French Speed Stickers

[Paul_374563379]

As the owner of a 2300kg car with a 2800kg towing limit, I shall be subject to the new speed limits in France this year. '80' and '90' stickers are required for the caravan.

Does anyone know if the "static self-cling" type stay on the back of a van, or are the traditional sticky ones best? Any suppliers other than www.speedstickers.co.uk known?

Paul

 

[vectisrambler]

Most agree that, while the speed restrictions may apply - albeit unenforced - the requirement for plates do not aply to foreign registered vehicles.

 

[Lutz]

Unless your outfit is registered in France, you don't need the stickers.

 

[JeffD]

Unless your outfit is registered in France, you don't need the stickers.

I am currently in Normandy. Not much evidence of any caravans using these stickers either!

Jeff

 

[RayS]

Look at the Caravan Club website for details. Although Lutz is undoubtedly correct, some French law enforcers may not be so well informed and/or choose to ignre it. For very little expense I and several other friends choose to stick 'em on

 

[PhilFraeHowMill]

Hi Paul I would be prepared to spend a few quid in Blighty than pay an on the spot fine in France.

 

[Lutz]

It is impossible for a visiting foreign vehicle to fulfil all local construction and use requirements because many of these are in conflict with each other. What is a legal requirement in one country can be illegal in another, despite attempts at harmonisation within the EU. For this reason, it would be futile to even try to meet all regulations unless local law enforcement agencies are known to apply them to visiting outfits without exception. Even then it would be worth contesting perceived injustice, especially if you have legal assistance insurance.

 

[VIP640]

We seem to have to display the plates in Spain for outfits over 12mts in length but not the speed stickers in France!!

 

[Paul_374563379]

Ye, I don't think there's much doubt (except from Lutz) that the stickers should be displayed. I accept that.

The ones available from Speedstickers appear to have the numbers within a red circle - does that comply with the requirement?

 

[Lutz]

That's right, Nick, but apparently other European organisations are contesting the legality of Spanish requirements as pertaining to foreign registered vehicles.

 

[Lutz]

ps: The Spaniards seem to have got themselves confused over what is and what is not required for foreign registered vehicles. For example, Spanish law requires two number plates on the back of a trailer, one displaying that of the towcar and a another red one with black letters displaying that of the trailer, but they don't seem to enforce that (although I have heard of isolated cases where this has given problems).

 

[SteamBrian]

Has anyone travelling through France tried to buy the stickers there? How available are they?

 

[Lutz]

This issue seems to be fraught with scaremongering.

 

[Lutz]

It is far more important to observe the speed limits that stickers refer to than to have the stickers themselves. There's no point in having 80/90 stickers, but then continue to drive down French motorways at 130km/h.

 

[Paul_374563379]

With regard to the speedstickers.co.uk items that have a red circle, I queried this with the CC.

They forwarded the opinion of the Legal Department of L'Automobile Club in Strasbourg, who say;

"The speed limit (in km/h) must be written in black numbers of 15 cm high, on a white background. The stickers can be glued, attached or painted on the bodywork.

The sticker mentioning the lowest speed must be put in the left bottom of the back of the vehicle. If several stickers are necessary, the sticker with the highest speed must be put on the right side of the other stickers (if horizontally aligned) or above the other stickers (if vertically aligned)".

The CC further comment;

"It does not say there that their cannot be a red outline, so I am sure that the stickers from Speedstickers will be absolutely fine. The important part of the sticker is the speed limit, and as this can be clearly seen even with a red boarder I cannot imagine that this would cause any problems".

 

[Lutz]

It would have been interesting to learn what the Legal Department of L'Automobile Club in Strasbourg have to say about foreign registered vehicles having to fulfil the requirement.

 

[Paul_374563379]

I queried the application of the rule to foreign vehicles with CC, citing there is no need for a French caravanner to put his car's number plate on the van when he comes to England.

They replied;

" We have been advised by the Automobile Club de France, that the speed stickers must be displayed by vehicles that are not registered in France, however, I have contacted them again asking them to confirm this (I have not received a reply as yet).

Once we have received a reply we print any updates in the magazine and put them on the website"

So it would seem the jury is still out, but we won't get to hear until after the summer, anyway!

 

[NickinFrance]

It would have been interesting to learn what the Legal Department of L'Automobile Club in Strasbourg have to say about foreign registered vehicles having to fulfil the requirement.

Foreign registered vehicles have always had to comply with the law regarding Warning Triangles & more recently high reflective jackets, so why not speed stickers ?

 

[Michael_374349176]

I contacted the CC travel service yesterday regarding my Mondeo (mass in service = 1557 kg) and my Sterling Europa (MTPLM = 1425 kg) and was told that I didn't need speed stickers for our holiday in France as the total was less than 3500 kg.

It seems that this issue is just so confusing and all we are doing by continuing the discussion is adding to the mystery.

I have already obtained "long vehicle boards" for when we get to Spain, even though the overall length of my outfit is about 400 mm short of 12 metres. I think that I will contact www.speedstickers.co.uk for some just in case some "jobsworth" in the French police decides to make our lives a misery!

Michael - Derbyshire

 

[Lutz]

If your outfit is over 3500kg then, stickers or not, you must 'stick' (excuse the pun) to the respective speed limits, but there seems little point in applying stickers if it's under 3500kg because you'd unnecessarily limit yourself to the speed limit indicated on the sticker.

 

[JTQ]

Quote:

"I contacted the CC travel service yesterday regarding my Mondeo (mass in service = 1557 kg) and my Sterling Europa (MTPLM = 1425 kg) and was told that I didn't need speed stickers for our holiday in France as the total was less than 3500 kg."

I think that the advise you were given is potentially misleading.

What you actually tow is irrelevant; the speed restrictions apply where towing if the tow vehicle is "plated" with a GTW of 3500 or over.

[GTW= Gross train weight. What the vehicle plus trailer CAN be as a total weight, not what the weights actually add up to. So we have a ridiculous situation of a large competent car towing an ultra light trailer is restricted but a light vehicle towing a high sided van at its absolute max weight is unrestricted. Therefore the "police" only need to look at the tow vehicle and if that is an adequate one then they are able to pounce on you if your above the restricted speed.]

As far as the stickers are concerned it appears established that what ever vehicle GTW you dont need them on your van. However but you might still have to pay the fine if encountering an ill informed officer but have recourse via your MEP to recover that fine cost. I opted for the easier less hassle route; after all I wanted to enjoy my holiday rather that seek any unnecessary confrontation.

 

[Michael_374349176]

I have now received the stickers from "SpeedStickers" (it only took two days) and will affix them when we go to France in 18 days time.

This is mainly because I do not want to give any beligerant gendarme a reason for stopping me.