Navigating a European road trip
Posted 23 October, 2019
John Pedler
Driving overseas is an incredibly rewarding experience, but be prepared for some brain recalibration.
Having recently completed a road trip through France, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, I’ve jotted down a few overseas driving tips that might help when planning your next continental adventure.
Road rule variations
European motoring holidays are a lot of fun and I’m always contemplating the next one. Although horror stories abound about crazy drivers in this country or that, I’ve never experienced any behaviour I haven’t seen here in Oz.
Road rules are similar in most European countries, but there are some variations. For example, in the Czech Republic, headlights must remain on during the day, and motorists need to carry an approved first-aid kit (Autolékárnička).
A lot of road signs are uniquely European and, in some cases, unique to particular countries. Their messages can be confusing, so I recommend researching online before your trip.
Speed limits
Speed limits in Europe can be puzzling. Sometimes an open country road will be lumped with a 60km/h limit, while a tortuous mountain pass will display 90km/h signposts, and no speed advisory signs at hairpin bends.
It’s not always clear where speed limits start and end. In France, 50km/h limits apply from signs with red borders, bearing town names, to ‘end’ signs, sporting diagonal lines. While these end-of-town signs indicate what the speed limit
isn’t, it would be handy if they displayed what it actually
is.
Toll roads
Touring the back roads is the best way to immerse yourself in local culture, but now and then you might need to hit the motorway to cover some ground. In Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, there are no motorway tolls for normal passenger vehicles (apart from a few tunnel fees), though Germany will be introducing tolls in October 2020.
Countries with toll roads handle payment in different ways. France and Italy use automated booths: a ticket is collected from a booth when entering the motorway and then inserted in a machine upon exiting. A digital display shows the amount due, based on how far you’ve travelled. Payment can be made on debit/credit card, but it’s a good idea to have plenty of cash on hand just in case.
