A Ferrari is surely the perfect car to drive in ItalyIt’s probably fair to say that one thing both women and men share in common is a love of going on holiday.
But there may be some destination differences in opinion between the sexes on where to spend their next holiday – and how to get around while there.
Data from the Target Group Index shows 60% of people who take short breaks in Italy are women.
And, it seems, despite the bountiful supply of wine, the research also revealed 54% of ladies said they would drive on their next short trip abroad. Or were expected to drive perhaps?
The findings also showed women are more likely to take their own car, with 27% of the survey saying they’d do this. The theory this might be to take advantage of the extra boot space needed when shopping for designer Italian shoes and handbags, however, remains unproven.
Of course, if you’re going to be driving in Europe any time soon it’s essential to plan ahead, even if that is just where you’re going to put all that shopping. Whether you’re taking your own car or hiring one, let us provide you with some hints and tips that will ensure you’re ready before getting behind the wheel abroad.
This blog has been written by Claire Jones-Hughes of BrightonMums.com.
“On a drive back from a meeting in Maidstone home to Brighton, my Peugeot 308 started to lose power.
There were some rumblings in the engine, it didn’t stall, just restricted the speed to around 55mph with limited ability to accelerate.
Now I do know enough about my car to look after it, get it serviced (which I do regularly) and fixed but I had a worrying suspicion this might be the turbo and feared the worst for the bank balance.
I made it home safely and messaged a diesel-driving (male) friend for advice. It could be a turbo pipeline blockage; it could be the whole thing that has failed. And even visiting my reliable, female-friendly local garage M J B Motors, I was still looking at a pretty packet. And it did need replacing. Ouch!
Could this turbo expense have been avoided?
Although it’s not unusual for turbos to need replacing after a while, especially on cars over 7-years old or after a certain mileage, I now realise there are things I could have done to defer this expense.
Now, I’m not one for making resolutions but in an effort to sort out family finances during 2017, I am embarking on a ‘buy nothing’ or ‘minimalism’ lifestyle to make a difference. This means looking at what we spend your money on and finding ways to cut back, cut things out, mend and repair rather than replace or find stuff you need second-hand or free.
I need the car for work and family errands (visiting my 94-year old grandmother regularly for example), so it has to stay. However, when I read Steph’s earlier motoring resolutions at this blog, it inspired me to make my own in order to use the car more effectively.
So here are some of my commitments for 2017.
1. Don’t run the tank down empty. This most certainly has an impact on the engine and how much residual dirt my 2009 Peugeot pulls through from it’s old tank. This is one of my worse habits as a ‘juggle-mama’.
2. Clean the car inside and out. Shamefully I rarely do. As a business-owner and mum-of-two, this always gets shelved and it’s a luxury to pay someone to do this. Taking care of the paintwork will help prevent corrosion. Taking care of the inside upholstery means if we ever sell the car, it’s likely to be more desirable to buy but also comfortable for us to use. It’s already in fairly good condition but now is the time to start better cleaning habits.
3. Check oil and tyres regularly. During Tyre Safety Month 2016, Steph showed me the 20p check, so there’s no excuse not to check the tread. Especially as we don’t use the car as much as when I was commuting 35 miles a day. Making sure there is enough and regularly clean oil simply helps the engine live happily for longer…
4. Routinely check my mirrors, windows and headlamps for dirt before I set off on journeys. Especially during the winter months, these can get dirty, potentially obscuring vision. Usually I notice this 300 yards down the road, pull over and wipe. What a faff!
5. Re-introduce the eco-driving practices I learned on the Energy Savings Trust course years ago. Especially as I’m stuck with a now controversial diesel car, this is more important than ever until we can afford to buy a new car run on cleaner energy. The last time I did this consistently, I increased the fuel economy by an extra 5 miles to the gallon. Doesn’t sound like a lot but it helps!
What could you do different to drive more economically, eco-friendly or cost-effectively this year?”
___________________________________
FOXY Footnote:
Thank you Claire. As you explain so well, most of us have learned the wisdom of regular car maintenance and servicing the hard way.
And now we know better, it’s amazing to hear how many motorists still don’t know how to look after their car and why this affects its reliability and their family safety.
We can only hope that when Club members need to buy a used car in future they can find one that’s been owned by a responsible motorist like you that knows the drill rather than one that evidently doesn’t care. In our experience, if a car has been neglected it’ll return that favour in big bills – we call this carma-nomics haha…
Are you dreaming of a French family holiday but hesitant about taking the car?
Claire from BrightonMums.com urges you to take the plunge, based on recent family motoring trips.
Here she shares her experiences and some tips on planning your holiday journey.
