I am looking for information on driving abroad,i am interested in finding books or dvds that explain how to use the roads,junctions,signs etc any tips and advice would be welcome. thank you,from Mike
information on driving abroad
- Thread starter michael_374307592
- Start date
In brief everything is exactly the same as here except reversed.The only time it can be confusing is that some direction signs are positioned as if you should turn left or right but actually it is straight ahead(you soon get the hang of it.Traffic light often have little repeater light at eye level(very handy)
If you are following direction signs and they seem to just stop all it means is just keep straight on until you see signs saying otherwise.
Remember Toutes Directions = all directions (routes)
Autre Directions = other directions
Keep to the speed limits especially down hill.
If planning a route try www.mappy.com you can put in route with vias and put car and van the directions will show time,distance,pictures of the road signs you will come across,where toll charges apply and how much,and where there are speed cameras (which do not look like ours)
It is all really not a problem you wil be amazed how quickly you adapt,just take your time for the first say 20 mile.
Enjoy!
If you are following direction signs and they seem to just stop all it means is just keep straight on until you see signs saying otherwise.
Remember Toutes Directions = all directions (routes)
Autre Directions = other directions
Keep to the speed limits especially down hill.
If planning a route try www.mappy.com you can put in route with vias and put car and van the directions will show time,distance,pictures of the road signs you will come across,where toll charges apply and how much,and where there are speed cameras (which do not look like ours)
It is all really not a problem you wil be amazed how quickly you adapt,just take your time for the first say 20 mile.
Enjoy!
michael...I would agree with Plotter. When I planned my first caravan towing trip I was quite nervous but within the first few miles we found it quite relaxing and, with the exeption of City Centres, (the Paris Parifique comes to mind) driving is far more relaxed than in the UK.
We tend to keep to the French Toll Roads because they are excellent and there are always plenty of places to stop (Aires)
One thing I did in the early days was to put a "Keep Right" arrow on my dashboard to remind me but I soon did'nt need it.
Another good tool is to have a good European Sat Nav system that can be a great benefit (or a good navigator). Unfortunately "her indoors" thinks a map is something that comes from a another planet, so I use Sat Nav for the main trunk routes and rely on the map for finding sites.....go for it...mal
We tend to keep to the French Toll Roads because they are excellent and there are always plenty of places to stop (Aires)
One thing I did in the early days was to put a "Keep Right" arrow on my dashboard to remind me but I soon did'nt need it.
Another good tool is to have a good European Sat Nav system that can be a great benefit (or a good navigator). Unfortunately "her indoors" thinks a map is something that comes from a another planet, so I use Sat Nav for the main trunk routes and rely on the map for finding sites.....go for it...mal
One other thing that can help is on a bit of paper put the the French speed limits and their mph equivalents and tape to centre of steering wheel this can be handy because on most UK cars the KPH numbers are small and difficult to see.
- Mar 14, 2005
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Perhaps it would be a good idea to say which countries you intend to visit. Although the basic rules of driving on the right are the same everywhere, some countries do have some very specific regulations. Speed limits, for example, vary considerably from country to country.
At roundabouts, junctions, or coming out of petrol stations remember 'keep your bum in the gutter' and you'll keep to the right side of the road!
Generally routes are better signposted than in England - easier to follow somehow. The major signs indicate the next large town or city on that route - so you may get a sign just south of Paris indicating 'Marseille' which is hundreds of miles away. If your destination is south of Paris, and on the way to Marseille then you just take that road until you see the sign for 'wherever you're going'! Sounds complicated but it's not, honest. Autoroute signs are always in blue - N road signs are in green and if there are two together indicating the same destination it means you have a choice of the autoroute (if it says peage then it means it's a toll road) or N road.
Keep absolutely to speed limits, and always STOP at STOP signs - there may be police on the junction watching for those who just slow down. People coming the other way will often flash their lights - this indicates police or a radar trap ahead! Don't drive too far - there are loads more places to just pull in for a stop, both on the autoroutes and often on cross-country roads. Take advantage. It's a big country and people often try to do over-ambitious mileage in one day.
