A couple of things with speed limits in Austria & Switzerland...
Austria has a 50kph limit in built up areas, which is often not signed
Quote:
There is a speed limit of 50 km/h in built-up areas for all types of motor vehicles, unless otherwise indicated by road signs. A built-up area starts from the place name shown at the beginning of a town or village
You often get the sign after the limit telling you that you've left the limit but nothing that you've entered, so it's easy to get caught (been there!!!)
Switzerland the national limit is 80kph(50mph) on all roads other than motorways - they are heavy with on the spot fines which are based on your ability to pay: a colleague was marched off to a cashpoint for a 800sFr fine for doing >100kph on a dual carriageway!!! Try a Google for largest swiss speeding fine if you're interested!!!
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Sat 10-12-16 10:21; edited 1 time in total
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@geoffers, this is a little known but occassionally terrifying thing!
You often get the sign after the limit telling you that you've left the limit but nothing that you've entered, so it's easy to get caught (been there!!!)
same in France - if there's a name, it's 50 kph, even if it's just a long-deserted farmhouse and an ancient café with a fading ad for Pernod on the gable wall.
Been there......
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Stick to speed limits hidden cameras everywhere, don't speed in tunnels, watch out for Belgians they drive like idiots mostly, pass on the left and get out of the way and back right asap once you've overtaken, treat the hire desk clerk with care (sole purpose in life is to rip you off), drive slow in snow, take care around Eastern European trucks who frequently overrun their hours. Always wear sunscreen!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@pam w, or the beer & peanuts!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Wine gums
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@geoffers,
The "priorité a droite" is a common rule, and in fact one of the basics of traffic regulations in most of Europe. Nothing archaic about it
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@Langerzug, I appreciate that give way to the right is the common practice all over Europe, but if you actually read the French rules it means that if you're winging down the main road at 70kph and T-bone someone pulling out of a side road, where the Priorite a droite is in force they by default have the right of way and the main road doesn't.
That's why all main roads in general have the sign meaning that P-a-D isn't in force
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@geoffers,
I'm well aware of the rules, don't need the explanation.
Here in Holland even bikers (on bicycle) coming from right hand side have the right of way over cars on equal crossings.
The central point is: on "equal" crossings!
You are referring to main roads and side roads. But what constitutes a main road and what a side road? That's not always clear.
And thus the default rule: traffic coming from right hand side have right of way. Come to think of it, this is THE basic rule of traffic in Europe!!
Also in Holland we have this white/yellow sign.
Reading an english text about "archaic" traffic rules on the European mainland is a bit laughable is'nt? Driving on the left is'nt really a very modern thing, is it....?
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
essex wrote:
But wait, who was it last year said he always carries a pair of silicon kitchen tongs so its easier to reach the toll machine with your credit card?
That would be me. Saves time and trouble, as long as you don't drop the card outside the car!
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Quote:
Driving on the left is'nt really a very modern thing, is it....?
Aaaah, but it does mean that we have our sword hand ready, towards the centre for fighting off oncoming opponents.
... Reading an english text about "archaic" traffic rules on the European mainland is a bit laughable is'nt? Driving on the left is'nt really a very modern thing, is it....?
The meaning of the English word "modern" is obviously dependent upon context. Here, as they're talking about vehicles which weren't invented until a century or so after driving on the right was established. Your usage looks mistaken to me.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
If you have a radar speed detector or any similar GPS device that warns of speed cameras leave it at home. Illegal in many EU countries.
If you bring it make sure it is well concealed when in use. Also be aware that average speed cameras are becoming commonplace with swinging on the spot fines.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Never been a fan of swinging.....can understand why they'd fine for that!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
pam w wrote:
Quote:
You often get the sign after the limit telling you that you've left the limit but nothing that you've entered, so it's easy to get caught (been there!!!)
same in France - if there's a name, it's 50 kph, even if it's just a long-deserted farmhouse and an ancient café with a fading ad for Pernod on the gable wall.
Been there......
