Remind me how to drive to Europe?

[AnotherDunromin]

I'm planning on driving to Ghent with DC in Feb half term. It's been about a decade since I last drove to Europe, though, and I'm nervous about forgetting something.
I've added European breakdown cover to our AA policy, booked travel insurance, printed out the car insurance policy, got high-vis vests for myself and DC, and will get a warning triangle and a UK sticker. The car is overdue a service so that's booked in next week.
What am I forgetting..?

First aid kit and those stickers that change the direction of your headlights

Erm…on the right?

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

Five minutes after you get off the ferry you’ll feel like you’ve never been away.

have your debit card out in car ready for any tolls (can’t remember if there are any between ferry and Ghent, but just in case.)

have a great time. Ghent is great.

Some cars now just have settings that change the direction of your head lights so I’d check that as those stickers leave crap all over your headlights.

Check your tyre pressure before leaving and don’t forget your drivers licence.

Im doing almost the exact same! Good shout on overseas breakdown cover. I need to get the kids EHIC cards too. I last drove there about 6 years ago but used a hire car..this time I'll be in mine. Not sure if it will be easier / harder ..the hire car with the shell on the other side reminds you to be different. Enjoy anyway!

Speed limits - each country has different rules e.g. France has 80km / h in a lot of places as well as a lot of sneaky speed cameras.

V5 in the glovebox

Check if you need a low emissions vignette.

Apply for low emission zone for Ghent, you can do it online and it's free assuming your car isn't too old

Fined otherwise!

Ah thanks so much, all - loads of things I'd forgotten, and I had no idea about the low emissions zone in Ghent 🙏

We did the same last year, DH booked his car on the Eurotunnel without realising about the LEZ and his is an old diesel so we ended up switching to my car (hybrid). Apart from getting lost a couple of times in Ghent it was all very straightforward and we had a lovely stay.

Hi, as well as printing out your insurance read it to double check it includes Europe. Post Brexit insurers don't have to include it.

I can't see much difference here:

2018
Almost all UK car insurance polices automatically give drivers third-party cover across the EU.
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/jun/30/driving-holiday-take-car-abroad-insurance-tolls

2024
UK-issued motor insurance policies automatically include the minimum level of third-party cover needed for driving in the EU.
https://www.axa.co.uk/car-insurance/tips-and-guides/driving-in-europe/

That's a useful contribution and great links.

My car insurance is comprehensive (“1st party”) in the UK and EU. Check yours is as expected and not just a minimum (“3rd party”) level?

I clicked on this thread just out of curiosity.
Please tell me what is meant by changing the direction of your headlights?!?

Tootle your horn melodiously so that the locals know you are coming

When you dip your headlights they get angled to the left in this country, towards the kerb, so if you are driving a British car on the right dipping your headlights would angle them towards oncoming traffic.

Thanks, @TheSmallAssassin. I guess it is the same here; have never thought about it before.

Make sure your passport is valid (less than 10years old, 3 months left)

We discovered one time, at a motorway petrol station, you had to pay for your fuel before you put it in the car.

Breathalyser kit?

Ghent is lovely. We stop there every Christmas en route to visiting family. Make sure you get lunch at Balls & Glory.

We drove there just before Christmas a couple of years back. Left the car in a park and ride type thing under a bridge and took a tram in. Much better than driving in the city centre (unless you're confident driving on the other side of the road to what you're used to down narrow streets with trams sharing the road - we decided we weren't!)
Was lovely though.

If you wear glasses you need a spare pair in the car.

In my old car which had an inbuilt Satnav you had to change the country before it would recognise foreign addresses. It took us longer than it should have to work that out.

Have a great time.

How on earth do you dip headlights with the tricolour new lights that are in a strip across the bonnet?!

UK sticker and all car docs (v5, MOT and insurance). I usually get my garage to give the car a quick once over, including tyres & oil etc, before I take it. I also take a list of all the speed limits and their MPH conversions.