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Original poster

Driving in Europe

45 replies

Treezan82 · 18/08/2021 19:06

I am in the UK. I'm a perfectly competent driver and drive a lot in the UK but for some reason the thought of driving on the continent makes me anxious. Its the thought of driving on the wrong side of the road and also not understanding roadsigns. I am dreaming of a French road trip in 2023 when my kids will be 5 and 7, but the driving puts me off.

Has anyone been nervous to drive in Europe but did it anyway? How was it?

OP posts:
Babdoc · 18/08/2021 19:24

It was fine, OP! I was v anxious as a single parent (widowed when the DDs were babies), but I wanted the kids to have the holidays that DH would have given them.
I had driven my own UK car to Germany years earlier, which was fine, apart from being wrong side drive, so overtaking was a bit hairy to get a good view when the driving seat is on the nearside.
When I took the kids to France on my own, I flew to Bordeaux and hired a right hand drive car at the airport, which was much better for visibility. The Rocade ring road was a baptism of fire to get out of Bordeaux, but the country roads in the Dordogne were a delight. The biggest problem was remembering to drive on the right when leaving my parking place on a deserted road, with no other traffic for a clue. Force of habit can make you head for the left after the first few days, when you begin to relax. Keep concentrating!

Original poster
Treezan82 · 18/08/2021 20:11

Ah thank you. Great tip about hire car - hadn't thought of that.

OP posts:
FAQs · 18/08/2021 20:12

You’ll pick it up really easily.

AuditAngel · 18/08/2021 20:17

I have driven a Spanish car in Spain lots of times, and it seems normal, although I always check with myself which side of the road I should be on. I have also driven in the USA, including fair distances.

I have driven our cars to Belgium, Holland and Spain. It is slightly harder to perform some manoeuvres due to being on the right side, but you get by. I found getting tickets for parking/paying for tolls the worst, but always had someone with me

LakeShoreD · 18/08/2021 20:18

Yes to a hire car! I’ve driven to France from the U.K. in my own car and actually found it really difficult. I lived in the US for years and still have a valid American license so it’s not driving on the right, I just couldn’t get my head around being on the wrong side of the car for the road. But in a left hand drive it’s no problem at all. However, that’s just me - I know loads people who drive French cars in England and English cars in France (we’re a French/English family) and they never have an issue! Oh and the road signs in France are easy, motorways are a dream compared to the U.K.

LakeShoreD · 18/08/2021 20:20

Actually yes good point about the tolls. If it’s just you and you do take your own car, you’ll probably want to sit one of the kids up front to pay!

MilduraS · 18/08/2021 20:26

I found it easier in a hire car. I could use the mantra "the driver sits in the middle of the road" when I second guessed myself. Roundabouts were the hardest bit.

Original poster
Treezan82 · 18/08/2021 20:28

@LakeShoreD

Actually yes good point about the tolls. If it’s just you and you do take your own car, you’ll probably want to sit one of the kids up front to pay!
DH will be with me (but I will be driving) - are tolls cash then?
OP posts:
Original poster
Treezan82 · 18/08/2021 20:28

@MilduraS

I found it easier in a hire car. I could use the mantra "the driver sits in the middle of the road" when I second guessed myself. Roundabouts were the hardest bit.
Good one!
OP posts:
Original poster
Treezan82 · 18/08/2021 20:30

@LakeShoreD

Yes to a hire car! I’ve driven to France from the U.K. in my own car and actually found it really difficult. I lived in the US for years and still have a valid American license so it’s not driving on the right, I just couldn’t get my head around being on the wrong side of the car for the road. But in a left hand drive it’s no problem at all. However, that’s just me - I know loads people who drive French cars in England and English cars in France (we’re a French/English family) and they never have an issue! Oh and the road signs in France are easy, motorways are a dream compared to the U.K.
Oh that's good to know- in what way are they easier?
OP posts:
Original poster
Treezan82 · 18/08/2021 20:30

@FAQs

You’ll pick it up really easily.
Thank you - this is the talk I need!
OP posts:
purpledagger · 18/08/2021 20:32

We've done day trips to France and I've driven around a bit. I was quite nervous and but up for that challenge. It was a bit nerve wracking at first, but then it was fine.

My tips

  1. drive defensively. Follow the cars ahead of you and take your time.

  2. speed is in KM, so stick a little conversion chart on your dashboard so you can keep an eye on your speed. I just wrote the speeds on a post it.

  3. you need to carry certain item in your car - reflectors on your front lights, spare bulbs, high viz jackets, a warning triangle and breathalysers. I just bought them online before I went.

  4. the AA/RAC websites have lots of info about driving in different countries so I did quite a bit of reading before I went, to make sure I was prepared.

ivykaty44 · 18/08/2021 20:42

make sure you get a European driving licence and if you think you may venture to Spain you'll need a Spanish driving licence - easy enough to get at the post office

I have driven from uk to France, Spain, Italy, (drove home from Portugal in my car) and alway in my car, though I have driven a left hand drive in other countries I do find driving my own car abroad actually easier than. a hire car. Roundabouts force you to go the correct way and motorways are easy. overtaking is more difficult but usually French drivers are more helpful tbh

I got my dds to alway say drive on the wrong side mum, each and every time we got in the car in the morning

even getting of the ferry in calais is fairly easy as you almost immediately get onto a motorway and are off. the slip roads are shorter, never Hogg the outside lane when overtaking - pull back in as most motorways are dual lane and not triple

in all honesty I find driving in France a better experience than in the uk

Glittertwins · 18/08/2021 21:02

I've driven a left hand drive hire car in France as well as our own right hand drive car.
With the French hire car, I remember opening the window with my left hand instead of changing gear. Did that a few times pootling around the town.
I've driven our English cars more often and not had many problems. It's useful having a passenger for checking over the shoulder for traffic when pulling away and for motorway tolls when we didn't have the toll tag.
If you're driving on motorways outside of Brittany, I'd recommend the toll tag for easy motorway tolls & no queue.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 18/08/2021 21:26

If you do decide to hire a car, get an automatic. It can be more disconcerting wrestling with a gear knob with your right hand than driving on the 'wrong' side of the road.

