We're off to Spain for a bit of mountain biking! We'll be driving down and I've never driven in Europe. I've driven in Alaska and don't have any problems with it. What tips and advice can you give?

It looks like I need a warning triangle, hi-viz jacket and beam deflectors. Anything else? If any can recommend the deflectors that would be handy!

Cheers

Have fun.

 

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/countrybycountry.html

Drive on the right    

 

In addition to what you've already listed, first aid kit *might* be legal to carry in France, but I am fairly sure a breathalyser is also a legal requirement to carry?

Gen up properly on the stuff.

Things like the Hi-Viz vests, that is one for each person in the car and carried in the passenger compartment not in the boot.

& it does not matter how many people have never been stopped or bothered, that was them.

 

http://www.rac.co.uk/travel/driving-abroad

 

george

no radar detectors nor a satnav fitted wih speed trap warnings (not sure if disabling this facility is acceptable).

Concentrate epecially first thing in the day, t junctions and roundabouts sometimes difficult if chit chatting with friends.

Having driven a LHD hire car many times in europe and my own RHD a few I must say that the LHD quickly becomes second nature the RHD requires much more concentration ie NOT driving on autopilot.

Either follow Sat Nav or use maps never a good idea to try to combine the two and second guess the sat nav.

Take your time and enjoy the trip, take breaks see towns and villages dont be a hero and try and cover 1000m a day.

Main thing: enjoy

Edited 2 September, 201312 yr by loskie

Cheers guys. I didn't think it was a reflective jacket per person, but i can no doubt borrow from someone. Spain requires two triangles as well! We'll be using Stephen Fry on the TomTom for guidance. Today looks like a day for sourcing the various bits

You will need more than 1 breatherliser as well in france because if you use one you need a spare so you still have one. 

For good advice on driving in the various EU countries I tend to avoid RAC/AA etc as generally speaking you can check any country on each one and find different answers between them. TISPOL (European Traffic Police Network) produce very good and IMO more credible advice.

 

https://www.tispol.org/

 

 

Spain

https://www.tispol.org/guides/spain.pdf 

Also is your Octavia a MK2? If so you don't need headlight beam adjusters,

 

Phil

Also is your Octavia a MK2? If so you don't need headlight beam adjusters,

 

Phil

Really? Why?

Because the MK2 with the projector lenses can have the beam 'flattened' by flicking a lever inside the headlight.

 

Here is a guide with pictures:

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/214693-continental-driving-headlight-adjustment/

 

Very easy to do and MUCH better than those horrible sticker things!

 

Phil

 

Edit:

 

Just realised that is for FL cars. Is yours a pre-FL? Do you have maxidot?

Here is the pre-fl one.

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/75307-changing-headlights-to-continental/

 

There's a PDF on that link.

In France especially (never driven in Spain) you'll VERY quickly adjust and realise what an entirely stress free experience it is sat at 80mph for hundreds of miles with the cruise on on a 2 lane motorway (vs 3 lanes full of morons in this country). I love driving in France...

you def need hi vis for each person in both france and spain (as well as italy).

you need 2 triangle for spain iirc not just one!

spare bulb kit

all original docs ie including licence (both parts) and insurance and v5

 

breathalisers are not longer enforced tho apparently you should carry them, though they won't fine you if you don't have them?!?! (was only an 8 euro fine apparently anyway).

 

dont speed too much, the fines are huge if caught in france.

We just got back from France on Saterday,

We did just under 800 miles in just over 12 hrs, that included driving through the centre of Paris, not for the faint hearted!

Just enjoy your trip,, don't rush, you can sit at 80 mph legally if its dry and 70 mph when wet, just stop every 2-3hrs for a leg stretch, the are plenty of rest areas, also be aware that you can legally tow at 80mph, so a car towing a caravan can and will pull out in front of you!

Just remember when driving you shoul be sitting Nearest the side of the road, a little Post it note with drive on the right stuck to your steering wheel for a few days, will help.

But just enjoy it, as your on holiday.

Avoid Paris!

 

After you have spent several hours drifting along the lovely french motorways, you will completely forget about roundabouts, when you come to one GO RIGHT!!!

When there is no traffic around, it is all too easy to start up the car and automatically drive over to the left hand lane and drive for miles blissfully unaware that you are on the wrong side, until flashing headlights in front of you remind you that you are in Jonny Foreigner Land.   Yes, I've done it, about 20 miles on a Polish country road and an angry tractor driver approaching me.

 

mdk1 idea of a Post it note is a damn good idea, in fact I suggest you leave it on all the time.

Edited 3 September, 201312 yr by Soot1e

Cheers guys. I'll have a look at the headlights. That looks a straight forward process. Mines a non-maxidot though. We'll be sharing the driving and wor lass will want to stretch her legs. i'm notorious for just sitting there and driving. I can happily do 5hrs non-stop!

Typically cars on motorways and dual carriageways have right of way over joining traffic. Joining traffic may stop as no one has to let you join.

I think this was also the case with roundabouts but I forget if that was Spain or Portugal.