Same in Germany. And the favourite place for the police to put up a speed trap is 50m into the village where everyone is still in the act of reducing from 100 to 50KmH. Either that or 100m before the end of the village where everyone is starting to accelerate again.
It's probably been said, but while German (Bavarian) police are generally quite Ok, Austrian police are not and Swiss police do not even belong to the human race. Never ever mess with the Swiss police. Do not even consider exceeding the speed limit in Switzerland...
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Oh and if you are flying into Munich and driving along the Inn valley then do not forget to get the Austrian vignette for the motorway before you cross the border. It used to be the case that you were allowed to drive to the first exit at Kufstein. No longer. And what's more they actually have cameras set up there that automatically detect that you do not have a vignette and send you a €300 bill
A girlfriend of a mate had a relative in hospital in Kufstein last year, and did not know about the new rule. She ended up driving past this camera three times in a week and ended up with a bill of €900 as a result!
Golly, @welshskier, silicon kitchen tongs? There's a man who's gone one better than having a towel. I was about to post something superior about not resenting having to stretch my legs now and then, on a 700 mile journey to the mountains, when I remembered I have a télépéage tag. Gets my goat round Torino though, where I don't have a tag, not having an Italian bank account, and the tolls are every few miles.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Steilhang wrote:
Oh and if you are flying into Munich and driving along the Inn valley then do not forget to get the Austrian vignette for the motorway before you cross the border. It used to be the case that you were allowed to drive to the first exit at Kufstein. No longer. And what's more they actually have cameras set up there that automatically detect that you do not have a vignette and send you a €300 bill
A girlfriend of a mate had a relative in hospital in Kufstein last year, and did not know about the new rule. She ended up driving past this camera three times in a week and ended up with a bill of €900 as a result!
I assume that you mean the A12? Where is the last place you can buy the vignette before crossing the border or can you buy it in advance before leaving the UK?
@tarrantd, at the station directly at the border in Kiefersfelden. It' the A93 though, not the A12.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
You can buy it in advance from the uk. I dont know how as i just buy mine from the services. Google should be your friend
After all it is free
After all it is free
I dont know if they have many tunnels on the roads in Montana, its so long since I was there.
I cant remember the year but ....
We were delivering a 1968 Coupe de Ville from New York to Portland.
We stopped the night a motel in Jelly Stone and woke up with 6" of snow in the morning.
Montana is great!
The year was the one when Nixon was being impeached what ever that was ...
Patty Hurst had been kidnapped.
I'm digressing here ...
What I wanted to say was be very careful as you drive in or out of tunnels in the alps ..
That's the spot where the Black Ice forms.
But if you live in Montana I'm sure you know all about driving on snow ... not like us Brits.
What else can I remember about that day ?
We drove all the way to Portland that day.
And there were two guys running around the Lewis & Clarke Campus with no clothes on!
It was the year of the streakers.
Please excuse me writing this ... but I just wanted to.
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holidayloverxx wrote:
You can buy it in advance from the uk. I dont know how as i just buy mine from the services. Google should be your friend
You can buy motorway stickers/vignettes for many European counties in advance for postal delivery to your home address from www.tolltickets.com but as the OP is based in the US I don't know whether they will ship to there.
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I don't want to go off topic, but I feel obliged to tackle the "use of mobiles at a a petrol station"...
I have worked as a cashier at a petrol station, and I saw people do a whole host of unbelievably stupid things almost daily: smoking inside the car whilst the driver is pumping fuel; emptying warm ashtrays into the bins filled with oily paper tissues; leaving the car running while filling up (because it had a flat battery, and didn't want to turn the engine off)... I could go on! Anyway, while on a safety refresher I saw real CCTV footage of a fire which appeared to have been caused by answering a mobile - and yeah, it was possibly an old brick type, this was back in the early 90's.
My point is, you may believe the risk is minimal and the odds are against it - and for YOU, filling up maybe once a week, it might be - but that cashier is serving hundreds of people per day... every day... six days a week... 50 weeks a year... so those odds look a lot shorter to him/her.
