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I'm driving to bruges from Sheffield via calais on Thursday. Other than the legal stuff, bulbs, first aid kit, high vis etc, is there anything I should know?
keep looking in your rear view mirror when overtaking as you will have a mad bastard in a fast car up your arse in seconds.
its great dirving on the continent, better roads, better drivers and great service stations!
Pick your gas station carefully, they do this weird thing where you can't fill up until the person who has just used the pump before you has gone inside, browsed the top shelf for a while, had a wee, bought a croissant and some gauloises etc then ambled over to the counter to pay. Grrrrr.
Apart from that travelling in Europe is ace, proper food at the services even.
Did that a couple of summers back (and went onto Germany). It's a great drive, monkey boy is right.
If someone has their indicator on behind you in the fast lane just pull over as soon as you can. It basically is to show you they are moving faster than you and want through.
We detoured through the centre of Paris. Glad I have a good idea of the size of my car!
In Spain a quick flash of the headlights means 'I'm coming through', not 'after you'.
The car behind might just try and push you out of the way rather than overtake.
The car behind with the indicator on showing that they want to overtake you means 'get out of my way imbecile'.
And finally, of all the drivers I see heading towards the Med, the Belgians are the worst, for everything.
As above,plus be careful on the roundabouts!
As Michael Caine said "Remember boys......they drive on the wrong side of the road over 'ere"
Tip - Take your time at junctions, its easy concentrate too much on your own path through while forgetting where traffic is coming from (from experience).
Once in Bruges watch out for the horrible 'priority from the right' rule. Basically in town even though you are travelling along what to you looks like a main road the traffic from the right is allowed to pull out straight in front of you and this is a right that they like to take advantage of. There are exceptions to this such as they can't do it if there are 'sharks teeth' on their side of the junction, but it is usually safest to assume they will pull out unless you don't know better. On major roads this tends not to be a problem but once in town you have to really pay attention.
enjoy
Worst driving I have ever seen was in Andorra, and I'm from New Zealand so thats saying something. Got overtaken many many times on a blind corner in the mountains.
Toll booths are fun if you are driving a right hand drive car, on your own. I entertained many french people with my dash back to the van before the barrier arm went down again...
I know it shouldn't make a difference and it is probably due to different attitudes/drivers/being on holiday euphoria, but I have driven in the states and on the continent a few times and driving on the right just seems easier.
Oh and of course, on Belgian motorways you can overtake on either side of someone in front
im in holland the now - no ****er would drive the hire car so i said ill do it #
hardest part for me is that my cars are all diesel and this things petrol
as far as the actual driving goes - nae sweat! far easier than in the states
Oh and of course, on Belgian motorways you can overtake on either side of someone in front
Same as in Spain, I think. 😳
i've driven a bit in spain, italy and france. all have been fine, no more aggressive or dodgy than in the UK anyway, except when you get to mountain roads and people will try and overtake whenever they like.
E.g. on the way up Col d'Aspin, in a steady queue of cars, bikes flying down the other way at high speed, one or two french nobheads kept trying to overtake in the worst possible places. sacre bleu!
also italy and spain are the worst for signs if you're lost. no signs for miles, then you get to a junction and they'll be 30 little signs all next to each other! take good maps
also italy and spain are the worst for signs if you're lost.
Lol, have to agree and the general rule is that if there is no sign keep going straight ahead. Doesn't always work though.
don simon is right, we drove our landrovers through 23 counties in 22 days last summer and alot of them in various countries flash to say they are coming through. took a while to realize that. nearly drove over a few small cars 😉 as you probably know you need the high vis vest, warning triangle, spare bulbs and dont forget your light benders!!!
A piece of advice that I was given was to switch my watch onto the 'wrong' wrist while I was driving. It really helped as it felt strange constantly and rminded me to drive on the 'wrong' side of the road
You will be fine Pook, they tend to drive fast and most dont bother with any indication. Watch out for the trucks coming down the slip roads cos they WONT stop to join m/way, best to drive in lane 2 past the junctions. You will be ok tho as your a sensible type. Have fun ! 🙂
also, stick to the speed limits. nobody else does, but you do see the odd copper with a radar gun. a ticket might spoil your holiday. that's just me being sensible! 🙂
The best way I could describe the Spanish is that everyone drives fast, but no one is in a rush.
