French speed limits, etc

[bungeejumper]

Just back from my 2,500 miler in France, and to be honest the new 80 kph (49 mph) national speed limit on single carriageway main roads didn't seem to be causing too many problems. It seemed as though 90% of the traffic was getting along OK at 80 kph on the open road, and the black Audi brigade who made up the remaining 10% were not going to drop their speed for anybody in any case. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.

We hardly saw any gendarme patrols by the roadside either, which seemed rather odd for a red/black traffic period. Mind you, I do wonder whether the flics could make a penalty stick for a foreigner if you were driving on a road that clearly said 90 kph but you were somehow supposed to intuitively know that the signs now meant 80 kph? As an incoming foreigner, the authorities have made zero attempt to inform drivers of the change - I would at least have supposed that they'd have notices up at the national borders, or that they'd be handing out flyers at the ferry ports?

On the whole, though, I'm quite glad that they've reduced the N road limits, because French driving standards do seem to be sliding back after maybe a decade of getting better. Far more risk-taking seemed to be going on, especially on blind bends where the no-overtaking signs were being routinely ignored. Especially in the north.

OTOH, I only once saw a driver talking on his mobile during the whole three weeks, and only one bad/dangerous instance of undertaking. (And that was a Belgian - nuff said. ) The south of the country seemed to be a good deal less lawless than the north. But maybe that was just confirmation bias. How did others find it?

Jeez, the Boulevarde Peripherique is getting seedy these days! The mashed concrete surfaces, the graffiti, the sun-bleached direction signs that just aren't legible any more. It's a good job that you're only doing 15 mph. Oh how I love Paris traffic, not.

BJ

[UncleIan]

Just back from my 2,500 miler in France, and to be honest the new 80 kph (49 mph) national speed limit on single carriageway main roads didn't seem to be causing too many problems.

Just back from two weeks in the French Pyrenees. What new speed limit? Looks like I got away with that then! Though that said, most single carriageway stuff in France is often a bit of a 50mph bimble anyway.

OTOH, I only once saw a driver talking on his mobile during the whole three weeks, and only one bad/dangerous instance of undertaking. (And that was a Belgian - nuff said. ) The south of the country seemed to be a good deal less lawless than the north. But maybe that was just confirmation bias. How did others find it?

I had a Belgian behind us Saturday in one of them big Porsche 4x4 type things, grey hair, number plate "TOP GUN". Not driving badly you just reminded me, talk about mid-life crisis.

Didn't find the driving too bad, though I still can't get my head around how when you're on a dual carriageway and you're overtaking two cars how after you've overtaken the first it pulls out right behind you so your mirrors are full, a little disconcerting. And also one junction in a town where I was clearly on a smaller road and yet several times I was let out as the car on the main road stopped for me, I thought all that weird priority stuff had died a death. Oh, and nothing too lawless, a few silly motorbike overtakes on mountain winding roads on blind bends but *shrugs* they got away with it.

Roads in a noticeably better condition of course, but then that area is often used as the route of the Tour De France and I swear the roads get smoothed and resurfaced in advance of that.

[gryffron]

Tour De France and I swear the roads get smoothed and resurfaced in advance of that.

They do. The entire route is checked and much of it resurfaced each year. It's one of the reasons why it is so popular with the locals. Only way to get your roads fixed.

[moorfield]

No problems on the autoroutes this summer. In fact we managed 1hr uninterrupted cruise control on 84mph (Lady M starts nagging at 85mph ...) which was a pleasure. The A39 is the only road I will use it on though, daren't do in anywhere in the UK!

[Watis]

For anyone driving in Europe, do bear in mind the new emissions regulations, especially as these are being applied in an increasing number of cities. Details here: http://www.urbanaccessregulations.eu/

Now that speeding fines can be levied from France, do bear in mind that there is no requirement to warn about the sites of speed cameras, although I found when driving in France last year that there is often - but not always - a generic warning sign a kilometre or two before the cameras. I found that many speed cameras are sited in positions where your speed will tend to creep up without you immediately realising. There are several different styles of camera, but the ones I most frequently encountered where either slim black poles about three feet - or should that be one metre - high or what look at first glance like bins.

After some research, I found that France applies a safety margin of 5km/h above the speed limit before a fine would be levied. That could change though, so don't rely on it.

HTH,

Watis

[UncleIan]

Tour De France and I swear the roads get smoothed and resurfaced in advance of that.

They do. The entire route is checked and much of it resurfaced each year. It's one of the reasons why it is so popular with the locals. Only way to get your roads fixed.

We need the Tour of Britain to get much more popular!

[bungeejumper]

For anyone driving in Europe, do bear in mind the new emissions regulations, especially as these are being applied in an increasing number of cities. Details here: http://www.urbanaccessregulations.eu/

Oh yes, the new Crit'Air stickers that you need when driving in seven or eight French city centres. (Paris, Lille, Lyon, Toulouse etc). I had a try at ordering a Crit'Air sticker for my car before I went away, and found it horribly confusing. I finally gave up when I got to the bit about how I had to send them a scan of my entire registration document, on a file of not more than 150k (or some such tiny size).

Soddit, I thought, I never wanted to drive through Lille anyway. Didn't need a Crit'Air for the Paris Peripherique. Although Lyon might perhaps have been trickier, because one of the main through routes runs right through a tunnel under part of the city and then along the river bank. Hideous city congestion, and that was eight years ago. Perhaps they'd have done better to build a ring road or something?

And another thing. At the end of the day, though, what does a Crit'Air sticker tell the authorities? Simply what Euro emissions group your car belongs to. And are they going to ban you for driving a Euro 5 instead of a Euro 6? Somehow I really doubt it.

BJ