Your First Time !

[Tina3]

Hi All !!

Find it really interesting reading about your journeys!!we are new to caravanning so wont be doing it YET !!

just curious to know how you found it your first time,any different rules and regs but especially driving on the other side,that's the only thing that would put me off !!! hell roundabouts and junctions are bad enough in britain sometimes !!!!

Tina

 

[mikeE]

Tina, This is probably not the help you are looking for but the problem I find is getting used to driving on the left as I drive off the ferry on our return. Every U/K ferry terminal seems to have a hulking great roundabout at the exit full of big lorries going round the wrong way ! Or are they ? ?

 

[RayS]

Tina, really not a problem so long as you concentrate on the first twenty or so miles from the port. You will find far less traffic and - now - in France - very clear signs. Not like when i first went some 48 years ago.

Do not distract yourself with radio or music or get too ambitious about overtaking. you will find the HGVs generally well mannered - just find one going at the right sort of speed and tuck in behind until you get used to it.

Traffic lights have repeaters at driver eye level, and also strung above the carriageway at high level. The only slight problem is that some "straight aheads" may have a right filter lane - signaled by a flashing amber right arrow - and if you are sticking to the side you may find yourself in this lane by meistake. Don't worry, plent of the French do it too - don't get flustered if anyone hoots at you.

The most dangerous time is during lunch hour when there is not much other traffic on the road. Try to park such that you are on the correct side of the road. It may help to write KEEP RIGHT on a postcard and buletak it to the dashboard.

Do give it a go and I will bet that in a few days you will wonder why you were so worried. As someone else has said, the biggest problem is coming back to UK e.g. the Motorway out of Portsmouth in the morning rush - after all the lovely empty roads in France and Spain. Bon voyage.

 

[Tina3]

Tina, really not a problem so long as you concentrate on the first twenty or so miles from the port. You will find far less traffic and - now - in France - very clear signs. Not like when i first went some 48 years ago.

Do not distract yourself with radio or music or get too ambitious about overtaking. you will find the HGVs generally well mannered - just find one going at the right sort of speed and tuck in behind until you get used to it.

Traffic lights have repeaters at driver eye level, and also strung above the carriageway at high level. The only slight problem is that some "straight aheads" may have a right filter lane - signaled by a flashing amber right arrow - and if you are sticking to the side you may find yourself in this lane by meistake. Don't worry, plent of the French do it too - don't get flustered if anyone hoots at you.

The most dangerous time is during lunch hour when there is not much other traffic on the road. Try to park such that you are on the correct side of the road. It may help to write KEEP RIGHT on a postcard and buletak it to the dashboard.

Do give it a go and I will bet that in a few days you will wonder why you were so worried. As someone else has said, the biggest problem is coming back to UK e.g. the Motorway out of Portsmouth in the morning rush - after all the lovely empty roads in France and Spain. Bon voyage.

brilliant,excellant info thanks !!

 

[colin(bridgend)]

My wife and I had the same worries on our first trip abroad with the caravan in tow. We decided to go to Brittany and sail from Plymouth to Roskoff thinking we would do mor driving in this country than abroad. We had a late sailing into Roskoff so parked on the quayside overnight with virtually all other caravan outfits.

The drive from Roskoff to Quimper was marvelous - dual carriageway all the way without any roadworks. The only downside was there were not many fuel stations on this road. After about 30 minutes there was no problems what so ever - everything was just as this country. At roundabouts there are direction arrows at the kerbside reminding you which way to turn. I would say go for it, take care and most of all enjoy your holiday in France - we did.

 

[Mike_5041089]

Tina I can understand your apprehension because you're considering driving in France to be as bad as the UK - IT ISN'T - there's hardly any traffic on the Autoroutes. Just remember that the driver has to be next to the kerb and you won't go wrong. Make sure you've got some decent mirrors for overtaking manoevres and relax - Continental driving is so stress free due to the complete lack of congestion and excellent service rest areas - go for it!

 

[EvansofSprot]

Tina, really not a problem so long as you concentrate on the first twenty or so miles from the port. You will find far less traffic and - now - in France - very clear signs. Not like when i first went some 48 years ago.

Do not distract yourself with radio or music or get too ambitious about overtaking. you will find the HGVs generally well mannered - just find one going at the right sort of speed and tuck in behind until you get used to it.

Traffic lights have repeaters at driver eye level, and also strung above the carriageway at high level. The only slight problem is that some "straight aheads" may have a right filter lane - signaled by a flashing amber right arrow - and if you are sticking to the side you may find yourself in this lane by meistake. Don't worry, plent of the French do it too - don't get flustered if anyone hoots at you.

The most dangerous time is during lunch hour when there is not much other traffic on the road. Try to park such that you are on the correct side of the road. It may help to write KEEP RIGHT on a postcard and buletak it to the dashboard.

Do give it a go and I will bet that in a few days you will wonder why you were so worried. As someone else has said, the biggest problem is coming back to UK e.g. the Motorway out of Portsmouth in the morning rush - after all the lovely empty roads in France and Spain. Bon voyage.

Very, very good advice sir.