Speed camera detection in France

[limax2]

 Admin, can't see the Touring section any more so if this is in the wrong place please feel free to move it, I won't be offended.
 
Anyone thinking of useing a sat-nav with French speed camera locations on it might be interested in this from the AA web site.
 
Effective from 3 January 2012 French laws prohibiting drivers from carrying devices capable of detecting speed cameras have been extended to include devices able to warn or inform of the location of speed cameras.

I have a cheap sat-nav I sometimes use on the bike in the U.K. but as it doesn't have any other European maps on it I have never bothered when crossing the channel. I was thinking of getting one with European maps on for next year, but now wondering if one bought in the U.K. will be legal in France.
 
I'm guessing existing sat-navs have camera locations in France and maybe a new one will be made to be legal in France.
On the other hand I could be wrong, or missing something, and look forward to being corrected and informed by the experts.
 
 

[PlasticHarry]

My Tom Tom takes off the French cameras every time I update it....

[limax2]

Thanks for that Harry, puts my mind at rest. 

[BBROWN1664]

with Harry. Tom-tom (and others) will remove the French cameras when you do an update. Interestingly the Tom-tom one replaces most cameras with another warning (hazard spot or something) so you still get told about them.

[cable tie]

I left my cameras on when passing thro France a couple times this year, as I had a handle bar mounted rocker on/off switch for tom tom incase I got pulled I just turn it off.

[manuel32]

Turning it off will not get you off,, it is illegal to posess a device capable of camera detection in France,,


Fuck em tho,, they seem fine when we ride through,, wave to the cops and they wave back, dont be naughty and it wil be ok.

[locksmith]

Not easy to say fuck em when a six foot non english speaking copper in blue with size 12 boots and a holstered gun is gestulating at you

[cable tie]

What about this than I've got a well branded map that has the cameras printed on it, is that illegal !!  NO ITs NOT and sat navs with speed camera locations are not illegal either as long as the camera locations are disabled so turning my sat nav Off disables the camera this making it legal.

So it's not illegal to have a device that has camera data basis, it's illegal to use the data base whilst travelling thro France. I'e so turn the data base off or turn the sat nav off.

[Arfa]

The same restriction has been in place in Switzerland for a few years too.

Look up a little app called: POIWarner. Its a wee 3rd party app, that can run on most stanavs, alongside the existing nav software. It was it's own DB of speed cams, which you update via a subscription to someone like navigating.de or POIhandler.com. This will be an EU wide DB of cameras. Te app, just shares the GPS device on the satnav and pops up its own overlay box with speed cam warnings etc. Best bit though, is the POI warner app, has a 'panic' button which you can press, which will cause it to wipe itself and the POI database off the sat nav. Cunning.

[BBROWN1664]

Cable tie. I have no idea about the paper map with the cameras marked on them but the sat nav with Camera POI's or any radar/laser detector is illegal to OWN in France. doesn't matter if it is turned off and in the boot they CAN still do you for it. Unlikely but possible if you have pissed them off a bit.

[richfzs]

what bbrown says is quite true, unfortunately!

[cable tie]

.

[cable tie]

[Cable tie. I have no idea about the paper map with the cameras marked on them but the sat nav with Camera POI's or any radar/laser detector is illegal to OWN in France. doesn't matter if it is turned off and in the boot they CAN still do you for it. Unlikely but possible if you have pissed them off a bit.)


Ok ya right on the sat nav (the maps are ok apparently) so I owe you a pint ! However how do they police it ! My sat nav states no camera database in the menu section so just pulling me over outside a camera location would not give any indication if my sat nav was able to show camera's So they would need to pull you on a camera location to find out if your sat nav listed the location, im only aware of one fella off the Tom Tom forum that got nicked not for his sat nav but because he had a snooper in his vehicle.

