[Maaarkk]

So I had a nice trip over to the south of France with my girlfriend from 24th June - 3rd July. I got a rental car out so that we could go see some places and visit her family. Was a really nice holiday.

But now, I got a letter in the post there, looking quite official. Open it, and it's 3 pages all in french that I have no clue about. Can't understand it.
Says at the top of the first page AVIS DE CONTRAVENTION. (NOTICE OF VIOLATION)

Basically after some help from google translate, I've found out that it's a speeding ticket.

on the motorway where there was a speed limit of 110km/h and they've give me two speeds that I've been caught at. Not sure which is the one to go by, but assuming the minimal difference, I'll go with the higher speed.

So what was I caught at? Either 111 km/h or 117 km/h.
Come on, even if it's the higher of the two, travelling at 7 km/h over on a 110 km/h limit, which is only 4 mph.

What a load of balls!! Wonder what would happen if I ignore it. Or object to it..

[xenon]

[safety_james]

From my experience, we drove last July from Norwich to Marbella in the South of Spain..

I got clocked and flashed by at least 7 or 8 radars on the way through and way back in France and never received a thing, I got stopped by a French Police Officer, but my wife asked him to prove how fast we were going, he couldn't so jumped on his bike and left.

The Spanish couldn't care less either, and I wasn't driving like an idiot, it was just slightly over the limits.

Many people I know have never received anything when driving UK plated cars over there despite setting off cameras.

Maybe, because you hired a car over in France (from what I gather by your post, I may be wrong, in which case ignore the following) it will be on the French database, the hire company would have got the ticket, passed on your details, kind of leaving you in a no win situation.

[Maaarkk]

Originally Posted by xenon

This was my first thought, lol.

Originally Posted by safety_james

From my experience, we drove last July from Norwich to Marbella in the South of Spain..

I got clocked and flashed by at least 7 or 8 radars on the way through and way back in France and never received a thing, I got stopped by a French Police Officer, but my wife asked him to prove how fast we were going, he couldn't so jumped on his bike and left.

The Spanish couldn't care less either, and I wasn't driving like an idiot, it was just slightly over the limits.

Many people I know have never received anything when driving UK plated cars over there despite setting off cameras.

Maybe, because you hired a car over in France (from what I gather by your post, I may be wrong, in which case ignore the following) it will be on the French database, the hire company would have got the ticket, passed on your details, kind of leaving you in a no win situation.

Yeh, I hired it from Europcar at the airport. Again from what I can understand of it, it's saying paid within 46 days - 45euros, 47 to 76 days - 68euros & over 76 days - 180euros.

45euros may not be a lot, but the fact that I was doing a maximum of 4mph higher that the limit is ridiculous. Especially when I was completely conscious the whole time of keeping to the speed limit.

I wonder if I could ask if the hire car was calibrated the day of collection etc. see if I can make it more hassle than what it's worth for them.

[phil200tdi]

Fine in your own car - different in a hire car...

My understanding is:

in your rental agreement it'll say you are liable for speeding fines.

if you dont pay, they will be charged and charge your credit card (with a hefty fee on top).

Worth looking into this..

[Maaarkk]

Originally Posted by phil200tdi

Fine in your own car - different in a hire car...

My understanding is:

in your rental agreement it'll say you are liable for speeding fines.

if you dont pay, they will be charged and charge your credit card (with a hefty fee on top).

Worth looking into this..

Yeh, I'm guessing they've received a fine, then just forwarded it to me.
I check my credit card statement to see if anything has been debited, be it a fine or an admin fee etc. nothing has come out except for the transaction of the actual rental.

Like I said before, I was very concious of the speed limits as it was actually my first time driving abroad. I tried to, and as far as I was aware kept within the limits. Obviously at this one point I didn't, but exceeded it by such a negligbile amount!

Wonder if I "lost my car" and got a new on re issued, would they then not have my details to exract money out of my card :/ First time I've ever used it, and won't need it again lol.

[sylonien]

Got flashed once in my own car, never heard a thing afterwards.
Car is now sold too! :P

But if its a hire car, then surely they have the details etc... so

[m@rk]

So if you don't pay it, they will go to the hire company, the hire company WILL bill your card and no doubt charge you extra by way of an admin fee.

