German mini VOI - driving in Europe

[MADMAX-UK]

Not sure if anyone’s listed items needed for driving in France, Belgium and Germany but I’m planning on taking the following - some items are legal requirements, some desirables. I’m sure it’s all ‘bread and butter’ for most of you but it’s not for me and getting it right is important to avoid disappointment – information is from our threads (Neil and Brett) and Caravan Club publications.

If there’s anything I’ve overlooked, please chip in - it’s more of a checklist than anything else and hopefully might help others:

• Vehicle log book – if the vehicle isn’t in your name, you need a letter of consent from the owner
• Motor insurance – check fully comp applies in Europe
• MOT
• Driving Licence
• Passport – for ID and to be carried on you at all times
• Breakdown cover - check cover applies in Europe
• MAPs/TomTom

• Headlights realignment - as necessary
• GB sticker
• High Vis-vest
• Warning triangle
• First aid kit
• Fire extinguisher
• Spare bulbs
• Spare fuses
• Spare key

• European health insurance card
• Vaccination record card
• Medical insurance

Other stuff:
Having radar speed detection equipment is illegal in France and attracts heavy penalties - remove it before travelling. Simply turning it off is not good enough!

Muggings/car-jacking have been reported in Calais where new-arrivals are duped into helping others and find themselves a target of crime. "Travelling en-mass as we are, I don’t think we will suffer this problem."

Emergency numbers from a mobile?
France: 112 for all services.
Belgium: 112 for all services.
Germany: 110 for Police and 112 for Fire Brigade/Ambulance

Calling you in France?
Remove first ‘0’ and prefix # with 0033
Calling you in Belgium?
Remove first ‘0’ and prefix # with 0032
Calling you in Germany?
Remove first ‘0’ and prefix # with 0049

Finally, Tick-bourne encephalitis (similar to Meningitis) - a problem when visiting Eastern countries including Germany in rural/forestry areas, long grass and bushes.

Edited by MADMAX-UK on Tuesday 29th July 08:45

[RT/10Dave]

Thanks Ade! Very handy... printed off

[Phoenix Viper]

Headlight converters ? you dont want to be stickin them things on your plastic headlights they will make a right mess.

Just whip the cover off the back of the headlight undo the screw and change the headlight dip




Great list.

PV

[V1PER]

Beaten by PV,,,,,,

[Viper]

radar is also illegal in germany so i wont be taking mine, but ill be uploading the static euro camera database to my tom tom

[Viper_Larry]

Phoenix Viper said:

Headlight converters ? you dont want to be stickin them things on your plastic headlights they will make a right mess.

Just whip the cover off the back of the headlight undo the screw and change the headlight dip

PV

Reckon you could do them all in 35 minutes on the train???

[viper paul]

Never done mine never been stopped and checked and most American cars dip is just down and up.

Unless your planning to drive at night????

[MADMAX-UK]

Phoenix Viper said:

Headlight converters ? you dont want to be stickin them things on your plastic headlights they will make a right mess.

Just whip the cover off the back of the headlight undo the screw and change the headlight dip
PV

I think you're right - when I originally started writing 'headlight converers' the thought did cross my mind that these cars have already been changed in some way to comply with driving on the left - unaware of what this change was..... I guessed the simplest solution is to 'stick a bit of tape on the light' but if you're offering to 'tweek' everyones lights on the train over (or is that under) as Graham says then great, thankyou very much - I'll watch and learn.

By the way, I'm having difficulty 'whiping off' my light covers - don't think they've been touched for a few years - has anyone got a 1/4 UNC plug tap I can borrow to free up the jack-nut threads?

[Viper]

i'm the process of renewing my euro breakdown cover, it seems some companies wont recover you if your involved in accident (god forbid) the RAC are one those, they dont recognise it as a breakdown this can also apply in the UK !

[Viper_Larry]

Did we come to a conclusion what to do about the headlights in the end? Auto Express are running an article today that states you face up to a €1000 fine if caught (unlikely) or more worrying is the fact that if you have an accident, you may only be insured 3rd party if the reflectors are not fitted.

Do the OE lights simply switch from one way to the other? If so, how do you do it?

[RT/10Dave]

Viper_Larry said:

Do the OE lights simply switch from one way to the other? If so, how do you do it?

Yes they do Graham, I'll try and find a link to a previous post about how, but it's a pretty quick little job...

edited to add:

Here's a thread regarding headlight re-alignment:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Edited by RT/10Dave on Thursday 14th August 14:28

[Viper]

they do swap but its a 30 min job if everything go's OK, not something you thing you can do on the train, buy the reflectors and keep them in the car is the answer, dont think we will be driving at night in germany anyway

what you need to be more aware of is the spot checks for things in the list above, or pay the 300 euro on the spot fine

Edited by Viper on Thursday 14th August 15:51