Car Hire Tips UK

Car hire is widely available throughout the United States of America (USA) from all the major car rental companies. The USA is enormous in comparison to other countries, so much so that the car rental business of the state of California is worth more to the industry in revenue that the whole of the UK market!

With a land of such size and scope it’s hard to sum up what the United States has in a few short paragraphs. From the cosmopolitan chic of New York, the wild western states, the swamps of the Deep South, the glamour of the sunshine state of California through to the tropical paradise of Hawaii, the states surely has a claim more than that of any other country of having “something for everyone”.

Driving in the USA
If you’re planning to rent a car while in the USA there’s some basic information you’re going to need to get you on your way. Firstly, and quite importantly if you’re British, get ready to drive on the right hand side of the road. That’s the wrong side if you’re British! This means you should always overtake on the left.

Local Laws
Forty-nine states (all except New Hampshire) and the District of Columbia have mandatory safety belt laws. In most states, these laws cover front-seat occupants only, although belt laws in 12 states (Alaska, California, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington) cover all rear seat occupants, too.

Beware of the strange custom in Georgia where if you ‘carve up’ a driver, you should raise two fingers (v sign) to them to indicate your regret.

There are no roundabouts in the USA but lots of crossroads. Therefore, everyone sits and waits - there seems to be an unwritten courtesy about who goes first.

When leaving an interstate, slow down only when you are totally in the deceleration lane.

While a school bus is loading or unloading, traffic in both directions must stop.

Speed Limits
There are 50 states in the USA, each with their own laws and varying speed limits. Interstate speed limits range between 55 and 75 mph and in Montana there are none.

Drink Driving
All states except Massachusetts, South Carolina and the District of Columbia prohibit drinking and driving. In some states, blood alcohol concentration can be as low as 0.08% for conviction, so don’t do it.

Car hire in Malta is widely available from all the major car rental companies, despite its size. Malta is an island nation in the Mediterranean. The country is an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Gozo, and Comino) being inhabited.

As a very popular holiday destination Malta has much on offer to the tourist with its ideal placement in the Mediterranean with a warm, dry climate. Winter days can be wet, cool and windy or mild and sunny while in spring and autumn the latter is more usual. Summers are virtually guaranteed to be dry and hot.

As the Malta is so popular it’s recommended to book your car rental before you leave as you’ll almost definitely get a better price booking in advance than you will at the counter.

Driving in Malta
If you’re planning to rent a car while in Malta there’s some basic information you’re going to need to get you on your way. Firstly, and quite importantly get ready to drive on the left hand side of the road. This is different to most other countries so could take some getting used to. This means that you should always overtake vehicles on the right, and give priority to traffic coming from the right at roundabouts (traffic islands).

As with large portions of Europe, it is compulsory to carry a warning triangle. Seat belts are also compulsory in the front and, if fitted, in the rear.

Speed Limits
The common speed limits are 40 km/h (25mph) in built up areas and 64 km/h (40mph) out of town. Malta doesn’t have any motorways.

Drink Driving
As with most other European countries drink driving is heavily frowned upon in Malta and the limit is quite low (currently 80mg) at the same level it is in the UK so it’s not worth taking any risks.

Car hire is widely available throughout Italy from all the major car rental companies. Italy is home to the greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites - art and monuments are everywhere around the country. It is also famous worldwide for its cuisine, its fashion, sports cars and motorcycles, as well as for its beautiful coasts, lakes and mountains (the Alps and Appennines).

Two independent mini-states lie within Italy: San Marino and Vatican City. While technically not part of the European Union, both of these states are also part of the Schengen Region and the European Monetary Union.

Driving in the Italy
If you’re planning to rent a car while in the Italy there’s some basic information you’re going to need to get you on your way. Firstly, and quite importantly if you’re British, get ready to drive on the right hand side of the road. That’s the wrong side if you’re British! This means you should always overtake on the left.

All grades of unleaded petrol (benzina), diesel (gasolio) and LPG are available as well as lead substitute additive. Leaded no longer exists. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted, although they probably won’t work at automatic pumps, which are often the only pumps open out-of-hours and at lunch-time away from the Autostrada.

Local Laws
On the spot fines are issued for a variety of traffic offences. Ensure an official receipt is issued by the officer collecting the fine.

Children under four cannot travel unless they use a suitable restraint system. Children between four and 12 cannot travel in the front unless using a suitable restraint system.

Dipped headlights must be used in poor daytime visibility and in all tunnels at all times. They must also be used when on motorways, dual carriageways, and on all out of town roads. Motorcycles must use dipped headlights during the day at all times.

Replacement bulbs and first aid kits are not currently a legal requirement to be carried at all times but are highly recommended.

