Tinlizzie Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 We are making our first trip to France in our RHD Hymer motorhome next week using the tunnel. Not having been through the tunnel or driven on the right for quite a few years I am a little worried about the first mile or two. What is it like when you exit the tunnel. We will be heading south onto the A16. Is there anything I need to watch out for? Has anyone got any tips or advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheer lunar-see Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Yes, take your time, don't let other drivers intimidate you and force you to drive faster than you want. Better to be five minutes late in this life than five mlnutes early in the next. You'll be fine, do you have sat nav ? If so set it up ready for the exit from the train. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Just make sure you keep your bum in the gutter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinlizzie Posted May 21, 2016 Author Share Posted May 21, 2016 Many thanks - we do have a sat nav so will wind that up before we leave the uk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aultymer Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Go with the flow! There will be other vehicles to follow from the moment you get off until you are on the motorway - relax! The adrenaline will keep you alert for the first few hours. It is after a few days, when you relax, you do a left turn onto the wrong side of the road! Enjoy the relatively quiet roads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan k Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 You'll leave the Eurotunnel site directly onto the motorway, so keeping on the correct side of the road isn't a problem. Its all well signposted on the motorway and there'll be enough traffic about for you to just follow everybody else at first. As others have said don't get pushed into rushing. For the first few trips, the danger points are when you leave the motorway and have to make your way around traffic islands especially at T junctions. Take your time and get your passengers to help you to pick the correct lanes for where you want to go. Be aware when leaving overnight stops or supermarkets or when starting again after a stop to make sure you're driving on the right. Be especially careful after you've turned round in a gateway or similar when you realise you've taken the wrong direction. After 30 years of driving in Europe, I now get panics leaving UK campsites in the motorhome and when leaving supermarkets in the UK cos usually we're on the continent when using the motorhome on long trips. It'll be fine and generally on the continent the amount of traffic is alot less unless you want to drive through Paris or Madrid or Naples or Palermo and even then, don't let them bully you and just take your time. It works for me !! cheers alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinlizzie Posted May 21, 2016 Author Share Posted May 21, 2016 Thank you that is all very reassuring. Lizzie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Den Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Your Sat nav may take a few mins to realize it's in France. You may have to change from uk to France. A couple I met some time ago were nervous and were first off the train They pulled over and let them go first. A great idea. It's like a starting grid with all the F1 drivers behind you. It is the first 2-3 miles and getting on the correct route. All the best and enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Our biggest problem , is not driving on the right when we are abroad. The problem arises when we we get back to Uk!! I have to remind OH which side to drive on PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Way2Go Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Hi Lizzie, Like a lot of other people, we have done this trip many times and you will soon get into the swing of how things work. I agree with the others in that don’t get intimidated or pushed where you don’t want to go. Having said that, if you go wrong sort it out afterwards, don’t suddenly switch lanes at the last minute because they drive a lot faster on European motorways. If you end up taking the wrong road your satnav will work out a way to get you back on to the right road again. We rely heavily on our satnav and she has seldom let us down. If it helps, this is what we do every time we cross the channel:- 1. Using our satnav, we create an itinerary or our trip with various waypoints and destinations locked in. You can always change it later if you are a free spirit and like a challenge. 2. We set the Folkestone Eurotunnel pay booths as a destination (51.09288, 1.11679) followed by various destinations/waypoints on our trip. 3. The next destination will be somewhere where we plan to stop in Europe (overnight usually). 4. When we get on the train, we change the satnav time to +1 hour and miles to km to match the signs we’ll be seeing in Europe. 5. We then turn off our satnav to reserve battery power while the engine is off during the crossing. 6. As soon as we see daylight (when we come out the tunnel), we switch our satnav back on again. NOTE: We don’t usually get a GPS satellite lock until we are actually driving along the platform or on our way along the motorway access road (so don’t be in too much of a hurry). 7. As soon as our satnav gets a GPS lock we follow her directions to our destination. NOTE: Bear in mind that if you go wrong she will always get you back on the right road again. It may not be pretty but it works ? 8. When we are heading to the UK we set our satnav destination to the Calais pay booths (50.9378, 1.81524). 