Problems driving in France?

[Wellsey58]

Have travelled regularly in France in a car with no problem. Did it in the motorhome this year and got caught by a camera. A 40 euro fine arrived on the mat a week or so after return, with about 60 days to pay before it went up a bit. I set the satnav to KPH and kept to that apart from the one time I went a bit over. Same as this country really, keep within the limit and you wont get nicked. Dont let the wonderful scenery distract you

 

[EX51SSS]

Although the signs aren't as regularly repeated as they are here in the UK, they are sign posted

Only signs to be repeated are other than 30 mph.
No requirement for any repeater signs within a 30 mph zone

 

[EX51SSS]

had no problem when the speed was 90K, 80 just seems unnatural to me.

You find 56 mph more natural than 50 mph?

 

[BobtheBass]

If you see yellow diamond shaped signs on the roadside it means that traffic on the road has priority over traffic joining from the right. No signs and joining traffic has priority and you have to give way, unlike the U.K.

 

[EX51SSS]

I set the satnav to KPH and kept to that apart from the one time I went a bit over.

So you actually ignored the warnings from your Sat Nav to say that you've exceeded the set limit?
It's really a bugger that you only ignored it just one time and that's where a camera was. That's really bad luck

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[Fontie]

The 30kmh through some towns is well signposted at the start but maybe me being thick I could not see a sign anywhere where it would finish, other than the town name with a slash through it. Some of the speed bumps are mini mountains huge that in my motorhome 15kph was almost to fast to go over them.

 

[Figaro]

40,000 revs =I'm not waiting any longer.

I think the engine would've blown up at 10,000 rpm

 

[keithchesterfield2]

All you need to know about driving in France with this beginners course --

 

[Reallyretired]

I've driven in Europe for 40 odd years but my only speeding ticket was in N Yorkshire.
The town name with the slash marks the end of the 50kph speed limit but sometimes it only increases to 70kph for a bit, often you only notice it was 70 when you reach the sign for the end of the limit.

 

[Landy Andy]

The 30kmh through some towns is well signposted at the start but maybe me being thick I could not see a sign anywhere where it would finish, other than the town name with a slash through it.

When you pass the place name, or yellow square that is the indication that you are now in a 50kph area, and they don’t have to show a 50 sign, but if they have chosen 30kph they will display that. This then ends (either 50, or 30) when you leave the place, which is name sign with slash through it.

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[Viennese]

I changed my GPS to KPH when in France in order not to get caught out. In my Citroen Relay it's almost impossible to read the KPH on the speedo as it is writ so small.

 

[gus-lopez]

The French also have a big LED countdown timer on some of the temporary traffic lights at roadworks, to let drivers know how many seconds are left until their turn comes. I have yet to see that helpful LED timer in the UK. Excellent idea.

Same in spain along with most pedestrian crossing controlled lights.

I had no problem when the speed was 90K, 80 just seems unnatural to me.

It is & I also cannot use top gear as it shakes the van to pieces being to low for it .so pollution must be increasing.
When it drops to 70 then we are in third & 50 is just doable whereas 30 & speed humps is 2nd or even 1st if they are the big ones.

A steady 80 kph drive on country roads becomes very relaxing.

as above I cannot get in to top gear.

other than in the UK you might have a near miss once a year, here in France it will be about once a month.

You must drive in different places to me. 2 in one week in essex. then a pedestrian half wit last friday in North devon & another near miss today.

Only signs to be repeated are other than 30 mph.
No requirement for any repeater signs within a 30 mph zone

Not a lot of use though when it is out in the countryside with no street lights & after 3 miles you are wondering what the limit is?

 

[EX51SSS]

Same in spain along with most pedestrian crossing controlled lights.
It is & I also cannot use top gear as it shakes the van to pieces being to low for it .so pollution must be increasing.
When it drops to 70 then we are in third & 50 is just doable whereas 30 & speed humps is 2nd or even 1st if they are the big ones.
as above I cannot get in to top gear.
You must drive in different places to me. 2 in one week in essex. then a pedestrian half wit last friday in North devon & another near miss today.

Not a lot of use though when it is out in the countryside with no street lights & after 3 miles you are wondering what the limit is?

The default is 30 mph in this country irrespective of the weather

 

[gus-lopez]

The default is 30 mph in this country irrespective of the weather

sorry I'm lost with that one?

 

[EX51SSS]

sorry I'm lost with that one?

Meaning that other than certain dual carriageways and motorways, all other areas WITHOUT repeater signs are 30 mph

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[gus-lopez]

Meaning that other than certain dual carriageways and motorways, all other areas WITHOUT repeater signs are 30 mph

News to me.

 

[EX51SSS]

News to me.

Well it is in the Highway Code but who cares

 

[Allanm]

When you pass the place name, or yellow square that is the indication that you are now in a 50kph area, and they don’t have to show a 50 sign, but if they have chosen 30kph they will display that. This then ends (either 50, or 30) when you leave the place, which is name sign with slash through it.

