Driving requirements in France, Belgium, NL and Germany.

GSDog

GSDog

GSDog

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I'm going on a little road trip next week to Germany via France, Belgium and The Netherlands.

What do I need to have with me in the car?

Any other legal requirements worth knowing about?

I don't need a special tax disk thing to drive on the motorways like I did in Switzerland do I?

Any advice would be appreciated.
 
Worth noting that in France at least the 95ron fuel generally contains 10% ethanol. Not suitable for all cars. You can get normal 95ron but less common. Most places sell normal 98ron.
 
Forgot to mention warning triangle.

for the high vis you need to keep it in the car and not the boot as you are not allowed to get out of the car without one. worth having a copy of your documents too.

I have been pulled over a few times in eastern Europe and Germany and they have always been pretty blase about it, even driving about with no GB stickers or headlight correction.
 
Thanks.

The AA link is saying that the breathalyser law is now not going to be enforced until March 2013 in France.
 
Jokester said:
What the hell, breathalysers are now mandatory equipment in France?
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I'm not sure if this is true as I heard it from one of our HGV drivers after he had completed his CPC.

Apparently it's advisable to carry several breathlysers in France.
If one gets pulled over and has to use their last breathlyser, they can then no longer continue on their journey as they no longer have an unused breathlyser. :confused::rolleyes:

edit - just seen GSDog's post
 
p1RATE said:
I have been pulled over a few times in eastern Europe and Germany and they have always been pretty blase about it, even driving about with no GB stickers or headlight correction.
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I have generally ignored most of the rules but in France the French plod pick on English motorists just for the sake of being awkward
 
Rotty said:
I have generally ignored most of the rules but in France the French plod pick on English motorists just for the sake of being awkward
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Also because a lot of Brits don't bother checking the rules and regulations for driving in France so it's easy pickings.

Sure someone else pointed it out, but go to The AA website, they have a big section on all the different rules and regulations on driving in Europe. Some of the little things can catch you out if you are pulled over, like having high vis jackets in the cabin of the car (not the boot) in France etc.

Other one to look at if you are heading into the centre of any of the bigger German cities (list here http://www.tuev-nord.de/de/umweltplakette/Umweltzonen_2912.htm) is the umweltplakette. It's basically a LEZ but you need a sticker on your car, they are about €12.50 I think but last for ever. Get them direct from TuV online -> http://www.tuev-sued.de/auto_fahrzeuge/feinstaub-plakette
 
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When I went, I took:

1x High vis vest
1x useless and pointless spare set of bulbs (This annoyed me the most - the car has LED rear lights and Xenon headlights!)

Thats it - my numberplates already had a GB/Euro symbol on and the car has adjustable headlights for LHD/RHD (Which I'd imagine all projector lenses do?)

Didn't bother with the brethalyser as it isn't being enforced and I'd planned my route to involve just 10 miles or so in France anyway. Warning Triangle was standard fit in the car anyway which I'd imagine is the same for your Mini.

Didn't get an emissions sticker which actually I regret - though I think I accidently went into the zone in Dortmund looking for a McDonalds or something and nothing happened, in Munich we left the car at the hotel and just took the train and then I kinda just drove through Duisburg nervously wondering if I was in the wrong zone or not :p

For the sake of 10 euro if you are going to be in a city with the car its worth getting it.

For your route you will not require any Motorway Vignette stickers.
 
firthy15 said:
They are big on winter tyres in Germany aswell. Depends on the conditions.
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There is massive misconception about Germany and winter tyres - half the internet is convinced that they are law in Germany (and therefore we get a huge supply of perfectly amazing part worn tyres as result) but this is simply not true - the law is nothing like as tight as people think and applies only to Alpine areas and wintry conditions.
 
Talking the the umweltplakette if you don't have time to order via post you can just pop into a TuV center (list on their website) and pick one up in person. You will need the V5C for the vehicle and some other form of photo ID (driving license, passport etc)
 
[TW]Fox;23043934 said:
When I went, I took:

1x High vis vest
1x useless and pointless spare set of bulbs (This annoyed me the most - the car has LED rear lights and Xenon headlights!)

Thats it - my numberplates already had a GB/Euro symbol on and the car has adjustable headlights for LHD/RHD (Which I'd imagine all projector lenses do?)

Didn't bother with the brethalyser as it isn't being enforced and I'd planned my route to involve just 10 miles or so in France anyway. Warning Triangle was standard fit in the car anyway which I'd imagine is the same for your Mini.

Didn't get an emissions sticker which actually I regret - though I think I accidently went into the zone in Dortmund looking for a McDonalds or something and nothing happened, in Munich we left the car at the hotel and just took the train and then I kinda just drove through Duisburg nervously wondering if I was in the wrong zone or not :p

For the sake of 10 euro if you are going to be in a city with the car its worth getting it.

For your route you will not require any Motorway Vignette stickers.
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Thanks.

I'll be going in my brothers RS4 which I think has most of that in it already. I think I might need an emission sticker but I don't have time to order it so I'll probably have to try and pick one up when I'm there.
 
[TW]Fox;23043944 said:
There is massive misconception about Germany and winter tyres - half the internet is convinced that they are law in Germany (and therefore we get a huge supply of perfectly amazing part worn tyres as result) but this is simply not true - the law is nothing like as tight as people think and applies only to Alpine areas and wintry conditions.
Click to expand...

Not sure how the German law applies but we get done by military police for winter tyres a lot. They even go as far as coming into camps and checking parked up cars.
 
GSDog said:
Thanks.

The AA link is saying that the breathalyser law is now not going to be enforced until March 2013 in France.
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The testing kit remains a legal requirement but on-the-spot fines have been pushed back until the spring.
 
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