UK Drivers are ripped off & The French do it better! (Motorway Services)

Member Name: SuffolkPunch

Product:	Motorway Services
Date:	30/07/01 (5279 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great driving exprience, Good value.

Disadvantages: Get tired easily.

Revised Opinion. (Edition 2)

UK DRIVERS ARE BEING RIPPED OFF!

This is a companion opinion to my earlier one on ‘The French do it better’. There may be points in this opinion that are not mentioned in my earlier one but I hope that it will make good reading. I hope you will add your comments on the opinion and even more hopeful if you write your own opinions relating to mine. I will gladly read them and take note of the points that I may not be aware of.


Service stations.

Generally speaking Service stations or should I say the organisations are only in the game to make profit. They knew when the motorways were beginning to appear back in 1962 that the motorist wouldn’t have much choice but to use the service stations that were being built on the motorways.

I say not much choice; you could leave the motorway at a junction in the hope of finding the services you are looking for. If before every junction you were directed to the local services and what they were then some of us may take the option. Most Public Houses now offer very reasonably priced meals at lunchtime and some may even offer a meal service all day. Supermarkets offer fuel generally at a lower price (Try Morrisons and their offers). If you go to a Motorway service station for engine oil don’t be surprised at the high price, the cheapest can be found at many supermarkets.

You are not welcome at Service stations if you tow a caravan most have no facilities for parking unless there is a lorry park. You will not be allowed to put the legs down on the caravan presumably to stop you entering the caravan to have something to eat. They say that it would be a fire risk if you light the stove (Any excuse to stop you drinking your own beverages). It’s a wonder they allow you to have a vacuum flask. In France they provide water taps and a BBQ area (So much for a fire risk).

You will also be charged for parki
ng if you stay over 2 hours let alone overnight. Lorry drivers can park overnight at a charge, which can be redeemed by purchasing a breakfast.

I wouldn’t mind paying for a meal now and again at the service stations but paying nearly £3 for a cup of tea is over the limit. The options for a meal are very good and the standard of quality is also very high but so are the prices (Generally beyond the average working mans budget if you also have 2 kids).



It may have been the thought in most minds when they were building the tunnel that prices would be lower for the ferries. I would imagine that the ferry companies have shares in the tunnel and that they stipulate that the prices must be comparable. The Mont Blanc tunnel was built in the 1920’s and is about 23 km. long and is FREE. Investment in the channel tunnel should have been higher to produce not just a rail link but also a single carriageway.

Lay-bys.

Lay-bys are of little or no use to most motorists. They are generally too close to the passing traffic and you are putting yourself at risk of a vehicle colliding with you, don’t even consider letting the children out. Lay-bys are untidy and offer no facilities and many are now being used to store aggregate for road use. Signs are placed stating ‘No overnight parking’. Try visiting Scotland with a caravan there is nowhere to stop except a caravan holiday park. Many lay-bys are too small to take a car and a caravan and anywhere else has been blocked off. Someone travelling form the South may not be able to arrive at the campsite during daylight hours and then has nowhere to PARK OVERNIGHT.

The Lay-by at Scotch Corner is now limited to a two hour stop soon they may introduce this rule to all lay-bys.


On the way down to Cornwall on the M5 signs tell you that ‘Tiredness Kills take a break’, I’m sure it does especially when your not al
lowed to stop more than two hours.

It is believed that an American road builder came over to see the M1 just when it had been built. He said that it was a fine road but out of date, it should have been six lanes in each direction. The M25 should also be 6 lanes at least.


Western by-pass Newcastle.

Only a few years ago they built the Western by-pass around Newcastle Upon Tyne then they built the largest shopping centre adjacent to it (Gateshead Metro-centre). The road is only a duel carriageway
And should have been at least a Motorway continuing from the A1M. Every day in the rush hour there is an 8 mile tailback from Gateshead to Washington and I have seen the tailback ending at Chester-Le-Street.

Road tax unfair to Diesel car owners.

Road tax has been reduced for cars under 1600cc I wish this had been extended to Diesel cars under 2000cc. A diesel engine (37%) is for more efficient than petrol (25%). A 1900cc diesel car has about the same performance and better economy as a 1400cc petrol car. So in some instances a Diesel car is more of a Greener car than a petrol.

The time will come when we will have to pay for the Motorways and entering Towns & Cities I only hope the abolish the road tax so we can afford the new costs.


Picnic sites in the UK are of little use unless they update the facilities. I was in Norfolk a few weeks ago and I was looking for a picnic site. I found ONE marked on the map so I went there. I arrived to find an obsolete road turned into a picnic site. No tables, litter bins and the grass uncut but there was a toilet block.

