[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

RE: Renting/Driving in Europe

Another thing that many people ignore is to thoroughly learn all the controls
of the rental car before you leave the parking area.  Most of us are familiar
with many US, Euro, and Japanese cars and take for granted we know the
controls.

A business associate and I traveled to Italy several years ago.  After
picking up the rental (believe it was a Lancia or Alfa) we got onto an
autostrada and started talking business...... About 1/2 hour into the trip, I
looked ahead and suddenly saw a sign for a 2 km long tunnel with a lights on
warning!  Frantically, reached, poked, pulled, turned every knob, lever, etc
before we found the lights....but drove several hundred yards inside against
on-coming lights, reflections off the sidewall, taillights,  before we did
!!!

Should have known better since several years before that at the Paris Auto
Show I drove into the hotel garage parking entrance only to find a car
elevator that took you 3 floors underground....which shut off the lights in
30 seconds after the bottom door opened in the parking "chamber" whose roof
was only about 6 foot high!.

Perry .