Likewise if you change your card, it doesn't matter. Your card issuer will still honour the payment request as the card was valid when you gave it to the hire company

In either case, you can't win here unless you choose to plead not guilty to the ticket

BTW

Looking online it would appear that fines for only a few MPH over the limit are quite common.

[Maaarkk]

Originally Posted by sylonien

Got flashed once in my own car, never heard a thing afterwards.
Car is now sold too! :P

But if its a hire car, then surely they have the details etc... so

Wish I had of driven my car over now. Considering I had to pay a young driver's fee on top of the actual fee, which more than doubled the initial fee. It was a lot of money for renting the car, and now a possible speeding fine on top!

Would have been more fun in my car also

[Maaarkk]

Originally Posted by m@rk

So if you don't pay it, they will go to the hire company, the hire company WILL bill your card and no doubt charge you extra by way of an admin fee.

Likewise if you change your card, it doesn't matter. Your card issuer will still honour the payment request as the card was valid when you gave it to the hire company

In either case, you can't win here unless you choose to plead not guilty to the ticket

Yeh, seems like this is the only way it can go :/ kind of sucks.. wonder if there's any point trying to ask if it's calibrated properly etc to maybe get out of it.

[ed330D]

You say you were "completely conscious the whole time of keeping to the speed limit." Well, apparently not. It seems you need to improve your observational skills - currently all the cameras I've seen either have a huge sign warning you of the camera, or a digital sign displaying your speed (which in effect is telling you there is likely to be a camera).

From what you've written, you were clocked at 117km/h by a fixed camera. At that speed, you are allowed 5% before they prosecute, so the fine etc. is based on 111km/h. I know, just 1km/h over the limit, but that's the way it works.

Count yourself lucky: most of Europe has recently signed an agreement to apply fines AND POINTS across borders; I say lucky because the UK decided not to sign. Why the UK didn't sign I've no idea, it's almost as if they don't care about UK citizens breaking the law whilst abroad.

It's up to you whether or not you pay; I've no idea if they can enforce it. The rental agreement probably makes you liable for all fines you incur, so it may be they can just help themselves from your credit card - but I don't know. Me, I wouldn't want it hanging over me, so would cough up. And you're right, the longer you leave it, the more you pay. If you do decide to pay you can do it on line, and it's not too difficult.

[Maaarkk]

Originally Posted by ed330D

You say you were "completely conscious the whole time of keeping to the speed limit." Well, apparently not. It seems you need to improve your observational skills - currently all the cameras I've seen either have a huge sign warning you of the camera, or a digital sign displaying your speed (which in effect is telling you there is likely to be a camera).

From what you've written, you were clocked at 117km/h by a fixed camera. At that speed, you are allowed 5% before they prosecute, so the fine etc. is based on 111km/h. I know, just 1km/h over the limit, but that's the way it works.

Count yourself lucky: most of Europe has recently signed an agreement to apply fines AND POINTS across borders; I say lucky because the UK decided not to sign. Why the UK didn't sign I've no idea, it's almost as if they don't care about UK citizens breaking the law whilst abroad.

It's up to you whether or not you pay; I've no idea if they can enforce it. The rental agreement probably makes you liable for all fines you incur, so it may be they can just help themselves from your credit card - but I don't know. Me, I wouldn't want it hanging over me, so would cough up. And you're right, the longer you leave it, the more you pay. If you do decide to pay you can do it on line, and it's not too difficult.

Definitely wasn't a digital display, obviously there was a camera that I missed, but to be honest I wasn't paying attention for speed cameras, as once I saw the sign for the speed limit, I stuck to it.

As far as I was aware, I was sticking to 110 km/h when on the motorways (when that was the limit), but obviously I was over by 4 mph at this point. May have been due to the fact it had an analogue speedometer and it went up in 20's, so it's easy enough to be over by a small amount and not actually realise..

