 Poster: A snowHead
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Can anyone give me the low down on rules for driving in Austria? I seem to remember that you need to carry a reflective jacket?? Is it law that you carry snow chains? And finally where do you buy the Austrian motorway permit thing. We are planning to hire a car in Munich and drive down over Christmas. Thanks for your input. Nigel
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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nigels, you have to carry snow chain when driving in mountainous areas, i.e. you will see a sign at the side of the road with a picture of a wheel with chains, at which point you need to have them. So you will need to request them with your car.
You can get the vignette from most petrol stations, and especially those along the motorway from Munich to Salzburg.
Don't know about reflective jackets sorry, although I've never seen one in our hire cars!
HTH
Happy sliding
D
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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?
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Deliaskis, Thanks for your help. I seem to remember getting stitched by the car hire company for the jacket a few years ago. You ha to buy them of course!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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nigels, I spent a couple of weeks in Austria earlier this year, and it was only on the journey into Switzerland that I actually used the motorway (hence a vignette). It depend on where you are heading. All the petrol stations seemed to sell them.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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nigels, If you are going somewhere like Soll or Kitzbuhel you can always nip off the autobahn at Kufstein and use the A roads from there. In tons of driving on Austrian motorways I've only been pulled into a service area for a check once (that time I had a Vignette luckily). Other times I've forgotton to buy one but got away with it. They're cheap and German motorway services will flog you one at the petrol cash desk.
I never hire chains at Munich Airport unless I know the road conditions warrant it when I get into Austria. If I need them once there I buy the cheapo ones at the garage... but I've only ever needed to do this once. They are rarely needed as, to get to most ski resorts, there are no hills and roads are well swept / gritted.
Reflective jacket? Not heard that one but it is probably a good idea wherever you drive. I see them for sale in service areas here now and keep meaning to buy one for the boot... some of them look almost good enough to ski in! 
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Many countries in EU require reflective jacket now. Austria is one of them. I suspect Italy is another, as every rental car I've had recently has had one wedged in the door map pocket. Worth having one anyway, as they cost peanuts (although ferry ports will add a few bob on to the price).
Oh - and I think you're sposed to be wearing the reflective jacket when you fish the warning triangle from the boot of the car, so keep the jacket inside the car, not the boot
Austria might be one where you need headlights on all the time too?
Handy Info here...
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/countrybycountry.html
And a cross reference chart thingy if you don't mind downloading Word docs here...
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/compulsory_equipment.html
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Yes you do need a reflective jacket, and it should be in the front of the car so you can always have it on when outside the car. This has applied since 1st May 2005. You also have to have your headlights on all the time.
I would not try driving on the motorway without a vignette. The Austrian police take a dim view!
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| Mike Lawrie wrote: |
| The Austrian police take a dim view! |
Maybe they should turn their lights on then 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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.
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nigels, and ALL
Beware of the Austrian police, I got fined for not having a vignette, although they had only just been introduced the week before and I had been in Kitzbuel for 2 weeks, further more he also did me for doing 120kph in an 80 zone, I had just been overtaken by a German reg blacked out windows Merc, who ignored his frantic lolliepop waving, being British I stopped  I had nothing to fear I was obeying the law. He showed me the speed gun with 120 on it ie. the Merc's speed, I politely asked how could he prove that was my speed, he smiled and told me he didn't need to  When he asked for my driving licence he did not seem to approve of my Nigerian licence  my UK one had been handed in for the time I was a Nigerian resident. The car papers did not impress him much as it is Spanish. He took all my French francs, US dollars and Swiss francs totaling £85 ish.
THEY are SNEAKY hideing behind road signs on downhill roads, BEWARE
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You have to have your headlights on at all times.
Dont take chances with the vignette the fines are quite heavy nowadays . There not expensive & you can buy them at gas stations even in Germany at the border.We can even buy them here in Holland.
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You know it makes sense.
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Yes you need the jacket, might or might not need the snow chains, depending on where you're going, keep your lights on and buy a vignette.
Also beware of speeding, guests of ours were fined on the spot and a German friend was fined for having too much snow on the roof of his car!!!
Deb
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Nigels
I understand that from this year it will be compulsory under Austrian law for cars hired in Germany to be fitted with winter tyres.
Nick
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Poster: A snowHead
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I hired a car at Munich on Wednesday, it came fitted with 'ice tyres'
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FAQ
), and I now keep the "Sicherheitsweste mit reflektierenden Streifen" 
in its zip pack in the boot of my car.
