"does anyone know if there would be possibility of contesting them, given that I was a newcomer"............

in the famous words of that wimbledon champion john mcenroe "you can't be serious"!!

So, I was in a very similar position last year after I arrived here. Basically you just have to pay up. I had over 3000chf in 3 months...

The good thing is that so long as you're not over 15kph over the limit its just a straight pay up type deal. If you go over 15kph they'll then want to know who was driving and you'll have to send in a copy of your licence.

Then, and this is where it gets hazy, if you go, say, 20+ over the limit the police can pass your 'case' to the canton who will issue another fine on top and ask you to write a letter explaining why you were speeding.

I have had to write 3 of these, the 1st two worked and the 3rd resulted in a months ban. However there is a huge delay in all this to the extent that my ban (which I'm serving now) is due to a speeding ticket issued in October last year....

So I'm afraid even if you stop speeding now you could still get more bad news in the post up to 3 months later...

One wrinkle is, I was on my UK licence for all of this and I'm not sure what would have happened if I had a swiss licence (they might have taken it away, which they can't do with a foreign one; ie I can still drive everywhere except here)

Good luck

I have just arrived home to a letter asking me to send my details.  I have been snapped doing 63 in a 40.  I know when it was, and I had followed a deviation down a road I was unfamiliar with due to roadworks.  I guess I assumed the unknown road was a 60, but obviously not.

Anyway, I guess I will have to write a letter of explaination as explained above.  Hopefully the fine won't be too large, and I could really do without a ban as its too cold to cycle to work now!!!  :-s

Does anyone have an idea what kind of fine I should expect for 63 in a 40?

I have had several speeding tickets and have never written any letter, but just paid. Not paying within a month will raise the fine by something like 60CHF.

For highways where you are allowed to drive 120 and you get caught doing 145 you're at the limit(25 over). It costs around 260CHF. Getting caught doing 146 then the fine will be calculated over your wage, which in almost everyones case here, will atleast double the fine.

I got caught once with a car with Dutch plates where I was allowed to drive 80, but doing 106km. The car was not in my name, but had to pay 500CHF plus 250CHF registration cost(fine came by mail in Holland). Ofcourse this fine is not calcullated over the persons wage as the person does not work in Switzerland. Also the owner of the car was expected to bring her driverslisence to the police station for the period of december. This happend in august or september, so it seems they just pick a month where they think they can hurt you the most. The drivers lisence was ofcourse not given during this period, so wouldnt know what would happen if this person would now be driving here.

Does anyone have an idea what kind of fine I should expect for 63 in a 40?

Getting caught 63 where you are allowed to drive 40 is probably not within the 25km fine limit as the max speed is lower. Im afraid it's gonna hurt you a bit more.

Just a note on the side:

- Speeding tickets from The Netherlands will arive at your door in Switzerland, the also state they will increase if you dont pay up. And they keep this promiss I recently learned.

- Speeding in Germany is much more expensive then here (atleast for the smaller offence).

- Speeded on the APB (French autoroute) 175 where you are allowed to drive 130. Cost 90 euro (2euro per km.). They pulled me over, dont think the French send fines abroad. First thing I found that I like about the French ; )

I would expect this one to set you back a bit financially. If you get out for under 500chf, you'll have done well. And, it will probably go on to the police for their review and additional fine. (should they choose to do so). 

ok, Thanks for the info.  500 would not be the end of the world so long as they leave me with my license!  It's fair enough, I was doing more than 60% over the limit, even though I didn't realise that was the case...

Anyway, I will fill in the form and send it off and see what comes.  When I get my penalty through I will update this thread for future worried offenders information.

Cheers guys!

Some posts magically disapeared from this thread once people started speaking about anal retentive societies and FARC running around.

If we manage to stay on topic and be nice maybe the magic won't have to do it's thing again.

