Touring abroad country specific legal requirements
Europe
General
Headley18 We bought 5 hi-vis jacket for £1 each at the pound shop Wink I've carried 2 warning triangles for years (in case you forget to pick one up after an incident Wink ). Always carried a first aid kit and have a mixed box of bulbs under the seat. I also recommend carrying an empty gallon petrol can Gasure sell a touring kit for the most used European LPG fillers. although you can usually borrow one at the service station[/b]
Summing up
First aid kit (as comprehensive as you can have) Vis jacket for each person in vehicle 2 X warning triangles (cheap enough) Plenty of spare bulbs (and fuses) An empty fuel can
Louey Make sure you have all your vehicle documents with you and a insurance Green Card - and of course how to contact you insurance AND breakdown service.
Have an up to date map that give a decent amount of detail
For diesels: carry a spare fuel filter and alternator belt and a 40amp fuse for the glow plugs and some spare fuel pipe for the injector overflow
France
Driving licence
GB sticker or GB Europlate
Original vehicle registration document (V5)
insurance documents
Bulb Set
Hi Viz Vest
First Aid Kit
Warning triangle
Fire Extinguisher
(prescription!) Glasses
Headlamp beam converter
Others
- it is illegal to use veg oil in your vehicle in France
--Willoughby 13:46, 16 November 2007 (UTC)
Be aware
- France operates a severe on the spot fine system for traffic violations.
- Radar detectors are illegal and penalties are severe if caught - even if they aren't plugged in.
- You cannot carry more than one spare 5 litre fuel can. (Also check limitations on your ferry/Eurotunnel journey)
- dipped headlights in poor daytime visibility
Break downs in France
PRD (Patrick) If you break down on a French motorway or motorway service area you have to call the local police. They arrange for a breakdown truck to collect you. You cannot use you own breakdown service for this. This can be very frustrating but there is no option. Once your vehicle has been delivered to a a garage off the motorway, you can then contact your breakdown service to arrange what to do next.
On the latter point make sure that you have a reliable breakdown service, before you go anywhere. If you do not the cost of deaing with the consequences can be horrendously expensive. Bon route! It applies just to motorways/autoroutes (their A roads) ie all the roads marked in blue on the road atlas. The signs leading to motorways have a blue background just as in the UK. I did not have to pay the company that the police sent out to collect me. They took us back to their base which is normally a garage. Once I got there, I contacted my breakdown service. They then spoke to the garage direct and sorted out the paperwork and arranged for the garage to sort out the repair. In my case that involved us and my van being transported to a VW garage. This was all covered by my breakdown service. I then only had to pay the VW garage for the repair, which is normal.
Basically you only have to contact the local gendarmerie if you break down on motorways. Otherwise just call your own breakdown service.
As somebody who has needed garage assistance over there several times (broken windscreen, broken throttle cable, ignition failure, dynamo bearing collapse etc) I would recommend having phrases to do with a breakdown already drafted before you leave the UK to reduce stress in what is always a stressfull situation. A tip - the AA used to produce a multi language car breakdown phrasebook. I always carry it with me. It has proved invaluable over the years. I would check with the AA to see if they still publish this
Germany
Bulb Set
Hi Viz Vest
First Aid Kit
Warning triangle
Fire Extinguisher
Glasses
Headlamp beam converter
Others
--Willoughby 13:46, 16 November 2007 (UTC)
Holland
Bulb Set
Hi Viz Vest
First Aid Kit
Warning triangle
Fire Extinguisher
Glasses
Headlamp beam converter
Others
--Willoughby 13:46, 16 November 2007 (UTC)
Spain
Bulb Set
- Replacement bulb set is compulsory, and the tool(s) to change them.
Hi Viz Vest
- Visibility Vests are compulsory.
Must be worn by all outside the car at anytime, day or night, outside the vehicle at the side of any highway not in an urban (street lights?) area. The jackets must be kept inside the car so they can be put on before getting out and also must be visible from outside the car.
First Aid Kit
Warning triangle
- Warning triangle is compulsory.
Only one is required for non-Spanish registered vehicles.
Two are required for Spanish vehicles, but to avoid difficulties with the police it's recommend two triangles should be carried.
Fire Extinguisher
Glasses
- If you wear corrective glasses for driving, a spare pair is compulsory.
Headlamp beam converter
Others
- The use of a mobile telephone, other than a true hands-free, whilst driving is now banned.
- The law operating in Spain regarding the use of indicators on motorways is being strictly enforced. You risk being fined for not indicating before overtaking and again before pulling back to the nearside lane after overtaking. Also, ensure you do not cross the solid white line as you enter the motorway from a slip road, but wait until the line is broken.
--Willoughby 13:46, 16 November 2007 (UTC)
