Driving Abroad

[markiii]

Guys,

As once of our members is making a mammoth European road trip soon I thought it might be educational to document any known regulations we should all be aware of when going abroad.

Stuff that is specific to a given country, be it what you need to be equiped with or a draconian motoring law thats worth knowing.

Please keep this on topic and teh chit chat to a minimum as I want it to be a reference post.

Please post counntry name and then the issue your flagging, I'll endeavour to tidy this up periodically.

e.g

France

Speedtrap detectors (including GPS) are illegal and will be confiscated

[ninjinski]

Ireland

-  Radar and GPS detectors highly illegal - stories of being made to drive over them on the roadside   s:? :? s:?  
-  Very strong inforcement of speeding limits
-  UK and Ireland now working to share details so not as easy to drive fast and head home worry free.

People do phone the police to report speeders - unfortunately moreso for cars with UK reg.

Last time I went home I had a road block set up in the next town just for me after I passed 3 cars at well over the speed limit. Someone had phoned to complain!

3 pikey kids in a car that couldnt keep up with me!
Luckily got away with it!

[GSB]

Good idea Mark.

I'm driving down to the Le-Mans 24 hour in June, and then down to the South of france for a couple of weeks of sunshine. Would be rather handy to know what "Le Plod" are likely to throw at me....

[Anonymous]

FRANCE

Radar Detectors
Anyone caught with a radar detecting scanner will be banned from driving in France for up to three years and have it confiscated on the spot.

Unless there is another driver in the car, you will be turned round at your port of entry and put back on the boat. If your driving alone and are stopped anywhere in metropolitan France, you will have to get your motoring organisation to repatriate your car or get someone from England to collect it. Ports and airports are notified if a visiting driver is banned and anyone who continues to drive can expect severe consequences, including a possible prison sentence - LEAVE YOUR SCANNER AT HOME!


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Mobiles
The on-the-spot fine for using your mobile phone while driving is now 137 Euros.

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There is a nation-wide radio station on 107.7 fm which gives road traffic information
with regular reports in English.
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Documentation
Minimum driving age is 18 years. The driver must carry a valid full driving licence, and the vehicle registration document or hire certificate (to prove ownership). A 'green card' (insurance) is recommended and you must display a GB sticker. The AA or RAC can provide all the necessary documentation. (NO GB sticker = On the spot fine)

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Safety
A red warning triangle must be carried at all times and used together with hazard flashers in the case of a breakdown. A complete set of spare bulbs must also be carried. If you have to replace a bulb, keep the old one just in case a Gendarme decides he would like to check your remaining spare bulbs. This will prove you have had to replace one (This actually happened to me).
A fire extinguisher and first aid kit are recommended.

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Tyres
Tyres, including the spare, should be in good condition and have a minimum of 2mm tread depth.
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Accidents
Note that in France, if you give assistance to an injured person and that person suffers injury or dies, you may be held liable. It is unlikely that a French person, other than a qualified first aider of medical person, would give assistance apart from calling the emergency services.

Any accident involving injury must be reported to the police or gendarmerie. A notice of motoring accident must be completed and signed by both parties in any accident resulting in damage.

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Speeding
The Speed limit in towns and villages is 50 km per hour. On ordinary roads the speed limit is 90 km per hour, reducing to 80 km per hour in the wet. Dual carriageways have a limit of 110 km per hour reducing to 100 Km per hour in the wet. The Motorway speed limit is 130 km per hour, 110 km per hour in the wet. If different speed limits are in force they will be signposted.

Speed should always be reduced in poor driving conditions and dipped headlights used.

Speeding is frowned upon in France and there are frequent radar checks by hand-held devices and radar traps, which can be set up at random and are difficult to spot. There are no speed cameras in operation in France.

Exceeding the speed limit by just a small amount results in an on-the-spot fine of Euros 137 but this can be increased if you are more than 10km above the limit.

You may be offered up to three days to pay but this is very rare. As a tourist, you are more likely to be asked to pay up immediately in cash. If you do not have the cash, your passport will be taken and you will be directed to the nearest cash point or a location where you can use your credit card to get the money.

If you are significanlty above the limit, you may have to go to court.

All of the above learned by experience of motoring in France for the past 10 years

[Tem]

Just wanted to point out that european countries where radar detectors are illegal tend to have radar detector detectors, which are deadly accurate against most detectors.  s:? :? s:?  If your detector is on, they can easily find the car where it is.

Anyone who wants to know more should google for Spectre, as I understand that's the most common model in Europe.

[philster_d]

It says and GPS systems, do I have to hide tom tom ?

[kanujunkie]

It says and GPS systems, do I have to hide tom tom ?

very subjective one that one as its satnav and not a speed trap detector, it just happens to be able to warn you of camera points, i'd run the risk on that one but make sure you dont have a database of them fitted

leave your lead boots at home and you shouldn't need one anyway, unless they're playing snooker

[Anonymous]

It says and GPS systems, do I have to hide tom tom ?

In France definately not as there are no fixed cameras (only mobile)
so no database available anyway  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[GSB]

It says and GPS systems, do I have to hide tom tom ?

In France definately not as there are no fixed cameras (only mobile)
so no database available anyway  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

I have the new 2006 AA Road Atlas of France, writ large across the front cover:

NEW - FIXED SPEED CAMERA SITES

The sites are then helpfully labelled on the pages within, so it seems that the French have caught up...

[GSB]

Whilst we're on the on the subject of driving abroad, whats the score with headlamp deflectors and the '03 headlights? Can you get a set that fits?

