Nevetas

What EU countries are the best for driving through?

As I understand it, in Germany the motorways have no speed limits? Is this correct?

Basically I want to take a decent drive through Europe this summer, what countries are a must, and what are a definate no no?

I think Sweden don't take kindly to any sort of speed?

Also, if you do get caught, can they get the UK police to issue points, or would it purely be a finicial fine / prison

Any tips appreciated, would be nice to put the right foot down without fear of the local police putting me into Jail, or charging me 1,000 Euros.

chris's scooby

Make sure you take the B2 out if you're going through France.

You know, this one

http://www.nevetas.co.uk/albums/Impr...7897.sized.jpg

Nevetas

Classic

But won't be in the scoob, it's M3 time

Mitchy260

Germany do have speed limits. (130km/hr - 82mph)

Its only certain stretches on the german motorways which are classed as autobahns. These have no speed restrictions.

Near enough everywhere else in europe has 130km/hr speed restrictions.

The UK is stuck in the prehistoric ages.

Nevetas

OK will need to look into that.

What can they do if caught?

Mitchy260

I have an Army pal based in gutersloh, germany.

He was banned and received a big fine for 110mph on a sneaky part of the motorway where its under speed restriction.

Be careful and make sure you are indeed on an autobahn stretch.

Nevetas

Are the autobahn stretch's clearly marked, will I know for a fact I'm definatly on autobahn rather than just normal Motorway?

chris's scooby

Even the few autobahns that are still derestricted have speed limits if the road surface is wet.

Not sure what they'll do to you if you get caught though.

In France i think it's on the spot fines as long as you're VERY polite to them. Otherwise they drag you off for a night or two in the cells.

Oh and they really hate British M3 drivers over there!

Nevetas

This isn't sounding too good!

Any Other Countries lol!!

chris's scooby

This might help in Germany

http://home.att.net/~texhwyman/autobahn.htm

fromage

LOL steve it will be ok they wont be able to catch up with me when im driving even when my pull us over im handing over your license

Nevetas

Nevetas

Excellant - Many Thanks

fromage

You reckon If i was wearing a crash helmet as I got pulled over would help matters

Nevetas

Stig Style, with some nice classical on

Anyway, back on topic!

Could anyone suggest a good route, to take in some cool stuff.

Will be away from Monday 21st - Returning on the 25th March.

STi-Frenchie

When does Easter fall this year ? If it's that period you are looking at and are planning to run through France then I'd advise staying well away from the A7 autoroute on the weekends (that Friday 25th).

In France, believe it or not, the fines for speeding have gone down for minor infractions starting from last month. Where you used to get a 90€ fine for 10/20 km/h over the limit, you now get a very reasonable 35€. The downside to this is that they are cracking down on people caught at higher speeds over the limit (again announced last month) and the fines can go up to 1500€ not to mention the option of confiscating the car on the spot and spending a while at Monsieur Chirac's pleasure. Leave your radar detectors at home and use mappy.com to plan your route as they list all of the fixed radars (and toll charges) for you and they are installing new radars every day. As for points being taken off your UK license I wouldn't worry about it - a recent report on the French news said that a lot of the fines being issued from the fixed radars belonging to foreigners are not being followed up on and are being binned. A nice side-story to that was the picture they showed of the biker doing over 250km/h looking into an onward-flashing fixed radar and flipping the finger at it - they can't do bikes as easily as cars because of the way the number plates are fitted on some.

Switzerland - be very, very careful. As of 1 Jan there is a zero-tolerance limit on alcohol and they have passed a law allowing random breath tests. Popular (or rather unpopular) feeling is that they will spend the first few months "demonstrating" this new power. Regards speeding, the new laws (1 Jan 2005) are astonishgly harsh and in the worst cases they can take half of your yearly salary and throw you in pokey for a few months - I kid you not. Having said that, if you are touring around in the Alps you are unlikely to be hitting the high speeds and more likely to being enjoying the twisties, so if you keep to around 150/160 km/h and watch out for the rozzers you should be okay as the Swiss don't use as many mobile speed traps as say, the French.

Both countries have fantastic roads to drive on and stunning scenery. If you get a chance you must go over the Millau Viaduct in France which was opened a few weeks ago and is the world's tallest bridge - taller than the Eiffel tower. I plan to go there later this year and one of my colleagues who did it recommended avoiding it first thing (8am-ish) in the morning as you can't see anything for the clouds



If I was thinking of a run through Europe I'd be tempted to go down through France to the bridge, then head over to Switzerland (say hello) and through the Alps and down into Italy for a visit to Modena and plan a return leg perhaps through Austria and Germany.

mervil

iTrader: (5)

Holland is quite severe in terms of fines, the limit is 120km/h (75mph) and i was followed by a Motorcycle policeman doing 160km/h (100mph), he wanted 280 euros from me to pay the fine, having only 10 euros on me i couldnt pay. To this he replies 'Then i must take your car!' Noooooo!!!!
After talking very nicely and saying i will get the money from the bank he decided to let me go with no fine and let me keep the Scoob!
And i think the same goes in Belgium too! Watch out for motorcyclists with orange helmets!!!

