In a month or two, I'm planning to visit Austria and South Germany.
In all my earlier trips to continental Europe earlier (though I've nerver been to Austria/Germany) I never drove and always used public transport.
This is the first time I'm planning to drive (not from UK, I'll hire a car from Vienna)
Thinking of driving on wrong side of the road makes me a bit scary. So, what advise you folks have?
I plan to hire an automatic as I shall have time to concentrate on roads rather than fighting with gearstick in wrong hand!
Thanx
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I advise you to drive on the right side of the road!
Actually, as daft as that seems, it's really nothing to worry about, and you'll get used to it very quickly. When you're on the road it's not a problem, you approach all junctions from a position driving on the right, so it kind of comes naturally. the only times I found it necessary to remind myself were when first getting in the car each time, and when exiting car-parks or similar.
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What about roundabout rules? To I need to give priority for traffic from left?
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Ah yes, I've heard the thing about french roundabouts giving priority to the people entering rather than the people on them.
While I was over there, all the ones I saw worked exactly like roundabouts here though. I generally approached them very cautiously. I suppose a decent rule of thumb is 'If you don't know who has priority, assume it isn't you'.
If you drive well within yourself, it really shouldn't be a problem.
I have to admit, before I went I had exactly the same worries as you're having now.
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1st time I drove abroad all went well - it's when I got back I had the occasional lapse! Drove out of a petrol station and off down the road on the wrong side - I was lucky not to hit anything before I got back to the right (left!) side....
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What about roundabout rules? To I need to give priority for traffic from left?
You can count them on one hand in Germany a few more really but very rare to see one.If you are going round by Stuttgart and then on to Munich then try avoid Stuttgart early am or teatime its a nightmare but other than that super quality roads all the way with plenty of very good rest and eating places.Do not forget your vignette for Austria the fine is quite horrendous.
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I've been driving in Austria and Germany since 1979, as SWMBO doesn't like flying, so I have some experience.....
Roundabouts work like here - traffic already on the roundabout has priority. There are more roundabouts appearing, particularly in Austria, and many of them now have a sign saying "beim verlassen blinken" (or something very similar, I'm relying on memory here!) - which just means, signal when you are exiting the roundabout.
There will normally be less traffic than you might find in the UK, except in towns. You will find the drivers in Austria and Germany more aggressive - if you are travelling just below the speed limit they WILL try to overtake you in odd places! Do not be hassled into driving beyond a speed that you feel comfortable at, as long as you are making sensible and reasonable progress. The roads themselves will in general be good and well-surfaced, although beware of 180% hairpins on 1 in 4 slopes - can be fun to safely negotiate if the road is narrow.
The hire car will almost certainly have a vignette - this is just effectively a screen sticker that proves you have paid to drive on the motorway.
And finally...keep your eye on the rear view mirror if you find yourself in the outside lane of a derestricted german motorway - it's amazing how quickly cars appear in your rear view mirror when they are travelling at well over 100mph - they WILL expect you to move out of the way and they WILL drive less than a cars length away at 100mph if you don't (they won't care that you can't move over because you are half way past a lorry at the time).
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As you are hiring a car I wouldn't be too anxious about driving on the "wrong" side of the road. When you are in a left hand drive car you will be surprised how natural it feels to drive on the right. The only thing that feels odd is the gear change........and if, like me, you find yourself sitting in the passenger seat wondering what happened to the steering wheel....well, you won't be the first person in that predicament!
I would also echo Mike H's comments - be sure that you double check your rear view mirror before overtaking on the autobahn. Even at 140-160 kmh those big boys in the black BMs & Audis will be filling your rearview mirror quicker than you can say 'progress through technology'.
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Just tidying my desk before going for a week, driving in South Germany and Austria! Make it a rule that anybody in the car can politely prompt you if they think you are about to set off on the incorrect side of the road! Most commonly happens when starting a journey or after a break - UK instincts take over and you set off on the left.
