New fines in France !

[Stefanel1]

New laws are made in France to lawer the number of killed people on our raods (about 7 500 in 2001).
Mobile phone when driving, seat belt, alcohol, lights, etc. But also speed.... And now, if you're driving at 30kmh (20mph) over the speed limit, you'll have to pay 135 € (US$ 150) and you risk a suspension of your driving licence of 1 to 6 months !
So an example, whereas you could drive at 160kmh (100mph) on the highway without problems two years ago, now, police caught you at even 150kmh (95mph and the speed limit is 130 only ! 83 mph).
I know there are not many Frenchs here but what do you think about that ?! What's up in your country ? etc.

[bigfrit]

I read about those new fines in France somewhere, and I personally think it's a great system to demotivate speeding on the roads and autobahns.
Not only will that save lives, it will also create an equal flow of people going at same speeds.

I guess it has only been up to now that gouvernments realised the importance of those statistics. (political agenda cause)
I believe it is only a small price to pay to drive slower , and you save lives with it. People who still neglect these laws are being punished more and more, and the fines just keep escalating, thus demotivating every kind of road racing and thus making streets more safer in general.

I do believe the roads are made for driving and the tracks are made for racing, not vice-versa.

Here in Belgium similar taxes have been set up for about six months ago and since then I read that at first the infractions have increased (also due to higher police vigilance) and about three months ago the circulation became more fluid and the infractions lowered.


Olivier

[Oz]

IS THAT ALL?
If you're caught doing 30km/h over the speed limit in Australia, you would be faced with $1500 fine (approx $650 euro or $800 US) and lose your license for a minimum of 3 months, more likely 9 or 12 months. The types of punishments you describe we would get for being 15km/h over.

[Stefanel1]

Mouaif ! On the highways, there are "only" 5% of killed people. And on these 5%, 80% of the accidents occure under the speed limit (because of alcohol, people tired, bad weather, etc.).
The problem is that our governement is actually doing this to earn money, that's all. The over passing of speed limits in the cities can be dangerous, ok, in some cases on the roads, it can be dangerous, but on the highway, I don't agree. Look in Germany : no speed limits on the main autobahn network. Are there more accidents ? not at all ! And some poeple are driving at 140kmh, other people are driving at 250kmh. That's not a problem.
But thefting their money to drivers is not the solution and it won't save lifes, at least on the highways, I thing we can agree on that. Again in the cities, I can understand easyer.

You've a C3 ? cool ! which one ?

[Stefanel1]

Oz : 15kmh over ?!!!!! that's all ! and what are your speed limits ? 90kmh in cities, 140 on roads and 200 on highways ? in this case I could understand

[Oz]

Nope, ours are rediculously low, especially for a country with such large distances to be travelled.

40 around schools
50 around suburbs
60 on large roads with lots of interesections
70, 80, 90 or 100 on arteries
110 on Freeways/Highways.

That is as high as it goes, except for in the Northern Territory (top middle of Australia) where there are speed unlimited parts.

[Stefanel1]

ahhh.... I couldn't live there unless I had an helicopter
It's terribely low, not better than in the USA so ! That's surprising because I've already heard that Australians were not driving too slow...

[Stefanel1]

But people who said me you were not driving slow went maybe in the North

[Oz]

You are now encountering the Australian mentality.

They can post speed limits, charge us shitloads of money, threaten us left right and centre and we still say 'Fuck Em' and do 150 on the freeway.

[Steel]

aww, the speed limit is ONLY 130 km/h? boohoo, cry me a river.

[Haibane]

Stefanel1, I understood most of that, but I guess it is cause you are not american or english that you have weird english, anyhow those laws suck, but there are worse in a lot of different places.



Freedom Fries, lol

[jinushaun]

Originally posted by Oz
Nope, ours are rediculously low, especially for a country with such large distances to be travelled.

40 around schools
50 around suburbs
60 on large roads with lots of interesections
70, 80, 90 or 100 on arteries
110 on Freeways/Highways.

That is as high as it goes, except for in the Northern Territory (top middle of Australia) where there are speed unlimited parts.

That's how much it is in the States. Though 100 km/h seems a bit much for arterial speeds. The highest is usually only 62 km/h. Maybe we have different defintions of artery.

Fuck that, I drive 120 km/h on the freeway.

[Ura]

Hehe, sounds like the laws are worse in Canada then in France from the sounds of it, at least in British Columbia here.
I just got a speeding ticket the other day for doing 137kph in a 100 zone. $173 fine and the officer was being nice because it was my first offence on record. The usual fine is just over $350 from what he said and thats just to top it off. If you've had tickets before for similar offences they can make you walk and tow your ride in behind you. If they decide to add the new anti-street racing laws in on top of it your looking at close to a $900 fine, plus vehical being impounded, and a license suspension for 3 - 6 months.
And on top of that they still won't give you a ride into town....bastards. :

[Stefanel1]

I know that it's sometimes worse, but in France, this country was known for its liberty on the road... now it seems to change !

[Stefanel1]

An the problem is that for example many people are driving at about 160kmh on the highway, some cars over 200 when it's limited to 130... but there were not many radars on the French highways, but now, the problem is that our government found a solution to win money and they do that whereas we know that cruising at 170 kmh (105 mph) on the highway (at least in France) is not dangerous at all (when the condition are good : traffic, weather, your own car, etc.).