Guidelines For Safe Driving In Europe

No you aren’t going to be driving on left side of the road- unless you are in England! Driving in Europe can be intense and scary if you go into it unprepared. It is nothing like driving in the States and European drivers have no patience of mercy when it comes to the road.Always have your passport, driver’s license, and you International Drivers license. You should never be anywhere in Europe with your passport. You can get your International license at Triple A, it takes about 30 minutes to fill out the forms, take the picture, and get your license. The license is only valid for one year. The roads are much narrower in Europe and much curvier. When you are driving down a road it is important to know that if a car is coming the other way and there are cars parked on your side, it is up to you to find a way to get over so that they can pass.In most countries, like Germany, police do not pull you over for speeding. There are cameras set up and they monitor speed and snap pictures of you and your rental car license plate.Hitchhiking is still really popular in Europe. Be careful or when you stop they will get into your car. License plates all have abbreviations the town where the car is registered on it. So the hitchhikers look for a town close to where they are going. Some will just jump in if you have the door unlock.Be aware of the different road rules in Europe. It varies from country to country but I know in Germany there are two different kinds of stop signs. One you must come to a complete stop and the other you can roll through more like a yield sign.Be prepared to drive stick shift. Most cars are not automatic transmission over there. Even rental cars are mostly stick shift. One of my friends made the mistake of thinking that even though he had never driven stick before he could learn in five minutes. Let’s just say he had a hard time even getting it out of the parking lot and it took a lot longer then five minutes.Gas is a lot more expensive over there. You are going to end up spending around $7.00 a gallon. Unlike most other stores gas station do stay open later and open on Sunday but don’t count on them being open twenty four hours a day. Most will close for the night. Only a few along the main highway may stay open all night.Drunken driving rules are different there too. All you have to do is stick your key in the ignition for the police to arrest you in Germany. You don’t even have to start the car. So if you aren’t sure if you able to drive don’t even get in the car to see.Just realize you are about to enter a whole new world that is nothing like America. You cannot rely on everyone speaking English and being the same. You have to be prepared for anything. If you like this article please feel free to check out my blog at www.906eastchic.blogspot.com Category:Home › Other • Pomegranates: A newly discovered superfood • Where did the joke why did the chicken cross the road come from and why is it funny? • Can mothers diagnosed with bipolar disorder make good parents? • Spiritual evolution of human consciousness • Tips for getting a college basketball scholarship • Living with Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) • Caring for the caregiver • Technologys impact on society