The article discusses the rise of private radar cars in France, which have become prevalent for monitoring speeding on roads. Operated by private companies, these unmarked vehicles detect violations discreetly, leading to concerns among motorists about transparency and surveillance. In response, a new website, Radar-prive.fr, has been launched to help drivers locate these cars by providing a list of their movements. The initiative aims to foster community sharing of information while remaining within legal boundaries.
In recent years, the presence of private radar vehicles has surged on the roads of France, creating notable tension among drivers. These cars, managed by private entities, now roam various regions to monitor speeding, transforming into an effective enforcement mechanism. Notably, regions such as Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, and Occitanie have recently put out tenders to outsource this service to private firms.
This initiative, launched by the government to enhance road safety on national and departmental roads, involves unmarked cars equipped with radar systems operated by private personnel. They are designed to capture moving violations without notifying drivers, leading some to view this as a contentious method of surveillance. To address concerns regarding transparency, a new platform has surfaced to track these radar vehicles. Let’s delve deeper!
Understanding How Private Radar Cars Operate
Currently, over 400 private radar cars patrol the streets of France, serving as effective enforcement tools. Equipped with four cameras—two located at the front and two at the rear—along with a radar antenna near the license plate, these vehicles can identify speeding violations without the driver’s awareness. They operate via a system linked to 4G or 5G networks, allowing the immediate transmission of violations to the Agence nationale de traitement automatisé des infractions (ANTAI).
Since their introduction in 2018, the number of these cars has consistently grown, leading to operations across multiple regions in France with the aim of eventually covering the entire country. These vehicles, indistinguishable from regular unmarked cars, have the capability of discreetly capturing speed limit violations. This initiative has sparked controversy, with many perceiving these private radars as excessive enforcement tools, emphasizing the lack of clarity regarding their routes and the vehicles in use. In response, drivers have taken it upon themselves to organize, initially sharing information on social media, which has now evolved into a dedicated website.
A Smart and Legal Platform for Identifying Speed Cameras
To cater to the need for clarity, a new website has been launched that details the locations of private speed camera vehicles by region, allowing drivers to identify their presence in specific areas. The creation of this site addresses growing apprehensions around these monitoring vehicles. For those who might overlook subtle indicators of private radar cars—like the small dark rectangle in the rear windshield or a black box on the dashboard—the Radar-prive.fr site proves to be a valuable resource!
The objective is straightforward: to maintain an updated registry of these radar vehicles, enabling every driver to recognize them before hitting the road. While not every one of the 400 cars is cataloged, the focus primarily remains on private speed cameras. This initiative thrives on a community of motorists who contribute real-time data regarding the locations of speed cameras they encounter. Contrary to some misconceptions, this effort is entirely legal. The information compiled on the site is derived from publicly available data and inputs from volunteer drivers. Legal expert Maître Rémy Josseaume highlighted in an interview with Journal du Net, “I don’t see what’s illegal. Previously, I defended motorists who filmed and shared the locations of speed cameras online, and the French Supreme Court ruled in our favor. There is no violation. We have the freedom to share information.”