How should I prepare my car for driving across Belgium, Holland, France and Germany?
Later next month I will be driving to Germany. The trip will also include visits to Belgium, Holland and France. To comply with the European driving requirements that I know of, I will be purchasing a triangle and headlight converter stickers. Can you please tell me of anything more that I will need to do to comply with EU regulations?
I have just bought a new satnav with European map coverage. It also shows speed limits and indicates camera locations. Will this satnav be legal because it indicates fixed camera locations? Being an existing RAC member, I have enquired to the RAC about their European breakdown cover. It sounds good and cost around £60. Is there any better cover that you know of? I am having my vehicle serviced before leaving, and will be carrying some spare oil and water. Do you know of any other sensible precautions that I should adopt?
I have just bought a new satnav with European map coverage. It also shows speed limits and indicates camera locations. Will this satnav be legal because it indicates fixed camera locations? Being an existing RAC member, I have enquired to the RAC about their European breakdown cover. It sounds good and cost around £60. Is there any better cover that you know of? I am having my vehicle serviced before leaving, and will be carrying some spare oil and water. Do you know of any other sensible precautions that I should adopt?
Asked on 4 September 2011 by AH, Sheffield,
Answered by
Honest John
RAC and Britannia Rescue get the most favourable reports from readers. You also need high viz tabards or jackets for everyone in the car, to be carried inside the car. And in Germany you are supposed to carry a medical kit. The satnav will not be illegal. Radar detectors are highly illegal in France. A full service about a fortnight before you go is a good idea. A fortnight before in case anything shows up soon after the service, to give time to rectify it. If the car has a cable clutch (it probably doesn't), good idea to carry a spare RHD clutch cable because they are very hard to get in LHD Europe. In snow, in Germany, you cannot drive the car unless it is on winter tyres.
Cold-snap snow-how: Advice on coping with the freezing weather, including videos, facts and winter driving advice.
Honest John's Guide To Winter TyresSimilar questions
I have read in your columns that France, Germany, Italy, Holland and Belgium do not approve of the use of satnavs with speed camera data. Last March I drove in Spain and Portugal without problems using...
A new convert to the virtues of adding cold weather tyres to my car following your admonitions, I have to say 'thank you'. The car is not only safer but a tad more comfortable. But a new concern has arisen...
I have just purchased a set of Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme tyres for use on a Kia Sportage. This was the first time I have come across the new EU tyre labels and I was not surprised to see that, for a...
.jpg)