Clymene · 18/08/2021 21:32

I only have a uk driving licence and have driven across Europe on it.

Honestly unless you attempt to drive through central Paris, it's fine. The advantage of your own car is that you know how wide/long it is and obviously it takes time to get the hang of that in another car.

Roads are a lot more crowded in the uk typically so it's a breeze driving here. If anyone is annoyed by my pootling, I just pull ove mr

Gladioli23 · 18/08/2021 21:38

I have both driven with an left hand drive hire car and driven a UK car in France. Both were okay.

I don't much enjoy it but I just get on with it. I watch my parents and my mother won't drive in a foreign country and never has and I am determined not to live like that so I just get on with it.

I think my key recommendation is to do some reading before you go - I speed limits are lower on the rain and there is another change for speed limits if visibility is really bad. There's also (if I remember correctly) a slightly odd (to us) feature where when you drive into a village (i.e past the village name sign) the speed limit drops automatically to 50km/h. On the way out you go through a sign with the village name crossed out and that means it goes up to 80 km/h. So worth doing some research!

ivykaty44 · 18/08/2021 21:40

I only have a uk driving licence and have driven across Europe on it.

was this before or after Brexit?

DazzlePaintedBattlePants · 18/08/2021 21:43

Check out Street View before you go, and bring a sat nav you know and trust. Hire cars are easier than driving your own car but I find navigating the airports far and away the hardest part, if it’s a large airport!

lampygirl · 18/08/2021 21:44

Driving on the continent is thousands of percent more pleasant than driving in the UK. Aside from covid times I do a couple of trips a year to the Alps (French, Swiss and Austrian) and also to Belgium or Germany at least once or twice a year. Always via the Eurotunnel. I always take my own car. Overtaking etc is fine. You need to get used to being aware of what is behind you in general to assist in pulling out and having a friend is useful for things like ticket barriers (we have a bipper for the tolls, using the auto 30kph toll gates saves time if you go in busy periods)

Coming off the tunnel you will get funnelled on to the right side of the road. If you are going a long way on the French motorways then the majority of the services aren’t like UK service stations, some are just toilets which you may or may not have to pay for and a picnic bench. I’ve found the signposting pretty clear for exits etc in general but do know your route via some key place names.

A lot of people seem to say hire a car but honestly if you are in your own the only unfamiliar thing is the road layout, rather than the road layout plus the gears and how you turn the lights and wipers on…

SiobhanSharpe · 18/08/2021 21:50

I second the PPS who say driving is a lot easier is many European countries than in the UK - France is absolutely fine, it’s a big country with an excellent road network and motorways are often much less crowded than here.
If you’re worried about the toll stations (péages) on the autoroutes you can get an automatic electronic tag for the car before you go, it sits at the top of the windscreen and lets you through automatically— you pay by direct debit a few weeks later. They all accept cards too.
The two countries I don’t much care to drive in are Italy (drivers live to overtake - like that’s the only reason anyone would ever want to get behind the wheel ) and the older German autobahns (only two lanes but no speed limit) where you get some old Mercedes loaded up with mum, dad, kids, grandparents, dog and budgie roaring past you at about 130 mph. And you spotted them in your mirror way, way behind you about three seconds ago.
France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Austria and Switzerland are all no problem at all.

PersephoneJames · 18/08/2021 22:06

Driving on the continent is wonderful! I live over here but drive in the UK a lot and it scares me - so much traffic and I always end of driving past road traffic accidents Sad

(Except Belgium and Portugal where I found they drove too fast). France is a delight! Mind the speed limit though - I always get fined and I’m a careful driver.

ChateauMargaux · 18/08/2021 22:09

I also think it's easier to drive your own car. If your DH is also in the car, he can help with advising how close you are on the 'wrong' side.

I live in France and when we come back to England, we have a song to the tune of The Farmer Wants a Wife..
Drive on the left x3
Don't crash the car Mummy,
Drive on the left.
The only problem is that we have to actually remember which side is which..

There is also a possible myth that the left / right thing was due to sword fighting on horseback and Napoleon .. he was left handed so needed to be on the right hand side of the road whereas most people are right handed so should be on the left.... it might be bollocks but it helps me remember!!

MrsFin · 18/08/2021 22:18

Go for it!
The road signs are standard across Europe so are the same as ours.

Gh0stontoast · 18/08/2021 22:27

France - lots of speed and red light cameras so watch out and save yourselves those 80 euro fines!

If you are driving in some cities you will need a pollution rating windscreen sticker (forget the actual name of it)

Make sure you can recognise “priority from the right signs” and that when you drive into a town / village, the limit drops to 50 km/hr.