Paul

Frosty The Snowman

I've been on 3 round Europe driving holidays, 3000 miles in 2 weeks , and have not had a single problem with the police. The countries I have driven through are as follows:

Holland
Belgium (stopped only for fuel and to wipe off the dead fly splats)
Luxembourg
France
Germany
Czech Republic
Slovakia (very briefly)
Hungary
Austria
Switzerland
Italy

Out of those you have to buy a tax disk in Switzerland, Austria and Czech Republic if you are going to use the motorways but they aren't too expensive, in the region of £20 or less in each country.

In all honesty I thought France had the best roads for getting from a to b, good condition and the tolls are cheap for the most part. The roads in the mountains in pretty much any of the countries are great fun, if a little frightening when you're going through roadworks on the outside of a road with no barrier or curb and several hundred feet straight down.......

My favourite cruising road has got to be coming down out of Chamonix, nice dual carriageway with couple of serious S bends and then opening onto a lovely valley.

Pick any twist mountain road up to a skiing resort and they are all fun

I got stopped by the rozzers in Hungary, not for anything special they were just checking all of the cars and wanted to see our papers.

Switzerland is the most strict for speeding although they tend to use cameras which I suppose might not mean anything to a foreigner, and the motorways there are quite busy generally. The local roads are fine though.

Italy, well they should ban the use of the horn in Italy, everyone uses it for any reason such as the traffic lights being red!!!! The motorways are very fast and you will get abuse for driving too slowly in the wrong lane, not me I should add

mwarabu

French are very strict on the speed limit especially if it is a UK plate....so be careful

we were caught using a speed gun and were fined £120.

STi-Frenchie

Frosty is quite right about needing a vignette for driving on the motorways in Switzerland - cost is 40 Swiss Francs for a year (bought my 2005 vignette yesterday) or about £18.40 to you

Oh, BTW on your way to Modena make sure you take time out to visit Como. I promise you'll want to take your camera and video camera as it is simply stunning...and there's always the Stelvio pass to visit as well.

Italian driving I remember being horn-blasted by a driver behind me for stopping at a junction which had a whacking great big "STOP" sign at it. Silly me, I stopped for a second - should've just carried on regardless according to the lunatic behind me

Taff107

Soldiers over here in Germany have to have a British Forces Germany driving license and all speeding matters are sent from the German authority to be processed through the Army. It was probably the Army that banned him from driving.

You are pretty safe over here. when I have to use the Autobahn I always travel at least 100 mph, more usually at about 120/130mph. Just keep your minces open for cameras at roadworks and do not speed when you're not on the Autobahn - Around here, there seems to be more cameras than the UK

fatscoobyfella

Take the limiter off you M3 and get on the Autobahn's,you'll be fine..
Havin drivin quite a bit in europe i reckon France has the better roads,beautiful scenery too,although Switzerland is my personal choice for lovely "everythin"..

Once got flashed out of the way at 160mph on the autobahn by a M5 tourer..he waved and smiled as he blasted past my B10 Alpina which was flat out !!!!!

Frosty The Snowman

Yep Switzerland has definitely got the scenic prize in my book, some really amazing lush green valleys, particularly round Interlaken up the valley towards the Eiger with cliff walls either side of you and hundreds of waterfalls.

Nevetas

Excellant advice guys, Many Thanks

camk

its possible as a UK citizen to get a driving ban in Germany but it only applies to Germany and is enforced by them taking your licence from you for theperiod of your ban. I presently have 6 points in Germany but none in the UK, I only have a UK licence.
They keep a note of the points against your name and DOB in the German DVLC in Flensburg. I got done twice on A/Bahn at restricted zones on 100kmph due to it being 'dangerous junctions'.

camk

Fines are also highish in Germany but not stupid, if you are driving a foreign car you are likely to get an on the spot fine that will need to be paid via a cashline machine. This modus operandi is used often on Dutch tourists travelling South/North to and from the Alps via DE. Only if you get caught by police cars though.
However I've only ever seen cameras on the autobahn on limited sections e.g roadworks. I've personally passed police cars and buses well in excess of 180kmph.

www.radarfalle.de has a fine and point calculator as its all agreed up front depending on whether you are in town or out of town and obvioulsy dependent on how much you are over . Cameras in towns are numerous and I believe a red light jump is an automatic ban as well.

King RA

Sounds like a good holiday, I've been thinking of doing something like this for years. Would prefer doing in July though, may be a bit chilly still in March.

Nevetas

Yeah would be nice in the summer. But had to go in March as it's a special Birthday Treat for my 25th Birthday

King RA

sounds like a good present

DPat

Autobahns - depends on the state (county) that you are in - ones run by the greens have limits, ones run by sensible people are unrestricted apart from on some bends.

Lived in Frankfurt, Hessen and was always overtaken when cruising at 150mph - you just get used to the speeds.

Accidents are always attended to very fast (by a doctor!) and cleared off the road.

DPat