Speed Limits
The common speed limits are 50 km/h (31mph) in built up areas, 90 km/h (56mph) out of town, and on motorways it’s 130 km/h (81mph). Speed limits are also quite vigorously enforced throughout Italy and the on the spot fines can be pretty expensive.

Drink Driving
As with most other European countries drink driving is heavily frowned upon in Italy and the limit is very low (currently 50mg) even lower than in the UK so it’s not worth taking any risks.

Car hire is widely available throughout the Belgium from all the major car rental companies even though it’s relatively small in European terms. Belgium attracts reasonable tourism, mainly from close neighbours, France, The Netherlands, UK and Germany.

Most popular is the capital, Brussels (French Bruxelles, Dutch Brussel) which is renowned for its architecture (medieval, Gothic, Art Nouveau and Art Déco), the Grand Place (an old market square surrounded by buildings from 16th - 18th centuries), the royal palace, its pubs, gallerias with expensive boutiques (some say the oldest covered shopping arcades in the world) and its lifestyle.

Driving in Belgium
If you’re planning to rent a car while in Belgium there’s some basic information you’re going to need to get you on your way. Firstly, and quite importantly if you’re British, get ready to drive on the right hand side of the road. That’s the wrong side if you’re British! This means you should always overtake on the left.

The flashing of headlights is used as a warning in Belgium and dipped headlights should be used between dusk and dawn.

Local Laws
Motoring offences attract an on-the-spot fine. An official receipt should be issued.

It is compulsory to carry a warning triangle. Also, seat belts are compulsory in both the front and rear.

Traffic entering roundabouts has priority except where signs say ‘cedez le passage’ or ‘vous n’avez pas la priorité’, where the traffic on the roundabout has priority.

Speed Limits
The common speed limits are 50 km/h (31mph) in built up areas, 90 km/h (56mph) out of town, and on motorways it’s 120 km/h (74mph).

Drink Driving
As with most other European countries drink driving is heavily frowned upon in Belgium and the limit is extremely low here (currently 50mg) which is barely 1 unit of alcohol, so you should think very carefully before touching a drop.

Parking
A ‘blue zone’ parking system operates in major towns. Discs are available from police, garages and tobacconists.

Do not park within 50 feet (15m) of a bus, tram or trolleybus stop or in the immediate vicinity of train and tram lines crossing the road.

Car hire is widely available throughout the Spain from all the major car rental companies. Despite being a very popular holiday location for western Europeans, Spain is one of Europe’s least densely populated countries (about 1/3 that of the UK) in Europe.

In fact Spain has become such a popular destination that many Europeans have chosen to live there on a permanent basis. Figures vary but Spain is reported to have in excess of 4.5 million (about 10% of the population) foreign residents.

A country of much natural beauty and diverse climate, it’s little wonder that Spain has become so popular as a holiday destination for other Europeans. The consequence of this is that Spain is very well served by all the Car Rental agencies, with good representation across the whole country.

Driving in Spain
If you’re planning to rent a car while in Spain there’s some basic information you’re going to need to get you on your way. Firstly, and quite importantly if you’re British, get ready to drive on the right hand side of the road. That’s the wrong side if you’re British! This means you should always overtake on the left.

There are many laws unique to driving in Spain that you need to know about, such as people who wear glasses must always carry a spare pair with them. Another is that motorists must carry a set of replacement bulbs (your car rental provider will do this one of course)

Stationary trams may not be overtaken when passengers are getting on or off. Also, on uneven dates in one-way streets in towns, vehicles should be parked on the side of the road where the houses bear uneven numbers. On the side where houses bear an even number, parking is allowed on these dates.

It is compulsory for front and rear seat occupants to wear seat belts if fitted. It’s also strongly recommended to carry a warning triangle at all times.

Speed Limits
The common speed limits are 50km/h (31mph) in built up areas and 90 to 100km/h (56 to 62mph) everywhere else, except motorways where it’s 120km/h (74mph).

Drink Driving
As with most countries nowadays drink driving is heavily frowned upon in Spain and the limit is quite low (currently 80mg) at the same level it is in the UK so it’s not worth taking any risks.

Credit Cards
Credit cards are still not accepted everywhere in Spain (although that is changing fast) so don’t be surprised if you turn up at a petrol station and have to pay in cash for your fuel.

Car hire is widely available throughout the Switzerland from all the major car rental companies. Switzerland, with its unique French, German and Italian cultural differences has something to offer everyone.

From dramatic landscapes, the highest mountains in Europe and its quaint country settings to historic castles and heritage - all of these located so close to one another. The most popular areas are the Engadine, the Berner Oberland, the Valais and the Ticino.

The Alps cause many climatic variations throughout Switzerland. In the higher alpine regions temperatures tend to be low while the lower land of the northern area has higher temperatures and a warmer summer.