Oded

63 in a 40 will be 500+ and either a ban or a "WARNING" where you have to have a 2 year incident free period or you will loose your lisence.

youre given a 5kmph grace...so you were doing 67..... then its calculated as a percentage of the limit over...

Serious speeding fines now are a percentage of GROSS ANNUAL SALARY.... ie for doing 150 or 160+++ on the motorroute...

Do 80 in a 40 zone,or 120/130 in a 80 and you can expect a percentage of salary fine plus a 6 mth ban.

Also if your wife is busted doing this YOU pay....

I was lucky that my ex was busted when i was between jobs... they took her lisence for 6 mths and 400 chf fine plus 250 admin fine...

Julie, 

It's a long shot that they'll let you off the hook, but it doesn't hurt to write them a nice "I'm so sorry, I was new, I ain't got much money, it will never happen again" letter. Worse case, they'll say no. I'd give it a shot, but I wouldn't have high hopes.

And here's another nice story: 2 days I got caught without an anti-polution sticker on my car. The old sticker I had expired 2 years ago. The punishment: CHF 400...

We just got to play it by the rules over here, or we pay a lot. 

Nir

Wait, what?  Anti-pollution sticker?

Richard:

You little lucky dog, you should thank your god that you didn't get caught yet!

Turns out that every few years (I think it's 2 or 3) every car in CH needs to get an anti-pollution test. When you pass it, they give you a little sticker that you need to display on your car. The sticker carries an expiration date on it. 

Get caught with an expired sticker (or no sticker), and you get to join me in the "I'm CHF 400 poorer" club.

Nir

Interesting.  I recently read somewhere else that the round sticker (applied by the garage) is only a reminder for the vehicle owner.  What truly matters is the carnet antipollution and whether or not the last inspection was within the last 2 years.

I just had a contrôle technique performed and the only sticker involved was one from the garage that looks to carry no legal weight...

When you were fined, were they worried about the sticker or were they worried about the carnet antipollution?

Confirmed.  I asked my dealer not to put the sticker on as only the booklet (carnet anti-pollution) confirms your car is compliant.

Recently had to get many things straightened out with SAN and no comments was made for the sticker.

Just to share my experience, my speed was 26 more than the limit in the city and I received a letter asking to confirm if I'm the driver of the car. This was Feb this year. Having confirmed that I was indeed the driver, they sent me next the versement or invoice to pay (after 1 month), which amounted to CHF660. I thought that was the end of it but in July, I received again a letter requiring me to explain why I was overspeeding, if I have previous speeding history (and I have one two yrs ago but overspeeding was less than 15 the limit) and what I use the car for. There was also a versement to pay amounting to CHF120 representing a tax thingy that I didn't understand what for as it was in French. All these I replied to and paid the tax as well.  In August, I received a letter that my license (I'm carrying my country's) is suspended for a month from mid-September and if you want to contest, you'll pay CHF15 for documents. After paying the 660 and 120, I couldn't care less if I pay 15! I requested postponement of the suspension to December, which was granted through a letter with a versement of CHF15 to go with it. I then realized that request is actually contesting their 'verdict' so to speak!

Now, my driver's license is suspended from 1st Dec for a month in Switzerland. 

Richard: It's all about the "carnet" indeed, not the sticker. Sorry if I confused things. Sadly, in my case, the lack of sticker rightlfully reflected the lack of writing in the carnet...(-:

CeeBee: yaiiks! Seems the fun never stops here once you get caught for speeding! I recently got caught for using my mobile while driving. I received a fine for CHF 200, and hope that'll be the end of it...But given your experiences, who knows!

Nir

Hello,

I have received a letter saying that I was speeding for more of 15 km/h, but it continues saying that the speed (vitesse constatee) was 73 km/h in a 50 km/h area.

What should I expect of this? I had another one like this 5 years ago and I paid more than 400 CHF plus the "Warning", 120 CHF.

I have a Swiss licence... Is it going to be suspended? I don't really understand.. Can I choose when it can be suspended?

