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Speed Camera Detectors

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Post by Richard T Fri Feb 28, 2014 3:41 pm

I was looking at the list of motoring offences and their respective penalties at http://www.french-property.com/guides/france/driving-in-france/driving-offences/ and noticed that the fine for "Use of illegal speed camera detector" is 1500 euros and 6 penalty points.

This raises, for me, a couple of questions:

1) Why is the fine so high when, for example, the fine for "Using a mobile phone while driving a motor vehicle" is only 135 euros and 3 penalty points?

2) How is "Use of illegal speed camera detector" different from "Display of device to locate or disturb speed cameras" where the fine is 30,000 euros with a possible 2 year imprisonment?

3) If the offence relates to the use of an "illegal" speed camera detector is there such a thing as a "legal " speed camera detector?

3) Not related to speed cameras but why does "Driving in a no through road" attract a fine and a possible 3 year license suspension?

With all of these there may be something lost in the translation but I am truly baffled why the fine for using a sat nav with a built-in speed camera locator (which I gather is encompassed by the description of "detector") should be considered such a major offence. I can understand that the use of equipment that interferes with speed camera functionality should be illegal but given that your average sat nav tells you when there is a speed camera ahead at about the same time as you see the official roadside sign why is apparently considered so dangerous that it attracts a relatively huge fine.

I know that the UK government banned the use of radar type equipment 6 or 7 years ago but its stance on identifying fixed cameras by GPS technology was that it actually complimented the then government's policy to ensure that camera sites were visible and conspicuous, and so help deter excessive and inappropriate speeds on the roads. Why do the French apparently take such a different view, especially as their roadside signs are, in general, far more conspicuous than those in the UK?

I know it's easy to be glib and cynical about French laws but there must be some underlying reason why they feel the use of speed camera "detectors" is such a terrible thing. Anyone know?

Richard T

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Post by very19 Fri Feb 28, 2014 8:06 pm

Localizing speed camera with a commercial GPS navigator is not forbidden in France. The GPS navigator display speed camera where they are supposed to be but it is not a detector. Detector means an equipment able to detect radio waves or laser sent by the speed camera.

"Driving in a no through road" No fine for this, of course! There is a confusion maybe with driving in a prohibited direction in a one-way street.

Hope my english was understandable... Embarassed 
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Post by redburmese Fri Feb 28, 2014 9:45 pm

Your english very 19 is great ,just wish my french was as good  Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes 
redburmese
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Post by Richard T Sat Mar 01, 2014 10:23 am

very19 wrote:Localizing speed camera with a commercial GPS navigator is not forbidden in France. The GPS navigator display speed camera where they are supposed to be but it is not a detector. Detector means an equipment able to detect radio waves or laser sent by the speed camera.

Do you have a link for this (in French is OK) as everything I have read seems to suggest that the offence encompasses all types of speed camera detection. The sat nav manufacturer TomTom says this on its web site (dated October 2013):

"Since decree n°2012-3 was introduced on 3 January 2012 it has been illegal to be warned about the position of fixed or mobile speed cameras while you are driving in France. If your TomTom navigation device has the Speed Camera service and you continue to use the service, you risk a fine of up to €1500. "

It also goes on to say:

"TomTom had a meeting with the Road Safety Ministry to clarify the situation regarding new and upcoming legislation. As a result, TomTom is introducing a 100% compliant Danger Zones service available in a free download for compatible products."

So what they seem to be saying is that whilst it is illegal to be warned about the position of speed cameras in France it is not illegal to be warned about danger zones - which just happen to be the spots where speed cameras are located. In other words it's a fudge to get around the exact wording of the legislation.[/quote]

Hope my english was understandable... Embarassed 

C'est parfait!

Richard T

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Post by ARKWRIGHT Sat Mar 01, 2014 2:15 pm

Richard T, when in power, President Blair talked about banning speed camera detectors in the UK but no laws were passed. It is still legal to use these device in the UK. In fact, Auto Express magazine tested a range of speed detection devices in the 23rd May 2012 edition of the magazine. The devices tested included stand alone radar detectors as well as the GPS type.

ARKWRIGHT

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Post by very19 Sat Mar 01, 2014 7:52 pm

"Since decree n°2012-3 was introduced on 3 January 2012 it has been illegal to be warned about the position of fixed or mobile speed cameras while you are driving in France. If your TomTom navigation device has the Speed Camera service and you continue to use the service, you risk a fine of up to €1500. "

Finally you were right Richard. But as I could read on some site, manufacturer, after a hard lobbying, have gotten  the right on their GPS navigator to display coming in  "zone dangereuse" with no accurate of the speed camera position of course.

Some links
http://www.cnetfrance.fr/cartech/avertisseur-radar-autorises-39761220.htm
http://www.securite-routiere.gouv.fr/connaitre-les-regles/questions-frequentes/avertisseurs-de-radars

PS: merci pour le compliment sur mon anglais !
very19
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Post by Richard T Sun Mar 02, 2014 1:02 pm

very19 wrote:Finally you were right Richard. But as I could read on some site, manufacturer, after a hard lobbying, have gotten  the right on their GPS navigator to display coming in  "zone dangereuse" with no accurate of the speed camera position of course.

Some links
http://www.cnetfrance.fr/cartech/avertisseur-radar-autorises-39761220.htm
http://www.securite-routiere.gouv.fr/connaitre-les-regles/questions-frequentes/avertisseurs-de-radars

Thanks for these very interesting links. My understanding is that the identification of  "danger zones" is permissible but not the actual position of a speed camera. OK, I get that, but I still fail to understand the logic behind the offence attracting such a big fine. In one of your links it appears to justify the law as follows (my translation):

"In total, since 2002, thanks to the installation of speed cameras there has been 500,000 fewer injured and 32,000 lives saved - nearly two thirds of these due to lower speeds.  In 2009 there were 66% fewer deaths near to speed camera installations.

It is for this reason that the government has decided to ban the facilities to enable drivers to avoid these controls whose purpose is to enable greater safety on the roads."

Perhaps it's just me but I don't see how trumpeting the success of speed cameras in paragraph one leads to the conclusion in the second paragraph that denying drivers the right to know where they are will necessarily improve road safety, especially where some other countries (notably the UK) appear to suggest that the opposite is true. Equally the use of GPS type "detection" of speed cameras does not, in my view, enable drivers to "avoid these controls". The controls are there whether or not you have a speed camera detector.

Is anyone aware of any evidence that this law actually improves road safety?

PS: merci pour le compliment sur mon anglais !
C'est moi (ou plutôt nous) qui te remercie de contribuer à ce forum en anglais. Smile

Richard T

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