Driving in France
Sep 17th, 2002, 09:21 AM
#22
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When one states "French drive well", "Italians drive well" etc, on what basis are these statements made?<BR><BR>If the fatalities per km driven (which include all factors, drivers, road conditions, etc) is used as a guide, then the US road seem to be safer than the European roads except in Scandinavian countries, Netherland and UK.<BR><BR>Data found at:<BR><BR>http://www.bast.de/htdocs/fachthemen...glish/we2.html
Sep 17th, 2002, 10:10 AM
#23
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Tolls and Signs<BR><BR><BR>What threw me the first time I drove in france were the toll plazas on the freeways. There were no tollbooths and no signs explaining how to pay (at least none that we saw). I was afraid that we had missed getting a mileage ticket earlier or something, and basically I panicked thinking that I was going to hold up traffic while people yelled at me.<BR><BR>Fortunately there was an attendant not too far away. My wife asked how we got through. It turned out to be very simple-- you just swiped your credit card through the slot on the gate and the toll was added up automatically. I'm glad that I didn't try to run the toll with the car ahead of me (I thought about it)!<BR><BR>An earlier poster made me laugh-- the signage in France-- especially away from the freeways-- is often just terrible. Having a good map is essential if you go off the beaten path. Try to leave extra time for missing the right roads several times on any lengthy trip. Road signs are often vague, ambiguous, or just not there at all.<BR><BR>Otherwise, France is easy to get around. The drivers are perhaps a bit more aggressive than I am used to, but no problems that you wouldn't find anywhere else.
Sep 17th, 2002, 10:21 AM
#24
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I have to disagree emphatically about signage in France being "terrible." It is based on different principles from, but is far, far superior to, signage in the USA. It is almost impossible to get lost in France, even in the remotest corner. No, you will not see route numbers all that often, but you will always see the name of the next town, and the next biggest town, etc., along your route. If you have consulted a map, therefore, it is almost impossible to get lost. Coming into a town, there is always a sign for the Centre Ville. Leaving a town, there is almost always a Toutes Directions sign, which will be followed by signs with the names of the next towns along however many routes may be leading out from the town. Signage in France is so detailed that when you get out into the really tiny country roads, the names of people's houses will appear on signs by the lanes that lead to them.
Sep 17th, 2002, 01:18 PM
#25
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"Far, far superior" to the US? Sorry, not even close. <BR><BR>--French signs never give directions (N/S/E/W). That just blows.<BR><BR>--there are very few roadsigns warning ahead of time of an intersection<BR><BR>-- instead, there is usually only one sign (if you are lucky) giving you route numbers at intersections. This sign is usually right at the intersection and easy to miss-- you can't see it until you are right on top of it or even past the intersection. These signs are often quite small, unlit, and hidden by foliage or other obstruction.<BR><BR>--At complex intersections (more than two intersecting roads) French signs are almost invariably vague about which road is which. Just an arrow pointing off in some random direction and you have to guess where it is pointing.<BR><BR>--There are very few route markers or mileage signs along the way; once you make a wrong turn you may not have a second chance to discover your mistake for miles and miles.<BR><BR>Sorry, but in the "everything is better in Europe than in the US" game, bragging about French road signs being superior is pretty amusing.<BR><BR>You can get to any town in the US without a road map. I wouldn't recommend trying the same trick in France. Unless you know the route, you had better have a good map handy.
Sep 17th, 2002, 03:37 PM
#26
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This has been said, but no east, west type of signs. You will see a town or village name and then a small area that will say for example "D5" for the road.<BR>Priority is not always right. If you are on a priority road then you have the right of way. There are signs that mark this. Other signs will tell you to give right of way. Priorite a droite = traffic from the right has priority. Priorite a gauche = traffic from the left has prioity. Unleaded gas is San Plumb.
Sep 23rd, 2002, 04:32 AM
#31
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On a purely practical level, as you will be driving on the right in a left hand drive car you will find that bit easier than if you were driving in the UK!<BR><BR>I would agree with most posts about the signposting in France - it can be terrible. I've been holidaying in France for over 20 years, mostly with my parents as a child and almost always driving, and one of our games used to be "spot the sign." Invariably it was in the bushes at the side of the road, hidden in the trees, or appeared at the junction but not before. The worst ones tended to be the directional signs in towns and cities, which vaguely point in the direction of the road but usually give you a couple of options to guess at.<BR><BR>The autoroutes, though, are generally pretty good - I'd say the signposts on these are better than in the UK.
Sep 23rd, 2002, 11:52 AM
#33
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I've been wondering myself about the "bornes kilometriques". My guess is that they weren't of any actual use and are not installed anymore nor replaced. Anyway, it was extremely difficult to notice them, let alone read what was written on them. There are still there on some secondary roads.<BR><BR><BR>There used to be "bornes hectometriques" (a little white thing) too, but these seem to have totally dissapeared. I'm not sure what was the point of these "bornes" anyway (perhaps when you were walking? Or when people used very slow vehicles like ox-carts?