Thanks

ILK

Here's a link to list  of radars in Canton Geneva:

http://people.itu.int/~lapietra/moto/radars.htm

Have a look on www.scdb.info.  Database of all fixed radars covering Europe and some other countries.

For information purpose only as such databases are not allowed in CH...  Works great with TomToms and other GPS devices though...

Wojtek:

I think that when the police assess your driving record, parking tickets are considered as far less serious compared to speeding. 

I get 1-2 parking tickets each month. But when I got caught for speeding, and for speaking on the mobile while driving, I was let off with only the "standard" fine. If they'd taken into account my parking stuff, I would have been in real trouble. 

Nir

Wojtek:

Even it does, so what? If it's the 1st time, then the fine you can get is set by law, and what the police may think or not thing is not a factor. 

Nir

W:

Then you might be in for a nasty punishment indeed. The Swiss deal harshly with repeat offenders like me and you...Hope you have friends who can give you a lift to work each morning...(-:

Nir

I heard stories of fines that go up real quick and real high when it's a repeat offence. And I read on this thread that some folks had their license suspended for a while too. 

But who knows, wait and see. 

In the meanwhile, memorise these excuses:

some folks have difficulty getin a licence in the first place!

Beware - the upcoming votation in November will send foreign "criminals" back to where they came from, and in cases of dangerous driving, this type of offence will be on the hit list. 

Back some 25 years ago, these was a chap in Geneva who had racked up a couple of hundred parking tickets - his B permit was revoked (and rightly so).

Up to you how you want to drive - just don't get caught !

speeding offences are registered to the car and cars owner at the address the car is registered.

if you have foreign plates, the offences will be sent there, it has NOTHING to do with your driving license Polish/ swiss/ Irish whatever, since in Switzerland most cars have "any driver insurance".

If your car is registered to YOU, at your address here... then youre screwed... if its registered in Poland...you may be lucky.

Here's my magical solution for not getting parking tickets:

- Park wherever I find a legal parking place, then walk.  Walking never killed anybody as far as I know.

- Use private parkings.  Even leaving there your car for the whole day costs less than a parking fine, and the car is sheltered and safer.

- Use public transports whenever the two options above are not suitable.

... and heres me thinking all Italians just drove scooters cruising the Kerbs and saying to all the hot chicks.." hey,,, ey ey... you wanna go witha me for a drink?

a little off topic.... made me laugh though.

i once parked on a private place for about 20 minutes. when i came back, the owner parked his car right behind me to block my exit. because of this, HE got a ticket on his windshield for blocking my car!!! i was able to just squeeze out of the space nevertheless. tell me this place isn't F....d up.

In the near future you will not be able to hide behind a foreign license or number plates and I guess they will start looking at unpaid fines, i.e. revenue...

https://www.eucaris.net/index.php

the key word here is "European":......

(flying off now to register my car and get plates from Burkino Faso)....

The French have already started collecting fines from Swiss drivers

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=772928

And then there is this coming down the pike...

Swisster:  Government Proposes Drastic Road Security Project

After 10 years of preparation, the Swiss government handed the "Via Sicura" project to parliament last week (Via Sicura means "safe way" in Switzerland’s third official language, Italian).

Improving road security and lowering the number of fatal accidents by 25 percent are the major goals of the government, which is proposing a series of preventive and repressive measures. In 2009, 349 people were killed in car accidents, while 4,708 were heavily injured.

Some radical new measures would be introduced in the fight against the two biggest killers: drink driving and speeding. Replacing the 0.5 measurement, a maximum blood-alcohol concentration of 0.1 units would be applied to new drivers as well as professional drivers (trucks, coaches or buses).

Repeat drunk drivers would be allowed behind a wheel again, but only in a vehicle equipped with a breathalyzer system linked with the ignition.

These can be installed in any car, for a cost of a few hundred Swiss francs, a sum to paid by the driver.

"This applies to people who have real alcohol problems," Thomas Rohrbach, spokesperson for the federal road office, told Swisster.

