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points on licence
If you have a legal radar detector in the UK make sure that you do not have it with you if you drive down here. A few years ago I drove down and left my detector unconnected in the glove box because I knew that it was illegal to use them in France. I got pulled over by the French police ( who apparently had kit which somehow told them that a detecttor was on board as I passed them at 80 mph) and had the set confiscated because it is illegal to own or transport a detector in France let alone use it.
Because I did not have a French address I had to pay 600 euros to avoid detention of the car. I was told by the gendarme that I would probably get this back when the case went to court but despite a plausible plea of mitigation I was still fined 580 euros plus 20 euros costs!
An expense lesson and a lot of hassel - so beware. It is similarly illegal to use detectors in Portugal even if they are legal in the UK.
Because I did not have a French address I had to pay 600 euros to avoid detention of the car. I was told by the gendarme that I would probably get this back when the case went to court but despite a plausible plea of mitigation I was still fined 580 euros plus 20 euros costs!
An expense lesson and a lot of hassel - so beware. It is similarly illegal to use detectors in Portugal even if they are legal in the UK.