do NOT speed in switzerland

That is a joke, right?

 

We lived in Suisse late 80's early 90's and les flics and the DMV equivalent were actually pretty good back then. In fact my wife went a week earlier than me and when she picked me up at Cointrin after the all night flight she drove to our flat at Bellevue just a few kilometers away. When we exited the autoroute we went thru an underpass and were flashed with hugely bright lights.

I said "what the hell was that?" And she replied "I don't know but every time I go under this bridge it does that..." Needless to say she got ~10 tickets the first week we were there. She pleaded "dumb American" and they made her pay only once! I made it 4 years or so before my first ticket and it was only ~20SF 10kph over.

Probably would be different now but we had many experience and they were always decent and fair.

Still miss the place but visit yearly.

 

That's hilarious!

 

Yes. I still think Switzerland is awesome, but I will definitely not speed if I ever get to go back there.
I support Ross in his position that indexed ticketing charges are not fair.


BT

 

@#$%^&* Sorry to hear that Ross.

I remember thinking "even the Swiss have car enthusiasts among the customs officers at the border" whilst they were taking pictures of our cars... Should have known better.

Should have known that 2 months ago

Last year it took only a few weeks (rental car), unfortunately.

Gr. Martin

 

... to follow up on the my post, copied onto this thread by traveller...

nice little letter from the Swiss Prosecutor arrived by recorded delivery: Dear Sir... Minimum 1 year in Jail....

Now instructed Swiss Lawyers CHF 5,000 on account... so up to the princely sum of CHF 8,000 already..(including the pre-fine).

Will update you on the outcome as things progress.

 

wow, thats a tough one. can they really extradite you on this charge?

 

what next from the officials in Swiss government... they gave into disclosing previously discrete banking information, now they are "tearing a new one" for traffic infractions... tourism is a major source of revenue, if they keep on "keeping their heads where it don't shine" soon no one will want to go there, pay their lofty prices, and be subjected to ridiculous interpretations of managing the populous

sad news, hope you have retained the best proctologists to help you through dealing with the authorities

 

The exact type of state the USA is becoming at an ever increasing rate.

 

ross

You are offering rides in your F40? I saw a repost-- "wish I had knew 2 months ago"


I just got back from my apt in Verbier. Had to do some reburshing- I didn't realize at all about the speed infractions. In 2006 I was flashed @ 160km outside the airport. didn't do anything and got a 35 CHF fine. Got flashed going to Geneva to get a mattress last week. Perhaps rental cars have different rules- also got a parking fine when I went to call on a billiard company. Elvis Billiards-

I'd love a ride next yr- The music festival is a wonderful time to visit Verbier!

Cheers!

Beez

 

Nobody in Switzerland "votes" for this stuff.
Swiss citizen have NO influence whatsoever. Zero. It is the politicians in the Federal Parliament in Bern only who introduce these laws.
The huge majority of the Swiss people are ultra-green environmentalists and HATE cars.
Since January 1, 2013, the laws for speeding in Switzerland have been drastically changed. Drivers who are more than 50 km/h over the speed limit will go to jail in ANY case and you cannot avoid that. Plus, naturally, a HUGE fine and always a confiscation of your car as well.

Marcel Massini


Marcel Massini

 

For SPEEDING?

That's insane.

 

That's a lame excuse "just doing their job"...

What would the politicians do if the officers just kept busy and didn't pull over speeders?

If you know that something is not right you don't just do it because your boss tells you so.

If nobody enforces these dumb ass laws it sends a message to the dumb ass politicians.


Kai

 

Not insane. It is the law. Zero tolerance. The rules are very clear. For all.

Marcel Massini

 

Switzerland is divided into 26 individual cantons, like Geneva, Zurich, Lucerne, Basel, etc.
Each canton has a clear yearly budget how many Swiss Francs have to be brought in from speeders and from traffic control (red light cameras, parking, etc.). These budgets are being raised every year, sometimes even doubled from one year to the next one. As a result the priorities are very clear.
It is easy to take the money from motorists, they have money because they drive a car. People without money are not interesting enough and thus no targets.

Marcel Massini

 

Yikes, I recently tried to rent a car in Milan to drive to Germany, hoping to experience the St. Gotthard Pass.

I couldn't find a decent drop-off deal so I gave up and took the train instead. It appears what came across at the time as a disappointment was really a huge blessing in disguise! I'm sure I would have collected a Swiss photo album (courtesy les flick). I picked up a car in Stuttgart instead.

FYI, the police also tried to install photo radar here a few years back. I saw the sudden flashes along the highway as I drove behind some unfortunate souls - startled the cr*p out of me the first time. Luckily, senses prevailed and the politicians, minus the lefties, threw out the horrible money-grabbers. However, it's also serious here for speeders doing 50 kph over the limit. They suspend your license for 7 days and your car is impounded for 7 days. If you're convicted, you get fined up to $10k, 2 year license suspension. Second offenders get even worse punishment - 10 year suspension.

IMO, the only fun and safe way to drive FCars is to go out to the countryside and find some decent secondary roads where there is no traffic, no people and no cops.

BTW, I complained to an Italian cop about the lack of parking signs when I had to pay a hefty €100 parking fine. He was polite, apologized and said they do it because "it's easy money".

 

It is insane, even though it's the law, they seek zero tolerance, the rules are very clear, and they apply to all.

(I've been lucky enough to drive through Switzerland twice, on my way to Austria. I can almost understand the green thing there, as it's a ridiculously beautiful part of the world.)

 

It IS insane. Of course, if someone drives through a town or village 50km/h over the limit I want to see him locked up as well. But if someone drove 50km/h over the speed limit on an empty motorway and got locked up as a result of that, that's absolutely insane.

This alone is more than enough reason for me to avoid driving in Switzerland like the plague. Pretty place in the world and all that but I prefer not dealing with a bunch of hippy communists.

 

It's spreading all over Europe:

European police officers to run week-long speed campaign | International Fleetworld

Gr. Martin

 

Last year I drove Germany-Austria(Stelvio Pass)-Italy and so glad I didn't go via Switzerland as well!

I loved the scenery of the region so would love to do more but will be mindful of the harsh intolerance being practiced there on any next visit.

I found the Autobahn de-restricted zones liberating and everyone I saw was sensible with good lane discipline and awareness of high speed traffic.

In the trip the year before I got a bunch of fines from Rome all from the day I returned the hire car and some from the time I was already long gone at the airport.. I smell scam.. I am still ignoring all of them to this day.. driving a whole bunch of F-cars prior to that on the mountain roads no drama came from it at all!

 

It IS insane. Bloody burglars, druggies and dirty old men, get less than that. Was minding my own business on a dual carriageway overtaking, in control, safely, not being reckless or dangerous. I'm pretty sure that I wasn't going as fast as they reckon, but that one will be down to the lawyer.

And if you can read the kph on a 430 spider speedo when its in a red colour and microscopic on a sunny day.. Personally, I'd rather look where I am going. Safer for everyone.

 

Not for the trees, apparently . . .

 

When I lived in Switzerland I did not have trouble with the speed limits. 120 KPH on motorways was good for me. between Lausanne and Bulle en Gruyere you could hit 160KPH once in a while, but usually the traffic was not condusive.

up in the mountains the roads are so tight that you could not really get up much speed and in towns same thing with traffic... or maybe it was the Fiat Panda that was my rental?

 

Sounds like Montreal.

 

they should have fined you more.... u can afford it.