Le Figaro Nice
A record difficult to beat, and not in the good sense of the word, was recorded by the gendarmes of the Road Safety Squadron of the Alpes-Maritimes (EDSR 06), on Saturday evening. An individual was checked at 223 km / h on the A8 motorway, at a tunnel of La Coupière (Roquebrune-Cap-Martin), short of only one kilometer. On board an Aston Martin DB11, a man of Greek nationality was arrested. His licence was withdrawn as was his car, transported to the pound.
Like him, 20 other people were arrested by the gendarmes, who conducted, from 21 pm to midnight this weekend a "high speed" operation in both directions of the highway. The bikers and officers with their binoculars were positioned at the barrier in Antibes and between Menton and Nice, close to the Italian border. All were banned from the right to (re)drive as well as 750 euros immediate fine. Six had their vehicles seized. This is the penalty for speeding more than 50 km/h than the speed limit, which is 110 km/h on the controlled portion. "It's already a lot and too much for a start of the season, it's still very worrying," notes a gendarme who is used to conducting his operations in the department.
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Four under the influence of alcohol and drugs
Among the individuals arrested, four were under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they say. This type of control, now weekly, mobilizes between 20 and 25 soldiers. "It's a substantial device," the same officer remarked. In view of the large number of permit withdrawals from the end of May, controls will be more numerous. The gendarmes will be present on Friday evenings, in addition to Saturdays, and will be able to rely on their Alpine car to catch up with the followers of excessive speeds.
With this long weekend and important events on the Côte d'Azur (Cannes Film Festival, Formula 1 Grand Prix in Monaco), the gendarmes had targeted this Saturday evening as risky on the roads. During their checks, "the road axis was loaded", says an officer of the EDSR 06. "Reduced visibility at night and speed are the two most frequent causes of fatal accidents," adds another regular of these interventions.
At such speeds, drivers no longer even try to justify themselves, notes the same gendarme. "It is clear that social life has resumed... with its shortcomings," he concludes.