6: Getting Around Europe in .NET

Generation Data Matrix ECC200 in .NET 6: Getting Around Europe

away Make sure that all locks and doors work, check the various lights, and scan the entire car for dents, scratches, and fabric rips Check for repair and safety equipment Check the trunk to make sure that your rental car is equipped with a jack, inflated spare, snow chains (for winter driving), and a hazard triangle (most countries require that you hang this on your trunk if you re broken down on the side of the road) Likewise, check the glove compartment for a parking disk (Ask the rental agency about the parking disk; they ll explain the country s honor-system parking lots, if the system applies) Gas up before you return the car When leaving the rental company, make sure the car has a full tank of gas so that you don t have to worry about dealing with local gas stations immediately Also, make sure that you return the car with a full tank of gas Similar to rental-company practices in North America, if you forget to fill up the car before you return it, the company will kindly fill it for you at obscenely jacked-up prices Before you return the car, find a gas station and top off the tank

Except for driving on the left in Great Britain and Ireland, European road rules are similar enough to American ones that you can drive without further instruction However, the following important differences do exist: Watch out for aggressive drivers Most European drivers are much more aggressive than American drivers Don t cruise in the left lane You do not ride in the left lane on a four-lane highway; it s for passing only Help other drivers pass you If a vehicle comes up from behind and flashes its lights at you, it s signaling for you to slow down and drive more on the shoulder of the road, so it can pass you more easily Be aware of speed limits Except for parts of the German Autobahn, most highways list speed limits of approximately 100 to 135kmph (60 80 mph) Remember to convert from kilometers European measurements relating to vehicles are in kilometers (distances and speed limits) For a rough conversion, remember that 1 kilometer equals 06 miles Watch out for gas prices Gas may look reasonably priced, but the price is per liter, and 38 liters equals 1 gallon, so multiply by 4 to guestimate the equivalent per-gallon price

Buy a toll sticker Some countries, such as Austria and Switzerland, require highway stickers in lieu of paying tolls (or as a supplement to cheap tolls) If you rent a car within such a country, your car already has a sticker But, if you re crossing a border, check at the crossing station to see whether you need to purchase a sticker on the spot for a nominal fee Drive defensively Assume that other drivers have a better idea of what they re doing than you, and take your hints from them

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Preparing for a stay in a European hotel Finding the best hotels at the best rates Considering alternatives to traditional hotels

ccommodations will probably eat up the biggest slice in your travel budget But because you have so many options of where to stay, lodging is also an area in which you can save a lot of money In Paris, for example, you can spend several hundred dollars on a lavish luxury hotel room, stay in a clean but simple two-star hotel down the street for around $100, or check into a hostel for about $40 per person per night This chapter gives you the lowdown on the types of accommodations you ll encounter throughout Europe