Melina

Anyone experienced discrimination from the French police following the launch of their road safety campaign. I have. Everytime they catch a glimpse of my blue flash they stop me and it always takes long to check the details.
Last time I asked them why they had stopped me and they insisted it was because since this was the most stolen car in France they had to. Strange since there ain't that many...Other times they just want to check out the interior or find out what prompted a woman to buy this car. My time is valuable. Any similar exeriences in France or UK?

NACRO

I'm living in France and notice I and others get stopped by Customs on a frequent basis. To be honest I don't find it a problem as I have nothing to hide.
The gendarmes like to stop me but probably because I'm in a RHD car (with French plates) and it looks a little unusual. Haven't noticed many more of them about recently but have noticed some urban road speeds are down, which is good. People must be afraid of getting caught on radar.

haynesaj

Every time I use the Eurotunnel, a security check gets performed on me on the UK side (open bonnet etc.), while UK customs stop me on the French side for the return! Never been pulled by French police though...touch wood

jerseyscoob

Normally get a stop when in france , but not too many problems in customs though

Mark

tmo

I too usually get pulled by customs, no hastle nothing to hide,just the usual questions

NACRO

When I say stopped by customs I mean by roving patrols, sometimes as much as 100km from the border not at port of entry/borders.

These type of controls are very frequent here in France and if you have nothing to hide there isn't really a problem. That said they should try to be more polite.

Fangoria

iTrader: (1)

You think you have problems in France - just wait till you go over the Border to Belgium!!!! - thats when the real fun starts and you might as well just park up and wait 5 minutes for those ever so nice people - NOT.........

BMWhere?

Never been stopped driving though France and used to do Strassburg-Calais 3 times a year both in a Blue MY98 and RB5!

Only ever been pulled once without doing anything wrong and that was in the UK. Aparently my driving style attracted their attention Was an unmarked Range-Rover, but I clocked the little blue lights in the front grille after he caught my attention pulling of some very dangerous manouvres trying to catch me up!

geldy

How come the RHD in France - the Scooby dealer I asked over there wouldn't supply one

Taomyn

Depends on what they said. If it was "Sorry we'd like to but we're not allowed to" then they were breaking the law. Rules have been in place for years now that prevents the tactics manufacturers were using, (bullying the dealers), to stop you buying a cheaper RHD on mainland Europe than back in the UK. If you specify you want RHD then they can supply one no problem.

NACRO

I bought it in the UK ie it's a UK car and matriculated it here in France.

Secondhand cars are cheap in the UK, here in France even the worst old bangers like an old Safrane for example go for stupid money if they can pass the control technique.

Jiggerypokery

I nearly got pulled once in a roadside check entering french village, they were flagging me over then noticed the UK number plate and waved me through.

"Oui oui, tres vite".

slowfood

Just to go a little of the subject, I' planning to drive in france in July this year.

Whats the Optimax equvalent? Or does Shell have stations in France?

NACRO

98 Ron fuel (not 97 like the UK- where did our RON go?) is widely available and costs €1 (about 65p/ltr depending on the exchange rate) at my local Shell garage.

There is no Optimax and even on the autoroute you wont pay much more than €1.10 for super(72p/ltr). Just make sure you don't put LRP in by mistake.

geldy

sounds like a smart idea - what does it take to matriculate it? I spend a lot of time in UK & France, wondering if there are benefits to being matriculated over there instead of here?

NACRO

All I had to do was get a certificate of EU conformity from IM/Subaru and change the headlight lenses for LHD items. Then pass the control technique (French MOT)

The advantages are that I can drive through revenue cameras in the UK at whatever speed I feel like.

Plus there is no road tax and my insurance/assurance is a lot cheaper.

Melina

You need to have residence in France. The process then is:

1)You need to have Subaru in France give you a homologation document

128 euros

2)You then need to get an MOT if the vehicle is over 4 years old (very easy)

3) You then need a tax receipt.

go to your local one where you live in France.
You need passport plus photocopy
Carte grise + photocopy
Proof of residence for the last three months
Original purchase proof

4) you go to prefecture (queue normally 3 hours in Paris but you can come back with your ticket as the queue length is indicated) . You pay 29 Euros times the number of horsies ( or 14,5 Euros times horses if the car is over
10 years).

I am currently going through this process for an old MX5. I have decided to oursource. Costs: 200 euros - 750 euros

NACRO

for those that don't know Carte grise=V5

and yes you do pay by BHP- only based on the standard output though!

geldy

thks for the info - I guess the bhp charges make this pretty expensive for a decent Scooby.

by the way - don't try your camera technique in Switzerland - the Swiss gendarmes will cross the border to come & get you

Taomyn

Similar concept in Luxembourg, just a whole lot cheaper. The needing residency is usually the killer.

BTW. I think you'll find that if you try doing 100 through a 30 camera and get snapped, they'll come and find you no matter what part of Europe you're registered in. Even "points" can be sent back to the country of origin of you licence

BMWhere?

The Swiss have a nasty habit of taking your picture then pulling you over 2 miles down the road and demanding 500CHF on the spot fine (They take credit cards too )

NACRO

quote: " think you'll find that if you try doing 100 through a 30 camera and get snapped, they'll come and find you no matter what part of Europe you're registered in. "

Not yet, they are trying to bring in a reciprocal agreement between France and the UK , similar to the ones between Switzerland and France. But they haven't yet or no doubt I'd have received a fine or two.