Driving on the continent tips

[TheDiablo]

Dave the AA do a kit with all the bumph ion for about £30, possibly through ebay but well worth it.

It includes the triangle,GB (or scouse , not English)sticker, other stuff but most importantly the stickers that go over your headlamps, that the bizzies will pull you on if you havent got them (deffo).

Make sure your co-driver says "give way to the left" on all roundabouts - this is the biggest one for me.

We drove to Sion years ago and is a good drive, but plan for swaps every four hours and you'll be ok.

The fuel is much, much cheaper in France than the UK, so fill up as much as you can in France (dunno about the Swiss, but would think that they are expensive, also).

Get some Euros for tolls, and Swiss money also, as the Swiss cain you on exchange rates for Euros, if paying that way.

No robbing trainees, or trackies - its not the eighties anymore.

See you for a bevvy with Stu when you get there, mate.:thup:

Fuel is pretty cheap in Switzerland, can't remember the exact prices but relative to everything else in the country it's a bargain!

We've got a family place in Lake Como, about a 15 minute drive from the Swiss border - as you go across the first 4 signs of life a petrol stations next to each other! The Italians all make the trip over to fill up.

 

[Rooter]

I assume you are going to France first via calais, don't fill up until you get to France and if you can wait it gets cheaper the further from the port, try and run your tank down! I normally refuel at Boulogne.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

You have a wife who can navigate! You are truly blessed!

I can barely navigate out of my own street. I am entirely dependent on my satnav. My wife has a great sense of direction so we have a division of labour. If we were both like me then we would be in real trouble. Equally lucky, we both have even tempers so on the odd occasion we take a wrong turning there are no histrionics, we just work it out and get on with it. All is calm.

 

[Hosel Fade]

I love driving in France as the roads are generally in much better condition, and French drivers seem to be much better educated, especially on motorways. I always find the knob drivers over there tend to have either GB or D stickers on their back bumpers!!
One thing to think about though... you are likely to make a cock up if you are on a quiet stretch of road and are pulling out from a shop or a petrol station or something like that.
Without other drivers around you it is very easy to forget you are abroad and the first time you realise you've made a mistake is when you go around a corner and find another car heading straight for you!!

I'll have some of what you've been supping ;-)

 

[Rooter]

Oh one tip i learned, don't flash people to let them out of a junction or move into your lane as you would here. Flashing on the continent is similar to beeping your horn and is a warning, not you letting them out.