"You won’t need to get this device if you have a three-month withdrawal of your permit after drinking two beers," he added.

A similar measure would apply to speeding offenders. A black box which records velocity may be installed in the cars of drivers suspended for over a year.

Again, this measure only applies to serious cases. "You have to be very fast, over 200km per hour," Rohrbach said.

Holders of foreign driving licenses would not be affected by these particular regulations.

"All we can do is forbid them to drive on Swiss roads for a certain amount of time – two months, one year, two years . . ." Rohrbach said.

"However, foreigners who live in Switzerland for over a year have to change their driving license," he pointed out.

Some rules – if accepted – would apply to everybody: car lights would be obligatory during the day and the provision of information about radar locations forbidden.

"The police will be generous with foreigners and just tell them they need to put their lights on," Rohrbach qualified.

Under the proposals, which could go before parliment next year, motorists over the age of 50 will be forced to undergo an eyesight test every ten years. Existing regulations require that seniors over 70 take a medical examination every two years.

Children under 7 would be forbidden to cycle on public roads and bicycle trails, while helmets would be compulsory until the age of 14, a plan that has already been criticized by the Christian Democrat Party (PDC).

PDC president, Christophe Darbellay recently argued against the measure in an interview with the Swiss television network: "Can you imagine forbidding children to cycle in the countryside, in the mountains or in a calm neighbourhood?"

"Everyone is put under tutorship in this country, and this is a real catastrophe, there is still a personal responsibility, even for children," he said.

Rohrbach said the measure is in line with school reforms. "Today it is already forbidden for children who are not old enough for school to cycle alone on the road," he said.

However, many children aged four do go to school, and the new law would hence allow them to ride in the streets.

"That’s too dangerous. However, exceptions will be made, that’s clear. For instance they might be allowed to cycle with their parents on special bicycle lanes or on 20 to 30 kilometre-per-hour roads," Rohrbach added.

Touring Club Suisse (TCS) and the ProVelo association are against the obligatory helmet.

The motoring organization believes that the restraint impedes the free image of cycling and argues that insurance companies might refuse responsibility for an accident if a child victim was not wearing a helmet.

The project also stipulates that dangerous spots where accidents often occur will be determined and security improved.

Darbellay is one politician who feels it is unlikely that the entire document will be accepted by MPs. "We don’t know what Parliament will decide," Rohrbach added.

OUCH !!!!

Lokum...

Thanks, that table is very useful and interesting.  I have already passed it onto some friends.

Does anyone know if the 21km/h limit for license revoking would be after they have taken 6km/h off or before?  Or have they already taken some off and just not informed me on the letter?

Woj...

for 31 over the limit on a autoroute... its 600 to 800 fine PLUS loosing your lisence

In switzerland...its always PLUS.... AND you will be charged some 120 CHF for the Administration of taking your lisence

GingerViking... the numbers are after any deduction

Also remember that limit on the autoroute could be 60 km/h if they have roadworks in place...

I got about 10 collected between 2007 and 2008 on Dutch plates, but they were never send to Holland. So I dont think you will receive those.

its always after the deduction... which is there to allow for any possible fault in the camera calibration...

in town the allowance is less than out of town...

I got caught in town driving 56 where 50 was allowed. They take of 3km. Got fined for 53km after deduction.

Thanks Thomas and Charlie.

I guess I will have to cross my fingers for a 3km/h deduction in 'village' areas too.  That will bring me down to 20 over the limit, which means I would keep my license (according to Lokum's link)

you could get away with a warning,,,, if its yur first offence

IMPORTANT NOTE ON HIDDEN CAMERAS

FYI...I just remembered....

The Police VERY Often place a camera on the route suisse between Mies and Coppet... its an 80 zone.... be careful..

also this hidden camera is also moved to Coppet as you approach from Geneva... its 50= zone....

Theyre very active round there, so be careful....

