cpjitservices Posted January 2, 2015 Posted January 2, 2015 Hi all, Going to Disney land Paris in March, I was thinking about driving to Dover and getting the ferry across. However Ive had a thought, I passed my driving Test July 2014. Is there going to be an issue because I havent had my license long enough ? Thanks in advance all.
featured_spectre Posted January 2, 2015 Posted January 2, 2015 No. An EU licence is valid regardless of where in the EU you go and when you passed (provided the picture is valid). Meaning you could pass a week ago, have the licence and go driving around the EU without issue. 1
Soulfish Posted January 2, 2015 Posted January 2, 2015 Just make sure your insurance will cover you for driving in Europe. A lot of the cheaper policies seem to exclude it now, and as you're a new driver your insurer may have placed restrictions on driving abroad.
cpjitservices Posted January 2, 2015 Author Posted January 2, 2015 Checked insurance, and yes im allowed to do it on my policy. Thanks all
Soulfish Posted January 2, 2015 Posted January 2, 2015 Checked insurance, and yes im allowed to do it on my policy. Thanks all Just make sure it's a level of cover you're happy with - Driving Abroad - Car Insurance Guide - Confused.com
cpjitservices Posted January 2, 2015 Author Posted January 2, 2015 Ive got 3rd party cover, thats fine for me. Car will be getting parked up once we get to Paris anyway.
rich_tech Posted January 2, 2015 Posted January 2, 2015 http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/touring_tips/france-monaco.pdf - thats worth having a read of as you need to make sure you have equipment in the car that you may not ordinarily carry, you can get packs for your car in most Halfords I noticed recently
Andrew_C Posted January 2, 2015 Posted January 2, 2015 I'd started writing this before my machine got remoted into... As above really. Might be worth getting AA or equiv European recovery for the duration, maybe see if your insurers offer similar. Packs of spare lamps, hi-vis for all passengers (one in the glove box), 1st aid kit, beam diverters and breathalysers (or did they abandon that scheme?). Driving on the wrong side of the road is OK; easiest on M-ways. Watch out for the roundabouts being the wrong way around; and by far the easiest mistake is pulling out of a parking space and heading off into the on-coming traffic. Watch out for very short slip lanes on some junctions. If you can, take a Sat-Nav. Even for an experienced driver, the 1st trip on the wrong side of the road is going to require a lot of concentration; remove some of the load by letting it do the navigation. Get one with "Lane Assist" if you can. Borrow one for the trip?
teejay Posted January 2, 2015 Posted January 2, 2015 Also check your breakdown cover, some cover Europe, others don't. What you also have to be carefull of is that the policy covers return of the car and yourselves back home in the case where your car breaks down and cannot be repaired in time for your return home. A friend of ours had that happen and it was eye wateringly expensive to get themselves home and then the car.
Andrew_C Posted January 2, 2015 Posted January 2, 2015 I'd started writing this before my machine got remoted into... As above really. Might be worth getting AA or equiv European recovery for the duration, maybe see if your insurers offer similar. Packs of spare lamps, hi-vis for all passengers (one in the glove box), 1st aid kit, beam diverters and breathalysers (or did they abandon that scheme?). Driving on the wrong side of the road is OK; easiest on M-ways. Watch out for the roundabouts being the wrong way around; and by far the easiest mistake is pulling out of a parking space and heading off into the on-coming traffic. Watch out for very short slip lanes on some junctions. If you can, take a Sat-Nav. Even for an experienced driver, the 1st trip on the wrong side of the road is going to require a lot of concentration; remove some of the load by letting it do the navigation. Get one with "Lane Assist" if you can. Borrow one for the trip? PS. I went to EuroDi$ney a few years back during Oct 1/2 term. It was freezing and foggy; the food was awful, and the coffee worse!
m25man Posted January 2, 2015 Posted January 2, 2015 Car will be getting parked up once we get to Paris anyway. 😂😂😂😂 best of luck!
