Cyprus one of worst offenders for motorway speeding - EU report

[Paphos Life]

Cyprus has one of the highest rates of speed violations on motorways in the EU, with 63 per cent violating the speed limit of 100km/h, according to a report just published by the European Transport Security Council's Road Safety PIN (ETSC) programme....

Read the article and chat about it below...

[Spock]

It's easily done, especially for those of us that flip between the UK and Cyprus.
I got a ticket some time back near the airport. Empty road and not watching my speedo.
When you're used to 70mph limit on UK motorways it's easy to make a mistake.

[ApusApus]

You were lucky ……………………… usually it was about 25mph if the gods were smiling!


Shane

[Jim B]

Part of the problem is the police themselves.
I'm not saying i was right but was stopped doing 133km pm The officer said his limit was 130 so i was fined a total of 30eurs 10 e per km over the 130.
On a UK license I received no points.
I got off lucky but is it right?

I was informed by many locals if you stay below 120kph you won't be stopped. I set the cruise control at 115kph and have been through countless speed traps and never been stopped.

Jim

[daveg]

But a lot of speed limits here are ambiguous and non sensical....
We have a 50 limit through our village which is fine except if you went 50 you'd be off the road....
Countdown speed limits off the motorway down to 30! If you did that you would be rear ended...

[boycott]

David Brown, I think you should consider yourself very lucky that the officer was so lenient - you were travelling 33% over the speed limit so to get a €30 fine is very small.

Why are the Police a problem? They have stopped an offender and dealt with it albeit leniently in my opinion.

[WHL]

Part of the problem is the police themselves.
I'm not saying i was right but was stopped doing 133km pm The officer said his limit was 130 so i was fined a total of 30eurs 10 e per km over the 130.
On a UK license I received no points.
I got off lucky but is it right?

I think your very lucky the Police, didn't ask you ,why your still driving on a UK licence, if you are permanently living here in Cyprus....If it was a Cypriot who wasn't getting points on his licence, i'm sure quite a few on here, would be screaming preferential treatment.

[trevnhil]

The police would not ask why he was using a UK licence whilst living here because it is perfectly lawful..

" Drivers can drive with a current valid:
EU driving licence – until it expires. (This is likely to change for UK licence holders after Brexit)"

From http://cyprusdriving.net/valid-exchange ... -licences/

[WHL]

The police would not ask why he was using a UK licence whilst living here because it is perfectly lawful..

" Drivers can drive with a current valid:
EU driving licence – until it expires. (This is likely to change for UK licence holders after Brexit)"

From http://cyprusdriving.net/valid-exchange ... -licences/

It's a grey area Trev, your UK licence states you should have your current address on it, how does that work when your living in Cyprus?
Also in an event of an accident, it wouldn't surprise me if the Insurance company would pick up on that and could refuse to pay out?
Why risk it just change to a Cypriot one, then change if you go back to back to the UK.
As you say the UK Government is advising everyone to change to a Cyprus license before Brexit or risk having to resit a test.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-c ... -in-cyprus

[trevnhil]

The police would not ask why he was using a UK licence whilst living here because it is perfectly lawful..

" Drivers can drive with a current valid:
EU driving licence – until it expires. (This is likely to change for UK licence holders after Brexit)"

From http://cyprusdriving.net/valid-exchange ... -licences/

It's a grey area Trev, your UK licence states you should have your current address on it, how does that work when your living in Cyprus?
Also in an event of an accident, it wouldn't surprise me if the Insurance company would pick up on that and could refuse to pay out?
Why risk it just change to a Cypriot one, then change if you go back to back to the UK.
As you say the UK Government is advising everyone to change to a Cyprus license before Brexit or risk having to resit a test.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-c ... -in-cyprus

It is not a grey area. The UK licence authority say that if you move abroad they are happy with your last UK address for the licence.
When you take out car insurance in Cyprus they need to see (and maybe copy) your Licence. If it is a UK one they do not refuse to insure you.. And your insurance is valid as I have had to make a claim..
In fact you CANNOT change a UK licence to a Cypriot on (according to the rules) util you have been here over 6 months..

[ApusApus]

You need to make the distinction between moving abroad temporarily or moving permanently. As it stands, a UK licence must by law show your current UK address, failure to comply can result in a fine (used to be £1,000). If you are abroad on holiday or temporarily then your UK licence will be accepted but if you are abroad permanently and no longer have a UK address then you should exchange your UK licence for a local one.

Personally, I can't see what all the fuss is about! We exchanged our licences a few years ago, have been back to the UK a couple of times and hired cars at the airport with no problems.


SHane

[ApusApus]

Not really, just exchange your licence for a Cypriot one ……………… it's dead easy, painless and "Brexit" proof!


Shane

[trevnhil]

Just another little spanner to throw in the works... If you do change your licence from a UK on to a Cypriot one, then do make sure that ALL the categories you are allowed to drive are transferred to your new licence... Mine were severely curtailed..

[WHL]

You need to make the distinction between moving abroad temporarily or moving permanently. As it stands, a UK licence must by law show your current UK address, failure to comply can result in a fine (used to be £1,000). If you are abroad on holiday or temporarily then your UK licence will be accepted but if you are abroad permanently and no longer have a UK address then you should exchange your UK licence for a local one.

Personally, I can't see what all the fuss is about! We exchanged our licences a few years ago, have been back to the UK a couple of times and hired cars at the airport with no problems.


SHane

Good post, you have explained it, a lot better then I have.