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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jan 24, 2009 17:48:27 GMT -5
Thanks, kerouac, I've never noticed that but it could be an important bit of local knowledge since other drivers will expect whatever is the norm (at a minimum, I could confuse someone by doing the way we do here). I will watch to see how this works!
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Post by candytree on Jan 25, 2009 5:18:52 GMT -5
Gosh, this thread is making me very nervous! Roundabouts, funny yielding rules, driving on the "wrong" side of the road, imaginary traffic circles... In July we will be driving from Paris to Barcelona via the Dordogne, Provence and Pyrenees, and it's the only aspect of our trip that I'm struggling to look forward to! I feel that being tied down to public transport would limit random exploration and surprise "discoveries", so I guess I'll just have to get used to the idea of driving in France, even if my stomach gives a couple of leaps at the thought of it!
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Post by sunshine817 on Jan 25, 2009 7:40:09 GMT -5
Candytree, I don't know if this will help -- but the first time I drove in the UK (the 'wrong side' for me), a friend told me that if I had any doubts, to follow the car in front of me.
It sounds absolutely daft, but it works!
The only time that everything just went absolutely pear-shaped was when I tried to parallel park in a small town. I was on the wrong side of the car, on the wrong side of the road, and it took about 5 tries before I finally got parked.
I'm sure the shopkeeper in the store where I parked was endlessly amused.
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Post by Katharine on Jan 25, 2009 8:58:15 GMT -5
candytree,
Other than the "wrong side" issue, you will find driving in France to be a breeze. The roundabouts are no big deal at all (especially after you have made it around a couple of them) and having the car will be so liberating. Go and have a great time.
I love sunshine's advice for you to follow the car in front of you. That is spot on!
Katharine
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Post by Anne on Jan 25, 2009 11:49:31 GMT -5
Driving in Paris or out of Paris is much less of a hassle than going out of the city to find a place to pick up the car. If you are feeling nervous, get an early start before traffic gets heavy. The only little detail that I would add in terms of tricks of driving in France is that cars turning left nearly always make an "imaginary traffic circle" and go around the back of each other rather than turning in front of each other. There are some very rare exceptions to this and they are generally obvious due to local conditions. I personally never had the nerves to drive IN Paris  . The way of turning that you descibe is indeed in use and it can sometimes end up in small traffic jams when several cars want to turn left on both sides of the road and then each file blocks the other one if some stupid drivers have decided NOT the let the other file cut through in front of them  ! I can only stress the problem about the right-hand road priority . It is sometimes so illogical considering the size of each road that many people get mistaken . Knowing that, I am VERY cautious when I have priority while being on a minor road, actually I drive veeery slowly in case the drivers on the main road don't notice that I have priority . |
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Post by annette on Jan 25, 2009 16:38:02 GMT -5
Again, thanks everyone. This discussion has been very helpful. We'll watch the right-of-way and take a few laps in the roundabouts!
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Post by cigalechanta on Jan 25, 2009 20:19:22 GMT -5
Don't drive too slowly, the French will stay on your tail. A tip: through out France is a chain of seafood restaurants, very good and usually located by the round aboouts. They are named La Criee
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Post by cigalechanta on Jan 25, 2009 20:23:18 GMT -5
P.S, Annette when you are driving in the direction of a village you are going to, you may only see the big city or town in that direction noted on signs until you get near your destination.
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Post by candytree on Jan 26, 2009 4:57:15 GMT -5
sunshine, thanks for the advice - I'll bank that bit of information. I had to laugh at your parallel parking experience, I can just imagine how disorientating that must have been. I'm not the most confident parallel parker at the best of times, so I think I'll have to avoid being in that situation at all costs!
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Post by phread on Jan 26, 2009 10:11:54 GMT -5
candytree, road trips terrorize me, too. Not because I am worried about driving anywhere in the world (Vietnam, Cuba, Hong Kong... I've tried it), but because I HATE long car rides. BUT it is so much fun exploring the French countryside that I am always game for one here.
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Post by PariS on Feb 19, 2009 1:08:52 GMT -5
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Post by phread on Feb 19, 2009 2:34:55 GMT -5
All three are within the Ile de france, so it should be the perfect map.
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Post by PariS on Feb 19, 2009 10:02:22 GMT -5
Thank you, Phread! I'm going to get that ordered so we'll be all set for our adventure when the time comes!
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Post by kerouac on Feb 19, 2009 14:39:02 GMT -5
Perhaps I have exceptional driving skills (I very much doubt it), but no matter which side of the road on which I have had to drive or the sometimes strange signs that one must follow, I have always been relatively comfortable on the road after the first 30 minutes.
The only exception is in cities with tramway tracks all over the place (Brussels and Zürich come to mind) -- I am often uncertain as to whether the cars are supposed to drive on them or to avoid them completely.
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!
Let the riot begin! LOL - 
hahahha