Even if you have Satnav buy a paper map - the Michelin book is good because it's manageable, and detailed enough for all the minor roads.
Slow down through towns and villages - at the entrance to each village on country routes there is always a sign giving the name of the village. Beyond that sign the speed limit is always lower (often 20 or 30 kph) through the village, until you see another sign with a cross through it - that indicates that the lower limit no longer applies.
Generally routes are better signposted than in England - easier to follow somehow. The major signs indicate the next large town or city on that route - so you may get a sign just south of Paris indicating 'Marseille' which is hundreds of miles away. If your destination is south of Paris, and on the way to Marseille then you just take that road until you see the sign for 'wherever you're going'! Sounds complicated but it's not, honest. Autoroute signs are always in blue - N road signs are in green and if there are two together indicating the same destination it means you have a choice of the autoroute (if it says peage then it means it's a toll road) or N road.
Keep absolutely to speed limits, and always STOP at STOP signs - there may be police on the junction watching for those who just slow down. People coming the other way will often flash their lights - this indicates police or a radar trap ahead! Don't drive too far - there are loads more places to just pull in for a stop, both on the autoroutes and often on cross-country roads. Take advantage. It's a big country and people often try to do over-ambitious mileage in one day.
Even if you have Satnav buy a paper map - the Michelin book is good because it's manageable, and detailed enough for all the minor roads.
Slow down through towns and villages - at the entrance to each village on country routes there is always a sign giving the name of the village. Beyond that sign the speed limit is always lower (often 20 or 30 kph) through the village, until you see another sign with a cross through it - that indicates that the lower limit no longer applies.
On approaching a roundabout, if there is a red inverted triangle, you must give way to traffic coming from your left. If there is a yellow diamond, you have priority.
When approaching a Payage, don't go into a lane which has a red circle on the gantry. We did this only to find the 'slots' very high up as this lane was for lorries!!! At most payage kiosks, the amount is displayed on a screen at eye level.
The roads are good and you will very quickly get used to them.
When approaching a Payage, don't go into a lane which has a red circle on the gantry. We did this only to find the 'slots' very high up as this lane was for lorries!!! At most payage kiosks, the amount is displayed on a screen at eye level.
The roads are good and you will very quickly get used to them.
If you come to traffic lights that are flashing amber it means that no one has priority and you can proceed with caution, usually applies out of peak times.
The Michelin map book will also have all the road signs, although most you will already recognise.
I still find (after 15 years) turning left across a dual the most demanding junction.
You'll soon look back and wonder what the concerns were all about, ENJOY!
The Michelin map book will also have all the road signs, although most you will already recognise.
I still find (after 15 years) turning left across a dual the most demanding junction.
You'll soon look back and wonder what the concerns were all about, ENJOY!
The French Police do spot Breath Tests.
We have been stopped 4 times over the years and have had to blow into the testers.
Police have been out in force each time stopping all vehicles on either side of the road with armed back up either side of the test point if anyone is silly enough to make a run for it.
In Paris and Lyon we have seen the police dodging traffic on multi lane roads and singling out vehicles that they want to stop.
Keep your eyes open if you see French police on mass and take extra care as they do not take kindly to those who do not obey their orders instantly.
Take care when dining out that your driver is not tempted by an extra glass of the local vino, or one two many at a tasting.
Ria
We have been stopped 4 times over the years and have had to blow into the testers.
Police have been out in force each time stopping all vehicles on either side of the road with armed back up either side of the test point if anyone is silly enough to make a run for it.
In Paris and Lyon we have seen the police dodging traffic on multi lane roads and singling out vehicles that they want to stop.
Keep your eyes open if you see French police on mass and take extra care as they do not take kindly to those who do not obey their orders instantly.
Take care when dining out that your driver is not tempted by an extra glass of the local vino, or one two many at a tasting.
Ria
So at a X roads the traffic on the far side of the road you are crossing has priority not that from the left nearest to you!
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