Also, do not be taken in by hire car rates for CDW waiver. I am looking at the document for the 7 day hire of Focus estate from Hertz. The rental is 150 euros and the CDW XS is 148 Euros. I have a year's cover for this risk, bought for £50 here in UK. Mods please delete this if it comes over as advertising. The firm is insurance4carhire.com and they will sell you CDW waiver insurance, either by the day for a one off trip, or an annual policy if you go abroad quite a lot. I have got a year's cover for half of what Hertz want for 7 days. And they do pay up - I had to claim the first time used them!
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Another cheap option for CDW is via HolidayAutos. You pay them something like £5 per day for full cover. If you have an accident you have to settle with the hire company and then claim it back.
I know it works and even in the worst case scenario. My hire car (Fiesta auto) was written off 30 minutes after picking it up by an HGV. Hertz took the excess of my credit card (wrong amount at first because holiday auto had a lower rate!) and within a couple weeks holiday auto paid back the money with no hastle.
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If you haven't got a sat nav with euro mapping, blag one off friends or family or even consider hiring one - they're not expensive from the hire companies and take all that extra stress and tension that comes with upside down map reading and following "oops too late" instructions at the same time as driving on the wrong side. Recommended.
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You soon get used to driving on the wrong side. Don't be nervous, but at roundabouts and urban junctions do be cautious and take your cue from the way others drive.
Some cars go very quickly on German motorways. Watch your mirrors, keep your foot hard down and stay out of the way. Don't forget that when you are doing 70 a vehicle doing 130-plus can come up surprisingly fast. And they aren't shy about using main beams and air horns to tell you they are there.
Some German drivers drive very close to the car in front on motorways. They drive in tailgating 'trains' and in this way can exceed the maximum speeds of some vehicles through aerodynamic economies. IMO this is dangerous, and I don't recommend it. Leave a decent gap and stay out of trains.
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Just come back from Italy, hired a Fiat Croma, and Crete earlier in the year, hired a crappy Fiat Punto (loved it)
Its much easier driving abroad in a l/h drive car. Take a sat nav so you only need to concentrate on the driving and it all becomes very pleasant. Tell people traveling with you to shout at you if they see you doing anything wrong, and dont get upset when they do!
Enjoy - its great.
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< Ex RF, Ex TVM >
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Its much easier driving abroad in a l/h drive car.
It is indeed, but you can still find yourself driving on the wrong side of the road out of habit, usually in a country area where there's nothing else around.
AE is right about telling the passengers to yell at you. When I did that in Spain last year my wife (who doesn't go in for yelling) quietly pointed out that I was on the wrong side of the road.
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Fuel is significantly cheaper in Austria than Germany - from memory approx. 20 cent per litre, so its wise to fill up before crossing over. Don't leave it till the last petrol station though, or you will be stuck behind a queue of Germans. Also, don't worry about those high powered BMWs - most of the Autobahns in S. Germany are now speed restricted. Since you will be driving in Oct/Nov, when you get your car, check whether it has winter tyres or not (winter tyres have additional slits in each "block" of the tread). If the weather turns bad, i.e. snow, and you have summer tyres on, at least in Germany you could commit an offence if you drive.
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The first day I am on the continent, I always remember to drive on the right. The second day, when I get into the car, I often start to drive off on the left.
No harm on writing a post-it with "drive on the right" on it and sticking it on the dashboard.
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If you have a petrol hire car watch out for the types of petrol in Germany.
The hire company told me to put 'Super' in.
Yeah right! I'm not paying for 97 ron when it will run on normal 95 ron.
I then found out that I was putting 91 ron (moped/Trabant fuel???) in.
Fortunately I only got 10 Euro worth in a near empty tank before realising what I was doing. The BMW 116 didn't seem to suffer.
Re: Driving on the wrong side of the road.
This is also VERY easy to do following a long stint on the Autobahn.
The auto is a good idea. It will stop you trying to change gear with the window winder/button!
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Also don't worry about those high powered BMWs - most of the Autobahns in S. Germany are now speed restricted.
Doesn't seem to worry them! Although to be fair most of them will obey 60-80kph signs in roadworks, it's the 120kph overall restriction they seem to love flouting.
And in my recent experience, it's not the beemers, it is now the Audis that seem to be the most aggressive.
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