Ok re speeding fines in EU. Apparently the UK and a couple of other countries opted out of the cooperation system introduced in 2015 that allows cross border fines until 2017 when we appear to HAVE to ( by EU law another reason to vote out) join the party. Its still unclear as to whether you have to pay the fine you receive in the post. Latest FUD suggests if you dont respond and dont pay, the UK courts cant get involved but you MAY get pulled at the EU border and fined on your nexct journey into that EU country, however as there arent any borders except into the UK that seems unlikely. So basically getting flashed this year is no problem unless pulled over, no fines or notices. 2017 Notices but no legal (as yet) compulsion to pay.
Well yes, illegal to have a warning specifying speed cameras in France but if there is a warning of 'hazardous zone', 'danger area', etc take the hint - it means there is probably a camera.
Just depends if you want to save up problems for yourself in the future. No one is going to come around and arrest you for a speeding ticket in a foreign country. But if you ever go back there and are stopped for any reason, it'll soon pop up on their computer and then your difficulties are likely to be bigger than just a speeding ticket. Still, your choice.
Take scans/photos of you're documents & email them yourself. This way you have an online document that you can continually download as and when needed (if needed). Take your secondary key but keep that hidden on the bike somewhere zipped up & consealed. Take your rubbish with you & dispose of sensibly.
I no of a couple of bods whom received fines through there uk letterboxes from Austria (not sure how they got there details tho and they both was puzzled as well) and a bod who works in Germany and comes home every other week got banned from riding in Germany for a month they asked for his licence, Germans don't do points they ban you from there rds depending on speed and you can pick the date you want the ban to start.
Travel light. Think small. stuff like shave oil instead of a can of foam if you wet shave etc. Football shirt material tees dry overnight and dont crease. Vacuum bags compact stuff and keep it waterproof.
I always take some line/string/nylon cord rolled up and several pages so that I can wash n hang my skiddies out to dry.
A couple of years ago we got bored with very slow A roads in Switzerland and nipped on the motorway... and we got away with it. In Austria you have to buy a cheap carnet for the motorway but it's very cheap. We headed a bit further over to the Dolomites on the 2014 EMM: Fabulous riding and the routes are here: 2014 EUROPEAN MULTISTRADA MEETING Lots of advice on good roads (and places to stop) in Europe available here: Routes Specific routes in Switzerland... Routes Personally I'd look at going a little later in the year as others have said, or keep to the lower passes. And this is still one of the best rides I've ever done: Timmelsjoch/ Passo del Rombo- 44b/186
Is it right you can get fined now in France for not wearing reflective stickers on your helmet . I think it's been law for years but only now being enforced .
Technically yes but I have been touring France and Spain for 12 years now and nobody has ever bothered us over hi viz stickers etc. That includes asking Policeman for directions or actually they asked us if we were lost (we were). Bluetooth headsets are illegal in Spain but never seen it enforced either. A big no no is stopping on the roadside unless you have broken down or you pull off the road area completely. Got a proper telling off for waiting on the side of the road for my mate who missed the roundabout exit and had to do another circulation. Policeman out of the car, hand on gun holster ranting etc. He didn't speak English and I pretended to not understand so he gave up and drove off. If you have Broken down, hi viz is a must too, they get very upset if not.
The problem isn't riding in France, Germany, Switzerland etc. The real problems come when you arrive back at Folkestone, start riding in England again, and are reminded how crap are the English roads, drivers, cars, police ...
For clarity, Bluetooth units such as Sena and Scala are NOT illegal in Spain or France. They and GPS systems are readily available in Spanish shops. As long as you have in helmet speakers and NOT ear buds or headphones you are ok Both are also illegal in a car. In anycase the chance of being pulled over for a check is very small as previously stated.
Can you show me where it says that it is being enforced? As someone who has 5 bikes in the garage for me and the wife, and has lived here in France for 12 years full time, and never bothered with reflective stickers, I have never heard of this being enforced. I would suspect that it is just rumour coming from someone who pretends that he knows better. I have mates who are French bike cops and they have never mentioned it.
What I will say about speed is that nearly all fixed speed cameras, and there are not many of them, have a huge warning sign a few hundred meters before the camera. There is no allowance here either, 50 kph is just that and not 50 plus 10%.
This is true. It's not the tricky bit. The tricky bit is the ad hoc speed traps normally staffed by gendarmes with laser binoculars. You have no chance. They have seen you years before you have seen them. Thankfully, other road users will generally warn you, but if you're in the middle of nowhere, there may not be any other road users around, but a speed trap nonetheless.
Did you go on the RIDE magazine website? They have loads of different routes around Europe. We did their 5 Swiss Passes route two years running based around Innertkirchen. Recommend Hotel Hof and Post as a base. Great ride BUT I suspect the passes may still be closed in May. That particular route through Switzerland avoided motorways so saved cost of the carnet. However, it is the most boring trek through small towns and villages within a few hundred yards of each other. Plus the Swiss don't exceed the speed limit so you're stuck. In retrospect I'd buy the carnet if I did it again, just to get a move on. It's been my third year running through Switzerland and never seen a cop outside the border crossings. If you listen to all the scare stories you'll end up phyc'ing yourself out of going. Just do it.
Chap at work who's french said when he went home the local paper was on about it .If he hadn't of said anything I'd be none the wiser, but your right I've never been stopped and don't know of anyone else either.
If you were over this side of France I would be happy to give you my phone number as a contact for any emergency, but you will be way over the other side and France is a very big country.
