Driving Abroad - Noobs
Discussion
lindrup119 said:
I remember reading a thread by a guy who drove a Barchetta through France recently and he stopped at some amazing car museums etc, anyone got a link to it?
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1289735&mid=220802&nmt=My+Mille+Miglia+trip+and+much+much+more%2E
longblackcoat said:
South of France in 1 day on the motorways is eminently possible, though note that if you're going at a busy time you can get caught up in traffic at the peages (tollbooths). Trying to get to SoF in 3 days on back roads is achieveable, but French villages driving is s-l-o-w, and you'll spend a load of time mapreading and getting stuck behind tractors or a pensioner in a Peugeot 104. Charming for about ten minutes, annoying after that.
Northern France is desolate and boring - think of Norfolk without the personality and charm - and you want to pass through it as soon as possible.
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Utter rubbish on both counts! It's very very unusual to find a French driver who doesn't "make progress" on an N road, it's nothing like the hell on earth that is the UKs road system on a Sunday. Mrs Miggins in her 104 is likely to be simply whizzing along. French of any age are speedy drivers for the most part, although I've noticed a marked reduction in speed (very much so on the autoroutes) which i assume is down to the massive speeding crackdown. Northern France is desolate and boring - think of Norfolk without the personality and charm - and you want to pass through it as soon as possible.
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North France is desolate and boring? Where'd you get this well-informed gem from?
To the OP - there's good advice on this thread. My advice would be if you're not using the autoroutes to be very very attentive with regard to speed traps. They are absolutely rife on main roads over summer; I often drive down to Spain via N roads and a couple of years ago it was so bad we had to get onto the autoroute. Very stressful. It's a rare day indeed I can do a journey of any length in France without seeing a trap.
Safe autoroute speed? They give you an on the spot ban for 40kmh over the limit, minus five percent margin.
DS (ex-northern France resident)
Cer Leopold said:
I've heard too many stories of drivers being BANNED on the spot after being caught red handed for doing more than 30 over the limit.
And it's 40kmh on autoroutes. Don't ask me how I know this.
Cer Leopold said:
I also get the impression they control on speed a lot more than say 10 years ago.
This 100% This is very obvious in their motorway driving - ten years ago you'd have been the slowest car on the road doing 90, now you will be pretty well the fastest. They have gone absolutely nuts on speeding.
OP - do not listen to people telling you it's OK to go 110 or so - you WILL get a tug, and it's not worth the bother; that sort of speed is really sticking your head above the parapet. Personally I'd advise an indicated 95; by the time they've knocked 5% off (they have to) you are in the sort of speed range that you might get away with, but will still be making good progress.
Dog Star said:
longblackcoat said:
South of France in 1 day on the motorways is eminently possible, though note that if you're going at a busy time you can get caught up in traffic at the peages (tollbooths). Trying to get to SoF in 3 days on back roads is achieveable, but French villages driving is s-l-o-w, and you'll spend a load of time mapreading and getting stuck behind tractors or a pensioner in a Peugeot 104. Charming for about ten minutes, annoying after that.
Northern France is desolate and boring - think of Norfolk without the personality and charm - and you want to pass through it as soon as possible.
.
Mrs Miggins in her 104 is likely to be simply whizzing along. Northern France is desolate and boring - think of Norfolk without the personality and charm - and you want to pass through it as soon as possible.
.
Dog Star said:
Cer Leopold said:
I've heard too many stories of drivers being BANNED on the spot after being caught red handed for doing more than 30 over the limit.
And it's 40kmh on autoroutes. Don't ask me how I know this.
Cer Leopold said:
I also get the impression they control on speed a lot more than say 10 years ago.
This 100% This is very obvious in their motorway driving - ten years ago you'd have been the slowest car on the road doing 90, now you will be pretty well the fastest. They have gone absolutely nuts on speeding.
OP - do not listen to people telling you it's OK to go 110 or so - you WILL get a tug, and it's not worth the bother; that sort of speed is really sticking your head above the parapet. Personally I'd advise an indicated 95; by the time they've knocked 5% off (they have to) you are in the sort of speed range that you might get away with, but will still be making good progress.
andrewrob said:
A few years back I was sitting at 100mph on a french autoroute and got passed by a nun in a 205.
That's not so special.I was also sitting at 99 mph once in France, mainly concentrating on the
Stolling Rones on the CD, when I got overtaken by a Merc Smart (yes the
car that looks like a packing crate on casters) doing something over 110 mph.
