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Driving in Europe
Except for driving on the left in Great Britain and Ireland, European road rules are similar enough to American ones that you'll get by fine. There are, however, some important differences.
Traffic jams in Europe often involve far more than cars—like bicycles, pedestrians, cows, sheep...
The Rules of the Road
Most European drivers are much more aggressive than American ones. Be prepared, and leave the road rage at home.
Keep to the right (or, in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, the left)
Do not just cruise along in the left lane (right lane British Isles) on a four-lane highway. In Europe, the fast lane truly is only for passing. If someone comes up from behind and flashes their lights at you, it's a signal for you to slow down and drive more on the shoulder so that they can pass you more easily (two-lane roads here routinely become three cars wide).
Obey the speed limit
I know: obvious one, right? Problem is, there's this persistant myth that there are no speed limits in Europe. Untrue. Except for some parts of the German Autobahn, most highways do indeed have speed limits of around 60 to 80 miles per hour (100 to 135 kilometers per hour).
While traditionally speed limits in Europe were widely ignored and rarely enforced, in recent years more and more cops have begun writing tickets and—more insidiously—more and more tickets are being issued automatically from traffic cams. Since these tickets only find their way to you via the rental car company—and the rental company will tack on enormous fees of their own to pass them along to you—you wuold be very wise to stick to the posted limits.
Get ready to do math
Everything's measured
in kilometers here (mileage and speed limits). For
a rough conversion, one kilometer equals a weensy bit more than 0.6
miles—so just divide the amount in half and add back ten percent (in other words 120km in miles would be half—60 miles—plus ten percent of 120—or 12 miles—for a total of 72 miles).
(More on metric conversions.)
Prepare your wallet for highway robbery at the pump
That gas may look reasonably priced, but remember the price is per liter, not per gallon. Gas in Europe is preposterously pricey, ranging from roughly $4.50 per gallon in Latvia up to $7.50 per gallon in Finland—no foolin'. Budget accordingly when deciding between taking a train or renting a car. On the road, just quickly multiply the price by four to guestimate the equivalent per-gallon price in local currency (I say multiply by four since 3.8 liters equals one gallon; more on metric conversions.)
Drive defensively and carefully
Assume the other drivers have a better idea of what they're doing than you do, and take your hints from them.
Don't be a temptress/temptor
Never leave anything visible in the car when you park it. When you check into a hotel, take all of your luggage in with you, even if you won't need it. This advice goes doubly in Italy and triply in Naples.
Road Test: Driving Permits and Highway Stickers
Bring your driver's license, of course, But if you do plan to drive in Europe, you may want to bring (although it's not required) an International Driver's Permit and carrying it in addition to your regular driver's license (it merely translates the data into several languages). It costs $15 from AAA (you don't have to be a member).
If you are a AAA member, ask for any free info and maps they can send you to cover the countries in which you'll be driving.
Some countries,
such as Austria and Switzerland, require that cars riding the national
highways
have special highway stickers in lieu of paying
tolls (or
as a supplement to cheap tolls). If you rent within that country,
the car already has one, but if you're crossing a border, check at
the crossing station to see whether you need to purchase a sticker
on
the
spot for
a nominal fee.
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This article was last updated in May 2006. All information was accurate at the time.
Copyright © 1998–2010 by Reid Bramblett. All rights reserved.
