bronty

Just a little information to drivers. While in Hungary this month, I was really travelling up the M7 motorway, always keeping an eye out, even though I was being overtaken by a few hellraisers.
I pulled off at Balatonboglar and saw that the police had speed camers on the bridge. (Thank god I pulled off then). A friend confimed that drivers caught on camera speeding (over 130km/h on motorways) would be stopped further up and be confronted with a 1000 euro fine, car to be held in their custody until you produce the money. Usually family stay behind while you go to the bank for cash. With a hire car, if you are not stopped on the motorway, you will be met at the hire car company and asked to pay when you drop off the car. Your passport will be taken, and you wion't be allowed to board any plane until fine is paid.
I did see this happen once in the Balaton airport, when you could fly from the UK. Those were the days!

John Gilbert

A 1,000 Euro fine is incredible - still it has the required effect. I will now stick to the limit!

bronty

You are not kidding. I am still traumatised, to what a close shave that was.

Pollypaprika

Good Lord!

We see the police a lot, and they tend not to be in police cars either. They park up at the side of the road outside some towns and villages just as the speed limit changes. You only notice as you drive past that there is a camera and a policeman in the car. We are very paranoid about it as we have english plates so no doubt easy pickings - especially as I have heard that after 1 September, 'residents' cannot have foreign number plates. Dont know the full details though...

Rural Hungary

Hi all, is that specifically for the motorway Bronty or is the fine scalable depending on the speed of the driver. I know a few Brits who have received speeding fines but the most they paid was 30,000 ft.

Whilst on the subject of fines - always check your lights and have your drivers license with you as having a light out or not carrying your license is an instant 10,000ft fine for each offence.

Well Polgardi, as you are now officially resident (well done you), it will have to be Hungarian plates. As a resident, you have (off the top of my head) 3 months to register your vehicle or buy a Hungarian car.

bronty

Fines on the motorway are generally covered by the traffic police department. Other roads are covered by the actual county police, and they all have their own rules. Not really sure how it works, but I do know that there are still corrupt police about. Last year a friend (Brit who also speaks Hungarian) was stopped for doing a U turn on a main road in Szeged. No signs out or anything. He was asked to pay 30,000ft, when he complained the fine went upto 60,000ft. He thought it was best to pay up before it went any further without witnesses.
Best not to argue at the time, but take details and complain later at the police station if need be. Times and rules are changing, but unfortuantely some people don't.

PaulinEger

As of July 1st the government introduced stiffer penalties for motoring offences, specifically, speedding, drink driving and jumping red lights. Each offence now carries a maximum on the spot penalty of up to 300,000 huf. The Police have also been told to specifically target foreign registered cars. Typically, in the past most foreigners never paid their fines, just left the country and the government lost millions of firints each year.

Notalab

Was flashed for speeding thru' UKK [1 horse 2 house village] at 2 in the morning and got sent a letter with the relevant thousand sub-section laws, rules and regulations broken, citation on 2 pages of gobbledy-gook. [83kmph in a 50 zone] A 30thou + fine. A couple of months later met a police car coming up a one way street [him right - me wrong] in Kaposvar which they turned into what seemed like a major crime with 3 police cars and 6 coppers trying to interrogate me on the spot in various languages. In the end they frog-marched me up the road and pointed out the one way sign [bloody tom-tom!]. Result was another fine through the post. Don't know about driving licence points awarded/deducted, may find out when I renew my licence in a couple of months. 50 years of driving all over the world with unblemished licences before that ...... must be getting old!

Rural Hungary

Tut tut tut, I see you in a whole new light now

tomasc

Luckily this is not Finland http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1759791.stm

tomasc

To Polgari: in all EU countries, if you stay more than 6 months, you have to register the car locally. Please see e.g. http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/citiz...o/index_en.htm

This has been the law ever since EU.

What is changed 1st of September in Hungary is that the user instead of the state has to prove that he is not actually staying more than 6 months (as in Austria and several other countries).

Pollypaprika

Thank you Tomasc.

Pollypaprika

Well it was bound to happen at some point....driving home alone in the dark obeying speed limit etc and got pulled over by three young policemen. I had just been to exercise class so did not have driving licence with me.... Was asked for driving licence and passport and I explained that I did not have it and it was at home. For the most part they were more interested in giggling at my poor attempt at the Hungarian pronounciation and the fact I had a rh drive. Anyway, I did have my address card so showed them that and they let me go! Make of that what you will

londonsteve

Wow, it's incredible that they have become so strict in Hungary. I remember the times 10 years ago when virtually any infraction could be sorted out at the roadside with a 10k forint note. I'm not condoning corruption and have never paid off a copper myself, but to go from one extreme to the other in a decade is quite something. I've heard from people in Hungary that the police are thoroughly sneaky and you can get snapped anywhere at any time, with the result that most people obey the speed limit now. Last time I drove to Budapest I was struck by how many people were sitting at 130kph and no more. I remember the days when 160 on the M1 was de rigeur, and a black S-class would still flash you off the road even at those speeds!

The UK used to be speed camera central and everyone was up in arms, yet today although the cameras are still there, they are all painted yellow, most don't even work, and it is exceedingly rare to see the police with a radar gun or automated camera by the roadside. With the consequent result that I am frequently overtaken on dual carriageways in and around London in the evening at twice the speed limit.

OGSG

Safer roads in Hungary, yipee!