Driving in Europe - headlights

Saskiafinleywaffles · October 1, 2020

Hoping to return to driving in Europe next year, do I still need to use headlamp deflectors or is there a mechanical switch/lever to realign the lights ?

DanD · October 1, 2020

Tris topic has been extensively covered in these forums.
You do not need headlights adaptors on any Lexus model.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 10 Plus using Tapatalk

royoftherovers · October 1, 2020

32 minutes ago, DanD said:

Tris topic has been extensively covered in these forums.
You do not need headlights adaptors on any Lexus model.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 10 Plus using Tapatalk

I understand that any Lexus if it has Halogen Headlamps does need deflectors.

Any Lexus with HID Headlamps doesn`t.

Superduner · October 1, 2020

I can confirm that my RHD RX400H just passed the French MOT with no lighting issues at all.

ISJason · October 2, 2020

I can confirm that my RHD RX400H just passed the French MOT with no lighting issues at all.

Hi. Slightly off topic, but are you living in France? I ask because I am a novice at driving in Europe, so my question is; where would you recommend I go on a first driving holiday in France that is not too taxing from a driving perspective, but quite scenic and historical too, Or doesn’t it matter where I go.

I live in the UK.

Thank you.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thackeray · October 2, 2020

On 10/1/2020 at 7:02 PM, Superduner said:

I can confirm that my RHD RX400H just passed the French MOT with no lighting issues at all.

I seem to have read somewhere that the issue is not the setup of the lights (ie whether you'll pass the MOT) but whether you, as a driver, dazzle other drivers. I know in Germany they require you to fit new headlights that meet German standards, in order to get a UK car to pass their MOT equivalent. But I don't know if the French have the same requirements beyond the law not to dazzle other drivers when you drive.

JBPRX400h · October 2, 2020

Hi Jason

Driving in France is an absolute pleasure compared to the UK. Just avoid big cities, Paris, Lyon etc.

We regularly (except for this year) drive down to just north of Limoges which is about 400 miles from Calais avoiding using the Autoroutes (Peages). The journey takes about 1.5 hours longer than using the toll roads but saves an awful lot of Euros! Also, it is much more relaxing and you see much more of France. Toilets used to be a problem as they were few and far between if you didn't use motorways but there are plenty of McDonald's (other fast food establishments are available!) all over the country now.

Just be very aware of the various speed limits. The French used to drive like maniacs but the majority now abide by the speed limits. The speed limit in villages and towns is generally 50KPH (30MPH) but there are not necessarily speed limit signs as you enter the built up area. The speed limit starts at the village name board (the board with the red border) and ends at the "crossed out" village name board as you leave. Nearly all single carriageway roads outside built up areas are now 80KPH (used to be 90KPH).

LeClercs and Super U hypermarkets are generally the best places to buy petrol. Much much cheaper than the motorway service areas.

Just relax and enjoy but don't forget to drive on the right!

JBP

Spottedlaurel · October 2, 2020

I recall the suggested advice is to turn off the AFS function (if fitted) on the headlights. That's what I did last year.

37 minutes ago, ISJason said:

......where would you recommend I go on a first driving holiday in France that is not too taxing from a driving perspective, but quite scenic and historical too, Or doesn’t it matter where I go.

Normandy would be a good bet, especially if you cross via Newhaven-Dieppe or the like. You can easily get onto some very pleasant, quiet roads and get into the swing of it without using autoroutes. Some really nice scenery there, whether it's coastal or countryside. We've enjoyed several holidays in that area.

Thackeray · October 2, 2020

35 minutes ago, ISJason said:

where would you recommend I go on a first driving holiday in France that is not too taxing from a driving perspective, but quite scenic and historical too, Or doesn’t it matter where I go.

It scarcely matters, as long as you stay away from the big cities. For example, you might not want to attempt the Étoile roundabout in Paris on your first trip. But France has thousands of kilometres of quiet and picturesque roads throughout the country. I'm always struck by how busy it is in the UK when I come off the ferry after crossing from Normandy.

Probably the main advice is to take seriously the "priorité à droite" rule (priority to the right). You might think that when you're ambling through a small town or village and you're on the main road and someone is approaching from a side road that they'll wait for you to pass. But no. They have priority. And they will use it. Be prepared to stop and let them out from the side road. This mostly doesn't apply on main country roads but the yellow diamond sign confirms that the basic rule (priority to the right) is suspended when you're on these roads.

The rule is also mostly suspended at roundabouts where they have gradually adopted over the years the UK system where you give way to the people on the roundabout. (Except at the Étoile roundabout in Paris!) But again there is a sign saying you must give way to the people on the roundabout, rather than the old system of the people on the roundabout giving way to those entering (a recipe for gridlock!).

