Driving in Europe (Italy, France & Switzerland)
Discussion
About to head off on holiday driving down to Italy in a couple of weeks and am feeling a mixture of excitement and trepidation (well we are going in the TVR).
I have not driven outside UK (except hire cars in N America) before so out of touch with what I need to do - apart from drive on the right and obey all the rules.
I looked at the list of requiremnets for driving in Italy and it states a spare wheel must be carried. The car didn't come with one so do I really need one. Is that rule enforced or more of a guideline?
Anything else I should know?
I have not driven outside UK (except hire cars in N America) before so out of touch with what I need to do - apart from drive on the right and obey all the rules.
I looked at the list of requiremnets for driving in Italy and it states a spare wheel must be carried. The car didn't come with one so do I really need one. Is that rule enforced or more of a guideline?
Anything else I should know?
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/coun...
You will also need to know what this sign means in France:
And more importantly, this one:
You will also need to know what this sign means in France:
And more importantly, this one:
You won't need a spare wheel, or spare headlamp bulbs if you have xenons.
You will need:
headlamp convertors (unless you have headlamps that can be switched across) - these are about £3-4 from Amazon - get 2 sets in case one falls off;
GB plate (unless your car has a Euro numberplate);
spare bulb kit if non-xenons;
warning triangle;
hi-vis vests for driver and passengers that must be accessible from driving seat (Amazon or Ikea are good for cheapies);
1st aid kit is a good idea;
a breathalyser is NOT required even though the ferry company etc will tell you otherwise - the French govt under Sarkozy passed the law requiring everyone to carry one, but the new Hollande govt refused to bring in the law enabling a fine to be imposed for not carrying one - so it is a law with no penalty for transgressing it - the ferry companies conveniently forget about this last bit.
You will need:
headlamp convertors (unless you have headlamps that can be switched across) - these are about £3-4 from Amazon - get 2 sets in case one falls off;
GB plate (unless your car has a Euro numberplate);
spare bulb kit if non-xenons;
warning triangle;
hi-vis vests for driver and passengers that must be accessible from driving seat (Amazon or Ikea are good for cheapies);
1st aid kit is a good idea;
a breathalyser is NOT required even though the ferry company etc will tell you otherwise - the French govt under Sarkozy passed the law requiring everyone to carry one, but the new Hollande govt refused to bring in the law enabling a fine to be imposed for not carrying one - so it is a law with no penalty for transgressing it - the ferry companies conveniently forget about this last bit.
Puggit said:
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/coun...
You will also need to know what this sign means in France:
And more importantly, this one:
Took a bit of searching: You will also need to know what this sign means in France:
And more importantly, this one:
Priority road, you do not have to give way
End of priority on this road, you must now apply the "priority to the right" rule
Thanks for the heads up but couldn't you just have told me of am I joining a secret society?
Puggit said:
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/coun...
You will also need to know what this sign means in France:
And more importantly, this one:
I have driven about 5000 miles around France in the last few years and had no idea what those signs were!You will also need to know what this sign means in France:
And more importantly, this one:
Must've got lucky
My only advice is to be slightly cautious of the french GATSO camera equiv.... they are tiny little grey boxes that seem to flash you in the face and tied to the speed limit quite well.
Having said that (whilst still clutching my lucky rabbits foot), i got flashed a few times as I kept missing them and haven't got a letter yet.....
As an aside, its interesting experiencing the different driving cultures - in France, people seem to cruise up the back of you and then just sit there for ages without attempting to overtake. In Italy, they speed up to the back of you from nowhere, and will sit in your boot until you get out of the way and then blast past you.... no point getting upset as its jus the way they are used to driving.
Otherwise, have fun!
Having said that (whilst still clutching my lucky rabbits foot), i got flashed a few times as I kept missing them and haven't got a letter yet.....
As an aside, its interesting experiencing the different driving cultures - in France, people seem to cruise up the back of you and then just sit there for ages without attempting to overtake. In Italy, they speed up to the back of you from nowhere, and will sit in your boot until you get out of the way and then blast past you.... no point getting upset as its jus the way they are used to driving.
Otherwise, have fun!
)Puggit said:
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/coun...
You will also need to know what this sign means in France:
And more importantly, this one:
Actually, this is the one you really need to watch out for:You will also need to know what this sign means in France:
And more importantly, this one:
Though they are pretty rare these days
The vast majority of roundabouts and crossroads have the same system of priority as we do.
But where you see the sign above (that I posted) it means that for the junction you are approaching, you must give way to the traffic joining from your right.
Famously, the largest roundabout in the country (the Etoile in Paris) operates on the priority to the right system. So that traffic entering the roundabout has priority over the traffic already on the roundabout. It's a pretty exciting experience.
Similarly, on the periph (the major ringroad of Paris) traffic joining the road have priority over those already on it.
But where you see the sign above (that I posted) it means that for the junction you are approaching, you must give way to the traffic joining from your right.
Famously, the largest roundabout in the country (the Etoile in Paris) operates on the priority to the right system. So that traffic entering the roundabout has priority over the traffic already on the roundabout. It's a pretty exciting experience.
Similarly, on the periph (the major ringroad of Paris) traffic joining the road have priority over those already on it.
Edited by Amateurish on Wednesday 3rd September 11:56
Tyre Tread said:
So you treat crossroads as roundabouts essentially but without reversing the priority direction of UK ?
Pretty much - anything coming from the right has priority, unless you are on a priority road.If there are no signs (mostly on smaller roads) assume that anything from the right has priority.
This rule used to be only valid when the traffic coming from the right was moving; once stopped, they would loose their priority. This has changed (at least in Belgium) a couple of years ago in such that the traffic coming from the right keep their priority, even when stopped. Not too sure if this was Belgium specific or European in general?
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