Dreaming ahead - retirement trip...

[cygnusx1]

 This is pretty much what I want to do if/when I get to retire.  I would like to ship one of my Z's out to Milan where a good portion of my family lives, then follow it out with my wife.  The we would spend a solid month tearing up the Alps, visiting all the bordering countries along the way.  Here is a taste...one may dream.

 

Edited November 8, 2010 by cygnusx1

[hughdogz]

That would be awesome. Especially if there weren't any other cars on the road like in the video.

[Tony D]

RoRo to England or the Continent is around $1000 one-way.

The DRIVE to Milan. Flying into Malpensa is a drag, MUCH better to drive over from the French side, which allows you the option to go through Germany and get acclimated to the driving styles there.

I was heading to Andorra, and got paged to go back to Valencia...halfway up the mountian. "I rushed back post-haste!" BMW 320... You know they do 255kph+?

[cygnusx1]

I've flown into Zurich and railed it down to Milan once.  That left a lasting impression. I have photos of my dad riding his motorcycle down Stelvio Pass with his snow skis strapped to the side of the bike.  Yes, he rode his bike in the Alps to ski in the Winter...and we worry about all wheel drive.

 

Here is a nice pic of Stelvio that I found in google.

 

Edited November 8, 2010 by cygnusx1

[BLOZ UP]

get acclimated to the driving styles there.

 

Logical. That's how I would put it. At least in the parts of Luxembourg, France, Belgium, and Germany that I drove in. 4 way stops? Inefficient. You'll hardly see them. Anyone to the right of you has the right of way, unless you are on the main road. That's the main rule I remember. And if you get in the fast lane, go fast or get out. I only encountered one driver who was going slow in the fast lane, and he moved after getting honked at. Honk at someone here and they either brake check you or go on without the slightest clue that they might be blocking other people.

 

I'm still in awe at just how much better traffic flowed (even in Paris at times), than here. It makes me that much more aggravated when I come back stateside and see how utterly retarded some of the laws, and the average driver, are.

 

When I returned home, right before my house there are two four-way stops before my house, pretty much right next to each other. Both are in a school zone. So guess how this pans out when people come to drop off or pick up there kids at this school?

 

Ugh, sorry. OT rant.

[Lazeum]

Living in Paris, I would have to disagree with the traffic comments

It is a freaking mess here! Cars are coming from your right, from your back, from your left... you get stuck in the middle of a cross road because there's a traffic light stopping you. As result, people cannot cross because you're on the way with no way to move...

There's also automatic radars every where. 1kph + 5% speed tolerance above real speed limit and you'll get a ticket in your mailbox 3 days after. It is telling you what to pay and how many points on your license you've lost... I get a ticket for 91 recorded instead of 90kph at 2am on an empty 3 lines highway. It makes no sense...

They start putting speed bumps everywhere and there are HUGE. With my Z, I have to go super slow (2-4kph) and avoid going straight on it to have 1 wheel at a time...

 

On the other hand, roads are in good shape. Country side is super nice with twisties every where, beautiful landscapes and very nice restaurants & places to stay.

Moreover speed limits are not as controlled as it is in big cities as long as you're not in a village...

 

Regarding your plan, there's also a Z community in France. I'm sure we're going to be more than happy to help. Some NZ people went to France, they've spent few days with the crew in Marseille, Monaco, etc..

Edited November 8, 2010 by Lazeum

[cygnusx1]

    I have spent plenty of time driving in Europe.  I just always wish I had my Z with me and a fat wallet for fuel.  I love the way cars are driven there.  Much more respectful, with common sense, aggressively intelligent as opposed to dumb aggressive...if that makes sense.  They also seem to take the responsibility much more seriously.  Left lane is ONLY to pass.  Passing on two lane roads is the responsibility of the driver, while other drivers assist with the pass by indicating, and making room.  Here in US, other drivers attempt to block, and if you surprise them because they were on the phone, they just flip the bird.  It always kills me when a US driver has time to lay on the horn but not enough time to react wisely, such as to brake or to move over to make room.   

