I'm using this pipeline:

gst-launch-0.10 -e -vm --gst-debug=*:5 rtspsrc location=$url ! filesink location=foo

After 18 seconds, I disconnect the network cable.  The pipeline never errors out.  Instead, it keeps retrying every 60 seconds.  See the log:

<snip>
gst_pad_chain_unchecked:<recv_rtp_src_0_577866613_96:proxypad0> called chainfunction &gst_proxy_pad_do_chain, returned ok
0:00:18.686825911 14753      0x1a0e430 LOG         GST_SCHEDULING gstpad.c:3981:gst_pad_chain_unchecked:<rtpdec0:recv_rtp_sink_0> called chainfunction &0x7f86cdd5e4d0, returned ok
0:00:18.686847981 14753      0x1a0e430 LOG                basesrc gstbasesrc.c:2184:gst_base_src_loop:<udpsrc1> next_ts 99:99:99.999999999 size 4096
0:00:18.686858387 14753      0x1a0e430 DEBUG              basesrc gstbasesrc.c:1941:gst_base_src_get_range:<udpsrc1> calling create offset 18446744073709551615 length 4096, time 0
0:00:18.689860794 14753      0x1a0e430 LOG                 udpsrc gstudpsrc.c:445:gst_udpsrc_create:<udpsrc1> doing select, timeout 0


0:01:08.139070748 14753      0x1b821c0 DEBUG              rtspsrc gstrtspsrc.c:3039:gst_rtspsrc_loop_udp:<rtspsrc0> timout, sending keep-alive
0:01:08.139109580 14753      0x1b821c0 DEBUG              rtspsrc gstrtspsrc.c:2697:gst_rtspsrc_send_keep_alive:<rtspsrc0> creating server keep-alive
0:01:08.139155047 14753      0x1b821c0 DEBUG              rtspsrc gstrtspsrc.c:3020:gst_rtspsrc_loop_udp:<rtspsrc0> doing receive with timeout 59 seconds


0:02:07.197457918 14753      0x1b821c0 DEBUG              rtspsrc gstrtspsrc.c:3039:gst_rtspsrc_loop_udp:<rtspsrc0> timout, sending keep-alive
0:02:07.197493817 14753      0x1b821c0 DEBUG              rtspsrc gstrtspsrc.c:2697:gst_rtspsrc_send_keep_alive:<rtspsrc0> creating server keep-alive
0:02:07.197555417 14753      0x1b821c0 DEBUG              rtspsrc gstrtspsrc.c:3020:gst_rtspsrc_loop_udp:<rtspsrc0> doing receive with timeout 59 seconds


0:03:06.254383309 14753      0x1b821c0 DEBUG              rtspsrc gstrtspsrc.c:3039:gst_rtspsrc_loop_udp:<rtspsrc0> timout, sending keep-alive
0:03:06.254435271 14753      0x1b821c0 DEBUG              rtspsrc gstrtspsrc.c:2697:gst_rtspsrc_send_keep_alive:<rtspsrc0> creating server keep-alive
0:03:06.254470471 14753      0x1b821c0 DEBUG              rtspsrc gstrtspsrc.c:3020:gst_rtspsrc_loop_udp:<rtspsrc0> doing receive with timeout 59 seconds


...ETC...