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Thinking about Euromeet, never ridden abroad before and was wondering if you guys have any tips on travel insurance, roadside assistance/ recovery and the like?...and riding on the wrong side of the road...

Dafydd

Go to your local AA shop. They will have all the info on insurance, roadside assitance/recovery, route planning and all sorts of good stuff.

And as for driving on the wrong side of the road. It doesnt take to long to get used to.

Oh, and for clarification for you non Brits. The AA is the Automobile Association. not the local social club

I thought AA was Alchohol Anonymous and AAA was the drivers club???? Well, I guess both would know alot about driving on the wrong side of the road!

Jokes aside, I'm interested in this also, only driving 4 wheels on the opposite side. I think a sidecar would be really tough.

Tom.

The only time i have ever had a problem driving on the wrong side of the road was when i drove my own car from the UK to Paris. My car being a right hand Drive, driving in France on the wrong side of the road in a right hand drive felt weired. And made for some interesting overtaking manouvers. When i came over here i found it really easy to adapt to driving on the wrong side because the stearing wheel was on the left side of the car, which is also the wrong side of the car.

I dream of being about to afford to import a right hand drive Jaguar E Type and driving it around. Oh the confusion it would cause

I've never had any issue with riding bikes on either side of the road. Right or wrong

Ah, the infamous "AAA" and "AA" - another great example of two nations divided by a common language. Basically:

UK: AA = Automobile Association
US: AA = Alcoholics Anonymous

Hence the look of puzzlement on the faces of my colleagues when I first moved to the US and asked where I needed to go to join the AA!

This goes along with my daughter asking, in class, for a rubber.

UK: rubber = eraser
US: rubber = condom

And for the sweet-toothed members, there's always...

US Milky Way = UK Mars Bar
UK Milky Way = US Musketeer Bar

I'm pretty sure we've covered these things before, but always worth a quick revival now and again (as Billy Graham would say.)

Siggy

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UK: rubber = eraser
US: rubber = condom

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Reminds me of an incident that happened between myself and my then new girlfreind (now wife) when we first met.

She had come to my office at the end of the day and we were going to go out on a date that night. Cant remember what excatly the full story, but i asked her to pass me the rubber. I remember looking at her and thinking, wow, havent seen that look before.

and then

Again a few years ago now, and the same girlfriend (now wife). I, like Bill Clinton, have been known to partake in erm, well you know. But I also never inhailed i might add.

Anyway. We were getting ready to go out somewhere, and again this was when we had only first started dating. I told her that i had to call a mate and see if had scored that day. She looked at me with a confused look and asked, do you always share this info. I had to expalin to her that he was meant to go out that day and score some wacky bacci for the both of us.

Oh my, the old days.

well go to insurance shop as I did and I have europe breakdown cover and my full comp insurance allows my to go abroad (from UK) for 35 days. anyway I'm abroad now
and about wrong side of the road !!! you are whole your life driving wrong side of the road
I had no problems to start riding here and riding mainland europe don't worry about that mayby difficult could be roundabout anti clockwise in europe
Last thing is go to post office and fill E 111 form for medical treatment in EU

Hey Dafydd
Like Greg says, most fully comp insurances cover you for europe.
My Carole Nash insurance also includes european breakdown too.

Also like Greg says, don't forget you E111.
Takes 2 -3 weeks so get the form from the Post Office â„¢ asap.
There is a phone number on there and if you call it, you may be able to sort it over the phone (I did) and it arrived in about 3 days!!

When you ride over there, expect EVERY bike to wave at you.
As you're on the wrong side of the road, left hand waves to left hand.
The coolest guy is the one who acknowledges the other rider with the minimum movement
You might get a hand wave, you might get a raised finger - no, NOT like that!!!

If you move over for a faster bike to go past or if you are overtaken anyway, the usual way of thanking the other rider / car is to stick your leg out.
Seriously!
First time you see it you'll think WTF??

It's dead easy - just think backwards!
Turn right is OK, turn left is across oncoming traffic.
Islands are OK, just don't practice going the wrong way round until you get over there!!

Mainland Europeans are usually MUCH more bike savvy than this country.

Hi Dave.
Im going to germany as well and it will be my first time riding abroad so you wouldnt be the only one..
and Adey.... sticking your leg out...ROFL

Hey GB
Although I've driven quite a bit on the 'wrong' side of the road, when I drove in the states, for the first couple of days I kept trying to position myself in the lane as I was used to it over here (ie: just right of centre).
Hence, I kept driving over the bloody rumble strip things!!

A great way to loosen the fillings in your teeth!!

I ADORE traveling broads!!!

Now that the world governments, in their infinite wisdom, have mandated standard control locations, you can't rely on keeping the oncoming traffic on the same side as the shifter when on a bike. Of course, that didn't work well on the continent because the French (spit) and Germans seemed to get all confused and place the shifter at random.

Always wondered how people adapted in the old days, when there were no real standards. Reading an old (1920's vintage) National Geographic, in which they described Austria, and a section in the middle of the country, where the roads crossed over. Cars in eastern Austria drove on the right, and western Austria on the left, and when they came to this intersection, they were required to change sides of the road before continuing. Now THAT would be mindboggling!

Just been on the website to get my son his E111 form for a school trip to france

Guess what they don't do them anymore.....its been replaced.

Health advice for travellers


Pretty straight forward to do online, unless your trying to get one for a kid under 16.....you have to phone and apply for them.

Lads, many thanks for the advice and for that link Grip.

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you are whole your life driving wrong side of the road

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...come to think of it Greg, I do find I get days like that sometimes!

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You might get a hand wave, you might get a raised finger - no, NOT like that!!!

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If you move over for a faster bike to go past or if you are overtaken anyway, the usual way of thanking the other rider / car is to stick your leg out. Seriously! First time you see it you'll think WTF??

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You have got to be kiddin’ Adey! Think I’ll probably stick to the more reserved British approach and just tip a courteous nod. Saying that mind, it sounds like it would be good for a laugh, I can picture a load of biker’s passing all doing the leg thing, quite a funny sight to behold, a bit like The Ministry of Silly Riding Habits or something….

Hedgehog, glad I’m not the only one who hasn’t travelled further afield on a bike. Come to think of it I haven’t even been abroad for ten years. Suppose I must be like the Cameron’s Strongarm, in that I don’t travel too well. High time I broadened my horizons a little, I think.
Looking forward to meeting up with you guys,
Dave.

Dave Hello !
last year I went home from here to Poland on my TBA will go this year as well and for me it was best way to travel to Poland was flying going by coach and bike bike was the best no worries about that I'm sure you will be happy and such a company like BA.com members I expect alot of fun and laugh

Thanks Greg. It has to be said that is one impressive journey mate! N. Wales to Poland and with no worries, good show! Never mind Ian Wright swanning around the States with his Harley and team of mechanics , it’s guys like you and Nobby on the Triumphs who should really be getting the coverage.

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I'm sure you will be happy and such a company like BA.com members I expect alot of fun and laugh

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I'm sure I've been reading the posts, know what you guys are like!