Watch for speed camera they are ****ing everywhere!!!!!
Whatch out when in Bruge, for some reason (probably just being perverse)because all the streets are really narrow all the taxis are Chrysler 300s, the biggest car in Europe.
!its great dirving on the continent, better roads, better drivers and great service stations
Except in Belgium, where the roads are crap and the drivers are worse.
I've never found driving on the continent to be a problem. Police pulling over British drivers and mad drivers tend to have reasons such as police pulling over speeding drivers that tend to be British and German. Mad drivers tends to be because you've pulled into an overtaking lane and not moved back so they will come up close behind and you and let you know they are there.
I heard all the horror stories of driving through Paris and Barcelona but it was no different to my daily commute stuck in heavy traffic. If you can't read signs or get in the right lane you will have a stressful journey no matter which country you are in.
Stick to the speed limits and don't break the law thereby giving police a reason to stop you and there is lot of speed cameras in grey boxes at ground level especially in Spain. If you do get caught speeding expect to be escorted to a cash machine to pay the fine straight away as they don't trust you to pay later.
When you've overtaken another vehicle pull back in. Staying in an overtaking lane for no reason is frowned upon.
Make sure your car is in good order and you have breakdown insurance as garages seem a lot further apart and spares not always stocked.
Take your time and enjoy the view it's a wonderful place to drive through.
Getting to Bruges is easy, just one motorway through France and Belgium. Belgian roads aren't the best. But I much prefer driving on the continent to here. Flashing is now illegal in Germany, not sure about other countries. Just keep your wits about you and use your mirrors a lot.
Mad drivers tends to be because you've pulled into an overtaking lane and not moved back so they will come up close behind and you and let you know they are there.
So, if I'm overtaking someone at the speed limit, me not them, and another car tailgates me, flashing their light, I have to move over?
Police in Spain don't need a reason to stop you. There are random stop and searches and the on road patrols will simply pull you over to look at your documents, but if you're only going to Bruges, don't worry. 😉
If you're overtaking a car how can you pull in? If you've overtaken then you can do so.
Police in most countries can stop you if they think you are suspicious and then check your documents and car. If you don't drive like a prat then you're less likely to be stopped.
Drive like a tosser be expected to be treated like one too.
Just take your time and look where you are going and you'll be grand.
Police pulling over British drivers and mad drivers tend to have reasons such as police pulling over speeding drivers that tend to be British and German. Mad drivers tends to be because you've pulled into an overtaking lane and not moved back so they will come up close behind and you and let you know they are there.
so if I've pulled into the overtaking lane at the speed limit and someone closer me down.
Stick to the speed limits and don't break the law thereby giving police a reason to stop you and there is lot of speed cameras in grey boxes at ground level especially in Spain.
Doesn't fit except when you know that it's legal to break the speed limit to overtake someone, therefore allowing them to pull back in front of you before braking to get back to speed limit.
In Spain the police will stop you because they don't like your haircut, and don't think otherwise.
In Spain the police will stop you because they don't like your haircut, and don't think otherwise.
+1
And please don't think they're Mexican - they won't accept bribes, and they will throw the book at you if you try!
And please don't think they're Mexican - they won't accept bribes,
Thank goodness, that's 10.000 ptas I don't have to keep in the driving licence anymore, phew!
I've driven thousands of miles on UK plates in France, Germany, Spain and to a lesser extent Belgium and Holland.
Can't say I was ever pulled over for my haircut even though for the majority of my life it's been a crew cut. I have been pulled over for speeding (on German plates) but never been pulled over for no reason at all.
Living in Spain, I would have to disagree, Guardia Civil patrols on trunk road exits are a common sight simply stopping cars randomly to check documents. Guardia Civil motorcycle patrols pass you on trunk roads in pairs, one will always have a good look to see if there is any excuse to pull you. Unmarked cars are now appearing. I frequently get pulled at Guardia civil checkpoints and the reason is either that 5 out of 7 days there is a patrol at my exit or I look foreign.