Edited November 8, 2010 by cygnusx1

[BLOZ UP]

What a coincidence! Just yesterday, at another 4-way stop near my house, I pulled up to it, as did another car to my left at the same time. Now, I didn't intend to make a full stop anyway, but it was intended to be close enough. I could tell the other driver also wasn't going to stop, and intended to go before me. Technically, I should have been able to go first since we arrived at the same time. However, since I figured she didn't intend to stop I just swapped to the gas pedal and went. She, still on the phone and rolling across the intersection, blared the horn and threw her hand up in the air like "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!!?! OMG HOW RUDE".

 

Yeah, how rude. I guess she thinks she's the only one allowed to break the law.

 

I smiled and waved.

[Lazeum]

 I don't share at all your point of view. I lived 5 years in MI and I always though traffic made sense: very easy, no need to think.... but soooo boring to drive, everything is straight (at least it was in Detroit Metro area).

 

...and left lane is also for people at "advertized" speed in Europe   

 

Complexity of French system makes the license also very hard to get. It costs 1500€, an average of 30h to study the rules and get your written exam and 30hrs driving with 6 months lead time between each exam if you happen to fail the first one (50% of success - 1 mistake and you're out!)

 

 

[cygnusx1]

Oh yeah the cities of Europe are also mostly boring to drive.  It's just like driving in any other city, only somewhat more aggression is tolerated..  Choose a motorino instead.  License difficult to get?  I am ALL for that. 

[Lazeum]

Cities are not so fun, I would agree but don't worry for me & the Z; I have a nice playground in the forest where the Z is Loud exhaust keeps the dears, boards and other encounters far away from me.... 

 

 

 

 

We've got a lot of classic rallies as well where the Z is more & more well received

 

 

Edited November 8, 2010 by Lazeum

[1 tuff z]

sweet!

[Michael]

Grass is always greener on the other side! Yes, Northern European drivers are more polite and more obedient… especially in Germany. In England the speed limit is 70 mph, and radar cameras are everywhere, especially around London. Driving in Paris is abysmally confusing and the drivers are marginally polite at most. Belgium is OK, Netherlands are well-organized but traffic is heavy. Norway has ridiculously low speed limits, even in the boondocks – and as with everything in Norway, prices for speeding tickets are outrageous. Rural northern France is pleasant, but 130 kph limit. On the bright side, the highway toll both attendants are often absolutely gorgeous girls!

 

Then there’s Asia. Indonesia is a mess. India – oh my god, utterly incomprehensible porridge of madness! The “tiger†countries (Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and so forth) are well-organized and law-obedient, but again, speed limits are low and traffic cameras are predatory.

 

American drivers are not highly skilled and are often distracted. But are roads are wide, easy to navigate, well-marked and generally in good repair. And at least when you get a speeding ticket, you get “personal service†from a cop… not a camera owned by Lockheed Martin!

[Tony D]

It makes me that much more aggravated when I come back stateside and see how utterly retarded some of the laws, and the average driver, are.

 

I'm aggravated a lot as well.

 

And that even goes for China---total absence of laws and training has interesting consequences as well. I often think to myself that in China "I could survive here, they are so tenative, with just a LITTLE gas I would NEVER stop!"

 

Seriously...

[cygnusx1]

This video just keeps popping into my head.  I think I could have fun there too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[19762802+2]

This video just keeps popping into my head.  I think I could have fun there too.

 

Sorta reminds me of Natual selection..but in motion.

Edited November 10, 2010 by 19752802+2

[Tony D]

that guy at :34 is on borrowed time!

[mxgsfmdpx]

Wow. That road in the pic looks epic!

[BLOZ UP]

that guy at :34 is on borrowed time!

 

And he's not even driving...

[dhartig]

I'm off to China in a couple of days. From what they told me on previous trips they don't really have "rules of the road", there more like "guidelines".

 

Great expressways. It would be fantasitic to run 250+ kph in the countryside. It might be a little hairy when you come up behind the old blue trucks doing 40 kph, but that is why they have such nice wide shoulders.

 

Lots of driving styles there. Had a minivan driver once who would get it up to about 160 kph, then shift into neutral and coast back down to 50 to improve his gas mileage.