www.tdg.ch/france-rouler-50-km-h-trop-vite-devient-un-delit-penal-691798930696
Just seeing friends for a few days and they brought me some newspapers..
Can;t find it in english but am sure someone here will..
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Translation
Driving more than 50 km/h over the speed limit becomes an offense.
Starting Monday, serious speeding offenses will be punished as a crime. Offenders face up to 3 months in prison and a criminal record.
The offense of reckless driving is being introduced in France. Driving more than 50 km/h over the speed limit will become a criminal offense, not just a traffic violation, starting Monday. This measure will be accompanied by much harsher penalties, with sentences of up to three months in prison, a €3,750 fine, and a criminal record.
This legislative change is a response from the State to the increase in dangerous behavior on French roads, explains France 2. These speeding offenses can have dramatic consequences.
Speeding: one-third of accidents are fatal
Pierre Lagache, vice-president of the League Against Road Violence, welcomed this legislative development to France 2: "When someone behaves by being 50 km/h over the speed limit, it's not a trivial act. It's a deliberate act that aims to completely disregard the rules, endanger oneself and others."
Studies confirm the dangerous impact of speeding on driving. It significantly reduces reaction time and increases braking distance. For example, a vehicle traveling at 50 km/h requires an average of 28 meters to come to a complete stop, compared to 70 meters at 90 km/h and 129 meters at 130 km/h.
And the statistics are unequivocal, as France 2 points out: excessive speed is involved in 30% of fatal accidents on French roads.
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A bit of a thread hi-jack.
I was travelling with Miss Z late Christmas Eve and as some of you may know, she's a surgeon in training.
We came off a dual carriageway on to one of those dedicated spurs on a large roundabout.
The car in front moving very slowly and mounted the kerb, got back in to lane and then continued along the next dual carriageway very slowly whilst not being able to keep to the lane.
Miss Z was livid and called the police.
The car was going in the same direction as we were and the call centre stayed with us and asked for updates on route.
They asked us to confirm when we were approaching a certain roundabout, which we did and there was a silver unmarked BMW waiting. When the other car arrived at the roundabout the unmarked car followed along the next road and then lit up like the proverbial Christmas tree.
We were going in the same direction and the "drunk" car didn't stop for about a mile and when it did it mounted the kerb.
Not something I enjoyed, but am glad that it potentially took a dangerous driver off the road.
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SWMBO and daughter had a similar experience on (I think) the M6. Swervy driver, all over the lanes, so they called the police who asked them to follow safely and report, and eventually plod stopped him (I think it was a him) and he was not drunk at all - someone having a severe medical episode of some sort. They had been asked to stop with the police to give their names & addresses and describe what they'd seen etc, after which they went on their way so didn't find the outcome but I think their action probably helped keep the roads safer too.
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I'm glad that these things can be responded to. A couple of times I've followed obviously impaired drivers and called 999, but a physical response hasn't been put into action quickly enough. I understand that police can't be everywhere all the time, and would make the call again if I found myself in a similar situation.
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Good to see that the French have finally cracked the rules of relativity, "Studies confirm...speeding significantly reduces reaction time".
Next move is to achieve time travel.
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>> Good to see that the French have finally cracked the rules of relativity, "Studies confirm...speeding significantly reduces reaction time". >>
Yes, I was wondering how that might work. Taken literally, the faster you go, the quicker you respond ? If that is not what is meant, what is ?
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Fifty kph over the posted limit is pretty gross; 100 in urban 50, 130/140 on a rural (ish) cross country road.
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Speeding in France from next week - Zero