Don’t panic – just drive on the right
Driving on the right is nowhere near as daunting as it seems. Once you’re circulating within the flow of their traffic, everything starts to feel logical. If anything, deserted roundabouts are probably more of a problem, as there’s no other cars to follow!
Some parts of the French autoroute (motorway) have a 130mph speed limit (which I secretly LOVE). You may find local drivers go at real speed on the autoroute, they may even flash their headlights to warn you to move from the overtaking lane.
Don’t be intimidated, you haven’t done anything wrong but move over when safe and let them get on with it.
Navigation
The French autoroute network is no more complicated than the UK to plan around. In fact, I would controversially suggest their signposts are often more logically sited and comprehensive, especially around cities.
France has always had an excellent network of signs for local attractions and landmarks (brown signs with white writing like ours), perfect for tourists.
Invest in an up-to-date road atlas if your GPS won’t work in France or goes wrong for some reason.
Roaming data for phones is mighty expensive too and although some service stations have WiFi it’s not a given.
Hot child in the city
If you fancy driving in Paris, give it a go but plan your route carefully in advance.
During August, when most Parisiennes leave the city, Paris operates a free parking scheme in some central locations. Look for blue dots on the parking ticket machines.
We parked near to Jardin de Luxembourg, a perfect base for exploring the city.
Don’t forget that Paris can get hot and muggy in summer, so when you find the heat gets to you, hop on a Bateaux Mouches along the river Seine to refresh and enjoy the views.
Look at junctions using satellite images to figure out which lane to be in going from one to the next. This will also help you spot roads with bus lanes.
Autoroute Glossary
Take a French phrasebook with you that has a good driving section in. However, here are a few regular words you’ll see on signs on the motorway, which may not be so obvious to figure out for English drivers.
Aire – rest stop usually with a picnic area Autres directions – all other routes Cedez le passage – give way Interdit – forbidden eg interdit à toute circulation = no traffic permitted Péage – toll Rappel – reminder (of the speed limit usually) Toutes directions – all routes this way Sortie – exit Véhicules lents – slow vehicle lane Vous n’avez pas la priorité – You don’t have priority (usually at the junction)
____________________________
Do you feel motivated to book that trip now?
Alors, on y va! That means ‘off you go…’ of course, and we hope you have a great time.
Claire and KidsWe asked Claire from blogzine BrightonMums.com to share her tried and tested family #motoringheroes with us, hacks to help make motoring with young children less stressful than it often is.
Here’s what she told us.
“One of the first harsh lessons you learn as a parent is, outings with children need military style preparation. From getting out of the door for a newborn’s very first walk with the buggy, to baby’s first road trip to see Granny through to the first family motoring holiday adventure; parents find themselves constantly developing strategies for child-friendly travel.
The iPad (or tablet) holder
We took our first long road trip to see friends and family in Newcastle and Edinburgh when our youngest was only 2 years old so we certainly needed something to keep the kids amused and pass the time.
I found an iPad holder which hangs on the back of the front seats for a reasonable prize on Amazon and despite having Frozen and Finding Nemo playing in my ear while driving more times than I ever planned for in my life, it was worth every penny.
The fully charged phone
There’s nothing more annoying than a low phone battery, at any moment of your life. For better or worse, I’ve come to rely on my phone for just about everyone; diary management, e-mails, music and GPS maps.
As a busy, self-employed mum, the one-stop shop for life management allows me to get more done. So a reliable in-car charger is a must. I have one with a Bluetooth connection for the radio, so now I charge the phone while I drive and
brainwash the kids with some awesome 90s tunes!
A bowl or bin
This is the icky side of parenting; sick. But if you don’t prepare, you’ll be caught unawares and it’ll be a whole lot more icky for you and the car. Motion sickness can strike young children when you least expect, so having a handy receptacle children can easily grab in case they feel queasy while you’re driving could save your car upholstery.
Bags don’t really work, they’re a bit of a faff, so we have an old plastic mixing bowl permanently in the car these days.
You also need good ventilation and fresh water bottles.
Car window blinds
There’s a lot of baby and child accessories you can buy these days it’s baffling. And some are most certainly overkill, overselling to parents with disposable income.
But a good car window blind or sunshade is one of the best investments parents can make. It’s not one to scrimp on either, as poor quality products don’t stand the test of time and this is something kids benefit from until they’re out of car seats.
One of our favourite baby product companies, Munchkin, do a great window roller blind for the car. Sheer style sunshades which fix with suckers are great for older kids, as they can still take in their surroundings out of the window.
What’s that got to do with motoring? I hear you ask? Well all these items make the whole experience more manageable for me but here’s my final and really important #motoringhero for now…
National Trust properties
On long car journeys to see family and friends in England and Wales, instead of taking breaks in grimy service stations we look for a National Trust property en route instead.
