Driving aroune Europe,hints and tips

GolfBravo

knightstyle wrote: »

I would add take a european accident form

Yes, very good point.

My insurance company always sends me a GB sticker (don't need one, have euro licence plates instead) and the EU accident form plus the green card. So make sure you ring them at least a week before travelling for the items to arrive in the post on time.

To extend my insurance cover to all EU countries costs me about £1.10 a day, payable in advance.

mgdavid

mikey72 wrote: »

I've used toll and non-toll roads. I didn't find much diference in them, apart from the surface of the toll roads are slightly better.

yes that's because in some parts of France the autoroutes are toll roads and in other parts they are free. But you do not get a toll autoroute and a non-toll autoroute running alongside each other; the choice is between an autoroute and a route nationale, the RNs are always lower standard, no proper hard shoulder, very often single carriageway, frequently used by trucks, tractors, mamans etc and are *always* slower.

paddedjohn

In southern Spain make sure you have plenty of euros to hand to pay the bent coppers and if going into Hungary the customs/police can be appeased with a couple of packs of cigarettes.

z1a

knightstyle wrote: »

Lots of good advice, I would add take a european accident form and make sure your reflective jacket is in reach of the driver plus it must have a CE mark in France, Oh and the breathalyser must have FR mark and be in date.
The A roads in North West France are toll free motorways, but South of Nantes you pay.

You start the peage section as soon as you get to Boulogne.

Wig

FRANCE
Breathalysers in France are 2 Euro for 2 in the hypermarkets, of course you will be illegal until you get to the shop but that's your choice. They are £5 for 2 on the boat.

I don't use the toll roads in France, mainly because there arn't any in Brittany and that's where I go. But when I do venture out and about, I find the nearby free of charge 'A' roads running alongside the toll roads are empty, fast and wide. If you want to use the toll roads to travel through France, you can plan your journey using the websites of the respective companies, I've tried (and failed) to find an old link I used before which showed you a map of the motorways and which companies managed each one and you could click to the companies website and then look at their tariffs. The tariffs were difficult to understand and were slightly out of date but were good enough when I used it.

This road sign means you are approaching fixed speed camera in about 100 yds




Or if you see one of those numerical speed readers "this is how fast you are travelling at this very moment indicators" -like we have in UK- it is probably located about 100 yds before a fixed speed camera and there may not be a speed camera sign (as shown above) before the camera.
France is now introducing average speed cameras - SPECS - but not yet.
On dual carriageways the police on bikes will sometimes sit on an offramp that rises uphill, and will scope your speed as you approach -quite tricky to spot them. They obviously use the height of the offramp to see you approaching them and you only ever see police speed checks when the sun is out.

When on a single carriageway and you see a big blue sign telling you in 200 yds a dual carriageway (overtaking lane) is coming, about 100yds before the dual section if you intend to overtake, start indicating left, this will tell those behind you that you too are intending to use the outside lane to overtake, if you leave it too late to indicate, the drivers behind may already have increased their speed and will be rather annoyed when you suddenly start indicating and change lanes.

The French used to use their left indicators for the duration of the whole time they are in the outside lane on a dual carriageway (whilst overtaking) they leave the indicator on because it adds visibility for the cars in front to see them approaching from behind, not all French drivers do this anymore it is a dying habit, so that's what they are doing and up to you if you want to do the same.

At traffic lights in the right hand lane if there is a flashing amber (usually an arrow) it means you can turn right if it is clear to do so. At roadworks with temporary traffic lights you won't get a green light, you will just get a flashing amber, "go if it's clear".

You will need
atleast 1 yellow vest
2 breathalysers
Warning Triangle
A GB countrycode mark
Headlamp stickers (not sure if only applies at night)
Spare set of bulbs (not required, but if you have a bulb out at night and don't have a spare and you get stopped then you could be fined

Be prepared for virtually everything to be closed on Sundays, shops petrol stations etc, some supermarkets are now starting to open on Sunday mornings -at last!- Petrol stations on dual carriageways will be open in the daytime including Sundays but will close about 10pm (probably earlier on Sundays) So if your boat arrives on a Sunday make sure you know what you are doing.

Thomas_Crown

z1a wrote: »

You start the peage section as soon as you get to Boulogne.

Yes, but Boulogne is in the north of France. Knightstyle was talking about the north west of France, ie. Nantes in Brittany.

CKhalvashi

I do various driving avross Europe in a year, so the below is my experience. I've only mentioned what is not mentioned above, and things that I feel relevant safety-wise for young men. This is my take from experience and I would advice getting advice from the locals before engaging in at least 1 of the practices below.

1) even in the EU, if you think you may venture out, put a 'GB' sticker on the car. I've got mine on the inside of the back window, which although legal, isn't advisable if, like me, you have dark windows.

2) Keep fire extinguisher, first aid kit, bulbs and puncture kit in cars, along with 2 warning triangles. Many of these items are compulsory.

3) if you wear glasses, take 3 sets with you (if you have 3). I got fined in Milan a few years back for not having a 2nd pair in the car.

4) if going to Bulgaria/ex-Soviet countries, make sure your car is clean, in good condition and everything is working.

If a police officer (don't to this in Bulgaria) does start giving the car a good going over, slip him a few notes totaling about £10 of local currency. It works, he goes, and you don't get done for the original problem (I never have)

Also remember that in these countries 'GB' stickers are money making machines for the officers (which is my car's dual-registered in Russia).

If venturing into the ex-USSR, stick on the main roads (M-90 and M-5 are the 2 that spring to mind) and don't stop in small towns. For groups of young men traveling alone, leave the girls alone outside of big cities in Eastern Europe. It'll end in tears!

5) Ladies, have a pair of flats in the car. OH got fined in Bulgaria for 5in heels.

6) Always always always stick to the speed limit. I've been assaulted by Romanian, Polish, Russian and Albanian police in the past as I couldn't keep my foot off the right pedal. In Albania, just using kickdown in front of a police car was enough for a big fine!

If I think of anything else, I'll put it up.

CK

CKhalvashi

Angelic wrote: »

Interesting list although how can you be fined for wearing heels?! I suppose dangerous driving but if you're driving dangeruosuly then surely the shoes don't matter? (i'm not a heel wearer other than boots as i'm already tallish)

It would appear that it comes under a similar law to DwDCA. You're not in full control of the car in this situation. I've just been in the office to see Viktorija, and it's the same in Lithuania too, to an extent. She doesn't drive in her home country when she goes back, as she's 4ft6 :eek:

We have been done, in Bulgaria now (unlike 5 years ago), bribing officers is an arrest able offense and with video equipment in cars, one the officer would not get away with.

s_b

CKhalvashi wrote: »

4) if going to Bulgaria/ex-Soviet countries, make sure your car is clean, in good condition and everything is working.

yes
make sure your GB sticker is highly visible/CLEAN at all times or its an easy pull for them

jaydeeuk1

Wig wrote: »

FRANCE
.
.
.

Excellent post.
One other thing. In this country, if you flash your lights, its generally (although not legally accepted) to mean "I'll let you go".

In France it means "Don't you f*cking dare move out in front of me".
So only flash uk drivers