[mtread]

If you use 'Browse map' on my Tomtom, it shows you a map of your current location with all the local speed cameras clearly marked (as POIs). Bang to rights (cogner aux droits ?  ) I'm afraid

[DeeDub]

I lifted the following from the AA Website:     
 
For some years now it is has been strictly forbidden under article R413-15 of the French 'Code de la Route' (highway code) to have a speed camera detector in a vehicle in France, regardless of whether or not it is being used.
Penalties can include fines of up to €1,500, confiscation of the device and of the vehicle.
Until recently this legislation didn't apply to satellite navigation or other GPS-based systems capable of displaying fixed speed camera locations as points of interest (PoI).
    New law in France Effective from 3 January 2012 French laws prohibiting drivers from carrying devices capable of detecting speed cameras have been extended to include devices able to warn or inform of the location of speed cameras e.g. satnav or gps systems capable of showing speed camera sites as PoI.
As well as now banning all devices capable of warning drivers of speed camera locations, the French government is installing around 400 new fixed speed cameras and is taking down road signs indicating the location of existing fixed speed camera sites.  What should you do If you have a satnav capable of displaying French camera locations in France then you must at least disable camera alerts before driving in France. We recommend that you contact the manufacturer of the satnav for advice as it is likely that a software or database update is available that will actually remove camera data for France from the device.
If you have a satnav system built into your car then we recommend contacting the vehicle manufacturer in the first instance.  Further advice Driving regulations and customs in France are different to the UK. There are severe and rigidly enforced penalties for all road traffic infringements. These include imprisonment and a heavy fine for causing death whilst driving over the alcohol limit or under the influence of drugs.
There are also similar penalties for causing death by dangerous or negligent driving.
The French police apply speeding restrictions strictly and if you exceed speed limits you will face heavy on-the-spot fines.
If you break French driving laws you can also have your UK driving licence confiscated by French Police. This could lead to your vehicle being temporarily impounded if no alternative driver with a valid licence is available.

[cable tie]

What should you do If you have a satnav capable of displaying French camera locations in France then you must at least disable camera alerts before driving in France.

Confusing now !

[locksmith]

Lifted from the Garmin site
 
If you have previously downloaded a Cyclops Safety Camera subscription, onetime download, or free trial that covers France to your Garmin device, you can maintain compliance with French law by following the steps below:

• Update your Garmin device's operating software using myDashboard
• Download the updated Cyclops database, which now covers Dangerous Zones in France, rather than specific safety camera locations

If you are unable to update your device using myDashboard as directed above, you may also update it using the free WebUpdater application. If you update your device using WebUpdater, you must select the option to check for additional updates. On the list of additional updates, you will need to download and install any updates that mention translation files and proximity alerts.
The following subscriptions will include coverage of Dangerous Zones within France and will be compliant with French law, provided that the above updates have already been implemented on the compatible device being used:

• Cyclops Dangerous Zones – France
• Cyclops Dangerous Zones – France and BeNeLux
• Cyclops Safety Cameras – Europe

Please note that some older devices will refer to individual Dangerous Zones as being “Mobile Safety Camera Zones” after updating the device and downloading the new Cyclops database. This is still in compliance with French law since specific safety cameras will no longer be displayed in France and will instead be replaced with Dangerous Zone data.

[sadlonelygit]

many moons ago i was chugging through la belle France, got to the port and opened the glove box up to get the docs out. the gendarme noticed my laser detector dobry (got with the car and put in the glove box and forgotten about).
i left france €100 lighter, and i later discovered it didn't even read froggie wavelengths.
so cabletie, remember it is the sworn duty of a gendarme to extract as much cash from tourists as possible, and i'm pretty sure they know EXACTLY what to look for on a sat nav.
personally i rag through gatso's in france and pay close attention when i get flashed by cars.

[cable tie]

so cabletie, they know EXACTLY what to look for on a sat nav.

Yeah but ! They got to be able to turn the fecking thing on 1st as the on/button is none working and only  powers up when you put in a live docking mount thus the reason why I have a on/off toggle and tbh I don't put itenary in it, so no route to browse its sole use for me is too find hotels and petrol stations, I still prefer paper maps being able to pick a rd to ride rather than riding a rd from the twat nav and a Michelin paper map i have for France has camera's on it, now I wonder if there illegal !

When I went to the alps in sept I got flashed when making progress it's not the 1st time Its happens ive never had a follow up, we all speed anyone saying they dont is a lier however I always abide by speed limits going thro villages and have respect, it's also down to having common sense knowing when and where to make progress, and the French drivers are pretty good in telling you about speed traps ahead

NOW WHO WANTS TO BUY MY DODGY TWAT NAV !

[Lawrence]

Yeah but ! They got to be able to turn the fecking thing on 1st

I suspect they'd just confiscate it in that case.  Whether you'd get a fine or not is anyones guess.