Driving in Switzerland
If you’re planning to rent a car while in Switzerland there’s some basic information you’re going to need to get you on your way. Firstly, and quite importantly if you’re British, get ready to drive on the right hand side of the road. That’s the wrong side if you’re British! This means you should always overtake on the left.

Local Laws
A “vignette” must be displayed in your windshield in order to use the motorways.

Rear seat belts must be used.

Vehicles going uphill have right of way on narrow mountain roads.

Speed Limits
The common speed limits are 50 km/h (31mph) in built up areas, 80 km/h (50mph) out of town, and on motorways it’s 120 km/h (74mph).

Drink Driving
As with most other European countries drink driving is heavily frowned upon in Switzerland and the limit is quite low (currently 80mg) at the same level it is in the UK so it’s not worth taking any risks.

Car hire at Heathrow Airport is available from all the major car rental firms who are mostly situated along the Bath Road at the airport’s perimeter. Heathrow is the largest UK airport and the third busiest airport in the world so there’s plenty of competition about for the millions of customers who pass through the 5 terminals each year.

The car rental firms car parks are all outside the airport itself and most offer a shuttle bus between the terminal building and their rental office. These shuttle buses are complimentary and run very regularly so you shouldn’t have to wait long.

Once you get to the rental office you could find yourself in a queue during busy times so try and factor in a short wait into your travel time if possible. Also, at a busy location like Heathrow it’s worth looking at the rental companies loyalty schemes as sometimes they offer an express checkout service (usually at no extra cost) providing you book in advance.

Heathrow Airport is used by over 90 airlines which fly to 170 destinations worldwide. The airport is the primary hub of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic and a major hub for bmi. Of Heathrow’s 67 million annual passengers, 11% travel to UK destinations, 43% are short-haul international travellers, and 46% are long-haul.

The busiest single destination in terms of passenger numbers is New York, with over 3.4 million passengers travelling between Heathrow and JFK / Newark airports in 2006. The airport has five passenger terminals (imaginatively named Terminals 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) and a cargo terminal.

Heathrow is also well served by public transport links with the Heathrow Express train service and links to the London Underground both being accessible from the airport itself. So a money saving option might be to take a short journey on public transport to a rental location away from the airport as this could save you money.

All the rental companies have to pay Heathrow operator BAA for the privilege of being allowed to sell their services with the airport and that airport “surcharge” is passed on to their customers in one form or another, so you can often get a better deal if you’re prepared to make the extra effort to get to a local rental station.

A lot of people also rent cars at Heathrow when they get there. At busy times (which is a lot of the time at Heathrow!) this can be the most expensive way to book, so if you can plan ahead, it’s definitely worth booking in advance at this airport.

Car hire in France is widely available from all the major car rental companies.  France is the world’s most popular tourist destination (78 million in 2006) boasting dozens of major tourist attractions, like Paris, Côte d’Azur (the French Riviera), the Atlantic beaches, the winter sport resorts of the Alps, the Castles of Loire Valley, Brittany: Mont Saint Michel.

France is also renowned for its gastronomy (particularly wines and cheeses), history, culture and fashion.

Driving In France
If you’re planning to rent a car while in France there’s some basic information you’re going to need to get you on your way. Firstly, and quite importantly if you’re British, get ready to drive on the right hand side of the road. That’s the wrong side if you’re British! This means you should always overtake on the left.

Stopping for someone waiting at a zebra crossing is a fineable offence for holding up traffic. The crossings indicate where it is best to cross. Also, do not overtake a tram when it is stationary with passengers getting on or off.

It is compulsory for front and rear seat occupants to wear seat belts if fitted. Carrying hazard warning lights or a warning triangle is compulsory. It is recommended that visitors equip their vehicle with replacement bulbs.

Traffic on major roads has priority. Where two major roads cross, traffic coming from the right has priority as warned by the sign ‘danger priorité à droite’. Where there is no sign, give way to the right.

Traffic on a roundabout has priority and signs saying ‘cedez le passage’ or ‘vous n’avez pas la prioritè’. In some areas the old rule of traffic entering roundabouts having priority applies so be cautious where there are no signs.

If a driver flashes his headlights in France, he is generally indicating that he has priority and you should give way. This can be confusing if you’re British as in the UK it usually indicates that a car is letting you out.

Speed Limits
The common speed limits are 50km/h (31mph) in built up areas, 90km/h (56mph) out of town, 110km/h (68mph) on priority roads and toll free motorways, while on toll motorways it’s 130km/h (81mph).

Drink Driving
The drink driving limit in France is very low (50mg) which is barely 1 unit of alcohol. So, the best advice here is definitely not to touch a drop if you’re planning on getting behind the wheel.

Car hire in Austria is widely available from all the major car rental companies. Visits to Austria mostly include trips to Vienna with its Cathedral, wine pubs and romantic Waltz music events.

