Driving across Europe...

[wagon and horses]

Evening all,

A few of us are planning a driving trip across Europe - maybe further.

Everyone has a full UK license, will these be sufficient or will we get in bother?

Any other tips/words of caution?

As you can tell, I have no idea about driving on the continent! Pointers would be helpful!

Cheers

[ewenm]

RAC or AA websites should have lists of kit you need for each country you're going to - things like hi-viz vests, bulb kits, warning triangles etc.

[wagon and horses]

ewenm said:

RAC or AA websites should have lists of kit you need for each country you're going to - things like hi-viz vests, bulb kits, warning triangles etc.

Cheers, we should be able to sort out the kit we need to be legal. We just didn't want to miss something else we need to do.

As long as we have the kit in the boot and euro insurance can we simply set off on our way?

[ewenm]

Hi-vis jacket has to be within reach without getting out of the car (in France at least).

Other stuff - try to find out what parts are hard to find in Europe. In the Caterham I take a spare throttle cable and spare clutch cable as those are easy roadside fixes but could be tough to find abroad.

[Bill]

wagon and horses said:

As long as we have the kit in the boot

Keep the hi-viz jackets in the passenger compartment, some countries want one for the driver, some want one for every passenger.

[german tony]

It can take a week or so to get parts that are unique to RHD cars on the continent- ie, clutch cables etc & you will find yourself paying a hefty premium for them when they eventually turn up. It is, on occasion, both faster & cheaper to get them sent out from the UK.

& don't go thinking that you can drive like a total loon on the German Autobahn - 1, Plod here is looking out for British registerd cars being thrashed & 2, should you be driving a car capable of more than 250 km/h & be caught doing so you will almost certainly be looking at a dangerous driving charge.

[CampDavid]

Don't forget your counterpart driving licence, V5 and insurance documents too and carry a stack of Euros if you plan on going above the speed limit. They like to be paid straight away in some places

[tegwin]

Speak to your insurnace company... you may need to pay extra for a "green card" that gives you fully comp insurance... I think I paiad £25 for mine.... for 2 weeks.

[CampDavid]

Also, AA European cover is a great idea

[Ranger 6]

tegwin said:

Speak to your insurnace company... you may need to pay extra for a "green card" that gives you fully comp insurance... I think I paiad £25 for mine.... for 2 weeks.

Check your insurance is fully comp - many companies will say they include European Cover, but it's the statutory legal minimum - i.e. third party.
So by having the 'Green card' or correct wording on your insurance certificate you'll be fine.

[Mr Gear]

Some European countries like Slovenia and Switzerland require a special road tax to be bought to use the motorways. Usually called a vignette.

Get caught without one and you go directly to a police station, do not pass "Go", do not collect £200.

[RobM77]

• Check everyone in the party is old enough and has held their license for long enough.

• Check you've got the right equipment for each country (high vis vests, warning triangles, snow chains in winter in the alps etc).

• Check any other rules you may need to know (give ways, drink drive limits etc).

• Check the speed limits in each country. I switch my sat nav to kph and use the speedo on that to help with this.

There's nothing quite like a Euro road trip, the appeal never wears off for me - have fun

[dcb]

german tony said:

& don't go thinking that you can drive like a total loon on the German Autobahn - 1, Plod here is looking out for British registerd cars being thrashed & 2, should you be driving a car capable of more than 250 km/h & be caught doing so you will almost certainly be looking at a dangerous driving charge.

+1 on the drive sensibly. Get it wrong at high
speed and you won't be worrying about filling
in a few accident report forms.

If you haven't driven in Germany before, don't go too mad
on your first few goes.

Plenty of experience up to let's say 90 mph doesn't really
tell you much about stopping distances from 130 mph
or a reasonable distance to the car in front at 150 mph.

I suggest you build up slowly and get the hang of high
speed driving. E.g. Holiday 1 up to 100 mph, holiday 2 up
to 120 mph, holiday 3 up to 140 mph, etc

On average, German drivers drive much faster and more accurately
than the average UK driver, so unless you are exceptional,
you need to *substantially* improve your driving standard
to fit in and not look like a complete and utter tourist.

