Driving in England/Europe, anywhere that isn't the US...

[Robo McDuff]

Driving our 5-ton in the Netherlands to the DoT for road safety testing.

A friend of me and I decided one year in the mid 1980s that Christmas and Silvester was getting boring in the Netherlands, so we bought a Volkswagen T2 "hippie bus", threw a platform with mattress and sleeping bags in the back, driving plates and extra water, and went south. Some 2,000 miles later, in In Salah, Algeria (Northern Sahara) our windshield was shattered and it was time to turn around. Through Tunis we drove back. Apart from some nervousness in Algiers, I never felt scared or threatened during that trip.

Now, its completely different.

Iran, Turkey, Egypt.

I was in Egypt this year, despite having doubts about safety. We flew into Hurghada, were driven with a shuttle bus 35 miles south to a mid-level Red Sea resort in the middle of nowhere. All included, 10 days great time, swimming in the sea or in the resort pools, with free drinks from the bar inside the pool. Great time, nothing scary or strange ......... in a completely isolated and fenced in resort. If you would tell me I was in Australia, or Morocco, or wherever, I would have believed it also. However, along the road, clear and visible police and military presence. Also, even in those resorts, smaller but deadly incidents happen almost yearly. The same goes for tourism resorts and destinations in Turkey, Iran etc.

Going anywhere outside those holiday resorts on a DIY holiday and you quickly run into a a complete different cattle of fish. One of our co-workers this year used to work for OSCE as observer for elections or cease-fires etc in Ukraine, some African countries and even some Balkan countries: not a nice experience.

The biggest problem, however, are the border crossings. Turkey is not really friendly with the neighboring countries and there are wars going on there, declared or not. So inside Iran there are enough places you could drive around safely, same for Egypt, maybe even Iraq. Problem is, how do you get your truck from one safe area through disputed areas with ongoing fighting into the other safe area. Also, I doubt if your insurance would be happy to cover you if you willingly and knowingly would make that trip.

 

[Guyfang]

I will happily join the discussion and extend an invitation to visit us as well. I am a European: a Dutchman working in the Czech Republic with a French car bought from an Austrian party. I drove a 5-ton in the Netherlands. Not much, but still. And drove LHD cars (but not trucks) in the UK. And I have my up to date CLD for trucks.

First, sounds like a swell trip, and I would sign up for most parts of it immediately. So I hope I am not too alarmist here.

Going through your points one by one. It will double comments already earlier made, but it will help you decide that sometimes it is not one person who is saying something but several people saying the same thing.



First, driving license. At least in the EU, you do need a special license for driving a vehicle over 7,700 lbs (3.5 ton). No discussion, no "but I use it privately" etc. The limit is 3,5 ton for cars with normal driving license (which is type B). Everything above you have to have your type C. If you drive professionally, you also need a special professional license (code 95), which is a pain and expensive. You need to check if your license is valid for the Deuce in the EU and UK


Once you have that, get your International Driver’s License. In most cases in the EU, I don’t think you need it, but outside the EU definitely, so take that with you and also a so-called insurance green card or any other evidence your car insurance is paid up AND VALID in the countries you visit.

As to time limits you can drive on your USA or International Driver’s license, not sure on the legal stuff here, but I think that as long as you do not work there is no problem.

Also important and quite confusing for foreigners. In Europe, you have the EU, the Euro zone, and the Schengen Area (to keep it simple). The EU is probably familiar, and about 2/3s of the countries in the EU use the Euro. On top of this, 26 countries in Europe (both EU and non-EU) have joined in the so-called Schengen Area. There are NO border controls and there is free movement between those countries inside the area. However, there is a time limit on your holiday visa: you can stay 90 out of 180 days in the Schengen Area. The time starts when you enter the first time, and then just counts to 180 and the clock is reset. If in this 180 period you stay 91 days in the area, you are in problems (if they catch you). Read more about it here. Not the most legal of sources, but it explains it good.

Guyfang: the worlds best beer in Berlin? What beer would that be?

Berlin? Who said anything about Berlin? Oberfranken!!!!!!!! Upper Frankonia to English speakers. Nowhere in the world are there as many beer breweries per capita as here. Best beer? Too many to name. That's the problem. I have been here 45 years, and haven't managed to try them all. But still working on it!

 

[russojap]

G'day everyone,.....


Just so you know, you won't have any of those above mentioned issues down here.

Even the city streets will be wide enough for a Deuce.

No bandits, (well except for any parking tickets).

Let us know where your planning on being down under, maybe I can meet up with mine?

You'll find Australia will be fine.

Just remember the spiders, snakes, Croc's, Dingo's, Roo's, Drop Bears,........






Aussie.

 

[montaillou]

I'm not particularly concerned about my personal safety anymore than I normally am when traveling.

I think I will have to do a lot of research before taking this thing to Europe. I'm good at research and bureaucracies - something I get paid to do.

I know I won't be able to drive it in China unless I pretty much move there and learn Chinese. I will however do a trip around the US & Canada first. I really would like to go to Australia (relatives in Melbourne), but just Australia is too expensive to ship a 9t truck (truck + camper) unless I can get a deal somewhere. Maybe Australia, Indonesia, Japan, then drive across Russia...hmm, I've heard interesting things about Vladivostok. It's always been a desire of mine to visit the Risk (game) regions.

 

[Aussie Bloke]

G'day everyone,.....

Driving our 5-ton in the Netherlands to the DoT for road safety testing.

Ouch,....

I hear the gears grinding in there,....






Aussie.

 

[Aussie Bloke]

G'day everyone,....



Hey, I am in Melbourne!


Hope you get down here, maybe we can have a drink together, I'll bring my Deuce.



Aussie.

 

[Robo McDuff]

................. Maybe Australia, Indonesia, Japan, then drive across Russia...hmm, I've heard interesting things about Vladivostok. It's always been a desire of mine to visit the Risk (game) regions.

Again, this thread brings me back to some nice old times and recent times here and has a lot of links. Did not hear about that game since the 1980s. We used to play Risk until deep in the morning. One guy even going so far as to take it very personall and getting upset because somebody sneak-attacked him.

Vladivostok. Just busy with that. Tens of thousands of Czech Legionaries (fighting on the allied side as independent forces), ended up there at the end of WWI. The US Army got responsibility to bring them back to Europe; the last soldiers left that place in 1921. Now making a new exhibition about it for our museum. Indonesia: my mother was born in Batavia.

Australia: the best car to use there (or anywhere else) is a long-wheelbase raised roof Toyota Landcruiser from the J70 series build in the 1980s. Lots of spare parts etc. Might be cheaper and a lot easier to buy one in Australia or ship it there. I drove USA coast to coast in an F40, great fun.