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Road Trip Coming Up - Advice please

546 views 18 replies 6 participants last post by  Yorkieboycanada  
#1 ·
Leaving for France Spain and Portugal next week and have invested in a Bip & Go transponder to speed up the toll road experience and avoid the hassle of having to purchase a tag for Portugal. Has anyone experience with Bip & Go? Also I am trying to avoid using Eurolites but not sure if it is worth the risk of a fine. The manual states that halogen headlights (which I have) follow all legal requirements in Europe but the thought of trying to explain this to a cop in my non-existent Portuguese is a bit daunting! Any advice from others on the forum?
 
#2 ·
Our happy wander @Trev5 may have some tips.

Your headlights? There was a recent thread and the best that I recall, it said the same as you state.
If it is in the handbook etc then make a printout.
I believe several have said that they have never been pulled up for headlights.

RAC and AA have some good info for European travels.
Think you have to have an alcohol test with you in France.
Spare bulb set for some nations.
Etc etc.
 
#4 ·
Spare bulbs for sure and vis vest.
The alcohol test is some kind of mythology. And i was reading about it but not as legal requirements since 5-8 years...
The headlights adjustment is a must, but your car has a switch in the headlamp. We had it as explanation and a PDF file!
 
#6 ·
If DaDuDe had them switches I wouldn't be bothered with euro... stickers.
If you have GB reg-plate you need UK sticker on the back. But if you have UK on the reg-plate is OK. Use search of a choice and gov.uk and travel abroad. I saw few things after I came back...but really did not save them!
 
#11 ·
Depends on time of travel.
If UkK in daylight then see them up the night before.
Or if travelling at night in UK
There is plenty of time whilst queuing for ferry to switch them.
Just check hat they work before you need them. Might need some penetrating oil.
 
#13 ·
Drive up against a light coloured surface at night/evening and see whether the head lights kick up to the left. My previous R171/350 was already switched to a flat beam pattern when I got it, so was fine for Euro Road Trips (y)

My R172 has the ££££ ILS headlight option, so I just switch it over on the Speedo menu, while on the Euro Tunnel....

I've got a toll tag for France and they make the Peage motorways a breeze in Right Hand Drive SLK's.... 😃
 
#14 ·
Thanks for that. Might try that. However I think I will most likely just use Eurolites as they are simple and no arguments from the Gendarmes if Im stopped. I just worry that I might get stopped and trying to convince a cop in a foreign language that my headlights comply might just get them all worked up and fine me anyway.
 
#15 ·
In six trip to Europe, We've only got stopped once along with all the other foreign cars to check I had the required paper work....
 
#18 ·
Hello, in Portugal there are freeways that are paid with card in toll booths almost all of them automatically, or with cash.
But there are others that the payment is only done by cameras and previously you had to register on their website or register the license plate at a toll booth at the entrance. I doubt that you would have a problem being a foreigner and from so far away, but I am telling you just in case.
From Spain there are not these posts in all the borders, only in some, which forces you to register by internet if or yes, things of Portugal.....
Last time I decided to avoid them and go by non-toll roads, you see more places and do more tourism.
Do some research on the internet or avoid tolls, you have no other solution. If you are near the Caramulo Museum and have time to spare, it is an interesting museum.
If you are not close I don't think it's worth the trip.

From Spain you can check the message that I put a few minutes ago to another colleague of interesting places to visit, of course there are many more, but it can be a good route.
eclosI do not
rview have
From France, I would recommend you if you are still there in early July to be in Le Mans Classic, you are also in the Loire Valley area and its castles.
Be careful in Spain and France there are more and more radars, I recommend installing the Waze app that reports traffic, radars and all kinds of incidents.

In France, the toll booths are too high for my R172 and in some of them I had to get out of the car to be able to pay by card, even if I didn't get too close for fear of scratching it.
Since two years ago, every time I go to Le Mans Classic or any other event I go to, I carry a lot of money in coins and I pay in coins in a basket, it tells you the amount, you look for it and you throw it as if you were playing basketball. I find it almost more comfortable, I don't consider the electronic tolls, I prefer cash for everything I can and more and more, but that's another topic that has nothing to do with this thread.

Have a nice trip!
 
#19 ·
Hello, in Portugal there are freeways that are paid with card in toll booths almost all of them automatically, or with cash.
But there are others that the payment is only done by cameras and previously you had to register on their website or register the license plate at a toll booth at the entrance. I doubt that you would have a problem being a foreigner and from so far away, but I am telling you just in case.
From Spain there are not these posts in all the borders, only in some, which forces you to register by internet if or yes, things of Portugal.....
Last time I decided to avoid them and go by non-toll roads, you see more places and do more tourism.
Do some research on the internet or avoid tolls, you have no other solution. If you are near the Caramulo Museum and have time to spare, it is an interesting museum.
If you are not close I don't think it's worth the trip.

From Spain you can check the message that I put a few minutes ago to another colleague of interesting places to visit, of course there are many more, but it can be a good route.
eclosI do not
rview have
From France, I would recommend you if you are still there in early July to be in Le Mans Classic, you are also in the Loire Valley area and its castles.
Be careful in Spain and France there are more and more radars, I recommend installing the Waze app that reports traffic, radars and all kinds of incidents.

In France, the toll booths are too high for my R172 and in some of them I had to get out of the car to be able to pay by card, even if I didn't get too close for fear of scratching it.
Since two years ago, every time I go to Le Mans Classic or any other event I go to, I carry a lot of money in coins and I pay in coins in a basket, it tells you the amount, you look for it and you throw it as if you were playing basketball. I find it almost more comfortable, I don't consider the electronic tolls, I prefer cash for everything I can and more and more, but that's another topic that has nothing to do with this thread.

Have a nice trip!
Thank you for all your advice and suggestions. I decided to bite the bullet and use Bip and Go so it will be interesting to see if it works smoothly. I use Waze as I lived in Canada for 30 odd years and it was very popular there. Thanks again
 
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