Hoping someone can give me some advice.
I received a speeding ticket through the post today, caught doing 80 in a 70.
The problem is i wasn't driving it was my husband, not wanting to be petty but i have already had two ! Getting worried about my licence now.
Although for the last 2 i just paid the fine and never sent my licence, i still have a UK licence.
Do we just pay it like the others not send a licence away and not worry or do i send a letter saying it wasn't me it was my husband driving. But would that risk them asking for both our licences which would probably entail changing them to French ones. I presume we will have to get French licences at some point when the points will be added on, which is why i'm worrying about this 3rd ticket.
Also we have just realised that the camera that we were caught at is in a 90 zone and it says on the ticket that it's 70 and we were doing 80. Would we really stand a chance of getting anywhere if we contested it?
They are the same in Ireland Pam. On one of the main arteries from the suburbs into Dublin city, there was a stretch of the road where speed had been reduced by 20 kmh because it dipped down and was sometimes waterlogged. Favourite trick of Dublin traffic police was to stand on bridge over the dip with scanner - goldfish in bowl comes to mind.
Thanks Sheila, it makes interesting reading.
In our case ,after speaking to local friends, it would seem there has been something of a rush on tickets lately, (reducing the national debt pehaps) The main opinion seems to be that they are using portable camera's from cars in layby's, hiding behind walls, tree's etc to catch people. We can only think that this is how we were caught in the 70 zone just after the fixed camera in the 90 zone.
We now drive at the speed limit, it's sooo boring!
Hi Pam, having been on the receiving end recently too, if you were not driving you must contest the infraction by not paying the fine. There should be a form with the avis to contest it,both of you have to complete it and send it to the address shown on the form with AR.
With regards to changing your licence, if you need to, it will tell you on the first page of the avis. If it's only a matter of 1 point, they don't usually bother. Unfortunately I have a French permis and was caught on 2 consecutive days - doing 57 and 62 in a 50 limit. I wouldn't have minded if it was serious speeding but for that on a wide open road - grrr.
Just remembered, as well, that the national speed limit on roads unless otherwise indicated is 90km/h (like in the UK it is 60mph) but is reduced to 80km/h in wet weather, just like the motorways reduce in the rain. I looked it up after getting caught - again, should know better as I am a professional driver for a living :-(
Yes I think Brian's a bit of a fount of knowledge on here...good plan!
Hi Damaris, I've done that twice already (i'm really not a bad driver) that's why i'm worried as if they ever decide i have too many and have to change my licence i don't want to risk loosing it. I think i will do what Brian suggested and i had thought anyway, cover my back 'just in case' !!
I agree with Brian. You are probably right but there's just no point. My french partner had a speeding fine last year and he just sent a chèque without his license. They didn"t query it.
Thanks Brian,
I think you are right, it's what i was thinking. It can be so infuriating learning to let things like that go, in the UK i would have fought it all the way.
Send in fine, write that it was your husband and give his full name, etc, but try to do it without sending in the licence. As you probably know, there is no point in trying appeal or whatever so try that since it might work.