Driving abroad

[Pedrotel]

I am travelling around europe this summer towing my 1960 morris minor convertible on a trailer behind a motorhome. Are there any rules and regs I need to know about for European driving (ie selt belt laws and insurances ect)?
The countries I will be visiting are :
France
Spain
Portugal
Monaco
Italy
Switzerland
Austria
and Germany
Can any one help with this please?
Pedrotel

[chrisd87]

This might be handy.

I've driven in France, Switzerland and Italy. Not sure if you can buy the Swiss motorway vignette online these days, but if you can it might be worth it as when I went there, there was a huge queue at the border to buy one. Also Italian drivers can get a bit impatient if you don't know the road or where you're going. Best to pull over and let them pass.

Your UK insurance will be valid in all those countries (your insurance company is obliged by law to cover you), but you might want to check the level of cover you get. Some will only offer 3rd party when you're abroad despite the policy being comprehensive in the UK.

[Pedrotel]

Thanks for that
Whats the law regarding seat belts? I don't need them here but what about abroad?
Cheers
Pedrotel

[polo2k]

there are certain items that you must carry by law, I cant remember them all but they include
warning triangle,
high vis vest
-if you wear prescription glasses then you need a spare set

drivers licence and insurance in the car

[LouiseM]

Whats the law regarding seat belts? I don't need them here but what about abroad?

If you click on the link that Chrisd87 has posted it will give you all the information you need - it seems that the wearing of front seat belts is compulsory if they are fitted.

[bmcecosse]

" driver's licence " - that's going to be difficult - the UK only issues a driving licence. Constant source of problem for me in USA a few years ago.......especially as it didn't have a picture !

[morrisminorbzh]

In France not only is it the law to have your driving licence and insurance with you but you should have your registration documents (log book) as well. This saves problems and a fine if you get stopped in a random road check.

If seat belts are fitted they must be worn by all those on board.

Don't forget your warning triangle, reflecting waistcoats (I've got one in the car for the driver and for each potential passenger). French registered cars are obliged to have a spare set of bulbs, I presume this is now the same in the UK ? Some countries (Germany ?) do require you to have a first-aid kit.

Can't think of anything else at the moment.

[Matt Tomkins]

isn't there something about the headlights???

[8009STEVE]

Keep the dotted line to the left.

[ASL642]

You will need to alter the beam from your headlights for driving on the right hand side of the roads. You can get a kit to fit your lights from Halfords (stickon doesn't damage glass) easily removed when you return to the UK.

[carlosramalho]

hi petrotel,
Her in Portugal you need the waistcoast only for the driver, triangle, spare bolbs, seatbelts only if they are in the car.
and if you want visit me at Lisbon you are wellcome!
Cheers
carlos

[morrisminorbzh]

Bonjour Petrotel
If you come to Brittany on your tour you are welcome - on the first Sunday of every month we have a classic car get together near Rennes. My Traveller is the only Minor that goes, it would be great to see your convertible there.
Michael

[Longdog]

Hi BZH, Where is the meeting of Classic cars held? We spend a fair amount of time in dept 22 (Merdrignac) and would like to come along sometime. Minors on tour is going to be visiting Le Manoir de L'automobile near Loheac which is probably not too far from you on Sunday May 29th so perhaps see you there.
Andy.

[morrisminorbzh]

Hi Longdog,
It's the first Sunday of every month at "le Moulin Apigné", on the commune of le Rheu, west of Rennes not far from the beginning of the National 24 to Lorient. It's next to an area of old gravel pits turned into a leisure area.
Reputed now to be one of the largest regular get-to-gethers of classic cars in the area.
PM me for more details if you wish - will no doubt be there newt Sunday.
Regards Michael

[rayofleamington]

driving licence and insurance in the car

I did make it through a road trip from England to Timbuktu (Mali) without my driving license
We did need the car's documents and passports though!

For driving on the other side of the road I really recommend to get some LHD headlights - they only take minutes to fit and can save some really hairy moments!
I didn't have time to fit mine on the second Africa trip and I have to say the hill passes on the Atlas mountains at night were the scariest part of the trip. You really need your headlights to light up the side of the road - adding beam filters is a poor substitute for having the correct headlights. when cars came the other way on the bends it was like playing car crash roulette.

On the previous trip I had LHD lights and halogen bulbs - this was worthwhile!

Hi Viz jacket and warning triangle are a sensible thing to have.
The amusing thing about carrying spare bulbs for France - We had these for my mum's Punto and then the Stilo for trips to France, however to change a bulb is impossible without tools for stripping the car down.

[MarkyB]

Apart from doing all the legal stuff it's worth having someone on the ball as a passenger.
After a certain amount of time you will think that you have cracked this driving on the "wrong" side lark and relax.
Then at a junction, or coming out of a petrol station or similar and you will find yourself doing what comes naturally and be facing oncoming traffic.
You need to keep your wits about you at all times, right turns are easy, left turns are the dangerous ones.
Same thing with towing, don't forget that you are!

[morrisminorbzh]

You need to keep your wits about you at all times, right turns are easy, left turns are the dangerous ones.
Same thing with towing, don't forget that you are!

MarkyB is right, you need to keep your wits about you at all times - I rented a RHD car in Malta some years ago, found myself driving down the wrong side of the road. Learnt to drive in the UK in 1964 (on a Series 2 MM) but as from 1975 have driven only LHD - my last rent of a RHD in the UK was a disaster, driving on the left with a RHD was too much, took the car back to Hertz as quick as possible. I prefer to take my own LHD to the UK, safer for me and for you. Thats way I had my Traveller converted to LHD - easier for carparks etc over here.

[Pedrotel]

Thanks for all your inputs.
We (me , the wife , me mate Tel and his wife ) will be setting of June 10 for Europe and will post updates as we travel with pics.
Maybe seeing some of you on route
Pete

[carlosramalho]

I must wish to ALL of YOU have a nice trip and enjoy
Cheers
carlos

[ASL642]

Remember at roundabouts to go right. That's the one we found the hardest to remember