Hi there,
I got a photo radar ticket while driving in France 3 years ago and I failed to pay it partially because I wasn't sure what it was about but now looking online, this is very common in France. I was driving a rental car and looking back, may have paid the administrative fee for the authorities to get my address in Canada but I did not pay the fine. I wasn't the fastest driver and here it is considered a cash cow by most. I know already from reading posts on line that I may face the wrath of God from some on-line members but all the same I have to ask... Do you think when I rent a car in France this summer the fine will come back to bite me???
edmonchuk
2
ben
I do not know if it will bite you or not this summer, but please come back to let us know.
I wasn't the fastest driver and here it is considered a cash cow by most.
May I suggest you don't try those lame excuses in France. Embarassing yourself may earn a one-way trip to the guillotine.
3
lucapal
I would guess that they will have a record of the unpaid fine,so I would be prepared to have to pay it (plus administrative charges).
Telling them other people were also breaking the law will probably not do you any good ;-)
4
stcirq
You are in the system. If the car rental agency checks on it, there will be consequences, which could range from having to pay the fine on the spot or being refused a rental. Do note that in 3 years, that fine will have multiplied exponentially and could be a fortune. Don't even think about trying out the feeble excuses you noted above, or any others. They won't fly in France.
5
edmonchuk
Thanks for your information everyone. I was not looking for excuses first and foremost I am guilty of speeding. I was interested in other peoples experiences from North Americans with rental cars in Europe. I inquired from my Auto club weather I could clear this up before going to Europe and from comments, the ticket or tickets will follow me around.
Thanx again
6
stcirq
I find it doubtful that your "auto club" in America will know jack about this. I live in France. I drive a car. I know how stringent the rules are and how they are enforced. The mucnicipal policeman of my town in France lost his license for 3 months for an infraction. You are going to be really lucky to rent a car in France again. PIck a very tiny village with only one rental agenciy and see how it works out - best advice I can offer you. Otherwise, you're toast. Have a backup plan.
7
orion_mike
You could be really, really unlucky and the French Immigration will have your details on tap (I will assume that you had to provide a passport number as well as drivers licence to rent the car), if this the case you may have to pay the fine even to get into the country. Maybe contact the French Embassy in Ottawa before you travel and pay up before hand.
(BTW as some one who will be driving a rental car in France later this month your post is a good reminder to this "lead foot" to stick to the road speed laws. Cheers)
8
edmonchuk
Thanks again for your honest advise. I will look into this through the embassy. If I end up having to pay when we land that is what I will do. Again I admit I was probably speeding in France and it is good to know the prevalence of photo radar on French freeways.
9
sfgirl42
http://english.controleradar.org/speeding-in-france.php
http://english.controleradar.org/speeding-fines.php
And here's a thread on a Rick Steves forum from a couple years ago:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/speeding-ticket-should-i-pay-it
We on Thorn Tree do not advise people to break the law but since the information on the sites above say
you can arrange things online, perhaps there might be a reason why you did not receive the original notice
(someone house sitting for you, put it aside as it was foreign, etc; had been put in a drawer and ended up
stuck behind the drawer (I've done that with other things, usually not important), etc.
Good luck.
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