I think I might be in a bit of a mess, I don't know yet. The thing is that I had no idea that the "no speed limit" sign here in switzerland meant 120. I was driving from Aigle to Brig on the highway and when I saw the 100 km/h signs, I did 100... but when I saw the "no speed limit" signs... I was doing like 180.
I just found out that in Switzerland that sign (circle with 3 lines) really means 120. Its been a couple of weeks and I haven't recieved any bill yet. I dont recall being "flashed" by the camera but I might have been.
How much would that be anyways? People have told me that the fines here are insane.
How long does it take to get the bill? Is there a chance that I'm lucky and the cameras didn't catch me?
You better pray that they did not catch you as this would not be a bill, but a court hearing. Not knowing that the speed limit is 120 will probably not impress the judge. Hard to estimate the potential punishment, but definitely based on your income. Several months of your income I would guess (and if you live here, you will obviously loose your license...).
If you've been flashed doing 180 in a 120 zone you might drive again before you retire but its not likely...
Ok joking aside, firstly flashes are pretty clear here in Switzerland so if you didn't notice being flashed hopefully you wont have been. If you have then you get 5% grace which would take you "down" to 171 but that would put you still a clear 51 above the limit. The fines are fixed up until a certain point at which time they become a percentage of your salary or a minimum amount or a jail term. Being completely honest with you and not giving you the moral lecture which im afraid may follow this from people who feel strongly about speeding here, if you have been flashed at 171 in a 120 your in for a stinging fine (several thousand francs) at the very least.
Although I have no comment on the speed you were doing I think the "I didnt realise there were speed limits" line isnt one I would actually try and play in the courtroom. You might try "I was being towed by a flying spaghetti monster" or "somone had cut my brakes like you see in the films" which would be a bit more believable.
180 is very, very bad. It will be very difficult to work your way out of it even if you feign ignorance. A strongly worded letter from the authorities could take a month to arrive. If you saw no flash and saw no radars, you "might" be ok. Usually they're added in areas shortly after the speed drops from 120 to 100 etc...
They will first remove 5kph or so from the speed which the radar picked up. A car is also typically calibrated to display a higher speed than which you're driving. But even then, you were probably doing 50kph over the legal limit, and that could result in you having to pay 25-30% of your net income as well as a week or of imprisonment if this is anything to go by: http://www.servinfo.ch/divers/amendes.html
It's pretty close to the truth from what I've heard and seen. And as mentioned above, you may need to please your case to a judge. If this is your first time, they may have some pity... But you will certainly lose your license for a while. Maybe a year or several. It depends a lot on the humor of whoever takes care of your case-
I second this. Additionally, if there would have been a camera crew out there, you would not be writing this: At your speed, they would for sure have sent somebody out to intercept you and we would not read this post on EF but an article in 20 Minuten.
180. Jesus. Which countries would let you do that? I was always told that if you do 20km/hr over the accepted limited then you are in loss of license territory. You really need to slow down asap.
As soon as you hit somewhere in the 20s or even thirties above it gets ugly: I had a colleague who was threatened by a judge that in the case she would do this again he could revoke her residence permit. (besides several thousands of punishment)
Perhaps the canton makes a difference. I was doing 11 over and was handed 250 CHF if paid in 30 days. It was my first offence in 12 years. It's had the desired effect. I always think it's good to remind yourself of the real consequences of speeding. Top Gear this is not.
I believe it depends on the location. My quotes were "outside of cities/villages". Within and especially within heavily restricted zones like 30s in front of schools, the price is higher (and I fully agree to that)... I am not exactly a race-driver, but I collect the 40 CHF fines for being one over. I am sure this would end up in an endless debate again why speeding is bad, but I simply think that the common practice in other countries, to start somewhere between five an ten over the limit with charging, makes more sense.
Not necessarily. The A1 highway between Lausanne and Geneva is a 50km stretch of road with the 120kph speed limit, and you'll find a dozen radars along this stretch.
But strictly speaking, if you saw no radar then and there, then typically you may find them in stretches where the limit drops.
never drive in switzerland as one would in germany.
I wasn't going 180 the whole way obviously, I just did 180 a few times. Most of the time I was averaging 140 in the no speed limit zones.
What surprises me is that people where going 140 as well.. If I was doing 140 then the guy in front of me had to be doing it too since I needed to speed up to pass him.
anyways, this serves as a lesson. I'm just hoping that no cameras took my picture. Some people here might think I'm a reckless crazy driver, however I'm not. I'm just used to driving fast.
I guess that was once the idea of speeding fines. (Before the estimated revenue was calculated into the Gemeindebudget and politicians started to worry when the amount of fines drop...)