Driving in Europe - Do I have to buy a lamp kit

[deadphill]

Hi Guys

Im going to drive to Germany on Thursday, and will be taking a route though France - Belgium - Netherlands - Germany.

Aside from a poncy yellow jacket, first aid kit and a warning triangle, with my ibiza fr do I have to fit anything to cover the headlamps?

I ask because I always thought we had to fit them because the lights are brighter from the middle and can blind people. (ie the bulb) But on my FR, there is a cover over this that stops that from happening.

One other question I have is this: I need some (Jerry Cans 2x20l hopefully) and I want to know where I can get them a) the cheapest and b) in time for Thursday. Reason being is that I have a fuel card from my company so it wont cost me a penny to fill up here but it wont work abroad.

Id really appreciate any help that can be put on here.

Thanks again

Phill

 

[Ultra_Joel88]

yes you do, and a spare bulb kit

 

[mhill]

Check out machine mart for your jerry cans but i believe you are only allowed to car 10L of fuel in a vehicle and if you are going on a ferry/channel tunnel they could be a little touchy on this!

 

[muddyboots]

Hi Guys

Im going to drive to Germany on Thursday, and will be taking a route though France - Belgium - Netherlands - Germany.

Aside from a poncy yellow jacket, first aid kit and a warning triangle, with my ibiza fr do I have to fit anything to cover the headlamps?

I ask because I always thought we had to fit them because the lights are brighter from the middle and can blind people. (ie the bulb) But on my FR, there is a cover over this that stops that from happening.

One other question I have is this: I need some (Jerry Cans 2x20l hopefully) and I want to know where I can get them a) the cheapest and b) in time for Thursday. Reason being is that I have a fuel card from my company so it wont cost me a penny to fill up here but it wont work abroad.

Id really appreciate any help that can be put on here.

Thanks again

Phill

Yes you need to convert your headlights, and yes you need to carry a spare bulb kit.

The reason you need headlight converters is not because the light is "brighter in the middle", but because of the following:
In the UK, the headlamp beam pattern is designed to drop away to the right hand side, so it doesn't shine in oncoming drivers eyes. However, to the left the beam stays high, to illuminate the pavement/hedge/verge side of the road. To see this - park your car facing a wall in the dark, and turn your headlights on. You'll see what I mean.
Obviously if you drive on the opposite side of the road, the higher beam to the left will shine straight in the eyes of oncoming drivers eyes.
Don't use black insulation tape to adjust the beam. Someone on here (Sooty Torques I think) used this, and the adhesive damaged the polycarbonate lens on his Leon, think he had a battle with the dealers to replace them. Instead, buy some "beam benders" from a car accessory shop; these don't block the light, but deflect it downwards on the left hand side. When fitting, it helps to do it in the dark with the headlights on, facing a wall - that way you can tell when they're in the right place by looking at which part of the beam is changing.

I always carry a warning triangle, bulb kit and hi-viz jacket in the car now. If you're ever involved in a situation when you're out on the road with high speed traffic around you, especially in the dark, trust me you want to be seen

Enjoy the autobahns, if you're going on any de-restricted sections that is !!

 

[danmay]

you can buy headlamp covers to put over suprisingly enough your headlamps to put them stickers on, as they're a bleeder to get back off again, then you can just put the covers on whenever you go abroad, thus stopping the need to buy more stupid silver stickers!

genius!

 

[deadphill]

Thanks guys

As it happened I bought the little grey things in the end. Were a bit of a pain to remove but then I used label remover to get rid of the glue afterwards and that sorted it again.

The autobahns were fun, however I normally get worried when I hit around the 70 mph + speed on our roads, I can tell you for a while I was worrying doing 130, but what worried me the most was the fact that driving at 130mph after a while seemed perfectly fine! It still took 6 hours to get out of Germany though!

Another thing that bugged me was that at 130mph, I could still feel that the car had plenty more to give, but it is blatently restricted to that speed which seemed a bit rubbish. I reckon I had at least 150mph available to me!!

Anyway thanks to those who helped me, it was an enjoyable trip, however I think it might be a while till I do it again! Calais to Munich with only one stop was quite a lot for one trip!!

Cheers

Phill

 

[Aimez]

You have to have a Hi vis for Belgium and maybe a first aid kit, my mate drove to Belgium 2 weeks ago and he had to have Ji vis in the car, handy to have anyway I have a Hi vis coat in the boot but it was from my old work!

 

[RUM4MO]

Yes you need to convert your headlights, and yes you need to carry a spare bulb kit.
I always carry a warning triangle, bulb kit and hi-viz jacket in the car now. If you're ever involved in a situation when you're out on the road with high speed traffic around you, especially in the dark, trust me you want to be seen
Enjoy the autobahns, if you're going on any de-restricted sections that is !!

I think that anyone that considers that they are a competant and thinking driver should be already carrying the kit that muddyboots does, one other point nowadays in mainland Europe, is that it is wise to run with dipped headlights as this requirement is sweeping its way across the continent.