The highway code in France is clear: in rainy weather or any other meteorological phenomenon capable of embarrassing visibility and adhesion, the maximum authorized speed is revised downwards. Concretely, on the highway, the limit goes from 130km/h to 110km/h. On a fast track, it drops from 110 to 100km/h, and from 90 to 80km/h on two -way roads. Only agglomerations do not undergo any change, with a maximum speed still fixed at 50 km/h.
Under these weather conditions, no need for a sign to lift your foot in the event of bad weather. The Highway Code applies independently of signaling, and exposes you to sanctions in the event of non-compliance with the rules.
And for automatic radars?
Common sense would like automatic radars to adapt their trigger threshold according to climatic conditions. But the reality is quite different: even the most modern are unable to detect rain. Their operation is based on pre -programmed thresholds, generally modeled on speed limitations in dry weather. No rain sensor is integrated into the devices, nor any direct connection to a national meteorological service.
Concretely, driving at 125km/h under watersheds will not trigger any flash on the highway: the radar remains programmed on 130km/h, whatever the weather. Even new generation or multi-infractions turret radars are not yet able to automatically modulate their control threshold. The reason is simple: the very concept of bad weather is too vague to be judged by technology alone: fine rain, strong downpour, simply wet road … are all distinct weather conditions, which do not require the same precautions. A weather -based configuration would multiply the risks of dispute and make the system difficult to manage.
Some radars can flash you
However, do not expect to get away with it when you run at 130 km/h in the pouring rain. If automatic radars remain blind, others are able to distinguish between dry and rainy weather. All thanks to revolutionary on -board technology: the human eye.
Only mobile radars maneuvered by the police take into account climatic conditions in real time. During a manual control, the agent can assess the weather and sanction a motorist by relying on the lowered limit. However, automatic models could soon become smarter. Experiments are carried out in certain countries to integrate weather sensors or connect radars with real -time weather databases.
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