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 A driving tour of Europe can be the most wonderful experience of a lifetime. Unfortunately, a lot of people worry that they won't be able to cope with the expenses, the strange new driving conditions, navigating unfamiliar terrain and the constant hassle of crossing borders. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be that stressful, as long as you keep the following few things in mind.
Tips to help you get by
Is a driving tour really the kind of trip you want? A driving tour is the best option if you’re planning to spend a good portion of your time outside the cities, puttering around all that charming rural countryside with a companion or three. If you have the time, good company and a fairly relaxed schedule, a driving tour can be a cost-efficient, practical, and wonderfully pleasant way to explore every corner of Europe.
On the
other hand, if you’re planning on travelling alone or with only one other companion, visiting only the major cities, or if you
want to do a hectic, whirlwind tour of a few countries, a driving tour would not be the best option. Traffic jams, strange new surroundings and a tight schedule are likely to play havoc when you have a tight schedule to stick to. When you're rushing,it's usually far
more practical and efficient to use the excellent rain and bus
systems.
Don’t worry about the left side/ right side thing If you’re used to
driving on the right side of the road, don’t panic — the only places
where left-side driving is prevalent is in the UK, Ireland, Cyprus
and Malta. Everywhere is goes by right-side drive.
Don’t worry about the gas Unfortunately, fuel is more expensive in
Europe (generally four times higher than in North America).
Fortunately, distances are short and the cars, being far more efficient, get great mileage. Also, there are more diesel vehicles in
Europe, which are even more efficient than petrol-powered engines.
Once the factors are evened out, driving can be pretty economical, especially if you split costs with a companion.
Do remember that in Europe, gasoline is known as petrol or benzene,
diesel is known as gasoil, the prices are listed by the litre and
there are roughly four litres in a gallon.
Learn to drive manual Most rental cars in Europe still use manual
transmissions, so unless you want to pay substantially more for an auto, brush up on your gear-shifting skills before
braving the European roads.
Bring your license. In most of Europe, the only thing you need to
drive is to be above 18 and hold a current domestic driver’s
license. An international driver's permit is also recommended if you
plan to drive in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany, Greece or
Eastern Europe.
Don’t be timid Timidity on the roads is not an appreciated quality
in Europe. This is true not only for the manic, frustrated,
F1-wannabe drivers that seem to be endemic on the Continent, but
even for the average commuters. Drive confidently and aggressively,
if you don’t want grey hairs by the end of the tour.
Having said that however, Europeans are generally safer drivers than
Americans. The statistics bear this out. The average kilometre of
European roadway bears 60 percent more vehicles than its counterpart
in the United States, but compared to the US count of 1.1 deaths and
95.7 injuries per 100 million vehicle kilometres, the UK counts only
0.9 and 74 respectively, Sweden 1.1 and 30.8, Norway 1.2 and 42.2.
Avoid driving in the cities Driving around the big cities will
lead you to a far more intimate acquaintance of European traffic
jams than you’d care to make, and if you’re on a tight, whirlwind
schedule, the stress and extra money forked out for a car can make
it more trouble than it’s worth. Just park your car and use public
transportation.
Be careful where you park Your car will probably be an obvious
rental (i.e., favourite target for thieves and vandals), so make
sure you park it somewhere safe, well-travelled and well-lit. There
are plenty of free parking spots on the streets, at train stations,
at tourist sites and at most forms of accommodations. In some
cities, you can find huge government-sponsored (cheap) parking lots
on the outskirts, where a bus or subway will zip you easily into the
city centre. The parking fee for this service is often worth the
convenience.
 Learn the road signs The highway road signs in Europe are probably
the best in the world, and it’s unlikely you’ll have much trouble
with them. The signs are generally clear, visible, well placed and
easily understandable by most foreigners. Also, many major rest
stops have free maps explaining such signs, roadside facilities, and
exits. Having said all that, read up a bit on the signs used before
you go, just to make things easier on yourself.
Driving around the cities is fairly simple, provided you only want
to get from ‘the centre’ of town, then back to the highway. Most
towns will have signs pointing you to the city centre (for example,
centrum, centro, centre ville, stadtmitte), and signs pointing to
the way to the nearest expressway (usually in a distinctive green or
blue). A particularly good landmark to keep track of is the central
train station, as it is generally in the centre of town and usually
offers free parking.
Of course, if you’re going to drive around the city itself (which
has already been forewarned against), you’ll need better directions
and a good map, but then that’s true of all cities.
Use the highways There are two general classes of road networks in
Europe — the newer expressways and the older highways that they
replaced. The expressways crisscross the entire face of Western
Europe, and though some of them have relatively high tolls, the gas
and time saved can be worth the expenditure.
If you object to the tolls, and don’t mind spending a bit more time
on the road, you can elect to take the older highways. Generally,
these older secondary routes have more interesting scenery and are
still in excellent condition, but are slightly less direct. Do
remember that on all roads, the ‘fast’ lane is only for passing, not
for cruising.
Learn metric! Unless you want to confine your European driving tour
strictly to Britain and Ireland, where distance is also measured in
miles, you’re going to run into kilometres. To convert kilometers to
miles, cut in half and add 10 percent, eg, 100 km = 50 + 10 = 60
miles)
Don’t forget to pay the fees. Some cities charge you for driving
around in them — downtown London, for example, has a ‘congestion
charge’ of about $9. Some countries require you to get a highway
permit decal as you cross the border. Do remember to pay for this as
you enter the country, unless you’d like a closer acquaintance with
the local law enforcement officers.
Don't worry about the borders European borders aren' the hassle-spots the movies make them out to be (or not any more, anyway). Most of the time, you won't even know you crossed the border until you reach the nearest town, and even when there is a border post, the inspections are usually quick and thorough. As long as your documents are in order and you're obviously not doing anything illegal, you'll barely even notice the crossing.
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