I’m afraid that is incorrect.
A yellow diamond sign means you have priority over vehicles approaching from the right. A yellow diamond sign with a black diagonal means you no longer have priority and must give way to traffic from the right.

Nothing to do with the speed limit.

Village or town name sign with a red border indicates the start of the 50kph speed limit unless another speed is displayed. Sometimes the town name sign will have a 70kph sign next to it, allowing you to drive at 70kph, unless your vehicle is over 3500kg, then the lower limit applies.

The name-sign ( or speed limit sign) with a diagonal line across it means the end of that speed restriction.

You will often see 30kph signs in towns and villages. Some also show a speed hump sign, you should drive over the speed hump at a max speed of 30kph.
Many places will also have 30kph repeater signs, maybe with the word Rappel underneath, as a reminder.

The same goes with 50kph signs, they are often repeated, even in towns with just the name indicating you are in a 50kph limit.

 

[RedFrame]

Meaning that other than certain dual carriageways and motorways, all other areas WITHOUT repeater signs are 30 mph

News to me.

Me too.

Rule 124 from the Highway Code (Upd. 2019)

"You must not exceed the maximum speed limits for the road and your vehicle (See the table in rule 123). The presence of street lights generally means that there is a 30mph (48Kmh) unless otherwise specified."


Cheers
Red, Bannock and Chris.

 

[Reallyretired]

Particularly in the central massif of France do not drive over a speed bump at the 30kph limit or everything in the motorhome will take off. Some of them are bad at 5kph.

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[Allanm]

Only signs to be repeated are other than 30 mph.
No requirement for any repeater signs within a 30 mph zone

I’m pretty sure that in unlit areas in a 30 mph zone, repeaters are allowed.

 

[TerryL]

Bit off thread (so what's new ) so does this mean the "20" signs that have started to proliferate around us, and are repeated on every other lamp-post, are illegal? Very few folk seem to take any notice.

And yes, I know they're meant to slow traffic on housing estates etc. but the main road through our village has them too as well as speed humps.

 

[RedFrame]

Bit off thread (so what's new ) so does this mean the "20" signs that have started to proliferate around us, and are repeated on every other lamp-post, are illegal? Very few folk seem to take any notice.

And yes, I know they're meant to slow traffic on housing estates etc. but the main road through our village has them too as well as speed humps.

No, if a road is lit by street lighting 182.88mtrs apart or less, unless otherwise indicated, the limit is 30, if it is otherwise indicated then there must be repeaters. If the road is unlit/lighting is more than 183mtrs apart and the limit is not national speed limit then the limit must be indicated and there must be repeaters. (Motorways have their own rules)

Cheers
Red, Chris and Bannock

 

[gus-lopez]

Me too.

Rule 124 from the Highway Code (Upd. 2019)

"You must not exceed the maximum speed limits for the road and your vehicle (See the table in rule 123). The presence of street lights generally means that there is a 30mph (48Kmh) unless otherwise specified."


Cheers
Red, Bannock and Chris.

But out in the sticks it is 30 & no repeaters

I’m pretty sure that in unlit areas in a 30 mph zone, repeaters are allowed.

They probably are & need to be to make it legal but with many councils they err on the lazybasttewardsrus department & rely on the lack of knowledge of those driving to understand the regulations & put the police in the position of illegally prosecuting .
If in an unlit zone with a limit below the "national speed limit" = 60 mph then repeaters are necessary for it to be legally enforced.

 

[Allanm]

I know this will be contentious, but the onus is on the driver to keep to ( or just below) the speed limit.
The police cannot prosecute you for speeding unless the speed limit for that road is signed. ( lit residential roads subject to 30mph limit with no signage excepted) They will only enforce a posted limit ( lit residential roads subject to 30mph limit with no signage excepted. They cannot do otherwise, whatever anybody tells you.
The Highway Code is available for every driver to study, they even have their own versions in foreign countries, it is your responsibility to read it and abide by it.
Sometimes you have to take responsibility for yourself without blaming others for the predicament you find yourself in.

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[tuscancouple]

Sometimes you have to take responsibility for yourself without blaming others for the predicament you find yourself in.

Now that's a novel approach

Mick

 

[EX51SSS]

I’m pretty sure that in unlit areas in a 30 mph zone, repeaters are allowed.

Possibly

 

[EX51SSS]

Bit off thread (so what's new ) so does this mean the "20" signs that have started to proliferate around us, and are repeated on every other lamp-post, are illegal? Very few folk seem to take any notice.

And yes, I know they're meant to slow traffic on housing estates etc. but the main road through our village has them too as well as speed humps.

No. I did say 30 mph. Any other greater or less has repeater signs

 

[Wellsey58]

So you actually ignored the warnings from your Sat Nav to say that you've exceeded the set limit?
It's really a bugger that you only ignored it just one time and that's where a camera was. That's really bad luck

Yup, the scenery distracted me.

 

[EX51SSS]

Yup, the scenery distracted me.

Good defence. Eyes and ears don't work independently then

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