Worth a visit are Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart, Innsbruck, capital of Tyrol surrounded by the Alps, and the Danube valley with its vineyards, for example the Wachau or Dunkelsteinerwald, which are between Melk and Krems.

In the western part of the country the province Vorarlberg reaches the Lake Constance, in the eastern part Neusiedler See.

Of great touristic importance are the Austrian skiing, hiking and mountaineering resorts in the Alps as well as family-friendly recreation areas. The same applies to the numerous Austrian lakes.

Driving in Austria
If you’re planning to rent a car while in Austria there’s some basic information you’re going to need to get you on your way. Firstly, and quite importantly if you’re British, get ready to drive on the right hand side of the road. That’s the wrong side if you’re British! This means you should always overtake on the left.

The flashing of headlights is used as a warning.Also note that dipped headlights should be used in built-up areas at night.

Local Laws
It is compulsory to carry a warning triangle, first aid kit and a fire extinguisher.

A motorway tax disc must be displayed - weekly or monthly versions can be obtained. The following motorways charge tolls: A10 Tauern motorway, A9 Pyhrn motorway, A13 Brenner motorway, S16 Arlberg Tunnel.

Seatbelts are compulsory in the front and rear. Horns may not be used where their use is prohibited by a road sign. This applies in many large towns, mostly at night and in Vienna at all times

Speed Limits
The common speed limits are 50 km/h (31mph) in built up areas, 100 km/h (62mph) out of town, while on toll motorways it’s 130 km/h (81mph).

Drink Driving
As with most other European countries nowadays drink driving is heavily frowned upon in Austria and the limit is quite low (currently 80mg) at the same level it is in the UK so it’s not worth taking any risks.

Parking
A ‘pay and display’ parking system operates in major towns for which tickets can be purchased from tobacconists.

Car hire is available in Ukraine from the major car rental companies. Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It lies at the northwest end of the Black Sea, with Russia to the east, Belarus to the north, Poland to the northwest, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, and Romania to the south west and south, with Moldova in between.

Most of the country (the central and eastern portions) was formerly a part of Russian Empire; after WWII, the entire country - known as the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic - was a part of the Soviet Union. Ukraine is the second-largest country in Europe, albeit with a slightly declining population.

Driving in Ukraine
If you’re planning to rent a car while in Ukraine there’s some basic information you’re going to need to get you on your way. Firstly, and quite importantly if you’re British, get ready to drive on the right hand side of the road. That’s the wrong side if you’re British! This means you should always overtake on the left.

Ukraine has a bit of a reputation when it comes to the quality of both its roads and its drivers. Ukrainian traffic police are always very busy on the roads. It is common knowledge that if you are stopped, they are looking for a bribe. They will try to look for something wrong with your documents or car if there was no traffic infringement. The typical bribe these days for “minor infringements” such as speeding is 20 UAH ($4 USD). The absence of serious fines for driving violations contributes to the poor driving culture on Ukrainian roads.

Traffic police will ask to see your vehicle registration certificate, driver’s license, and passport (to check for the entry stamp). If everything is fine, they will probably ask for your immigration card. They have also been known to check for “warning triangles” and first-aid kits, which every car is supposed to have, and wheedle a bribe out of you if you don’t have it.

In general, traffic police will not stop you more often for having foreign plates, and they are not prepared to chat with you in English. If you waste too much of their time, they will usually let you go.

Car insurance is not yet compulsory in Ukraine, and you will not be checked for insurance at the border if you’re driving in from another country. Even if you were, foreign insurance companies would almost certainly refuse to insure your car in a “dangerous” place like Ukraine.

You may buy 3rd party car insurance in Ukraine for a small amount. This will cover up to $5000 in damages to the other car in accidents where you are at fault. Fully comprehensive auto insurance policies might also be available for foreigners.

When car accidents occur in Ukraine, drivers are required to leave their cars on the scene of the accident until traffic police come and write up a report. This rule creates significant traffic problems in large cities. When drivers don’t want to involve police and insurance companies, they agree on a cash settlement on the stop. One party will usually call a family member or friend and have them bring the agreed amount of cash to the accident site.

Speed Limits
The common speed limits are 60 km/h (37mph) in built up areas, 90 km/h (56mph) out of town, and on motorways it’s 130 km/h (81mph). If you get stopped by Police for speeding a bribe can get you on your way again as they appear to be commonly accepted in Ukraine

Drink Driving
While most other European countries have low drink driving limits and severe penalties if you’re caught drinking and driving, Ukraine is almost the reverse of that. They operate a zero tolerance policy on drink driving so any amount of alcohol in your system and you’re guilty. However, as with speeding a roadside bribe can often be the end of the matter. We still don’t recommend you drink drive of course, if you’re driving in Ukraine you definitely need your wits about you!