penfold_99 Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 (edited) The trip is pretty straight forward as it's autoroutes all the way, unfortunately it's the most expensive toll road in France. Hopefully you have a diesel car, with the exchange rate it work out about a £1 a litre when not on the autoroutes and the same as here when bought on the autoroute. City Europe is cheap place to fill up. (Google map the location though). Biggest tip, don't speed (not even by 1 mile an hour) If the police catch you, you will be fined there an then, if you don't have funds they drive you to a cash point! Have a good trip! Edited January 3, 2015 by penfold_99
teejay Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 You can avoid the autoroutes, the A roads in France are pretty good and nowhere as congested as in the UK. It really depends on how hyper your kids are though, if they're in 'GET US TO DISNEYLAND NOWWW!' mode then autoroute it, if not then use the A roads and have a nosey at some of the places on the way. Be aware the 'service stations' in France are sometimes a bit different to over here, don't be surprised by unisex toilets or in the more rural ones a hedge!
plexer Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 breathalysers (or did they abandon that scheme?). It's still law to require you to have 1 in date un-used breathalyser which means having 2 but they are really cheap over there however this law is not enforced and neither are the fines. Ben
elsiegee40 Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 (edited) This page from the AA is very handy for anyone new to driving in France http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/driving-abroad-whats-new-2012.html It's still law to require you to have 1 in date un-used breathalyser which means having 2 but they are really cheap over there however this law is not enforced and neither are the fines. Ben From the AA January 2013 - the French government announced that the implementation of the sanction for drivers not carrying a breathalyser – a fine of €11 – has been postponed indefinitely. So theoretically you are still required to carry a self-test breathalyser when driving in France but there is no current legislation demanding a fine for non-compliance For anyone who goes over to France regularly, as we do, I recommend a Sanef Liber-t tag which you can get in the UK from here http://www.saneftolling.co.uk It makes the telepeage much quicker on the autoroutes. Just drive up to the barriers slowly and wait for the bleep... The more bent the barrier, the later the bleep. That's why you need to drive slowly. Edited January 3, 2015 by elsiegee40
SpuffMonkey Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 (edited) Definitely don't speed on the peage as your time between entry and exit is known - your average speed is easy to work out - thats why you often see motorbikes and cars having a picnic near the end of a motorway stretch - they've driven fast and need to bring the average speed down. Oh - I'd recommend the chunnel over the ferry - its a lot less fuss and they are usually very relaxed about you taking an earlier or later train Edited January 3, 2015 by SpuffMonkey
HarryMonkey Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 Make sure your sat-nav doesn't have the speed camera add-on ... that's illegal in France if I remember correctly. 1
elsiegee40 Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 Make sure your sat-nav doesn't have the speed camera add-on ... that's illegal in France if I remember correctly. Most satnavs now have "danger zones" rather than camera locations for France thus complying with French law
Norphy Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 Regard speed camera addons for satnavs: Is the TomTom Speed Camera service legal? Regarding driving in France in general, it's not that bad but French drivers are complete bar stewards! They think nothing of tailgating you constantly at 130kph, speed frequently, wave, shout, beep, flash their lights and that's just in the south. Once you get into Paris, that's another level. Avoid the periphique if you can. Hell, just get the Eurostar
Andrew_C Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 Make sure your sat-nav doesn't have the speed camera add-on ... that's illegal in France if I remember correctly.The one you REALLY can't have is a laser detector. They crush them at the side of the road...
Joanne Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 +1 for getting the channel tunnel. 35 minutes and you are there. I love it. 1
Oaktech Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 For anyone who goes over to France regularly, as we do, I recommend a Sanef Liber-t tag which you can get in the UK from here http://www.saneftolling.co.uk It makes the telepeage much quicker on the autoroutes. Just drive up to the barriers slowly and wait for the bleep... The more bent the barrier, the later the bleep. That's why you need to drive slowly. I would second that, I found the most stressful part of driving on the continent the tolls, I was almost always driving on my own and the machine is on the wrong side! The locals bloody love watching Le Rosbif running round the front of their cars. Make sure you have the following: A full light bulb kit, at least 1 breathalyser, beam benders, warning triangle, hi viz for all passengers, GB stickers, or GB on your number plate, have your documents to hand along with your passport. I've been let off a fine on one ocasion, just by apologising and showing my british passport, apparently we aren't worth the paperwork for certain things! Don't speed. Ever. (except in Germany when the signs say so, then go ahead and fill your boots!)
NikChillin Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 Here is something that catches out brits driving abroad, the priority from the right.
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