I had no idea those cars went that fast and immense cred to the driver for
having nerves of steel.
I don't know, but I imagine the front crumple zone is your legs.
Amateurish said:
Pretty sure it's 50 over the limit for any sort of serious trouble. So when you've added in the percentage margin, and the normal speedo overreading, you'd have to be doing north of 120mph indicated to get into proper bother.
No. It's 40. Fact.I've got the paperwork with it all printed on. Trust me.
Bjam99 said:
Anyone done the ferry and the train? which is better?
I've only ever taken the ferry (it seems cheaper and more pleasant) but was considering taking the chunnel as it seems to be quicker....according to the ever accurate google maps(!)
Tunnel saves you at east 30 minutes and quite often up to 60.I've only ever taken the ferry (it seems cheaper and more pleasant) but was considering taking the chunnel as it seems to be quicker....according to the ever accurate google maps(!)
On the speeding thing, I understand that France have tightened up in the last 2 or 3 years due to a very bad accident.
Apparently Emergency Services were attending an Autoroute accident when they were hit by a car travelling at a very high speed. Several ES people were killed. There was a lot of anger about it.
I've done the SoF trip many times and never considered the camera info on my GPS. Maybe I should be more careful but never been stopped. How do you switch it off on a Garmin ?
Heading to Spain again in 4 weeks.
ADAC are great. Recovered me from Toulouse two years ago. Shipped my car back to the UK and provided me with a rental for the 4 day planned return to Calais. I didnt need to change my plans and there was a rental waiting for me in Dover as well.
€79,50 per year for full European cover and as said, very friendly folw and always an English speaker about.
Apparently Emergency Services were attending an Autoroute accident when they were hit by a car travelling at a very high speed. Several ES people were killed. There was a lot of anger about it.
I've done the SoF trip many times and never considered the camera info on my GPS. Maybe I should be more careful but never been stopped. How do you switch it off on a Garmin ?
Heading to Spain again in 4 weeks.
ADAC are great. Recovered me from Toulouse two years ago. Shipped my car back to the UK and provided me with a rental for the 4 day planned return to Calais. I didnt need to change my plans and there was a rental waiting for me in Dover as well.
€79,50 per year for full European cover and as said, very friendly folw and always an English speaker about.
Dog Star said:
Amateurish said:
Pretty sure it's 50 over the limit for any sort of serious trouble. So when you've added in the percentage margin, and the normal speedo overreading, you'd have to be doing north of 120mph indicated to get into proper bother.
No. It's 40. Fact.I've got the paperwork with it all printed on. Trust me.
Snowboy said:
Tunnel.
usually faster, unless Eurotunnel has signal failure, snow on the points etc,etc.
Especially if your ferry is on strike and you get bumped to Dunkirk which takes an extra 30 minutes (2 hours total) on the ferry, but is a much more pleasant crossing with fewer oiks than Dover-Calais.
EFA. Some of my tunnel experiences have involved several hours delay, so it's only better than the ferry when it works.usually faster, unless Eurotunnel has signal failure, snow on the points etc,etc.
Especially if your ferry is on strike and you get bumped to Dunkirk which takes an extra 30 minutes (2 hours total) on the ferry, but is a much more pleasant crossing with fewer oiks than Dover-Calais.
so called said:
Tunnel saves you at east 30 minutes and quite often up to 60.
And if you turn up early (within two hours of your booked departure slot),the tunnel will allow you on the next available train.
Which is handy if you've being doing 150 mph on the autobahn earlier
in the day and get to Calais *much* sooner than expected.
As ever, the tunnel is more expensive because it's faster
and more frequent.
Bjam99 said:
Anyone done the ferry and the train? which is better?
I've only ever taken the ferry (it seems cheaper and more pleasant) but was considering taking the chunnel as it seems to be quicker....according to the ever accurate google maps(!)
Tunnel is much faster, but play it by your own circumstances.I've only ever taken the ferry (it seems cheaper and more pleasant) but was considering taking the chunnel as it seems to be quicker....according to the ever accurate google maps(!)
I live on the IOW and take a ferry from Portsmouth so after two days driving back from Croatia it's pleasant to have a cabin to yourself (and fiancee
) and a five hour break from the car seat.If I took the chunnel it would give me another three hour journey to catch up with where the ferry drops me off...
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