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marc777
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Joined: Apr 10, 2006
Posts: 12
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 Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:07 pm Post subject: Any problems with the French Gendarme (Police) confiscating? |
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Hi all
Just got a Tom Tom 700 and plan on using it in France. Has anyone had any problems with Gandarme (French Police) who i know confiscate and give on the spot fines for speed camera detectors i.e. my Road Angel?
Thanks
Marc |
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avoidfines
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Joined: Apr 10, 2006
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| Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:15 pm Post subject: |
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| marc, which database do you use to download non UK maps of cameras for your road angel? |
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marc777
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| Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:29 pm Post subject: |
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My road angel is UK database only. Last year I planned to take it to France for the radar detector and was warned off this. - a client had his Road Angel confiscated and 500 euro fine there and then. 
Just wondered how they reacted to the TOM Tom?
Marc |
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avoidfines
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| Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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| so is there a database that road angle can use for EU contries - if yes where is it? was your client not able to hide the device? |
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marc777
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| Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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It was in the footwell of the car, and was spotted by a gendarme at a service station - he was not even using it ! 
Hence my reluctance to risk losing the Tom Tom
Marc |
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TomDavison
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Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 384
Location: Bedford, England
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| Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:27 am Post subject: |
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Mere carriage of a device that can detect laser or radar transmissions is an offence in France. So, if it was an earlier model road angel and had the external laser sensor in the vehicle, or a current model with the sensor built-in, that it definitely illegal in France. If it is an earlier model, and the separate laser sensor was not in the vehicle, it could be argued that the machine is incapable of detecting, but presumably not so easy at the roadside with a gendarme who is determined to do you, and having to argue your case in French.
My Go 700 is incapable of detecting transmissions, and has no input for an external sensor. So it should be perfectly legal in France. If not, then all of the cars that are made with built in sat-nav would also be banned.
HOWEVER, if you have installed a camera data-base which includes the French cameras onto your hard drive, even if it is not enabled, that makes your Tom Tom illegal, and liable to confiscation. |
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marc777
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| Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for thje clarification Tom.
I will obviously want to use the TomTom, but will therefore ensure it is not programmed with the fixed camera sites.
Thanks
Marc |
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TomDavison
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Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 384
Location: Bedford, England
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| Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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| marc777 wrote: | Thanks for thje clarification Tom.
I will obviously want to use the TomTom, but will therefore ensure it is not programmed with the fixed camera sites.
Thanks
Marc |
No problem. I think the basic difference is that the road angel is specifically designed as a speed camera warning device. With Tom Tom, it's only a speed camera warning devicewhen the database is installed. France prohibits the carriage of any device which can give information on the presence of a speed camera. The planned amendment to UK law will only outlaw the reception of transmissions from a speed measuring device. GPS does not receive the transmissions, and is therefore legal.
I must confess that if I were to go to France, I would also delete the UK cameras, (Having saved them on the PC). Just to make sure. |
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MR_TiGGer
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Joined: Apr 20, 2006
Posts: 94
Location: God knows!! Ask Jane
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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Banned in France? Goes right back to the Safety Camera or Cash collector debate.
Guess France needs the money  |
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Border_Collie
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Joined: Feb 01, 2006
Posts: 2543
Location: Rainham, Kent. England.
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sgould
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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As I said in another thread somewhere....
If it is illegal to know in advance where a speed camera is, would all the positions be published on Michelin maps? And be added to any route you plan using their website www.viamichelin.co.uk ?
_________________
TTGO 700 (dead)
iPhone 3GS + TT holder
iPhone 5 (hers!)
Western Europe Map
Eastern Europe Map
Kenwood DNX-4210DAB with Garmin maps |
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Border_Collie
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Joined: Feb 01, 2006
Posts: 2543
Location: Rainham, Kent. England.
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | As I said in another thread somewhere....
If it is illegal to know in advance where a speed camera is, would all the positions be published on Michelin maps? |
It's not illegal to know where they are because their law states something like 'any device used to indicate the camera positions'.
A map is not a device.
The problem appears to be in interpretation of their laws.
GPS with safety cameras is a 'device' but doesn't actually detect cameras but it warns you of their position, just like a paper map.
It may all be 100% legal in France to use the GPS with safety cameras installed but I'm not going to chance it, even if Cherac says it's 'OK'. :P
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Formerly known as Lost_Property
And NO that's NOT me in the Avatar. |
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sgould
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I used my TomTom in France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria without any problems whatsoever. I will be there again in a month or so.
And a computer is a device that produces the route plan with the cameras on it. Before you print it off. 
_________________
TTGO 700 (dead)
iPhone 3GS + TT holder
iPhone 5 (hers!)
Western Europe Map
Eastern Europe Map
Kenwood DNX-4210DAB with Garmin maps |
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MR_TiGGer
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Joined: Apr 20, 2006
Posts: 94
Location: God knows!! Ask Jane
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:21 pm Post subject: |
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All in all, it seems clear just to lose the Cam lists off the TT and don't drive like a spanner in a country that loves English people so so much.
Sods law says that you'll meet the policeman having a bad day, and he'll take it out on the 1st UK plated car he sees.
Too much doubt to risk having your TT stolen by the police themselves?? |
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Andy_P
Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Jun 04, 2005
Posts: 19991
Location: West and Southwest London
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| Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 8:47 pm Post subject: |
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| It amazes me that it should be so hard to get a definitive answer to this. Has anyone asked the French Embassy or Tourist Board the specific question? Maybe this is the sort of thing that Pocket GPSW could put their authority behind as a service for their paying members? |
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