Mate of mine has just received a speeding ticket from Germany. It was a head-on camera, in a hire car. Question is - Does he pay the fine, or take a
flyer and ignore it. Anybody know what cross-border agreements are now in place for the UK bizzies to follow it up? Could he return to Germany
ever!? They have also given him 3 points - is this transferrable to the UK (I don't think they are).
I read recently the Police forces in S E England are due a fortue in speeding tickets from continental drivers (particularly German) that they can't collect due to a lack for cross border agreements. I would imagine the same applies in reverse (but probably not knowing our governments ability to obey the rules our continental cousins are happy to ignore!).
I'll bet you that they would get you if you tried to go back through Germany though! Even if it was 10 years later, knowing German fondness for
procedure and rules...
David
Depends if he's going back!!
I travel to Germany a couple of times a month, and have had quite a few speeding fines, but never points. As far as I know they can't transfer
points to the UK, although there are discussions going on.
If he does want to go back, then I advise he pays it, as if he ever gets stopped over there, they will have his details on record.
If it was me - I'd send it back with
'Not known at this address'
That'll put an end to it...
As pointed out - they owe us loadsa wonga - so we should reciprocate 
Tell him not to get caught next time - slacker
[Edited on 11/5/06 by muzchap]
There is a debate about this going on at the moment on Piston Heads on the Le Mans forum. Apparently you cannot get points from abroad transfered to
your license, not until 2009 or something.
Just speeding fines, i would try the 'Not know at this address' first see if that shuts them up.
Was he definately caught? There was a scam a year or so ago, people getting letters from foreign police forces (supposedly) asking for money due to a
speeding ticket.
They have no way of enforcing the fine to a foreign address.
I would pay it if he intends to go back though.
Points are not trasferable either.
Pat...
quote:
Originally posted by muzchap
If it was me - I'd send it back with
'Not known at this address'
That'll put an end to it...
quote:
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by muzchap
If it was me - I'd send it back with
'Not known at this address'
That'll put an end to it...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tricky to do that, if it was a hire car which he hired, then he'd be guilty of providing false information when he hired the car.
Which is even more criminal than the speeding fine!
I'd politely ask them to provide service/maintenance information for the past year on that camera.
And I'd also ask the car hire firm to provide similar proof of service/maintenance for the car to prove that you're friend was knowingly speeding (or not).
I'd also cc each of the above on the others letter.
: D
I got one in the States, I asked the officer what if I don't pay it ? "We wont chase you for it but don't try coming back into the
country as it will be flagged as soon as they scan your passport at the airport"
I paid, I wanted too go back, may have been a scare tactic but it worked on me.
Car Hire agreements normally have a clause in them where you agree to pay for any traffic violations that occur for the period of your rental.
quote:
Originally posted by Jon Ison
I got one in the States, I asked the officer what if I don't pay it ? "We wont chase you for it but don't try coming back into the country as it will be flagged as soon as they scan your passport at the airport"
I paid, I wanted too go back, may have been a scare tactic but it worked on me.
Cheers Chaps
Looks like he'll have to pay. He goes over at least once a fortnight, and gets a hire car too!
Anyway, it's only €90. I got nabbed twice in Belgium, €275 a time! Just as a warning to anybody who may be driving to Germany through Belgium
or Holland, they use unmarked, parked cars in the central reservation (Corsa-sized) to clock the speed and have a bizzy a couple of km down the road,
normally a couple of km from services or the next exit. They pull you over, tell you how much using a table of charges they have and you either cough
up cash, or have to go to a cashpoint with them. If you cannot pay they impound your car, you have 96hrs to pay, and if you still have not paid they
auction it off and subtract the fine from the proceeds. Oh, and they carry guns.