Road trip to Germany - considerations?
Discussion
Highway Star said:
Deesee said:
The 5 is a quick road, the culture shock of then driving into Switzerland however takes a lot of self discipline....
Indeed - was at 220kph down the 5 past Freiburg and Offenburg last week after having been stuck at 120kph chugging through CH for hours...Had the missfortune of taking the a35 (parallel road on the French side) thinking it can’t be that bad, never again!
Deesee said:
We overnight in the Black Forest on our way to Italy, every morning when we arrive in Basel she pulls her head out her book looks at me and says that didn’t take long we’ve only just set off...why do we need fuel again as I pull into the shell garage..
Had the missfortune of taking the a35 (parallel road on the French side) thinking it can’t be that bad, never again!
Sounds like we take a similar route then - we have a place on the Tuscany/Umbria border, usually my wife and son fly to Pisa, I pick them up there having left a day earlier and driven, overnighting just south of Freiburg. I tend to avoid Basel and its queues altogether by taking the short autobahn section (can't remember the number) around near Lorrach and joining the A2 again once in Switzerland and heading south. The 5 can be a pain when only two lanes, but at least it becomes three up at Offenburg.Had the missfortune of taking the a35 (parallel road on the French side) thinking it can’t be that bad, never again!
Highway Star said:
Deesee said:
We overnight in the Black Forest on our way to Italy, every morning when we arrive in Basel she pulls her head out her book looks at me and says that didn’t take long we’ve only just set off...why do we need fuel again as I pull into the shell garage..
Had the missfortune of taking the a35 (parallel road on the French side) thinking it can’t be that bad, never again!
Sounds like we take a similar route then - we have a place on the Tuscany/Umbria border, usually my wife and son fly to Pisa, I pick them up there having left a day earlier and driven, overnighting just south of Freiburg. I tend to avoid Basel and its queues altogether by taking the short autobahn section (can't remember the number) around near Lorrach and joining the A2 again once in Switzerland and heading south. The 5 can be a pain when only two lanes, but at least it becomes three up at Offenburg.Had the missfortune of taking the a35 (parallel road on the French side) thinking it can’t be that bad, never again!
You must be on the other side of the Sibalini mountains from us !!!
Did eurotunnel to liege (went to SPa for GT racing) and we also visited the nurburgring.
If doing the nurburgring - personally - I would get one of the instructors with you if you plan on doing a lap. I hired a polo gti and did two laps, and my mate did two laps. Didn't fancy taking the golf r round being a lease.
We did it early one saturday morning (nurburgring) and it was busy at 8:30 - but we had fantastic weather - this was the first weekend of schiool holidays so 20 - 23rd july.
Did have a lovely run on the autobahn - getting overtaken at 130 mph by 2 bmw m5 (uk plates) and 2 amg mercs (german plates) at them sort of speeds seems weird at first. I mainly cruised at 100 mph - it was 6:30 in the morning so traffic light. But yes obey speed limits - I always keep the hi viz jackets on display on the 2 back headrests - letting people know I have them.
Lovely roads around the nurburgring track - well worth a visit - it took a lot to not speed on them tbh.
Didn't find the belgians that bad driving wise - far better than over in the UK - i would say the driving from west london to harrow yesterday in rush hour (12 miles 1 hour 20 minutes) was far worse than anything I saw abroad.
If doing the nurburgring - personally - I would get one of the instructors with you if you plan on doing a lap. I hired a polo gti and did two laps, and my mate did two laps. Didn't fancy taking the golf r round being a lease.
We did it early one saturday morning (nurburgring) and it was busy at 8:30 - but we had fantastic weather - this was the first weekend of schiool holidays so 20 - 23rd july.
Did have a lovely run on the autobahn - getting overtaken at 130 mph by 2 bmw m5 (uk plates) and 2 amg mercs (german plates) at them sort of speeds seems weird at first. I mainly cruised at 100 mph - it was 6:30 in the morning so traffic light. But yes obey speed limits - I always keep the hi viz jackets on display on the 2 back headrests - letting people know I have them.
Lovely roads around the nurburgring track - well worth a visit - it took a lot to not speed on them tbh.
Didn't find the belgians that bad driving wise - far better than over in the UK - i would say the driving from west london to harrow yesterday in rush hour (12 miles 1 hour 20 minutes) was far worse than anything I saw abroad.
johnwilliams77 said:
Why do you feel the need to show people you have the hi-vis vests?
My wifes dad lived in france (north east paris) and it was always something they did - and it was basically there advice to us - I think they were just scared we may get stopped and never bother seeing them again.Also if going to any german cities - check re emission sticker - think its 11 euros or something around that, depending where your hotels are.
You must get an emissions sticker. this has already been referred to(in German) no one has commented on it. Very cheap and easy to get(you send a scanned copy of your V5 and pay online not much)
Of course you can ignore this and may well get away with it but is it worth the risk?
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/driving-abroad/...
Ps You need a different one for many areas of France
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/law...
Of course you can ignore this and may well get away with it but is it worth the risk?
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/driving-abroad/...
