If you actually know where you keep getting caught, might it not be an idea to slow down at that spot - or am I being stupid ?!
The one thing this post has shown me is that we are not alone and a lot of other good drivers are falling foul of the law for the first time in their driving history - time and again!
I've heard about a similar system in UK - and people actually getting done for speeding on the way to the session! However, this is interesting, given the quantity of other posts indicate these fines and point deductions are much more likely here in France. Unfortunately we might just have to resign ourselves to interesting 2 days of French practice if the current practice continues ?!?
Upon the enthusiastic recommendation of friends, I recently purchased a new Coyote real time radar trap warning system for unmarked roadside mobile speed checkpoints. Within two weeks the new unmarked rolling speed trap Renaults commenced service, rendering my new Coyote useless on the autoroutes. I have also noticed a new trend on both departemental roads and autoroutes; the temporary flashing signs, which digitally show you your current speed, often precede a new fixed speed camera, usually within the next kilometer. If you pass one of these, adjust your speed down to the limit immediately. I have also noticed the proliferation of intersection cameras to catch drivers running the yellow lights. Its a minefield out there for those drivers who do not like to get bunched up in traffic columns of drivers who will not maintain a constant speed.
Pay the fines online, within the time limit, and they are only Euro 43.00. You still lose the point.
Not that easy in a modern car! i have a large family car, only 1.6l but with 6 gears it cruises so quietly and the speedometer needle is very thick, so is quite tricky to guage the exact speed. The road I keep getting caught on is a dual carriage that suddenly switches to 50kph halfway down the hill.
In hubbys RH car, we only have MPH, can easily be 7kph out - however, it is so old it's difficult to speed as you can hear the engine working so hard.
Yup, have also fallen victim to speeding fines this year - 3 times all in 50 limits, max speed 57kph but a point each time and 90€ fines. Prior to that a completely clean licence and working as a professional driver sometimes Geneva/Chamonix and back 3 times in a day, I'm always on the road.
For small offences if you have a foreign licence there are no points but if it is a big offence, the ammende will also say that you have to change your licence for a French one so they can deduct the points.
I also read somewhere that there is a power connector on the number plate for recharging the camera hidden behind it.
I don't think the majority of fixed cameras are on back roads, all of those that I know are on motorways or N roads. You do get more speeds traps on the back roads, a car with a radar on the parcel shelf or a couple of plods on motorbikes with a portable unit, have even seen one of these in the middle of Lyon airport where it is limited to 30.
What are becoming more prevalent on smaller roads are cameras on level crossings to catch people going across when the lights are flashing.
I suggest you learn to SLOW down !!!!
700 Million gross revenue per year from speeding tickets. A major pillar of the french budget.
10 years in Canada, three speeding tickets.
7 years in Vegas, one speeding ticket.
1 year in France, five speeding tickets.
The number of points you will get depends on how fast you were going over the limit. Small excesses normally only mean the loss of 1. You can register with the Prefecture to get access to the database showing how many points you have left.
You are allowed to go on a "stage" once a year where in return for 200€ and being bored for 2 days, you can get 4 points back.
The authorities will send the speeding tickets to the registered owner of the car. You can state to the authorities that you were driving at the time the "offense" was committed. You need to check the speeding ticket were is described how to proceed to do that. You need to send a letter "recommandée, accuse de reception" with the contestation a copy of your driver's license. My wife's got a French license and I have still a Dutch one so every speeding ticket resulting in losing one or more points on her license is treated that way ;-)
Under French law it is the authorities that have to proof that your husband was driving. This is only possible when your stopped by the police or get flashed by a speed-cam that takes the pics from the front of your car. So if you're not sure if it was a forward or backwards flashing speed-cam you can always ask for the pictures before deciding to state that it was you who was driving. It takes some effort, time and money, but loosing all the points on a French drivers license is far worse.
I don't drive in France.
However, from what I've heard there are cameras everywhere to catch you speeding especially on back, rural roads.