Drivers cleared on speed trap alerts

A GROUP of Facebook users who were convicted of revealing speed camera sites in the south of France have won their appeal – and the many similar websites across France will not now be closed down.

The group of 13 in Aveyron were found guilty a year ago in Rodez of obstructing justice and possible police charges by revealing the “radar” sites and had a one-month driving ban imposed – they had faced the possibility of also being fined €1,500 and losing six points from their licences.

They appealed at Montpellier with lawyers saying the original verdict was an attack on the freedom of speech and would also mean drivers flashing their lights to warn of a speed trap would also face conviction.

In addition, lawyers said it was also an attack on the manufacturers of driver aids such as Waze or Coyote, which warned of danger zones where there may be speed cameras.

Lawyer Rémy Josseaume, a specialist in motoring law who defended 11 of the 15, told Le Figaro the appeal ruling was “excellent news”. He said the group performed a useful service, not just warning drivers about speed but also giving alerts on traffic jams and accidents.

He added: “It gives a new balance between what is accepted by the authorities and the instant reactions of road users. It would have been unjust for the authorities to allow driving aids [which give a very general alert of camera sites] and yet forbid Facebook pages which do exactly the same thing.”

Another lawyer, Jean-Charles Teissedre, said the original verdict was a challenge to the right of free speech and the freedom of the press, with many newspapers publishing lists of speed camera sites provide by the police and gendarmerie.

The Aveyron Facebook group has 13,000 members in all and there are thought to be 600,000 similar users across France.

Radar detectors, as such, are banned in France if they reveal the exact location of speed traps but so-called ‘driving aids’ warn drivers they are in a danger zone, where there may be a speed camera.