I can't speak for France, Belgium or Germany though. 😉
[i]one will always have a good look to see if there is any excuse to pull you[/i]
enough said
Don't be pressurised by the locals to speed. You will be the one that gets pulled. Stay at the limit and you will be fine.
Frankly the worst part of the journey will be in the uk
Living in Spain, I would have to disagree, Guardia Civil patrols on trunk road exits are a common sight simply stopping cars randomly to check documents. Guardia Civil motorcycle patrols pass you on trunk roads in pairs, one will always have a good look to see if there is any excuse to pull you. Unmarked cars are now appearing. I frequently get pulled at Guardia civil checkpoints and the reason is either that 5 out of 7 days there is a patrol at my exit or I look foreign.
I can't speak for France, Belgium or Germany though.
+1 again, they fairly frequently set up checkpoints on roundabouts near here, stopping whoever they feel like.
In northern Europe not only Police but also Customs might stop you looking for performance-enhancing drugs, booze, fags etc.
In France LEARN and UNDERSTAND the priorité a droite rule. It isn't applied very often but it is the single most common cause of accidents involving British cars.
When emerging from side roads, car parks, service stations etc. be extremely careful to get on the correct side of the road. If there are no cues around like other traffic you are even more likely to set off on the left. Make it a thing with your passengers to check.
Get good insurance and don't leave any valuables locked in your car. If camping in popular sites, don't leave valuables in the tent between your heads where you think they are safe. Thieves slit open every tent with razors in our Spanish campsite and stole everybody's valuables while they slept.
On the motorways be aware of the old tricks of someone stopping you by ramming you or indicating you have a flattie then distracting you to steal from your car.
Some good info here, if a little over the top for a trip Calais -> Bruges.
French motorways - will be toll roads - if you are driving alone then you'll need a manned/will have to get out each time. Not a problem if you have a passenger.
Belgian motorways aren't bad, though the surfaces can sometimes be poor, so keep an eye out. Belgians seem to love to get up close behind you.
If you are stopped for speeding/anything else it is likely that the police will make you hand over cash/they will take you to a cash machine.
driving on the wrong side in a car is a piece of cake seems natural after 30 minutes.. the iffy bit id riding on the wrong side on a motorbike after 3 months doing a continental tour on my bike i got home and could'nt for the life of me work out which side of the road to ride on...
No need to worry, get off the ferry, drive behind the guy in front. You'll get used to being kerb-side. Driving in Belgium is dodgy, think a place full of learners without instructors.
Oh, do obey the speed limits. Might be expensive otherwise.
There are no tolls on the Northern French Motorways till Valancienne (way past the turn off to Brugge).
When you get to the end of the duel carriageway into Brugge (just past the Greenpeace building) turn right and then left, there is a big car park by the police station. Do not get stuck in the town centre one way system as it will be grid locked and you will waste loads of time. Brugge is small you can walk everywhere once you are parked up. this info wont work for saturdays though as the carpark gets used for the local market.
While you are in Belgium go to Ghent, far better than Bruges. Bruges is what chocolate box designers think Belgium is like, Ghent is the real thing. It's historic with just as many canals etc but vibrant as its a University city too. loads of bars & cafes and plenty of bike racing. Dump the car and use the trams or just walk / bike. Our bike team had an apartment there and it was ace.
I picked up the Co-Pilot euro pack for my phone and found the whole thing much less stressful. Didn't really need it since Brugge is very easy to navigate too but if anything a little reminder picture of what to do at the junctions was useful.
Brugge is small you can walk everywhere once you are parked up. this info wont work for saturdays though as the carpark gets used for the local market.
I parked at the train station, it was 2.50 euro for 24hrs.
As above, parking at the train station is plentiful & inexpensive. Bruges is very restricted for parking unless you already have a space at your hotel.
Not that it concerns the OP but I find the German Autobahn very annoying and worse than the UK motorways.