Planning a trip to Europe

[Randy Haskin]

With respect to renting a car:

Gas is currently something on the order of $7/gallon over there (about L1.00/liter). Renting a car can be VERY EXPENSIVE if you drive everywhere.

Driving is no picnic, either:

- Driving on the left side of the road is confusing as hell
- Roundabouts can be very confusing if you don't know what you're doing
- Roads are VERY NARROW with NO SHOULDER and NO place to pull off to the side if you need to figure out where you are or where you're going
- Road signage, I think, is a BETTER system than in the US, but it will be confusing if you are not used to how it works.
- Parking is also sparse and expensive
- Speed cameras EVERYWHERE, and they have no problem with giving you a ticket for every single camera that you speed through.

[ALAN.L]

I'm sensing a WIX get-together at The Eagle for a couple pints, then a day at Duxford.

I'm in.

Depending on the security situation...anyone up for a RAF Lakenheath tour during the same timeframe?

I would love to meet you guys at Duxford,if you would like an english guide/driver.

Any chance of coming along on the Lakenheath tour Randy ?

I could recipricate witha a tour of the Classic Flight at Coventry.!

Cheers, Alan

[Randy Haskin]

When I get back to the UK in the fall, I'll start figuring out what I need to do to arrange a short RAF Lakenheath tour for the WIX.

[Mudge]

Randy wrote:

With respect to renting a car:

Gas is currently something on the order of $7/gallon over there (about L1.00/liter). Renting a car can be VERY EXPENSIVE if you drive everywhere.

Driving is no picnic, either:

- Driving on the left side of the road is confusing as heck
- Roundabouts can be very confusing if you don't know what you're doing
- Roads are VERY NARROW with NO SHOULDER and NO place to pull off to the side if you need to figure out where you are or where you're going
- Road signage, I think, is a BETTER system than in the US, but it will be confusing if you are not used to how it works.
- Parking is also sparse and expensive
- Speed cameras EVERYWHERE, and they have no problem with giving you a ticket for every single camera that you speed through.

To steal a line from Kelly's Heroes..."Always with the negative vibes, Moriarty."

Just funnin' Randy. Just funnin'.

We'd love a tour of Lakenheath if we can find a way to get there. Maybe bus? Please advise.

Mudge the parasite

ps...speaking of negative vibes, the weather prediction for Bayeux, (ie Normandy) the days we're gonna be there, is rain (big time) and 20-22 mph winds. Loverly...just freakin' loverly.

[Trey Carroll]

ps...speaking of negative vibes, the weather prediction for Bayeux, (ie Normandy) the days we're gonna be there, is rain (big time) and 20-22 mph winds. Loverly...just freakin' loverly.

Isn't that lovely English weather, that sounds like a golden day!

[bdk]

My experience is that things are much closer in the UK than they are in the US so you won't be driving as far, plus the smaller cars used get better gas mileage. You could always bring a friend to split the expenses. If you want an inexpensive vacation, go to China, not to anyplace in Europe.

When driving on the opposite side of the road got confusing for me is when I got back to the US after 5 weeks!

Parking is no worse than the mall at Christmas time...

So how do they collect for the ticket on the rental car when I'm back in the US? Of course if you aren't speeding or running red lights this shouldn't be a problem, right?

Lucky for me I had an expense account...

With respect to renting a car:

Gas is currently something on the order of $7/gallon over there (about L1.00/liter). Renting a car can be VERY EXPENSIVE if you drive everywhere.

Driving is no picnic, either:

- Driving on the left side of the road is confusing as heck
- Roundabouts can be very confusing if you don't know what you're doing
- Roads are VERY NARROW with NO SHOULDER and NO place to pull off to the side if you need to figure out where you are or where you're going
- Road signage, I think, is a BETTER system than in the US, but it will be confusing if you are not used to how it works.
- Parking is also sparse and expensive
- Speed cameras EVERYWHERE, and they have no problem with giving you a ticket for every single camera that you speed through.

[Mike]

We'd love a tour of Lakenheath if we can find a way to get there. Maybe bus? Please advise.

That'd be a VEEERY long bus trip for you, Mudge. I think Randy's talking several months into the future here!

[Mike]

So how do they collect for the ticket on the rental car when I'm back in the US? Of course if you aren't speeding or running red lights this shouldn't be a problem, right?

I expect they'll just charge it straight to the credit card you used to rent the car with. It's the speed cameras that'll get you, especially the ones that work out the average speed you've been doing between 2 cameras. You don't know anything about it until the ticket arrives in the mail a few days later.

[Mudge]

Oh...I probably won't wait.

Mudge the impatient

[Bill Greenwood]

Randy's pirep on the problem of driving in England is right on target and I fully agree. Sitting back in that nice air condition coach is great and probably a lot cheaper if you get a good tour, you can read or sleep.

[bdk]

So how do they collect for the ticket on the rental car when I'm back in the US? Of course if you aren't speeding or running red lights this shouldn't be a problem, right?

I expect they'll just charge it straight to the credit card you used to rent the car with.

I would contest it with the credit card company. There is no due process available when I'm back across the pond. But again, I don't advocate breaking the law just because you think you can get away scot free.