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I hope that this may be of use to allow people to make best use of existing speed limits.
ook
I have a small hand-held GPS device. One of its functions is to display speed in kph. I recently used this as an accurate kph speedo (not hand-held but safely mounted) in France, which now is enforcing speed limits very strictly.
What I found was that in speed limits up to 90kmh, my 964 speedometer was just about spot-on. On dual-carriageways, where the limit is 110 kmh, the GPS showed 110 when the speedo showed about 115. On autoroutes, where the limit is 130, the speedo showed about 145 when the GPS showed 130.
My understanding of GPS technology indicates that the speed that it indicates is extremely accurate indeed. Reading around on the web and in French car mags led me to the conclusion that a GPS speedo is not illegal, but, as is well known, any type of speed trap warning device is. However, a book listing speed traps is not illegal, and many are available in France. (Which is odd when you consider what is more detrimental to driver behaviour: an automatic warning or having to consult a book!)
On autoroutes now, most French cars are doing about the same speed. With the cruise control set, I was doing between 128 and 132 kmh according to the GPS, and overtaking just about everyone. The fast cars are now mainly UK, German or (terrifyingly) Belgian. So, I think that it is certainly worth calibrating your speedo with a GPS unit - you only need do it occasionally - and you will know exactly what your real speed is.
There is still no major threat to your licence, but the police can take it from you and send it back home (which means you cannot drive in France until you retrieve it) and you can be fined EUR90 upwards. Really excessive speeds can result in a night in the police cells. Speed cameras, as far as I can tell, cannot get you because there is no agreement between France and the UK.
Apparently ther is a reciprocal agreement between the UK and Switzerland (bizarre - since they are non-EU). I do not know what happens if you are caught by a Swiss speed camera. Maybe the Swiss police, relating to whom Amnesty International have a huge file, are allowed come over and to shoot you lots, as if you were a South American electrician.
Alistair
ook
I have a small hand-held GPS device. One of its functions is to display speed in kph. I recently used this as an accurate kph speedo (not hand-held but safely mounted) in France, which now is enforcing speed limits very strictly.
What I found was that in speed limits up to 90kmh, my 964 speedometer was just about spot-on. On dual-carriageways, where the limit is 110 kmh, the GPS showed 110 when the speedo showed about 115. On autoroutes, where the limit is 130, the speedo showed about 145 when the GPS showed 130.
My understanding of GPS technology indicates that the speed that it indicates is extremely accurate indeed. Reading around on the web and in French car mags led me to the conclusion that a GPS speedo is not illegal, but, as is well known, any type of speed trap warning device is. However, a book listing speed traps is not illegal, and many are available in France. (Which is odd when you consider what is more detrimental to driver behaviour: an automatic warning or having to consult a book!)
On autoroutes now, most French cars are doing about the same speed. With the cruise control set, I was doing between 128 and 132 kmh according to the GPS, and overtaking just about everyone. The fast cars are now mainly UK, German or (terrifyingly) Belgian. So, I think that it is certainly worth calibrating your speedo with a GPS unit - you only need do it occasionally - and you will know exactly what your real speed is.
There is still no major threat to your licence, but the police can take it from you and send it back home (which means you cannot drive in France until you retrieve it) and you can be fined EUR90 upwards. Really excessive speeds can result in a night in the police cells. Speed cameras, as far as I can tell, cannot get you because there is no agreement between France and the UK.
Apparently ther is a reciprocal agreement between the UK and Switzerland (bizarre - since they are non-EU). I do not know what happens if you are caught by a Swiss speed camera. Maybe the Swiss police, relating to whom Amnesty International have a huge file, are allowed come over and to shoot you lots, as if you were a South American electrician.
Alistair
