Teach Me About Uk Vehicles And Ownership

[Dave*99]

Hi folks, I'm new to the UK forums. I live in the US. I've owned Toyotas continuously since 1980 and have plenty of experience wrenching on them. My questions for you chaps pertain to understanding vehicle ownership and operation in the UK for commercial purposes. I have a business associate here in the USA that needs to operate some special equipment in the UK and France. He will need to purchase a vehicle, add some special equipment and drive it around in both the UK and France. I have never been to Europe and need to learn the vehicle types and licensing and registration details. A pickup is needed for the work, so a Double Cab HiLux is the vehicle of choice. I'm hoping to get some info on purchasing a vehicle, what is commonly available, registering and licensing, crossing borders etc. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Dave in the USA.

[dave.m]

Welcome to TOC

Probably the best place to find out about UK spec Toyotas is the Toyota GB website, see link -

http://www.toyota.co.uk/cgi-bin/toyota/bv/...jsp?id=homepage

As for driving in France etc, I guess you would only need the stickers to convert the headlamps

and make sure you have Euro wide insurance cover.

[hertsnminds]

Your first decision will be if you should register the vehicle in the UK or in France and that will depend on a couple of things. First will you have a fixed address in both countries and second which country will the vehicle spend most time in?

If you are spending more time in the UK then right hand drive makes more sense, if in France then left hand drive.

If you are getting the vehicle certified in the UK you should have a look at the VOSA website http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/index.htm

As for purchasing it depends upon how the company will be set up, how many employees will be driving the vehicle and if you intend to purchase outright or over time. You could buy the vehicle as a private individual and charge its use back to the company. You could buy it as a company car for an employee or you could buy it as plant and machinery for the business. Each method will have its own set of tax, insurance as well as other pros and cons.

Your best bet is to find an accountant in the UK and France to let you know about the best method and country to purchase in.

Depending upon the business you may find it more cost effective (especially with all the deals on at the moment) to buy 2 vehicles, one for each country or buy a vehicle that has a detachable loading area that can be hooked up to a UK or French spec cab.

[cabcurtains]

Driving in France requires high vis jackets/waistcoats for all as well as spare bulbs warning triangles etc, the french also love to check a british registered car!

Aire de repos - Rest stops

Allumez vos lanterns (or feux) - Turn on your lights

Attention au feu - Beware of traffic signal

Attention travaux - Beware roadworks

Autre directions - Other directions

Barrière de dègel - Trucks not allowed

Chaussèe dèformèe - Bumpy road ahead

Cèdez le passage - Give way (Give priority to the other road)

Centre ville - Town center

Col - Mountain pass

Ferme - Closed

Gendarmerie - Police station

Gravillons - Loose chippings

Haute tension - Electric line

Interdit aux piètons - No pedestrians

Nids de poules - Potholes

Ouvert - Open

Pas - Mountain pass

Prochain èchangement gratui - No toll at next exit

Rappel - Remember

Route barrèe - Road closed

Sens-unique - One-way

Serrez a droite - Keep to the right

Sortie - Exit

Suivre - Follow

Sur - On

Toutes directions - All directions

Vitesse adapteè sècuritè - Adapt your speed for safety

Voie unique - One lane road

Voitures – Cars

In case of an accident

If there is no policeman around, take down the number of the other car involved, lock your car and go with the driver of the other car and look for a policeman. The policeman will make out a report in triplicate, stating where the accident occurred, the names of both owners and insurance companies and the damage done. Try to obtain names and addresses of any witnesses. You will need to send the report to the correspondent of your insurance company. If the accident is serious, it is a good idea to take photographs. If someone is hurt, you may be held for up to 3 or 4 hours at a police station. If you have an accident on the road and your car alone is damaged, the report is normally made by the "huissier"(bailiff) in the nearest community. If, however, there are victims, if the accident interferes with traffic, or the "huissier" is not available, the "gendarme" can and should make the report. If neither is available, go to the nearest town hall ("mairie" or "hotel de ville").

Carry these

Your driving license, (Permis de Conduite) insurance certificate (Carte Verte) and vehicle registration is essential, along with car ownership papers (Carte Grise) and your passport.

Speed Limit

Normal Conditions

Speed limit on Motorway: 130kph

Speed limit in Towns: 50kph

Speed limit on Major roads: 110kph

When Wet

Speed limit on Motorway in wet conditions: 110kph

Speed limit on major roads in wet conditions: 90kph

"Rappel" means a continuation of the restriction.

Be aware:

That French law requires all car occupants to wear a seat belt - also that no child under ten years old is allowed to travel in the front of a vehicle unless it is in a specially adapted rear-facing seat.

You must stop at Zebra crossings – this is now enforced by law. But be careful as a pedestrian, it is not widely obeyed!

Priorité à Droite:

This famous feature of French driving etiquette still causes confusion today despite it being less common than in days gone by. The problem is this: If you are driving along a road, anyone joining that road from your right hand side has priority over you. They don’t have to stop, you do…..even if you are travelling at speed!

Things have improved these days because officially the rule no longer applies unless clearly signposted. On the right here you see the critical sign - if you see this sign, it means that the road you are on has priority, until you see the cancellation sign - the same, but with a black line through it. However the reality is that not every Frenchman (or woman!) follows the new legislation! There are at least two places where you need to be extremely careful:

Small villages and in the country. You will often find that on minor roads priorité à droite is still assumed. So again, slow down, keep your eyes wide open and be ready to be courteous (but don’t expect any thanks!).