver, the limit in Europe is now 170km/h without liscence suspension. But with a penalty"

Germany is not Europe?
Or....
we have sometimes a speed-limit of 130km/h......+50km/h = 180km/h

 

Speed limit, what's that ? I was clocked at 205 miles/h on Interstate 10 in New Orleans (330+KM/H)and my friend's Lambo GTR at 207...and our State trooper car was a 360 challenge with police lights on the roof... I love that State F. event..
Roland
F40LM

 

I know many that travel through france and get varying punishment. I have had 2 experiences, both over 200kmh. First (February 2001), 205km (AudiTT 225) when with a UK licence. Was escorted to a cash machine, paid 750Euro, got receipt with licence back and told to go, slowly, on my way.

Second (November 2002), 215km (Audi A6 2.7T) on a Swiss licence, escorted to cash machine, paid 900Euro, taken back to police station where car was impounded, licence taken and I was told to walk home - I was told to stay off french roads for 1month. My partner came with a friend, released car (by showing valid licence) and drove me to UK. My licence was posted back to me by registered mail to Switzerland, without any mark or endorsement. Subsequent court case ruled I was fined too much, ban was correct. I never saw any money back or heard anything else.

Others I know have exceeded 200kmh (receipts to prove) and have got away with much less fines, some have been only 20kmh (France is 110 in the wet, 130 in the dry - at police discretion) over and had their licences taken for a month.

I would say you should play the lottery on the day you get caught - lose with police, win on lotto. Lose at lotto, win with police. The odds are going to be about the same either way as far as knowing what is going to happen is concerned.

 

Roland,
oh my god, what happened with the Lambo GTR??? Couldn`he find the 5th gear? He must felt in deep depressions.....only clocked with poor 205mph

 

@Gibbsa,
Hello Andrew,
that was 2001 & 2002 - you lucky b. Everything is getting more expensive now.
Hope you and Nathalie are doing well.

-off-topic-
I would realy love to see you both driving together with us on our Tuscany trip 05:
http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44491

Best
Wolfgang

 

I must admid that I had nothing for him. New car against a 15 years old race car...I hate the young fast dudes..
Roland
F40LM

 

?New car? The Lamborghini Diablo GTR???
Or are you talking about the police escort 360CS?

 

how could they justify taking a foreigner's licence away since a french driver would only lose a couple of points on their licence (at that speed).

I think that is winable in court 100%

 

Well, it was a 2003! definetly faster than my LM(1990), not by much but faster anyway...I was happy that the Enzo didn't pass me, he was close but no cigar for him. This was fun and willbe on the frenchquater video since my poor wife was in the LM filming the all run.
Roland
F40LM