Ps You need a different one for many areas of France
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/law...
Umm - speeding - first day in Germany caught doing 30kph in a 25 zone on a bend - the bank charges to make the payment cost as much as the small fine.
In France now - await a couple of potential tickets from first couple of days - the French are good at putting cameras where a speed limit changes - you know it's a zone - you are concentrating on staying at say 70 or less - and suddenly it's 50 - the camera is in the 70 but focused bang on where the 50 starts. Zero grace.
Found in France that Waze was actually more up to date than the very latest TomTom map - been running both since the camera incidents.
In France now - await a couple of potential tickets from first couple of days - the French are good at putting cameras where a speed limit changes - you know it's a zone - you are concentrating on staying at say 70 or less - and suddenly it's 50 - the camera is in the 70 but focused bang on where the 50 starts. Zero grace.
Found in France that Waze was actually more up to date than the very latest TomTom map - been running both since the camera incidents.
Etretat said:
You must get an emissions sticker. this has already been referred to(in German) no one has commented on it. Very cheap and easy to get(you send a scanned copy of your V5 and pay online not much)
Of course you can ignore this and may well get away with it but is it worth the risk?
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/driving-abroad/...
Ps You need a different one for many areas of France
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/law...
The above applies only if you are to enter the emission zones.Of course you can ignore this and may well get away with it but is it worth the risk?
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/driving-abroad/...
Ps You need a different one for many areas of France
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/law...
All other areas do not require one.
There is currently enough space between the emission zones in northern Germany to thread your way between them to not have to go through the pain of acquiring stickers.
MC Bodge said:
Vive la EU!
Surehttps://www.environmentalbadge.com/
'82-'86; '02-'05; '11-14 before you ask. Love Europe and the diversity of the nation states not the "EU".
Thought I'd update from my hotel room in Asslar.
Left just after 5am on Monday, had to go via Gloucester and Central London for a couple of meetings then headed down to the tunnel. Popped into Halfords in Folkstone for the magnetic GB plate, breathalysers etc then got straight through. We had flexiplus tickets so it was painless (apart from having the car explored top to bottom). We got on 3rd in line and got straight off. We had to be in Dusseldorf yesterday morning but didn't fancy driving all the way so we stopped in Liege which was nice.
Monday night...
Had a day in Dusseldorf then drove the 1hr 45min journey to Asslar which is where I am now. Have a meeting this morning then off to the 'ring - we'll be driving back tomorrow morning, will have to get all the way as close to London as possible as have another meeting 9am Friday.
The car loved being home, and loved the autobahn, treated it to 2 tanks of BP Ultimate 102 which I know will make no difference but couldn't help myself.
Driving is actually very easy, especially with it being mostly motorway, through the towns etc it's no trouble remembering which side of the road you have to be on, was worrying my brain might not work properly with being in my own car.
Standard of driving in Germany is wonderful, Belgium wasn't so great.
Left just after 5am on Monday, had to go via Gloucester and Central London for a couple of meetings then headed down to the tunnel. Popped into Halfords in Folkstone for the magnetic GB plate, breathalysers etc then got straight through. We had flexiplus tickets so it was painless (apart from having the car explored top to bottom). We got on 3rd in line and got straight off. We had to be in Dusseldorf yesterday morning but didn't fancy driving all the way so we stopped in Liege which was nice.
Monday night...
Had a day in Dusseldorf then drove the 1hr 45min journey to Asslar which is where I am now. Have a meeting this morning then off to the 'ring - we'll be driving back tomorrow morning, will have to get all the way as close to London as possible as have another meeting 9am Friday.
The car loved being home, and loved the autobahn, treated it to 2 tanks of BP Ultimate 102 which I know will make no difference but couldn't help myself.
Driving is actually very easy, especially with it being mostly motorway, through the towns etc it's no trouble remembering which side of the road you have to be on, was worrying my brain might not work properly with being in my own car.
Standard of driving in Germany is wonderful, Belgium wasn't so great.
Edited by AB on Thursday 15th November 07:06
AB said:
The car loved being home, and loved the autobahn, treated it to 2 tanks of BP Ultimate 102 which I no will make no difference but couldn't help myself.
Driving is actually very easy, especially with it being mostly motorway, through the towns etc it's no trouble remembering which side of the road you have to be on, was worrying my brain might not work properly with being in my own car.
Standard of driving in Germany is wonderful, Belgium wasn't so great.
I found my car to be a lot more lively on Aral 102, although expensive it's great stuff for the 'ring.Driving is actually very easy, especially with it being mostly motorway, through the towns etc it's no trouble remembering which side of the road you have to be on, was worrying my brain might not work properly with being in my own car.
Standard of driving in Germany is wonderful, Belgium wasn't so great.
I never found Belgian drivers problematic, just the roads which are in a terrible condition
Today was a fun day.
https://i.imgur.com/KaqZxxp.mp4
https://i.imgur.com/o6jMxcV.mp4
https://i.imgur.com/KaqZxxp.mp4
https://i.imgur.com/o6jMxcV.mp4
Edited by AB on Thursday 15th November 20:48
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