Barry14UK · October 2, 2020

I would recommend avoiding Paris if you are unfamiliar with it and driving on the right. I had a nightmare experience there many years ago before we had sat nav and to make matters worse the Borg Warner automatic gearbox of my Fiat 130 couoe was starting to give trouble and I had to creep along much to the annoyance of the locals who were honking me in a fury. Somehow, I managed to nurse the car to the ferry an got it back to the UK but only drove a mile or so thereafter when it lost all drive and stopped amidst a cloud of blue smoke. Luckily, I had taken out breakdown cover for that holiday and the car was trailered to my house where I replaced the brake bands in the autobox . That spoilt what had been an enjoyable holiday where we were based in a Jeet in the Loire Valley area -wine Chateaux's, and beautiful scenery and above all so peaceful.

ISJason · October 2, 2020

Thank you all for your quick and interesting and informative responses.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Herbie · October 2, 2020

Never really been into France very much except one year to visit my wife's sister who lived in La Croise de Breanche (or something like that) near Limoges. She now lives in Peyrat De Chateux (or, again, somewhere like that) but we have yet to visit there.

Must admit that I'm not really a fan of France or the french people, but almost every one of the last 25 years we've sailed either the Dover-Calais or Dover-Dunkirk ferry and then immediately driven about an hour up the coast to Ostend in Belgium, which we use as our first and last stops on our holiday drives to places like Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Latvia and such places.

I can say in all honesty that driving anywhere in Europe is always easier and less stressful than driving in this country - just don't get complacent.

When you come off the ferry it's at the forefront of your mind that you must drive on the right etc., etc. It's when you've been there two or three weeks, got well into the stride of things, and then you miss a turning, so you look for somewhere to turn round and then come out driving on the left instead of the right!

There's no big drama about driving on the continent, just relax and enjoy - you'll love it.

flookyk · October 3, 2020

6 hours ago, Thackeray said:

I seem to have read somewhere that the issue is not the setup of the lights (ie whether you'll pass the MOT) but whether you, as a driver, dazzle other drivers. I know in Germany they require you to fit new headlights that meet German standards, in order to get a UK car to pass their MOT equivalent. But I don't know if the French have the same requirements beyond the law not to dazzle other drivers when you drive.

It used to be the case like that and maybe still for some cars but even as early as 2001 with the Nissan Primera I had that was fine.

It had the projector type dipped beam, and like most cars these days, had a flat dipped beam pattern, rather than one that kicked up to the left, so did not need deflectors fitted for EU or headlights changed if moving it abroad.

Superduner · October 3, 2020

9 hours ago, ISJason said:

Hi. Slightly off topic, but are you living in France? I ask because I am a novice at driving in Europe, so my question is; where would you recommend I go on a first driving holiday in France that is not too taxing from a driving perspective, but quite scenic and historical too, Or doesn’t it matter where I go.

I live in the UK.

Thank you.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yes, I do live in France - about 150km NE of Toulouse.

Driving in France is generally great. A lot less traffic once you are away from the cities, and of course lots of fantastic scenery.

Three "downsides". The French tend to drive very close to your tail. Secondly, the speed limit on normal single carriageway roads is 80 kph. Thirdly, gps units are not allowed to show the exact position of speed cameras but have to show a "danger zone". There is a danger zone near to us that is 25km long, and might have a camera anywhere along it. There are warning signs for cameras.

As for places to drive to, it depends on what you want to see and do (and how far you want to drive). It's just possible to drive all the way from the tunnel to the Mediterranean in one day (speed limit on motorways is 130kph in the dry and 110kph in the wet).

Message me if I can help with any more specific information. Pleased to help.

Superduner · October 3, 2020

8 hours ago, JBPRX400h said:

Hi Jason

Driving in France is an absolute pleasure compared to the UK. Just avoid big cities, Paris, Lyon etc.

We regularly (except for this year) drive down to just north of Limoges which is about 400 miles from Calais avoiding using the Autoroutes (Peages). The journey takes about 1.5 hours longer than using the toll roads but saves an awful lot of Euros! Also, it is much more relaxing and you see much more of France. Toilets used to be a problem as they were few and far between if you didn't use motorways but there are plenty of McDonald's (other fast food establishments are available!) all over the country now.

Just be very aware of the various speed limits. The French used to drive like maniacs but the majority now abide by the speed limits. The speed limit in villages and towns is generally 50KPH (30MPH) but there are not necessarily speed limit signs as you enter the built up area. The speed limit starts at the village name board (the board with the red border) and ends at the "crossed out" village name board as you leave. Nearly all single carriageway roads outside built up areas are now 80KPH (used to be 90KPH).

