Nope. Freeway signs in all other countries are green.
(This was an answer to Gorillaman’s Umm…doesn’t that match other European countries?)
I’m used to this and find it quite useful.
Nope, freeway signs in Germany, Ireland and the UK among, I’m sure, many others are blue.
Exactly! Although I can perhaps see where Gymnopithys’s confusion stems from, because ‘primary routes’ (British terminology, but reflecting European practice) are indicated in green, with blue being reserved for motorways/autostrade/etc. The British ‘primary routes’ can in some cases resemble motorways in many ways, functioning as multiple-lane limited-access highways, although the rules governing them are still those of ordinary roads rather than motorways.
I remember being introduced to this method by an old boss of mine. She was giving a couple of us a lift to a meeting in her brand-new company car, a few weeks after she had arrived in the UK.
“But Veronique, you’ll never fit this car between that skip and the BMW.”
thud :eek: clonk :eek: thud :eek: grind :eek:
“Ummm - do you do that sort of thing a lot in France? Because it’s not really done over here. Certainly not in Wimbledon, anyway.”
That merging-from-right thing is a real SOB if you’re not expecting it, along with the signs on the Peripherique telling you that your exit is in 200m - cue much savage cutting across multiple lanes of traffic.
My advice would be to try to get a GPS navigation system (in english, natch) - it will free you up from having to navigate so you can concentrate on signs, markings, other road users and potholes…
We usually hire from the Gare du Nord, (Avis, Hertz, Europcar etc.)getting onto the Périphérique and then to the autoroutes is simple (is you don’t get lost). Dependnig how you feel about being thrown in at the deep end you may want to think about picking up from the airport anyway.
The Toutes Directions thing is also quite simple. Essentially follow that through cities until the place you want to go is specifically signed another way. “Autres directions” usually appears in combination with signs pointing to named destinations, if your place isn’t names then you’re going to “other directions”.
Knowing the road number is also useful - these are written on maps and usually indicated above direction signs - even if your place isn’t named it’s comforting to know you’re on the right road.
Tollbooths on the autoroutes will have real live people in some booths and you don’t have to have the right change. As you come up to the booths look up to see which ones are for credit card payment “CB”, for the automatic telepass “T” or have people - picture of a man in a uniform hat. Autoroute FM is 107.7 I think and handy for warnings about any problems on your particular one (it tunes in to the right staiton automatically) and the news is occasionally given in English (German, Spanish).
I’d liken it to driving in Northern Italy more than the UK. I have seldom been flashed from behind by nasty over taking people but it is true that they tend to rush up and expect you to move out of their way. When changing lanes on autroutes you are expected to indicate when moving back to the inside lane as well as moving out. Traffic suddenly slows when there are speed radars (there will be a sign warning you anyway as they are considered rather unsporting).
The bump and grind method of parking is facilitated by the fact that (on the flat at least) the handbrake is not used.
As for jumping red lights I don’t recommend it. You also must come to a complete halt at a “Stop” sign even if there is not another vehicle in sight.
No, it’s not. Most definitely not. I spent hundreds of hours teaching the highway code when I was living in Italy, and that’s absolutely not true. Now, it is possible that some people run a red light, and I’m told that’s especially true in Southern Italy, but while it might be tolerated, it’s not legal.
Aren’t all motorists in France obliged by law to carry a first aid kit. Also a triangular sign to be placed in the road warning other drivers of a breakdown/accident.
Also a spare set of light bulbs. More information about driving in France can be seen here
In fact, this happened to me in southern Italy, outside of Martina Franca on my way to Táranto.
WARNING: Possible Urban Legend/Complete BS.
I can’t remember where I heard it from but I do recall hearing that in a meeting situation (for example on an oncoming car when the road is only wide enough for one car) flashing your headlights doesn’t mean ‘you go ahead, i’ll wait’ as it does in the U.K. (and possibly America), it means ‘i’m coming through whether you like it or not so you better yield.’
If true this could certainly cause some problems but please wait for someone else to confirm/refute this because as I said I can’t remember the source and it may well be untrue.
Enjoy your trip, safe travels!
It seems there may be some truth to it afterall, the following quote is taken from Brittany-Ferries:
I’m not sure what the accepted meaning of flashing your headlights is in the USA but this could certainly cause problems for UK drivers.
From my experience in Sicily, the only thing not tolerated is following the highway code. Parisian drivers are placid, reasonable, and punctilious by comparison. 
Italian drivers rely on their St. Christopher medallion to keep them out of trouble.
You have not experienced fear until you’ve ridden in the backseat of a Renault 5, with two other people, and a slightly tipsy, native Parisian behind the wheel, doing 50mph up the Champs-Elyssee and going into to the roundabout at the Arc du Triumph without hitting the brakes on a Saturday evening in July.
(My spelling in French sucks.)
I learned this on my first foray into Italian roads. In the US, flashing your lights to an oncoming driver means, “You go first. Please, I insist.” In Italy it means, “Don’t get in my way ano, because I’m not stopping.” :eek:
In the US, flashing lights at a car who is signaling for a lane change ahead of you and one lane over on the highway means, “Here, I’ll leave you a space to change lanes, plenty of room here, and who’s in a hurry anyway?” 
(This gesture is seldom seen on the Capital Beltway, where a turn signal to change langes is interpreted to be direction to tailgate the car in front to prevent any such action. :mad: ) Flashing lights when there is no apparent issue of right of way could mean either that there is a speed trap ahead, or that it is dark and you don’t have your lights on, or you have your bright lights on.
Flashing lights when overtaking someone in the same lane seems to universally mean “Get TF out of my way.”
You might want to avoid this route. Or you might want to drive it. If you do, let us know how it was.
Not me, Jack. I have a highly developed acrophobia.
An amazing structure. Some other good images of it here . The method they used to put the roadway on was stunning - they built the road in two halves, stuck it on rollers and pushed it across from each side, eventually meeting in the middle.