If you're allowed 5% before they prosecute, does that mean in an area of 110km/h I could have been going over by 5.5km/h without a fine? But I was going over by 7km/h seemingly

[sylonien]

Originally Posted by Maaarkk

Wish I had of driven my car over now. Considering I had to pay a young driver's fee on top of the actual fee, which more than doubled the initial fee. It was a lot of money for renting the car, and now a possible speeding fine on top!

Would have been more fun in my car also

I did think for ages whether to hire car, fly then hire car once I'm there.
But the thing that put me off most was the fact that its not mine, as in I'm worried they would charge me this and that afterwards or for anything.
And I still gotta pay for fuel anyway.

I know I was going to be careful (I know there are inevetibale stuff that can't be controlled) but anything anywhere could happen.
So I decided to take my own at the end.

Got flashed by hidden camera but that was just a genuine mistake.
Its variable speed meant that I got caught out at a bend.

Saw the sign as i approached and look down and thought - yeah I'm doing the right speed.
then kmh not MPH! *flash* at that moment.

I was conscious of the speed, kept on checking but for a split moment I thought it was mph and not realised its kmh now that I'm in Germany. A little confusing on my first ever drive abroad and on the first day.

[Maaarkk]

Originally Posted by sylonien

I did think for ages whether to hire car, fly then hire car once I'm there.
But the thing that put me off most was the fact that its not mine, as in I'm worried they would charge me this and that afterwards or for anything.
And I still gotta pay for fuel anyway.

I know I was going to be careful (I know there are inevetibale stuff that can't be controlled) but anything anywhere could happen.
So I decided to take my own at the end.

Got flashed by hidden camera but that was just a genuine mistake.
Its variable speed meant that I got caught out at a bend.

Saw the sign as i approached and look down and thought - yeah I'm doing the right speed.
then kmh not MPH! *flash* at that moment.

I was conscious of the speed, kept on checking but for a split moment I thought it was mph and not realised its kmh now that I'm in Germany. A little confusing on my first ever drive abroad and on the first day.

Lol, just a slip up then. At lesat since it's your own car, seemingly you will get away with it!

[sylonien]

Originally Posted by Maaarkk

Lol, just a slip up then. At lesat since it's your own car, seemingly you will get away with it!

I was prepared to pay for it since it is what it is.
But forum told me that its fine

but yeah never heard a thing.
Otherwise I probably would of paid.

[Maaarkk]

Originally Posted by sylonien

I was prepared to pay for it since it is what it is.
But forum told me that its fine

but yeah never heard a thing.
Otherwise I probably would of paid.

Lucky!
I don't mind paying a speeding fine (first one ever lol) It's just the fact that it was suuuch a small amount over that it's annoying!

[sylonien]

I know its annoying, but it is what it is. :/

[Maaarkk]

Originally Posted by sylonien

I know its annoying, but it is what it is. :/

True, might as well just pay it.
As I said at the start, it's only 45euros. Was just annoyed that it was the tiiiinyest bit over. Will drive a little less than the limit next time just to stay on the safe side lol.

[phil200tdi]

Realistically you were probably 10km/h over the limit according to the speedo. They have to under read by law.

Just put it down to experience, pay and get on with your life...

[breathe3asy]

Originally Posted by Maaarkk

Wish I had of driven my car over now. Considering I had to pay a young driver's fee on top of the actual fee, which more than doubled the initial fee.(

Young drivers fee is extortionate, & they normally only tell you once you're standing opposite the counter (no clear mention if booked online etc). So they spring it on you & its not cheap, like you say almost doubles the price.

That said I've never paid out my own pocket on these occasions but if it were my cash boy I'd be pissed :P

Sorry to hear about your holiday mishap don't let it put you off future visits abroad

[Jules59]

Went to the Ring a couple of years ago with some guys who go frequently. Was warned in no uncertain terms that the French police will jump on you pronto if you if you so much a think about going faster than the limit. We turned the cruise control on and just waited till we were out of France - then the fun started

[Drrncour]

+ on just paying the small fine. If you don't pay it your phobs never be able to rent from them again (hire cars for insurance in event of accident come from these places) and as they operate in numerous countries across the world, inc UK I'm sure it will be easy for the uk arm of Avis to chase this.