I guess sitting near thousands of litres of highly flammable liquid every day probably makes you a little paranoid!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Hyst wrote:
Wrong - we drive on the right side!
The right side is the wrong side. The left side is the right side.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Off course the right side is rhe right side, toke the Sweds quite some time to find out!
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Hyst wrote:
Off course the right side is rhe right side, toke the Sweds quite some time to find out!
It's just the Brits who want to do thinks different from the rest of Europe. And they have taken the old Empire Countries along on their ride on the wrong side.
The US was more smart and freed itself from this wrong doing.
And who knows may be the Scotts are next!?
Sounds like mainly Napoleon & Hitler are to blame for the change to the right.
Samoa saw the light and changed back to the left in 2009; Pakistan considered changing to the right, but decided that teaching old camels (who learned to drive on the left) would not be workable
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
European drivers are generally patient, courteous and polite - discuss...
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Europe is very different from north to south and east to west.
There are differences in culture that can be seen in traffic.
Yes, but most do not carry a gun in the car. That reduces death on the roads a bit.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@cloud cult, The best is to drive careful and keep your attention on the road.
If you are not used to the manual gearbox pay attention on enginebrake in the mountains.
Generally the country's in central Europe have a high road safety standard.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Alastair Pink wrote:
holidayloverxx wrote:
You can buy it in advance from the uk. I dont know how as i just buy mine from the services. Google should be your friend
You can buy motorway stickers/vignettes for many European counties in advance for postal delivery to your home address from www.tolltickets.com but as the OP is based in the US I don't know whether they will ship to there.
thanks - I was answering tarrantd who asked "Where is the last place you can buy the vignette before crossing the border or can you buy it in advance before leaving the UK" - I forgot to tag him
@TQA, Texas, New York/New Jersey are a whole t'other World beyond those three. On a basic level, most american drivers are lazy, distracted and even if they know a traffic law they can't be assed to obey it . . . 30,000+ deaths a year . . . turn signals and seat belts . . . don't need 'em
People have been killed by dining chairs blown out of a pickup travelling at 90mph It went legs first into a car windscreen and impaled the driver through the head.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
eng_ch wrote:
philwig wrote:
As someone said they always disable the "automatic" on petrol pumps in Europe
Not in Switzerland - the clip is fully functional here.
Just put your petrol cap under the trigger, does the same job.
After all it is free
After all it is free
eng_ch wrote:
philwig wrote:
As someone said they always disable the "automatic" on petrol pumps in Europe
Not in Switzerland - the clip is fully functional here.
They work here in Bavaria as well.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
I've found them to work all over Europe, only the UK seems to disable them. I too use the petrol cap, althoguh a TicTac box is another great aid to a hands free pump
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
Thanks very much everyone! Great info.
Just to clarify a few points:
I will be renting at MUC through Alamo as I have a discount here. I am undecided still if I should get a compact with chains or an SUV. For 10 days the cost of an intermediate SUV (like a RAV4) is about 50 euro more than a compact with chains, but unfortunately they seem to have on-hand non-AWD SUVs in addition to AWD SUVs and there is no way to specify which one I want when reserving.
I will have a cell phone but will not be using data as it's pretty pricey. What I plan to do is download directions to use offline when I have wi-fi. I'll also have a paper map.
The P-a-D is quite confusing. However I am not planning at the moment to go to France. Does it apply in CH too?
The black-hose-is-diesel intel is good -- it's exactly the opposite here! Green hose is diesel.
In terms of getting the vignette for AT and CH, and having it in place before crossing the border, are you warned sufficiently that you are coming up to the border?
For rental car insurance, my drivers insurance will not cover me in Europe at all, so liability must be purchased from the rental car company unless there is some other alternative from a third party source. I gather that is something that exists? For collision, if I book the entire rental car cost with my credit card and decline collision at the desk, I am "covered".
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Gets my goat round Torino though, where I don't have a tag, not having an Italian bank account, and the tolls are every few miles.
That reduces death on the roads a bit. 