It has been proposed that all Speed Cameras are to be visible and the motorist has to be given plenty of warning of the cameras ahead. The principle is based on reducing deaths and serious injuries on the roads and not catching the motorist out for speeding. On one road the cameras has reduced the road deaths by 49%. We will f
ind that there will be many more cameras placed at strategic places, I hope I see them in time.

If you ever drive though Lincolnshire be wise there are many cameras and unmarked police cars. In my opinion it is the worst county for getting caught for speeding and other related motoring offences.

Quote.

Quote from the AA. ‘Over £4 Billion is being collected in road tax and only £800 Million is being used to finance road building and repairs’.




THE FRENCH DO IT BETTER!

I have driven to Spain for my holidays on four occasions and the worst part of the journey is getting to Dover. I have driven from Tyneside and lately from Suffolk (I moved home). I have managed to drive from Suffolk to the Costa Brava in 19 hours with generous stops but I suggest that you take a little longer.

I will endeavour to give you some comparisons between English and French motoring apart from the fact that they drive on the right side of the road.

Motorway conditions.

As soon as you leave the Port of Calais you are straight onto a motorway apart from one or two roundabouts. From there on all the way to Spain its motorway which of course you have to pay for.
Here, you will say that we don’t have to pay for our motorways, but remember the French don’t have any road tax. If you wish you could use their ‘N’ roads, which will take much longer and they do tend to go through every village and town all the way down. If you have the time I would recommend using the N roads for at least part of your journey. You will find that usually N roads follow the motorways but you will have to plan your journey to find the best route.

The road surface is perfect, the only things you will hear is the hum of the engine and the wind rushing by. I have found no road works on the French motorways and only one traffic jam. Do I have to give you a comparison of our roads?
r>There are no Cats Eyes instead the French have marker posts down the side of the road which do have the equivalent to our Cats Eyes. The signs are clearly understood and can be seen from a greater distance than ours. They also put signs alongside the road for interest sake and to keep you awake. As in England they inform you how far it is to the next Motorway service area the only difference is they tell you the next three or four and how much the fuel will be before you get there.

The speed limit is 82mph which is reduced in wet weather to about 75mph. If you try to keep to the speed limit you are likely to be the slowest vehicle on the road. Some European drivers drive in excess of 150mph.

When overtaking (If you get the chance), remember to look behind you, its not fun getting hit from behind at 100mph. Do not stay in the overtaking lanes or you will get flashed by the car behind you who inevitably will be going faster than you will, and it is against the law in France.

If you go above the speed limit you can be timed between toll stops and pulled up for speeding which is an on the spot fine (The police can debit your credit card).

Toll stop (Pargé).

The first toll stop will be for you to collect your ticket which will be redeemed at the next. There are several ways of paying, either in cash given to an operator, cash thrown into a basket or your credit card in a slot. It costs about £35 to travel from Calais to the Spanish boarder.

Service area’s (Pique Nique Aire’s).

There are Service Area’s about every 20 miles and several Pique Nique area’s in between.

All service areas have more facilities than ours, apart from the fuel station and restaurant they will also have a snack bar next to the car park much the same as our hotdog stand. These snack bars serve traditional French snack cuisine (Filled Baguettes, real coffee and French drinking Chocolate etc.).

Inside the service building you will find vending machines which serve real coffee (Expresso and Au Lait), fresh tea and chocolate, price approx. 50p.

I would recommend you visit the ‘L’arche’ restaurants the food is far superior to ours at half the price do try the ‘Meal of the day’ (Plat du Jeur).




Pique Nique Aire’s. (Picnic Area’s)

There are picnic areas with or without a service area where you are allowed to stop as long as you like. You are allowed to put the legs down on your caravan or trailer tent and sleep over night. If you wish you could sleep in your car, many French do. You are not allowed to pitch a tent, as this will damage the well-kept grass.

All areas have clean toilets and washing facilities and some will have a shower. The toilets may be of the Middle Eastern style, if you’re not keen try using the disabled toilet, which will have an ordinary toilet pan. You may not find a tap to turn on for washing or a chain in the toilet they may well be automatic.
Be careful when you open the toilet door, the toilet will flush immediately and you could get your feet wet. Music is supplied in many toilet facilities and may come on as you enter the toilet block.

There are children’s play areas, a place for a BBQ and drinking water taps dotted around the picnic area.

Make sure you get to an area early in the evening if you intend to stop overnight, you may well find them full up (Remember lorries use them as well). Try and find a place as far away from the motorway or you may be awake all night.

Do plan your journey to Spain and take plenty of rest stops, it’s a long way and you can drive longer than you think and get tired very easily. Remember you are on holiday and your holiday starts at Calais not from home.

Fuel Prices.

Petrol (D’Essence). About 65p a litre.

Diesel (Gas o
il). About 53p a litre.