[SteveJ]

Whilst we're on the on the subject of driving abroad, whats the score with headlamp deflectors and the '03 headlights? Can you get a set that fits?

Yes - I bought a set from Halfrauds when we did the Essen trip and they worked fine  s:) s:)

[markiii]

and they are better than teh toyota ones

[Anonymous]

All this just makes me so glad to be living on a small Greek island. I never see a police man, let alone a speed camera!

I never have to worry about speeding, BUT I am not reckeless is any way. I'm careful, as our roads are very twisty and usually have huge drops at one side! Often our roads can be poor, with gravel or pot holes that simply do not permit speeding. Actually, I'm not sure what the speed limit is on our roads! Other roads though are open and just a hoot to drive in the 2.

If I lived back in the Uk, then I am   s:oops: :oops: s:oops:  to say that I would probably have lost my license several times! It often suprises me that so many members on the site are adding turbos, when it would seem that there is little chance (in the UK) of using them.

Yammas everyone, drive safely.

Nathan

[kanujunkie]

It often suprises me that so many members on the site are adding turbos, when it would seem that there is little chance (in the UK) of using them.

fortunatley we have many very good tracks here in Britain  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Anonymous]

That's very true and one thing I really miss here.  Maybe one day I'll come over and join you for a track day.

Cheers

Nathan

[Anonymous]

Nathan, according to law 2696, for cars and bikes the speed limit in Greece on country roads is 110kph unless otherwise stated.  On residential areas is 50kph unless otherwise stated and on highways 120kph.  On every other road the limit is 90kph unless otherwise stated.

I thought this might be of some use (maybe Agni can translate   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  )

There are some good race tracks in Greece but you may need to travel closer to  Athens.  Or if you feel brave enough, you can try Rally Acropolis ;-P

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that, I didn't realise you were Greek.

Actually I would rather have not known anyway.

I wonder if I could get a few members together for a 'meet' at a Greek track?

Yammas

Nathan

PS I was being very slighly sarcastic concerning not knowing the speed limits - honest!

[Anonymous]

I wonder if I could get a few members together for a 'meet' at a Greek track?

Yammas

Nathan

Nathan you could meet many members for a Greek Trackday. This is something we organize preety often.
But you would have to get closer to Athens, as many tracks are near Megara and Afidnes.


  s:) s:)

[markiii]

keep on topic please guys, this is supposed to be a reference thread

[celmacmat]

New guideline for France from the French Road Security Association - La Securite Routiere.

 m http://www.securiteroutiere.equipement. ... _07_01.pdf m

if this link does not work go on
 m http://www.securiteroutiere.equipement. ... iques.html m

and check the 14th link from the top.

[dreambackup]

just a quick correction for driving in France: radar detectors are illegal and yes, they will be confiscated (and the maximum fine is around 1500€).

GPS and other passive radar indicators are not illegal at all. in the early days, there has been problems with some policemen / gendarmes who couldn't tell the difference between an active radar detector and a passive GPS radar detector and confiscated it (as they would have with a microwave over just because you put it on the passenger seat, it's suspicious  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  ). but courts all declared the car drivers innocent and they could get the device back.

now, policemen / gendarmes are well informed and they know what a Tomtom is, as well as PDAs and other Road Angels.

We now have a lot of fixed radars taking pictures. I can't remember the exact number but it must be somewhere between a 1000 and 1500. you can download POIs here:  m http://www.alertegps.com/Download.asp?a=ar&s=&f=tomtom m  (sorry, it's in french  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  but there you'll get fixed and mobile radars).

they're on 24/7 but won't adjust (at least for now) depending of the weather...

I'm not 100% sure you will receive the fine in the UK, though...  s:idea: :idea: s:idea:  (but if you do, you might get it in your mailbox before you're back home since they can process the fine in a week or so...).

[Anonymous]

I've done a reasonable amount of driving in France and they do have fixed speed camera's by the side of the road, lots around the Paris ring road! They aren't like ours; illumunious yellow and stuck on a big pole by the side of the road. They are grey boxes about 4 feet high and 3 feet wide with a camera ready to take a picture of your rear number plate. Be warned, from experience the tickets find their way to this country!

(Had my MR-S three months and just found your site - keep up the good work!)

[Anonymous]

Speeding is frowned upon in France

Sorry , but whenever I've driven down to the south of France all the natives have driven like nutters. Tried sticking to the speedlimit but everyone just blazed past me. Even old boys in decrebid old citroens were going flat out!

Found this handy chart from the AA spelling out exactly what extras you need in the car depending on country visited.

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/touring_tips/AA_compulsory_equipment_june2006.doc

[Anonymous]

Just got back from 12 days in la belle France.

The nice thing about the static cameras is that they are effectively signed, and the boxes are visible.

As long as your observations pick up the sign posts you'll be able to slow in time.

Big warning though...Dark blue unmarked Focus Estates parked just in from the Hard Shoulder facing the direction of travel. These seem to be the mobile camera units that 'zap' you and then radio ahead to the marked units. Saw this on the A28 today north of Rouen as well as on the A84 between Laval & Rennes last summer.

Luke

[Anonymous]

Nathan, according to law 2696, for cars and bikes the speed limit in Greece on country roads is 110kph unless otherwise stated.  On residential areas is 50kph unless otherwise stated and on highways 120kph.  On every other road the limit is 90kph unless otherwise stated.

I thought this might be of some use (maybe Agni can translate   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  )

There are some good race tracks in Greece but you may need to travel closer to  Athens.  Or if you feel brave enough, you can try Rally Acropolis ;-P

Thanks for sharing.