Travel warning

Travel warning

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lowdrag

Original Poster:

12,868 posts

212 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
It is 5 litres in the boot, in a proper can. Can't see anyone checking it though. In 30 years I have never been asked for an MOT or to see my triangle, nor anything except the cheery smile as I hand over the speeding fine. Anyway, I am just off to the pumps to fill the XKSS before my trip to the UK, and I'll fill up a can for the mower while I'm at it.

Edited by lowdrag on Wednesday 25th May 12:07

vincegail

2,456 posts

154 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
E36GUY said:
cptsideways said:
Who wants to rent my Lupo 3L Tdi, it'll get from Scotland to Le Mans & back on a tankful of 40l
A 3 litre TDI Lupo!?

Custard.
As in: it uses 3 litres of fuel for each 100 km travelled. (94,16 mpg)

Jos Notstoppen

495 posts

140 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
Does anyone know if this could affect the ACO supplies at all? I was thinking that they must be starting to stock for the race by now.

Could we be watching the 1/2 houres de Mans this year!

I presume the racing fuel is not the same as the type sold at Carrefour.

Thankfully we have a rental car this year so will make the Newhaven return trip with ease.

MDUBZ

830 posts

99 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
Having given it some thought and even though I have a plan B for transport... fk them!!

My plan is
1 I'll carry some spare fuel in a jerry can (passenger only has little legs so he can rest his feet on it) - I can pad it out like a foot rest he'll never know (unless I hit something furious )

2 (mandatory step): Moan about the French: give in to it, it unites us as all! ("I'm not a racist, but" disclaimer: I have met some nice ones and actually fair play to them for putting 2 fingers up to authority)

3 I'm not going to give 2 sts if I have to queue for petrol - id rather have some fun, enjoy looking at the exotica on route and have a chat with others making the trip down. "party at the pumps"

4 Carry a disguise in the car (striped sweater, stick on moustache, beret, onions, etc), leave the car somewhere safe (back to the future style), steal (borrow) some bicycles and use the disguise to blend in and get away unnoticed, freely making our way across the French country side to Le Mans

5 If all else fails find a bar, somewhere to pitch a tent, and look for somewhere to watch the race and football and wait for it all to blow over.

6. Enjoy hearing/reading about everyone's stories about the 2016 road trip

C70R

17,596 posts

103 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
Some Gump said:
Any ways, it should all blow over before then. If it doesn't, I'm guessing the Gendarmes will have to find another source of funding for their Christmas do this year, with the Brits being sensible for once!
Exactly. There's no way that the French govt will allow this to run on and potentially damage tourism revenues.
I'm certainly not worried, and was just providing a bit of a logical counterpoint to the entirely unnecessary flapping (this place can be like MumsNet sometimes!).

RichB

51,430 posts

283 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
lowdrag said:
I am just off to the pumps to fill the XKSS before my trip to the UK, and I'll fill up a can for the mower while I'm at it.
When are you crossing Tony? Looks like we'll pass like ships in the night? I'm taking the Aston to Hotel de France to run it in after an engine rebuild.

IN51GHT

8,777 posts

209 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
The T5 SHOULD do about 600miles to a tank......but I'll be packing some spare in a 20l jerry can in case.

//j17

4,471 posts

222 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
C70R said:
Le Mans is ~270 miles from Calais, which should mean that even the most thirsty of cars should make it on a tank (assuming you refuel before the ferry).
Only a 33l/7.3Gal tank in my Spitfire. Even at 30mpg that's only 210 miles (you don't want to be sucking the last 0.5Gal from a classic's tank!).

C70R

17,596 posts

103 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
//j17 said:
Only a 33l/7.3Gal tank in my Spitfire. Even at 30mpg that's only 210 miles (you don't want to be sucking the last 0.5Gal from a classic's tank!).
Oh God. I wish I had never posted the slightly tongue-in-cheek response.

I apologise to the 0.01% of outliers, who are clearly keen to demonstrate how short their car's range is (to what end, I have no idea).

Don't bother driving to Le Mans - take the train, and watch the cars sit stationary on the grid for 24hrs due to a lack of 'sans plomb'. [/sarcasm]

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
Just spoken to my holiday rep in Normandy who says that the two local village stations are limiting users to €30 a time. She couldn't advise on the autoroute situation though, but said be prepared for long queues everywhere.

lowdrag

Original Poster:

12,868 posts

212 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
What a bloody farce! I went to fill up the XKSS at 4pm local time because all the mumsies are at the school gates and fill up before they go - and after in some bloody cases - and the 30€ limit applies, which with 98 fuel didn't get me far. So I drove out and back in two more times to get the tank full.