LeClercs and Super U hypermarkets are generally the best places to buy petrol. Much much cheaper than the motorway service areas.

Just relax and enjoy but don't forget to drive on the right!

JBP

Supermarket fuel is not of the best quality, generally. My Navara had dpf problems if I didn't use a good quality diesel every few tanks (or put an additive in). Ok for a short holiday, I guess.

royoftherovers · October 3, 2020

4 hours ago, Superduner said:

Yes, I do live in France - about 150km NE of Toulouse.

Driving in France is generally great. A lot less traffic once you are away from the cities, and of course lots of fantastic scenery.

Three "downsides". The French tend to drive very close to your tail. Secondly, the speed limit on normal single carriageway roads is 80 kph. Thirdly, gps units are not allowed to show the exact position of speed cameras but have to show a "danger zone". There is a danger zone near to us that is 25km long, and might have a camera anywhere along it. There are warning signs for cameras.

As for places to drive to, it depends on what you want to see and do (and how far you want to drive). It's just possible to drive all the way from the tunnel to the Mediterranean in one day (speed limit on motorways is 130kph in the dry and 110kph in the wet).

Message me if I can help with any more specific information. Pleased to help.

When I came back from Spain in late November last year David, most of the (now) 80kph zones, were still marked 90kph !!

Superduner · October 3, 2020

Departments were supposed to have the choice of upping their main road limits again to 90, but certainly where I've been driving, that has not happened yet.

Thackeray · October 3, 2020

8 hours ago, Superduner said:

Yes, I do live in France - about 150km NE of Toulouse.

One of the remoter regions of France for British visitors.

But you're probably not too far from Belcastel - one of the prettiest villages in France. Also not far from one of the smallest airports in France where the town council used to pay Ryanair to fly there to bring in some tourist money!

Superduner · October 3, 2020

Not too far at all, but that is only one of the very pretty places around here. The only one with a Michelin 5* restaurant though.

Rodez comes and goes from the Ryanair list of destinations, depending on the current entente cordiale. Currently it's not on the list, so we use Brive.

Barry14UK · October 3, 2020

Might be worth checking what you currently need to have in your car or is applicable in France. I believe there was a requirement for a high visibility jacket for at least the driver and a spare set of bulbs. Obviously the latter cannot apply where LED forms part of headlights. Is a warning triangle reflector for placement in the event required of an accident required? France used to have different speed limits for good as compared with bad weather conditions on at least some roads. I don't know if this is still the case. I do believe you can be in trouble if you have speed camera locations showing on your Sat Nav.

Spottedlaurel · October 3, 2020

1 hour ago, Superduner said:

Not too far at all, but that is only one of the very pretty places around here. The only one with a Michelin 5* restaurant though.

Rodez comes and goes from the Ryanair list of destinations, depending on the current entente cordiale. Currently it's not on the list, so we use Brive.

We visited Belcastel last year as we stayed not too far away.

A very nice area indeed. All being well we'll be not far away again next year.

It's a fairly mild frustration compared to a lot of what's going on, but one reason for getting the RX was for pleasant cruising when visiting France and it was a shame we couldn't do that this year.

Superduner · October 3, 2020

As far as I know, you need a high viz jacket to be located within the cabin so it's available before getting out of the car (motorbikers have to carry one as well), and a triangle. The requirement for a diy breathalyser has been dropped.

I don't know anybody who carries a set of bulbs.

Motorways are generally 130 kph but 110 kph in rain. I think, but am not sure that you need to have drls or headlights on in rain anywhere.

The police are not allowed (in theory) to check to see if you have accurate camera locations on your gps. Most manufacturers (Tom Tom and Garmin, anyway) don't show precise locations - just danger zones, but I believe that you can download them online as POIs.

Spottedlaurel · October 4, 2020

Isn't the thing with bulbs not that you have to carry a spare set, but that you shouldn't drive with a light not working?

Given the complexity of changing bulbs on modern cars, even wher there replaceable, how much use would a spare set be for a roadside repair?

royoftherovers · October 4, 2020

1 hour ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Isn't the thing with bulbs not that you have to carry a spare set, but that you shouldn't drive with a light not working?

Given the complexity of changing bulbs on modern cars, even wher there replaceable, how much use would a spare set be for a roadside repair?

Non whatsoever Nigel from a practical perspective.

But you can still be asked to produce them and so in order to avoid a possible fine I always carry a spare bulb pack on my journeys to and from Spain, via France.