Driving to Paris, have i forgoten anything?

euterpe13

euterpe13 wrote: »

Yes, but hopefully they won't have rain...:rotfl:

Oh, btw - in France it is mandatory to stop on the orange light at traffic lights, you cannot go through on orange as in the UK - if there's a traffic cop around, you will be pulled up, if there's a camera you will be flashed.
V. important because french lights do not cycle from red through orange to green, but go straight from red to green - the number of accidents caused at intersections by people going through an orange light is horrendous - hence the law!

davetrousers

euterpe13 wrote: »

Oh, btw - in France it is mandatory to stop on the orange light at traffic lights, you cannot go through on orange as in the UK - if there's a traffic cop around, you will be pulled up, if there's a camera you will be flashed.

You can't go through an Amber light in the UK!

Very concerned that you think it's OK to do so.

See this link from the Highway code

euterpe13

davetrousers wrote: »

You can't go through an Amber light in the UK!

Very concerned that you think it's OK to do so.

See this link from the Highway code

From the Highway Code:
AMBER means ‘Stop’ at the stop line. You may go on only if the AMBER appears after you have crossed the stop line or are so close to it that to pull up might cause an accident

So if it is too late to stop/ you are already engaged, you can go through.
This is not the case in France...

davetrousers

euterpe13 wrote: »

So if it is too late to stop/ you are already engaged, you can go through.
This is not the case in France...

If it's too late to stop, how do you stop?

If you are 5 metres from the stop line and you're doing 50km/hr and it changes from Green up to Amber, you cannot stop in that distance. Are you saying the French Police expect the impossible?

What do you mean by already engaged?

costingbunny_2

Hiya - driven in Europe a few times and you are meant to have a warning triangle although we have never had one - think it is a legal requirement. Also, devices which tell you about speed cameras are illegal (not sure what you call them) but heard some horror stories about people getting big fines and stuff??

Also, as you come into towns they have radar, which means getting flashed as you zoom in and break the speed limit. This has happended to us quite a few times but never had a ticket as they tend not to bother with UK folk.

Finally, if you blat down the motorways, the peage systems will be used so just approach one of the booths (for cars, not lorries or you cant reach the pay booth). Take your ticket as you go onto the toll road, as you come off, hand it to the person in the ticket booth and the fee will flash up to be paid.

Sorry if this is obvious stuff. Enjoy Paris - we have driven through Paris.....steel yourselves!

bryanb

Lyndach wrote: »

You'll need a spare thing of petrol in the boot, at least that's what OH told me, apparently it's illegal not to have it, or you get a fine if you break down because of no petrol. (I semi paid attention when he was talking sorry!)

NOT in the tunnel!

knightstyle

The earlier reply about hi-vis jackets is wrong. You only need one, it must be in reach of the driver and it must have a "CE' label. Plus you don't need a can of petrol!

PasturesNew

If you surprised me by telling me I was driving to Paris .... I'd surprise you right back by telling you I don't have a passport.

Barnabysue

bryanb wrote: »

NOT in the tunnel!

Carrying spare fuel is permitted in the tunnel:


Designed for use, fit for purpose plastic container 5 litres X 2

Designed for use, fit for purpose metal container 10 litres X 2
No more than a total of 20 litres

AHAR

When I visited Paris I was amazed by how many cars have dents and scratches. I'd estimate at least 20% of the cars I saw had clearly visible damage of some kind. I wouldn't take any car I cared about there. Good luck!