Rich you have mail.


SITREP.

Today 75% of TGVs won't run, and this includes the Eurostar. The purchase of petrol, as one might expect, was three times the usual yesterday, which means it should tail off from now on. To put things in perspective the government has stated that of the 115 days reserve held in stock, only three days have been used. For those hoping to cross to Le Havre, be aware that this is the worst affected, as always. A Bolshie lot they are, and they blocked the Pont de Normandie for three hours for the hell of it.

Strikes and road blocks are mostly confined to access roads to the refineries, and I don't think that any ferry apart from to Le Havre will really have a problem, but one can only hope.

Edited by lowdrag on Wednesday 25th May 16:08

Poshbury

683 posts

118 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
Don't know if you've heard lowdrag but the power station workers are joining in too.
As for fuel, none in Mayenne town today. Glad I've got half a tank left in each car. After that, I'll be on my bike to the bar.

Potatoes

3,572 posts

169 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
Unlikely to drag on for 2 weeks though... right? Bloody better sort themselves out as I'm another one with a car that won't make it with my 32ltr tanks.

Can't see this dragging on for 2 weeks.

Abbott

2,337 posts

202 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
This might be of some use:

http://www.lefigaro.fr/economie/le-scan-eco/dessou...

Take time to let it refresh when you zoom in.
I am not sure how often it is really updated.
If a garage is open it may be rerstricted or have run out of diesel for example.

lewisco

380 posts

118 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
Hopefully it will be sorted. I can't afford the boot space for a 20L jerry can with all the camping stuff, it will be tight enough as it is.

blueST

4,378 posts

215 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
C70R said:
blueST said:
My Focus ST wouldn't even make it on at a tank unless I drove at 55. 275 mile range at 80 mph.
I thought the Focus had a 10 Gallon tank? If so, and you brim it at Dover and drive at 80mph (as you mention above), you'll be absolutely fine. If my 4.3L V8 can even manage >27mpg on a run at 70-80, I'm sure a 2L 4cyl should be fine.
A the risk of going a bit further OT, it was 2.5 5cyl turbo. At 80 the computer would show about 28mpg ish.

Kev_Mk3

2,739 posts

94 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
If I fill up in Dover I can get to Lemans and back with a small jerry can driving how I want in my 325d I reckon. My mates clio 182.......... I doubt he can lol

7heavensoon

87 posts

161 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
We were due to leave on Eurotunnel early on Saturday morning for a week in the Vendee, but I'm cancelling the trip tomorrow ...

The news and 'real life' feedback from PH and other forums (Caravantalk!) show the situation is getting no better, and they are now deploying fuel reserves. We would need to refusal at least once on the way down, and I don't want to spend the week worrying about being able to get home, wondering whether we can go on day trips etc.

Bought the Tunnel tickets and accommodation with Tesco vouchers, and expected to lose them both. Really pleased that Eurotunnel allow a free re-booking as long as we tell them within 24 after we were due to travel, and Siblu camps will only charge £35 to rebook later in the year. Good on them!

France is too nice a country for the French at times Laughing If this continues and wrecks Le Mans / Euros, I can see it having an effect on the Brexit vote...

Not sure how we'll spend next week, but I've just bought a trailer this evening so we could go camping in the Defender :-)

RichB

51,430 posts

283 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
Interesting post.l Where were you heading? I am due to be catching a ferry to St Malo on Thursday night and heading down to the Loire valley for a long weekend over the bank holiday. The English owners at the hotel are saying there's not too much of a problem but then I read of your input and Lowdrag earlier having difficulties and I am having second thoughts. There seems to be very little real-time information, most of the news reports are 12 hours old.

Storer

5,024 posts

214 months

Wednesday 25th May 2016
quotequote all
C70R said:
Le Mans is ~270 miles from Calais, which should mean that even the most thirsty of cars should make it on a tank (assuming you refuel before the ferry). Then we can all sit in the sun and wait for the fuss (and burning livestock) to blow over.

Bloody commies.
On a good day my Ultima will do about 250 miles on a tankful. I might just get there on a tankful if I drive like Miss Daisy.

Fortunately I am going to the Classic this year so they have another month to sort things.

Hope you all get there for the 24Hrs.