n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today.

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 11:44
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - focussed

Just a reminder that the speed limit on two-way roads without a central divider is reduced from 90 kph to 80 kph unless another posted limit applies.

Also be aware that as a lot of communes have not changed the signage yet, and some do not intend to, any 90 kph limit you see should be read as 80 kph.

So leaving a town with a 30 or 50 kph limit where the name of the town on the sign has a red diagonal through it, the unsigned limit is now 80 kph not 90 kph.

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 11:51
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - bathtub tom

I wasn't aware of this. Is it permanent or temporary?

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 13:15
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - FP

It seems to be permanent - for now! However, according to surveys, 75% of the French are against it.

The reasons for its imposition are partly at least related to France's worsening traffic casualty figures. One figure quoted is a rise of over 15%.

Edited by FP on 01/07/2018 at 13:16

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 13:39
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - nick62

I remember driving in France when doing motorbike tour in the late 1980's. Avoided the autoroutes and used "A" roads for 95% of the time.

South of Paris, the police used to stand next to their patrol car in lay-bys with binoculars so powerful, they could see you coming down the M1 to catch the ferry?

Edited by nick62 on 01/07/2018 at 13:43

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 13:58
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - FP

Times have changed, Nick.

Now there are various designs of speed cameras, some of which are quite low grey box-type things.

Foreign motorists need to take French speed limits seriously. If caught by real police operating hand-held or van cameras, the latter are quite within their powers to fine you on the spot, taking you to a cash point if necessary.

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 15:33
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - skidpan

South of Paris, the police used to stand next to their patrol car in lay-bys with binoculars so powerful, they could see you coming down the M1 to catch the ferry?

Is there a ferry at the end of the M1. Seem to remember it ends in North London.

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 18:32
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - Bianconeri

It seems to be permanent - for now! However, according to surveys, 75% of the French are against it.

The reasons for its imposition are partly at least related to France's worsening traffic casualty figures. One figure quoted is a rise of over 15%.

French friends and relatives in different parts of the country are pretty much unanimous in their support (and for the recent tougher line on fines / points / bans for offenders). We should start on the same track by reducing the NSL on B and C roads to 50.
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Sun 1 Jul 2018 18:38
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - James2018

It seems to be permanent - for now! However, according to surveys, 75% of the French are against it.

The reasons for its imposition are partly at least related to France's worsening traffic casualty figures. One figure quoted is a rise of over 15%.

French friends and relatives in different parts of the country are pretty much unanimous in their support (and for the recent tougher line on fines / points / bans for offenders). We should start on the same track by reducing the NSL on B and C roads to 50.

Why? We don't have a particularly bad accident rate on these roads and cars are safer than ever.

By the same track, surely reducing the speed on all roads to 5mph would save many more lives!

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 20:09
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - drd63
Indeed, as often said it’s not speed outrifght which causes accidents, it’s inappropriate speed. We already have very good road safety in the UK and road design and layout should take precedent over reducing speed limits.
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Sun 1 Jul 2018 20:56
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - Manatee

Bianconeri however is probably right if he expects it. Mosr of the single carriageway A roads in Oxfordshire are now 50 so what chance the B & unclassified when they get round to it.

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 21:50
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - Alby Back
I suppose it has to be kept idiot proof, and a limit is probably the only way to do that. Pity really though, as it's pretty clear that sometimes a limit is too low, or indeed too high, depending on the current traffic density, weather conditions, visibility and/or driver and vehicle capability etc etc. Can't immediately think of of an alternative, other perhaps than signs warning people not to drive like a twonk. But, some of the twonks still would I suppose, many of them not even realising they were. At least if there's a number they can read it might sometimes help.
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Mon 2 Jul 2018 14:09
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - alan1302

It seems to be permanent - for now! However, according to surveys, 75% of the French are against it.

The reasons for its imposition are partly at least related to France's worsening traffic casualty figures. One figure quoted is a rise of over 15%.

French friends and relatives in different parts of the country are pretty much unanimous in their support (and for the recent tougher line on fines / points / bans for offenders). We should start on the same track by reducing the NSL on B and C roads to 50.

Why? We don't have a particularly bad accident rate on these roads and cars are safer than ever.

By the same track, surely reducing the speed on all roads to 5mph would save many more lives!

What is the accident rate on those roads?

Yes, it would very likley save lives if all roads were 5mph slower on the limits

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Mon 2 Jul 2018 13:04
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - focussed

"French friends and relatives in different parts of the country are pretty much unanimous in their support "

Living here - there is very little support for the blanket 80 kph limit - opinion says it should have only been applied selectively to roads that have a bad accident record.

The blanket ban is a blatant fund raising exercise via speeding fines, coincidentlally there are the privatised secret radar cars being introduced. Form your own conclusions.

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Tue 3 Jul 2018 15:23
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - Theophilus

I wasn't aware of this. Is it permanent or temporary?

The 80kph limit on secondary roads in France is officially “on trial” for the next two years, to see if it makes any difference.

President Macron has stated that "if no change was recorded, “we will stop and give control back to the departments”". Believe that if you can!

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 22:23
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - Smileyman

I still remember the popular 3 laned roads in France, yellow paint on roads and yellow headlights. These 3 laned roads were a nightmare, lots of overtaing and acting as if the middle lane was for one direction use only.

Thrilled with the prospect of incorrect road signs, (not!) I wonder whether satnav systems that display road speed limits will be updated?

With so many slow moving vehicles on the UK's roads the ability to reach and maintain 60 mph on single carriageway "A" roads is limited. I am not keen on a blanket reduction, however am comfortable to permit HGV's and vehicles with trailors to travel at 50 mph (where permitted) on "A" roads as it reduced the need for overtaking, anything that reduces the need for overtaking is a postive step to road safety.

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 23:33
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - drd63

What prevents overtaking is idiots who won't be overtaken, they just follow slow moving traffic mindlessly, too close to the person in front and then turn apoplectic when someone has the temerity to overtake. Pathetic.

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Mon 2 Jul 2018 00:50
n/a - Speed limits lowered in France - starts today. - Metropolis.
Tomtom have just released an update, i checked the details when downloading and it made specific reference to french speed limits.
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