Sat Nav advice

[fontana]

Off to France in August and am going to buy a new sat nav.
I have been told that devices that alert you to speed cameras are illegal over there and you can be fined if you are stopped with one.
Apparently even if you have the function disabled, the fact that it's built in is an offence.
This pretty much rules out every available device.
What a pain.
Maybe just take a chance, but considering that its likely that every foreigner is going to be using a sat nav, I fear I might be an easy target.

[slparry]

I've travelled extensively in France and have always just disabled the poi's that warn of the camera locations and have never had a problem.

The AA give the following advice

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/ov ... rance.html

"

While radar speed camera detectors may still be legal at home – the 2006 Road Safety Act did include enabling provisions allowing the Secretary of State to make regulations to prohibit them but this hasn't been done yet – the position is different abroad where many countries have laws in place banning the carrying or use of these devices.

For some years now it is has been strictly forbidden under article R413-15 of the French 'Code de la Route' (highway code) to have a speed camera detector in a car in France, regardless of whether or not it is being used.

Penalties can include fines of up to €1,500, confiscation of the device and of the vehicle.

Until recently this legislation didn't apply to satellite navigation or other GPS-based systems capable of displaying fixed speed camera locations as points of interest (PoI).



New law in France

Effective from 3 January 2012 French laws prohibiting drivers from carrying devices capable of detecting speed cameras have been extended to include devices able to warn or inform of the location of speed cameras e.g. satnav or gps systems capable of showing speed camera sites as PoI.

As well as now banning all devices capable of warning drivers of speed camera locations, the French government is installing around 400 new fixed speed cameras and is taking down road signs indicating the location of existing fixed speed camera sites.

What should you do

If you have a satnav capable of displaying French camera locations in France then you must at least disable camera alerts before driving in France. We recommend that you contact the manufacturer of the satnav for advice as it is likely that a software or database update is available that will actually remove camera data for France from the device.

If you have a satnav system built into your car then we recommend contacting the vehicle manufacturer in the first instance.

Further advice

Driving regulations and customs in France are different to the UK. There are severe and rigidly enforced penalties for all road traffic infringements. These include imprisonment and a heavy fine for causing death whilst driving over the alcohol limit or under the influence of drugs.

There are also similar penalties for causing death by dangerous or negligent driving.

The French police apply speeding restrictions strictly and if you exceed speed limits you will face heavy on-the-spot fines.

If you break French driving laws you can also have your UK driving licence confiscated by French Police. This could lead to your vehicle being temporarily impounded if no alternative driver with a valid licence is available.
"

guide for a Garmin device here

https://roadkinguk.wordpress.com/2012/0 ... or-france/

[Herb]

I wouldn't get too hung up about it. Just disable the relevant POIs.

I also wouldn't buy a separate device assuming you have a half decent phone. Invest instead in a good quality mount and waterproof case.

The last few years I have used a garmin, my mates running co-pilot on their phones find route planning far far easier.

[fontana]

"For some years now it is has been strictly forbidden under article R413-15 of the French 'Code de la Route' (highway code) to have a speed camera detector in a car in France, regardless of whether or not it is being used. "

The way I read that is even if you have the function turned off, its still illegal.

[milleplod]

You might be better off using a phone, as Herb suggests. On my Windows Phone, I use Here Drive (available on Android and, I believe IoS, as Here We Go or similar) - the speed alerts are just that....a warning if you exceed any posted limit, not camera/enforcement alerts. I'm not even sure that 'camera alerts' are available on Here Drive any more - I never bothered installing them, but I think earlier versions did have them.

Another bonus is that Here Drive is a completely free download, as are worldwide maps. Its never let me down once, its easily as good as any TomTom or Garmin device's mapping and route finding.

Pete

[Herb]

The feature on the phone that I thought was particularly neat was being able to drag and drop routes. My garmin is quite inflexible, but the phone, you could far more easily lay in the exact route you wanted, to either pick up on a nice looking road, or bypass part of the route.

I have travelled in Europe a lot, as have my friends and fellow RoSPA riders. Never known anyone get pulled over yet.

I know what the law says, but I don't think the police in France have the time to check everyone's sat nav or phone, even were you unfortunate enough to get pulled.

If pulled, take it off and slip it in a pocket. And don't speed! Don't give them a reason to pull you.

[slparry]

"For some years now it is has been strictly forbidden under article R413-15 of the French 'Code de la Route' (highway code) to have a speed camera detector in a car in France, regardless of whether or not it is being used. "

The way I read that is even if you have the function turned off, its still illegal.

that's a speed camera detector, ie something that detects the x band etc signals the radar puts out. I have a detector in my car a Snooper, and it works well enough, apart from the false alarms near automatic shop doors etc.

Sat nav warnings are not detectors they're a passive warning, although they are also illegal to have active in France.

[milleplod]

"For some years now it is has been strictly forbidden under article R413-15 of the French 'Code de la Route' (highway code) to have a speed camera detector in a car in France, regardless of whether or not it is being used. "

The way I read that is even if you have the function turned off, its still illegal.

that's a speed camera detector, ie something that detects the x band etc signals the radar puts out. I have a detector in my car a Snooper, and it works well enough, apart from the false alarms near automatic shop doors etc.

Sat nav warnings are not detectors they're a passive warning, although they are also illegal to have active in France.

That's why the speed alerts are so handy on Here Drive. They're also programmable....ie you can set them to fire off at, say, 1mph/kph over the limit, or whatever takes your fancy.

Pete

[fontana]

I have travelled in Europe a lot, as have my friends and fellow RoSPA riders. Never known anyone get pulled over yet.

Unfortunately a couple of friends of mine did last year.
They got pulled for a random alcohol test.
As regards difficult to spot / police.
No not really.
Sat Navs are so common place these days, that it would be fair to assume that a foreign driver is most likely going to be using one, and of course they are clearly visible in a car and on a bike.

[70tno]

I have a Garmin, that "alerts" me to "dangerous roads" in the vicinity of fixed speed cameras in France!