[RobM77]

dcb said:

german tony said:

& don't go thinking that you can drive like a total loon on the German Autobahn - 1, Plod here is looking out for British registerd cars being thrashed & 2, should you be driving a car capable of more than 250 km/h & be caught doing so you will almost certainly be looking at a dangerous driving charge.

+1 on the drive sensibly. Get it wrong at high
speed and you won't be worrying about filling
in a few accident report forms.

If you haven't driven in Germany before, don't go too mad
on your first few goes.

Plenty of experience up to let's say 90 mph doesn't really
tell you much about stopping distances from 130 mph
or a reasonable distance to the car in front at 150 mph.

I suggest you build up slowly and get the hang of high
speed driving. E.g. Holiday 1 up to 100 mph, holiday 2 up
to 120 mph, holiday 3 up to 140 mph, etc

On average, German drivers drive much faster and more accurately
than the average UK driver, so unless you are exceptional,
you need to *substantially* improve your driving standard
to fit in and not look like a complete and utter tourist.

So what's the score? If I'm seen doing 250kph safely (ie not much traffic about, modest closing speed on other traffic, big stopping distance, dry weather, capable car) is that ok in the eyes of the law?

[XB70]

Should be ok.

I had all the tires and brakes checked before we went - did not want to have any incidents at high speed.

With Germany, there is a time and a place. Quite easy to cruise along at 120mph with excursions up to 150mph but important to watch your mirrors like a hawk and just take things easy. We took a day or so to gradually build up to it.

From what we experienced, the German drivers were brilliant on the autobahns.

[dcb]

RobM77 said:

So what's the score?

The Germans love their autobahns and don't want
to have a lot of accidents on them, which would
prompt the politicos to bring in a nationwide
speed limit.

RobM77 said:

If I'm seen doing 250kph safely (ie not much traffic about, modest closing speed on other traffic, big stopping distance, dry weather, capable car) is that ok in the eyes of the law ?

If you put an AND between each element on your list,
then you might be ok, but how much training and experience
do you have at those speeds ?

Far too many Brit (and other) tourists think they can drive
as badly as they do at home when they are in Germany, and to
be fair, quite a few locals don't like it.

For example, back in the 1980s when there was a big
US military base near Aschaffenburg, many locals knew
to watch out for US squaddies changing lanes inappropriately.

Carnage ensued more than a few times and the whole area was
IIRC limited to 120 kph. This went down worse than a cup
of cold sick with the locals.

There is a strong case for keeping out of the leftmost lane
of the autobahn on your first few visits to Germany.

Only later, and with maybe 5-10 years driving experience also,
would I suggest venturing to mix it with the 150 mph club.

[teabagger]

Mr Gear said:

Some European countries like Slovenia and Switzerland require a special road tax to be bought to use the motorways. Usually called a vignette.

Get caught without one and you go directly to a police station, do not pass "Go", do not collect £200.

What is the situation with the "vignette" in Switzerland? We are passing through Switzerland on our euro tour this year. If you have to pay the tax, where do you pay/buy?

[b9boy]

euroboy said:

teabagger said:

Mr Gear said:

Some European countries like Slovenia and Switzerland require a special road tax to be bought to use the motorways. Usually called a vignette.

Get caught without one and you go directly to a police station, do not pass "Go", do not collect £200.

What is the situation with the "vignette" in Switzerland? We are passing through Switzerland on our euro tour this year. If you have to pay the tax, where do you pay/buy?

Petrol stations.

No, you will need to buy one when you enter Switzerland really depending on where you cross but its OK - you can buy them at the border. About £40 from memory.

[teabagger]

Cheers.

Is vignette the correct name for the tax? Do you recieve a sticker to prove you have paid?

What are the penalties for not purchasing it?

[b9boy]

Not getting into debate - maybve you can but last time i went to Switzerland (other halfs brother lives there so go every year) the border bod wouldnt let us go anywhere until we bought one but then the next road from the crossing was a motorway. As I say depends where you cross.....