End Of Foreigners Speeding In Europe |
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File under Travel
Author: Mike Werner
Location: Normandy, France
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Apart from a European country or two, no country has a bilateral agreement to go and get speeding fines for another country.
Let me explain: Europe, as we all know (or should) is divided into different countries. The European Union is divided into 27 individual countries. If you live in Country A, and have a motorcycle licensed in that country, when speeding with your motorcycle in Country B, you can rip up the ticket since there's no bilateral agreement between Country A and B, i.e., Country B can not send cops to collect the fine, nor would Country A do it for Country B.
So many of the speed offenders (and red lights offenders) are foreign registered vehicles. It's easy... as long as you're not stopped, just photographed by one of the many speed cameras, you're fine.. just ignore the ticket. In the UK alone, every year, £10 million worth of fines is not paid, involving some 180,000 speeding fines held by foreign registered drivers..
But that is going to change next year! The European Commission has passed a new law that "forces" countries to respect each other's fines, and pushes the local law enforcement to collect fines for another country.
The fines will currently only apply to those that are speeding, DUIDriving Under Influence. Drinking and driving., red light and for those driving in a cage who have forgotten to put on their seat belt. They are now talking about extending the law to driving while using a mobile phone, riding without insurance or a valid license and riding while under influence of drugs.
The target of 50% reduction in road fatalities has not been met, and they discovered that one of the reasons is that foreigners speed abroad. Previously, the European Union had some 54,000 yearly fatalities , last year that was reduced to 40,000, which is not enough for the 50% target for 2010. So now they're going to hunt you down to your door....
So watch out next year: speeding offenses will be ticketed and cashed anywhere in the European Union. Nothing is being said about points; will the also be reduced or added to your license?
The only thing that'll save you is riding with a Swiss registered motorcycle (Switzerland is not part of the European Union).
Via: Motornieuws.nl
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