I know at least 6 people who have been trapped there,,,, in many cases with HUGE fines and licence confiscation... since its easy to do 120 on that stretch .....

Well, the Vaud authorities need to make up for the lower tax rate... I've never seen a mobile camera in Canton Geneve.

Mobile customs/ douane yes (again yesterday between Hermance and Anieres), but not traffic cops.

Never say never...a friend of mine waived goodbye to his licence for one year (ok, repeated offence) for being caught on a Monday night at 1am close to La Praille stadium...

Speeding is a game, so don't be surprised if you lose sometimes...(as you all know what the risks are or at least are supposed to...)

With all the recent changes/agreements, I don't know what databases the Swiss have access to but having foreign plates doesn't mean that you can't get any troubles ever.

If you really have a thick case, they can black-list your car/plates and next time you cross the border (or get searched for any other reason), surprise...

As you know, Swiss authorities are very good for interests calculation...

I have a better idea.

I know you guys are just kidding, but I got to be serious here for a second and issue a legal statement to be 100% clear:

glocals does not encourage any acts of vandalism or of breaking the law. In fact, we're strongly against it.

If this thread keeps going in the direction of "let's vandalise stuff", even if it's meant in jest, we'll have to close the thread to ensure that no-one takes this stuff seriously and starts destroying stuff.

Nir

So I should not link to the "speed camera on fire" YouTube vid?  Okay.

oh bollocks

(now removing ski mask, black special forces non slip shoes, special "no print gloves" and non reflective DMP pattern jump suit, whilst sliding said spray can into unmarked and wiped down black bag).

Nir is right. The best remedy is not to speed. Not always very easy if the max speed is unclear (that does happen) but with paying normal attention we should be alright.

In the Netherlands the speeding game was ok, I always looked at the fine as a paid license to speed (up to a point: 10-30 km too fast, just a fine and no questions asked, no license hassles) but even there I almost always stuck to the speed limit. Here in Switzerland I do also, and when I drive through France same thing. The time savings are quite small anyway (unless you go up to very unsafe speeds) and it's just more relaxed driving.

Here in Switzerland there's just no gain by speeding - the authorities at least get that point across ...

Hi everyone, unfortunately my turn now... I did 95kph on a 50 road - Route de  Meyrin considered "inside village" meaning a 40km excess (after discounting the 5 tolerance), which seems to be serious.

Besides the 3 months license suspension mentioned in several official websites, according to the above mentioned table fine shall be 25% of my salary, but 3 days of JAIL is also mentioned!...

Does anyone have any information about that? Maybe it might be applicable to specific cases, like someone who has had troubles before? Will I still get a chance to justify anything before they decide on the punishment ?

Please let me know if anyone has any info about it ... Thanks

I found you this:

Not read everything so this might be repitition. Do not forget that if you lose your licence for one month or two months you can normally negotiate when you lose it - for instance during a holiday when you intend to fly and not hire a car.  

did 44 over on highway where speed limit is 120... goodbye license and possibly a few days in jail. Last time I did something similar was three years ago. They let me off the hook but I got a feeling it's different this time

The sticker is no longer mandatory, I chose not to display it because I think it's tacky. What matters as rich said is the stamp in your service booklet.

So......if a Swiss driver gets' "flashed" in France, do the French have reciprocal agreements with the Swiss? Or, do the French not pursue license plaques from other countries?

Thanks 

Yes they do I have received 2 in the post.

Most people say that it depends on the "Departement", those close by have bilateral agreements with Switzerland, while Departements further inside France don't.

Thanks guys. Very helpful info.

KEN///

Hi Feehary,

I just recieved my first summon from Geneva Canton. I have paied few fines last year but this is first summon with high speed.

Can you kindly guide me of the procedure. I should write them an explanation and they they will send me my fine ? Will they call me in person ? How much fine they ask for ? As you mentioned you paied more than 3000 chf in total.

I will highly appreciate your response.

Thanks

Mehar