9. When we get on the train, we set the time to -1 hour and km to miles. Finally, the thought of driving in Europe is usually much worse than it actually is. Those thoughts at 2am and seldom experienced and many people say that driving in Europe is much easier than the UK. Roundabouts are OK because you are already on the ‘wrong’ side of the road and will drive anti-clockworks. Road junctions can be ‘interesting’ so stay alert and keep right. Traffic lights usually go Red then Green (no red + amber like in the UK). Best of luck and have fun Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Its easiest when quite busy as you follow others. Dodgy when no traffic as you tend to drive like in the UK. Keep reminding yourself keep right keep right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldi Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 Morning folks, Follow the vehicle in front and watch for the overhead gantrys and get in lane but it does,nt matter if you start going the wrong way you will gain all the confidence you need by the time you get to the next intersection, and relax, you are on holiday not rushing to get somewhere. Enjoy your holiday. norm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archiesgrandad Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 It can help if you put a sign saying "KEEP RIGHT" on your windscreen, just on the edge of your vision.. If you are concerned about accurately placing your van on the highway, find a quiet car park or side road, position your van the correct distance from the kerb or white line, then settle yourself in the driving seat and with the help of an assistant stick small strips of tape vertically on the windscreen to give you a sight line on the kerb and whiteline a few yards ahead of the vehicle, you can then stay easily in your lane. Above all, try to relax and enjoy the ride, you are entitled to be there, and always remember, "the man who never made a mistake never made anything". Put the bits of tape etc., on before you leave home, then you can get used to using them on the way to the ferry port on roads you are comfortable. AGD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 I went to the USA recently and tp practice I spent 1/2 hour going round the car park, much to the amusement of the staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinlizzie Posted May 22, 2016 Author Share Posted May 22, 2016 Hi Barry, Thanks so much - I love a process and will print this off and follow like a bible We are feeling much more confident now Lizzie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinlizzie Posted May 22, 2016 Author Share Posted May 22, 2016 Thanks to everyone who has given advice with this - every single one of you has been really helpful, We are so looking forward to our trip now lizzie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Way2Go Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 Tinlizzie - 2016-05-22 10:41 PM Hi Barry, Thanks so much - I love a process and will print this off and follow like a bible We are feeling much more confident now Lizzie You are extremely welcome Lizzie and I hope you have a wonderful trip (sorry about the typos in my original post - I hope it made sense). Let us know how your trip went. Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinlizzie Posted June 23, 2016 Author Share Posted June 23, 2016 Thanks everyone. Just back from our holiday in France. You were all so supportive before we left and absolutely right - it is all vey straightforward. We were very impressed with the efficiency and speed of the tunnel, and on exit, it was hard to go wrong. The French roads are a dream - so little traffic. What must French people think when they arrive into the bedlam of the SE England? It was a great holiday - the Ile de Re was the best bit for me - but it was all gorgeous(if a little damp). A small error we made was not to take a printed mapbook to check the route.- at one point we arranged to meet someone in Excideuil and ended up going to Exideuil 1.5 hrs away. Oops! Thanks again to you all Lizzie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daviddwight Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Hi Lizzie just remember that the driver of an English vehicle has the edge of the road on their right hand side, I follow this rule and have no problems. Just be aware that certain cross roads in France have the right of way from the right, the crossroad sign is marked with an X not the usual +. Just relax and enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Hi Lizzie, you will be ok I'm sure as said by others much easier than you think one extra tip I use set your satnav to kilometres it saves you mentally checking and also will alert you if you stray over the speed limit especially helpful in towns and villages Have a great trip Snail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave225 Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Do not worry you will do fine. Just make sure that when you are leaving the Eurotunnel exit road you get in the lane going the way you wish. If you get it wrong just turn around at the next exit. Just remember the ground rules: You drive on the right and do expect the French to drive on both right and left. They will also pass you at speed and cut right in front of you. It is not theiir fault, they have just not seen you. Watch out for slip roads as the French, and others automatically assume you have seen them and they do not have to worry. They will chat to the wife while driving slowly and at the last moment pull out right in front of you. Take care at aires/service areas as if you folow the signes for trucks you may find all the spaces full, especially at weekends, and there will be drivers milling about. If you follow the signs for caravans you will probably find French cars parked there so they can allow their dogs to do the business. I saw one Dutch caravanner who was so p...d off that he parked right across the front of them blocking their exit. If you are going through roundabouts be aware that trucks will signal left although they are going straight. This is to stop French drivers trying to cut them up on the outside. Do the same. If you are on an autoroute and are looking to pass a truck, be aware of vehicles coming up fast butt if there are so many of them you feel you will nto get out, then just signal and pull out in the first available gap. Let them wait, they usually do, or you will be stuck for miles. Sorry, but sometimes you have to make your own point. If you have not got a toll tag then may I suggest you do as it makes life so much easier. It is good fun driving at 30 km per hour through the barrier and it opens befor you have reached the end. You can laugh at all those waiting for their card to be rejected. Apart from that the roads are usually quieter than here and you enjoy the drive. If your wife drives then get her to do the nasty bits, such as Toulouse or Bordeaux. More fun to sit in the passenger seat with your knees against the windscreen. Seriously my wife does them and is far better at it than me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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