Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Anyone making the trip to the Le Mans Classic this year?

I will be heading down and camping for the weekend.

We have 3 cars (Plus 2, Elise & C55 AMG) leaving from Dover early Friday morning to take a long but scenic drive to Lemans, mainly using the backroads and avoiding the motorways.

If anyone else is going post it up here and we can keep an eye out for one another

Gav

Be warned:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/top ... &t=1751177

Hello Gav

I will be attending the LMC (I live in France) but as my Elan S1 1/2 is very much a project, I will not be bringing it.

I'll be there on the Friday and part of Saturday and will park in the Red car park where I should be meeting another forum member!

Andrew

Hello Steve

I live in France and would like to reply with respect on the link posted...

1. NEW SPEED LIMIT

The French Gov has just passed a law reducing speed on main roads from 90 to 80 km/h. This means that the often very empty, d?partementale roads are now a less attractive option if you are in a hurry. The date of the change in the law is 1st July 2018...

The change in law is ostensibly to reduce death on the roads. For many folks living in France, it is a nuisance especially in quiet rural areas.

2. RADAR CONTROLS

Most radar controls in France are automatised, so if you get caught, then this is your own negligence as they are proceeded by a road sign...and the locations are communicated (albeit not precisely) to the SatNav folks...You will get the bill when you return home.

Mobile checks do exist. But it is only if you have exceeded the limit by 30 kmh that your papers are taken (and very possibly the car will be impounded if there is no other driver). It is always advisable to ask for a transcript and receipt for monies paid. It is possible to pay by card.

If for any reason you need to check ouy where the radars are located, there are lots of reference websites such as :

http://www.radars-auto.com/carte-radar/

I hope this helps!

To the Pistonheads guy, "Suck it up buttercup, you got caught with your pants around your ankles and are going to pay the price."

Thanks All

I believe I'll be in Camping Bleu so if you pass a red +2 in that site, pop by and say hello.

Thanks for the heads up from Pistonheads and great info from frogelan.

Weather forecast was looking stormy but seems to be improving again!

Gav

The only part of the infor from Frogelan I would add to is regarding the getting the bill for the speed camera when you get home, unless you are clocked at warp speed or live in Paris and drive a Luxembourg reg'd vehicle triggering every speed camera every day nothing will be done, the mechanism for exchanging the registered keeper info exists but its just not worthwhile.

I am not encouraging anyone to speed but if you do get flashed dont let it spoil your holiday for nothing.

Even if you were to get the penalty notice (I have had them from Belgium) it is not a fine as you have not admitted or been proved guilty, it is simply an invitation to donate some money to avoid a "possible" pursuit in justice which unless you broke the land speed record will not happen.

If I had loads of unpaid tickets from Belgium I would however think twice about driving there again, they might impound the vehicle while the administration was sorted out.

I would say follow the speed limits as you do in England
Maybe you are more tempted to speed in France on the Motorways because they are in much better condition than in England
Will UK go back to British Driving license before there were points and there were just the 5 Endorsements.
I can't remember what a British Driving License looked like now.
I seem to think it was pink with no photo.
Alan

Just to add to the PH point from a different angle, as a Soldier based in Germany I went the Calais rally route often. The amount of british cars, and only british cars, that got pulled over was astonishing, why?? Well it was to check to see if headlights were legal, then the excuse was to see if you had a min amount of euros to pay fines, then to see if you had a high vis vest, then another excuse etc etc etc.
Im sure you get the point. So while the PH post was clearly pulled for speeding,rightly or wrongly, the French police do have a reputation for pulling british registered cars over and imposing large fines. On the spot and in cash only with no reciept given.
My advice is to check on that web type thingy for whats needed and get a pack in the car before you set off.
Just to prove how bad they are, they pulled over a soldier in winter and fined him for not having a high vis jacket. Because it was winter the vest was seen as inappropriate.

Point is they are W@#%ers.

Hi Paul,
to be honest if some one drives on a motorway at 40 kph over the limit they deserve to be kicked. 130kph converts to 81mph which is already 11mph more than they are allowed in UK.
Does the same person drive on UK motorways at 25 mph over the top, i think not.
Maybe it's better for them to drive in Germany on Motorways with no limit.
Alan

Alan

My point wasnt the speeding, i completely agree with him being pulled for speeding.

My point was simply to ensure that you read the current French laws and make sure you addhere to them, the French police are not our friends and will fine on the spot.

Paul

Hi Paul,
yes i see what you mean.
Many English drivers don't even know they should carry the Vehicle reg doc V5 with them. For the safety Jackets they should also be in the passenger compartment (not in the boot) so you can put them on before you get out the car.
I can't remember when i lived in the UK any of the Speed Cops being my friend either in my speeding days .

I've lived in France for 26 years now and to be honest i don't find the police (poulets) any better or worse than in UK. It just depends if they got out the right side of the bed or not. For sure if you can speak a little French and are polite it does help

best regards
Alan

And not call them poulets

A halfwit labourer I had did not turn up one day, usually down to being drunk after being paid but turned out he was in prison yet again, claimed all he did was say "je n'aime pas les poulets!" when they asked him in his drunken stupor what he was mumbling, I imagine a bit of resisting arrest and then gratuitous use of excessive force came into play.

I am still driving on my faded pink no photo license! Got another 11 years to run.

Further to my last post about the 80 kmh (50 mph) speed limit on the d?partementales ...As mentioned you will need to be able to produce licence, insurance, V5, MoT, reflective jacket...For small pseeding offences the fine is usually about 45 ?.

On a much more interesting note for the Forum, the following Elans are entered in Grid 4:

- Tromas' 26R/9 (he has several Elans, it may be the ex Peter Pulver car - metallic grey recently featured in Motor Sport)
- Pink / Fox 26R/8 (white - which has S2 "rugby ball" front lights)
- Fillon / Fillon - entered by local politician / former PM, Fran?ois Fillion - "Gulf" colours
- Kohler - S2 silver / black bumpers (which came 3rd o/a in the Tour Auto)

Talking about Le Mans Classic and it looks good with 4 Elans.
I hope one or more gets a good result and better for Fillon than his politics .
Lucky me i happen to have an Elan Sprint and 2 Classic TVRs. It was good to see TVR got 3rd and 4th places at the "24 Heures".
Are there any Tiv's at the Classic Le Mans apart from in the carpark. I know someone who has a Red Tuscan Challenge n?101 Boss and does the circuits here in France.

Alan