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I've received notice of a fine for speeding in France. Only problem is that its on a date when I wasn't in France, in a car I didn't hire and on a road I didn't drive on! The only connection is that about three weeks before "the offence" I hired a car from the garage that has supplied my details!
Anyone out there successfully challenged a French ticket?
I successfully challenged a UK ticket under similar circumstances (ended up court)
Is there not some instructions on how to challenge the ticket if you need to ?
Sounds like the hire co have just sent the wrong details to the police. Should be easy to prove if you were out of the country. Also check the hire company haven't charged you for passing on your details.
@jersey - that's an easy one. Send a letter to police and to the hire company. Don't pay. I would also check your credit card as they will very probably have charged you an admin fee for passing your details to the police
Edit. I would suspect the French police and courts will not pursue this following your letter other than to go back to the rental company. Even if they did think about chasing you how would they go about this, send you a court summons to appear in a French court ? Unless its a really serious speeding offence they are not going to pursue you. The chain of events is that the police automatically send the speeding ticket to the registered keeper. As this is the hire company they have to do something with it, so they forward the drivers details. They have covered their @rse. FWIW I have had speeding fines in Switzerland and have paid them as they where legitimate.
I've sent the form back with my "excuses" in both English & French. I'm guessing that its one of the garage staff in the bosses Merc (139kph in a 130kph limit - so <20kph over the limit)and they've randomly selected me to keep things sweet!
Its 45 Euro if you cough up within 46 days of the ticket! Goes up to 180 Euro after 76 days 😯
@jersey - nice work, I very much doubt you'll hear from them. In the meantime you should get the details of your flights out/back/car rental agreement etc handy in case they write to you again. I would write to the car hire company too.