Will I be able to rent a car in France?

**Dexter Rutecki** · 02-01-2017, 03:31 PM

Rented a car a few years ago and got one of those camera speeding tickets (7:00 AM on a deserted road in the Alps on the way to La Grave when I realized I had left my ski boots behind--ended up driving back to get them a little too fast).

Received the notice a month or two after I got back, and could barely make sense of the bureaucratic French (was hoping to find a way to contest it, but the notice was about 4 pages of dense text). Never paid it--when I show up to rent a car in France will this keep me from doing so? Any way to figure this out in advance (when you reserve a car they don't run everything through the computer until you're actually in France)? And if I have to pay the fine (god knows how expensive it will be now) how do I do that?

**Kenny Satch** · 02-01-2017, 03:44 PM

I have a cousin in France and I could ask him to look into it.
PM if you don't get a clear answer here

**Dexter Rutecki** · 02-01-2017, 03:48 PM

Thanks. A clear answer here is always a roll of the dice, but sometimes it works...

**Timberridge** · 02-01-2017, 03:53 PM

Dexter, if you've ever seen Papillon you'll know the French prisons are no joke.

I had an uncle who was captured in North Africa during the big one and lost a leg in a French prison.

**old goat** · 02-01-2017, 04:01 PM

Are you sure you didn't already pay it? IME (Italy) with a couple of camera speeding tickets (my wife who was driving refused to believe the GPS which told us we were in a camera zone) and a ticket for driving in some restricted area--but we have no idea where that was, maybe Cervinia--they ticket the rental car company, the rental car company takes it out of your credit card--you have no say in the matter unless you dispute the charge and good luck with that.

**PNWbrit** · 02-01-2017, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by Dexter Rutecki

in the Alps on the way to La Grave

humblebrag.

**hutash** · 02-01-2017, 04:28 PM

My understand of French law is that if you are core enough to ski Le Grave, speeding tickets are automatically suspended and a French prostitute will be waiting for you at the rental counter.

**BmillsSkier** · 02-01-2017, 04:30 PM

No matter what happens with the ticket, you're sure to experience some first rate engineering and all the driving excitement of a puddle of grits.

**irul&ublo** · 02-01-2017, 04:31 PM

If you have a problem, call Jerry Lewis. The frogs love him

**MakersTeleMark** · 02-01-2017, 04:32 PM

It was surprise me if they did criminal background checks on every rental car application. Anywhere.

**PNWbrit** · 02-01-2017, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by MakersTeleMark

It was surprise me if they did criminal background checks on every rental car application. Anywhere.

I'm still unable to rent a car in the UK due to an overdue library book fine from late 90's

**fatnslow** · 02-01-2017, 04:37 PM

Just wear a beret with a Gitane hanging out of your mouth at the rental counter and you'll pass as a frogger or just use a different rental agency than the first one.

**BmillsSkier** · 02-01-2017, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

I'm still unable to rent a car in the UK due to an overdue library book fine from late 90's

That seems awfully book-dependent.

**Benny Profane** · 02-01-2017, 05:39 PM

Go find an Airb&b close to the court you can appeal to, hire a lawyer who is heavy into Satre and good food and wine, and entertain yourself in the courtroom listening to his argument whether or not you, you know, we're really even there to do the crime, because, where are we when we are? and, really, isn't it just a boojwah fantasy to even say what a crime is? Then pay him by taking him and friends to some great little places to eat close by, debating, I don't know, politics and/or soccer over your meals. Voila!

**Kenny Satch** · 02-01-2017, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by Dexter Rutecki

Thanks. A clear answer here is always a roll of the dice, but sometimes it works...

So far not so good

**PNWbrit** · 02-01-2017, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

Satre

Falling off the chair lift at philosophy?

Originally Posted by fatnslow

Just wear a beret

Do you really think that Dex would be seen dead...... not wearing a beret while in France?

**Gerome** · 02-01-2017, 06:09 PM

Haha, I did the same thing in Switzerland in 2011. Whenever I return I expect to be accosted at the airport and forced to pay some huge fee although I have no idea what would really happen.

**MakersTeleMark** · 02-01-2017, 06:15 PM

I once many years ago rented a car with an expired, punched, and invalid dl. The agent gave it a look, took my money, and told me where to pick up the car.

But, that was Argentina. The a-factor was on my side that time for once.

**PNWbrit** · 02-01-2017, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by MakersTeleMark

I once many years ago rented a car with an expired, punched, and invalid dl. The agent gave it a look, took my money, and told me where to pick up the car.

But, that was Argentina. The a-factor was on my side that time for once.

I rented a car in Bariloche that handled so evilly that I had a closer look around, under it.

It was clearly a very, very badly done cut and shut.

When I called the rental agency and complained they just said, "Yes, So?"

The A-factor.

**GoldMember** · 02-01-2017, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by Gerome

Haha, I did the same thing in Switzerland in 2011. Whenever I return I expect to be accosted at the airport and forced to pay some huge fee although I have no idea what would really happen.

Me too but in 2008. Same kind of question to the group: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...elp?highlight=

As it turned out, the ticket was for 59 in a 50 on camera. I got hold of the proper officials somehow, don't remember how, and they forgave the ticket. I've been back a couple of times since, rented cars, and haven't had any problems. I think it may depend on how much over the limit you were and/or whether you're unlucky enough for them to check. From the responses I got, you could be rolling the dice once there.

**Huck_Schmuck** · 02-01-2017, 06:39 PM

I have first hand experience of Swiss speeding tickets in rental cars. Never paid one, received many. Never had an issue renting from the same company...

**Dexter Rutecki** · 02-02-2017, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

Do you really think that Dex would be seen dead...... not wearing a beret while in France?

In France? What is this 'in' business? My beret never comes off, motherfucker.

**irul&ublo** · 02-02-2017, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by Dexter Rutecki

In France? What is this 'in' business? My beret never comes off, motherfucker.

http://videos.sapo.pt/t190riK23KaPeOd3N5Bq

**Gerome** · 02-02-2017, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by GoldMember

Me too but in 2008. Same kind of question to the group: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...elp?highlight=

As it turned out, the ticket was for 59 in a 50 on camera. I got hold of the proper officials somehow, don't remember how, and they forgave the ticket. I've been back a couple of times since, rented cars, and haven't had any problems. I think it may depend on how much over the limit you were and/or whether you're unlucky enough for them to check. From the responses I got, you could be rolling the dice once there.

Originally Posted by Huck_Schmuck

I have first hand experience of Swiss speeding tickets in rental cars. Never paid one, received many. Never had an issue renting from the same company...

Very interesting. I was doing something like 120kph in a 100kph zone. They airmailed me two tickets. I probably still have them somewhere. That was in 2011 when I was off work and was a full time ski bum so I thought I'd save myself $60. When I go to France this spring, I'll assume it won't matter, and someday when I return to Swiss land someday, I'll look into it in advance.