Speeding ticket in The Netherlands

ThreeLineWhip wrote: »

Terminal signs for 30mph limits are still needed in urban areas, but repeaters are prohibited.

You are, as always correct, I wasn't trying to be comprehensive. As it happens, my part of London has speed limit signs on nearly every road (swapping from 30 to 20 and back again) which together withthe parking zone start and end signs means multiple sgs on every street/road. Out of the city, I'm constantly challenged to to be precise on the speed limit.

CiniO wrote: »

From my experience I haven't been in such country (except from Ireland) where speed limits would be always indicated by "speed limit" signs.

Nearly everywhere in Europe it works other way. You get "built up" area signs. You get "residential area signs". You get "express-way" or "motorway" signs.
And with all that it's you (driver) obliged to know what is the legal speed limit in all those areas (built up, motorways, expressway, residential, etc).

Ireland it the only place I know where you get "speed limit" signs nearly everywhere.

Haha!!:D And that explains why I don't know what the speed limits should be in England as I live in Ireland, and am used to signs everywhere;)

Now at least from reading the above I have a general idea:p

That certainly looks complicated for Poland!!

Appreciate the link :-)

Got billed for 3 notifications to the authority s over the last couple of years but never got a follow up fine. 2 in Holland and 1 in Spain if I got a fine I'd probably of paid just in case I happened to be stopped some night in said country with no cash couldn't be good

2yrs ago I was caught in Holland doing 113km in a 100km zone. hardly my highest achievement in travelling fast. hertz sent me a bill for €30 ish to provide my info to the Dutch central justice crowd. I then I get an official letter all in Dutch with a giro on the end of it. the single paragraph in English on the back of the form explains the basics. pay the fine or appeal.

so I try to use to giro in my bank but they don't accept the Dutch giro. the only way to pay it is to set them up as a payee, pay the fine and then cancel it. tedious.!!!
so I decided to appeal it As Gaeilge. Figured as they wrote to me in their native language Ill do the same for my appeal. my native tongue is a recognised EU language also.

I asked a lot of questions about the calibration of their equipment, the unsuitable method of payment provided. I asked about providing me with another method to pay like credit card or pay-pal. The possibility of this being a scam etc etc etc. I then received another letter in Dutch and German. both of which i had to translate to get the gist of what it was. basically it was telling me that my appeal was being referred for consideration and they would be in touch

next they send me "the judgement". all in Dutch so i cant read it without translating the whole waffle. and yet again they send me another unusable giro. I clearly told them I cant use this method. red tape at its finest!!!

so call me stubborn but I copied the letter and sent it back to them telling them i could not understand this and they need to provide the judgement in English so i can understand it. i even wrote back in English this time. think its my basic rights as a EU member.
more letters back to me in Dutch and German. more translations. just info letters saying them received my letter. top marks for the computer sending out these responses.

after some on-line "research" i come across a guy in the UK the was sick of getting letters and calls from agency's. he created a template for a letter to send back to them all. the letter informs them that going forward from the date he sends it, every time he has to respond he will be invoicing them for £100 for his time in creating the response, postage, travel to post office etc etc etc.

so why not have a little fun with this. i sent them the same letter informing them that from now on all letters that i have to respond to i will be billing them for €100 per response. and €10 per minute for any calls i have to deal with.

more letters back in Dutch and German. so i duly send back my responses in Irish and my invoices. i even provide my account to receive payments...:)..
this has been over and back for 2 yrs now. none of my invoices have been paid.. surprise surprise...its laughable really now because they have spent more than the fine is worth in dealing with this. so i will continue for now. i have been back to the country twice and never had any issues travelling in or out.

i will pay the fine eventually. all i am looking for is the answers to my questions i asked in my appeal in English. also a safe convenient method of payment. I think I will send them €1 a month until its paid. just for a laugh about it.

its a great example of all the red tape in the world we live in. all it take is civil servant to get off their ass and sort it out rather than hiding behind an automated system that cant deal with something so simple.

sorry about the rant. yes is am extremely stubborn. yes I expect some abuse for all this here. but you know what, so far its cost me nothing but a few letters and a pain in my side from all the laughs I have gotten from it. yes its stupid because the fine is only €57. but too many times we give into these things. maybe if we all stood up to this the system would adopt a bit of common sense. when stupid meets stubborn, laughs will be had.

moriartym wrote: »

the rant.

Honestly, I applaud you. I respect the resilience.

But, would your time and energy not be better used with something that actually benefits you, instead of dragging something like this out over years?