And surprisingly, you don’t have to go too far off course to find a hidden gem in their network. There’s often a great café, clean toilets, activities for the kids (especially during school holidays) and a fascinating piece of national heritage to look at. Which is a no-brainer when the alternative is low nutritional value, low taste Burger King or the WH Smith’s Ginster selection with slot machines setting the hum of a polluted motorway.”
Thank you Claire for your tried and tested child-friendly #motoringheroes based on your family travelling experience.
Excellent ideas for motoring grans too of course!!
__________________________
Do you and your family take long trips in the car?
What items do you swear by to keep family motoring stress-free?
If it’s easier to share your family motoring stories and hacks at Facebook or Twitter we look forward to seeing you there.
Members of FOXY Lady Drivers Club get free car fitness checks at their nearest participating FOXY Lady Approved garage
In a recent survey carried out by Good Housekeeping magazine, 44% of women admitted to feeling anxious about driving on motorways.
So the thought of breaking down on one is likely to be a further female fear factor, knowing the risks any motorist runs, parked up on any hard shoulder.
Here are some useful tips, stimulated by a recent IAM Press Release, to remind women to check their cars regularly and incorporating our added experience here.
We hope you’ll find them useful.
Tips re a motorway break down
1) Ensure the coolant and washer fluids are topped up, that the oil level is correct and your car tyres are safe and legal by checking your car’s condition regularly. These actions contribute to your car’s reliability whatever the journey and even more importantly on motorways when your car is travelling faster than it does on other roads.
This tip is a salutary reminder to me of the time (pre-FOXY) I didn’t check my VW Golf’s fluid levels in advance of a motorway journey BECAUSE I’d had my car serviced the day before. I didn’t think I needed to. I was travelling from Sussex to Cumbria, in February, and the roads were particularly filthy after an earlier now defrosted snowfall. I joined the M25, picked up speed and as the windscreen smeared in front of me, in the centre lane by now, I applied my windscreen washer switch to find the water tank was empty. My windscreen was virtually opaque by the time I was able to pull into the inside lane safely, when I limped to the next exit. I could have caused and/or been involved in a nasty accident here for something so simple to check. Amazingly the service checklist “Filled up windscreen washer tank” had been ticked and the dealership stuck to this story when I complained.
2) Keep a high visibility jacket, waterproof clothing and a fully charged mobile phone in your vehicle. Or a charger to keep it topped up. You never know when you will need these.
You may have a need for a camera too, so if your phone doesn’t take photos, keep a disposable one in the car as well.
3) If you suspect a mechanical problem looming (and we hope you’ll have time to react), leave the motorway at the next junction or stop at the nearest service station whichever is first. Only in a real emergency should you pull over onto the hard shoulder, parking as far left as possible to avoid slowing down traffic.
4) Once you have pulled over, switch on your hazard warning lights so other road users are aware that you have stopped.
5) Use the emergency roadside telephone where you need to call for help. The distance to the nearest phone will be marked on the white posts on the hard shoulder – the reason for this is important. The operator will then know precisely where you are if you use this phone, whereas they mightn’t know exactly where you are if you use your mobile.
6) Make sure you and any passengers leave your vehicle by the left-hand side as soon as possible. Stay behind a barrier or up the embankment. If you feel threatened, get back in, lock the doors and call 999 for the police. But remember your extreme vulnerability here. Too many cars are hit from behind by motorists we can only assume do not realise when cars ahead are stationary.
7) NEVER attempt a DIY repair or wheel change on the hard shoulder. Your breakdown service or the Police will tow you off the motorway where necessary to a suitable garage or safe repair location.
8) Make sure you know IF you have a spare wheel and keep this at the correct pressure as the other four tyres. If you don’t have one (and few newer cars do) make sure you know where your tyre repair spray can lives as well as your locking wheel nut so the garage/recovery service can make good or change a wheel if necessary. Remember in future that runflats warn you of punctures, giving you 50 miles in distance to drive at a maximum of 50mph to sort out a change of wheel. That is very reassuring ie no tyre blow outs on motorways. Please see this blog for more information about a new runflat-equivalent tyre called DriveGuard – well worth investing in, given the choice.
NB: You may not be able to stop on a Smart Motorway – this is what they call stretches of motorway where the hard shoulder is used to ease traffic flow at peak travel times.
Neil Greig from the IAM explains…
“On Smart Motorways the hard shoulder is used as an extra lane. If your car develops a problem on this type of motorway then leave at the next exit, or pull into a motorway service area.”
Always be prepared for a car breakdown
There is no simple way to minimise the fear of a motorway breakdown. Running a well maintained car is key (a high percentage of breakdowns are tyre related) but being prepared for unexpected breakdowns means you know what to do and in this way you can avoid the experience becoming too traumatic before you set off safely again.
_________________________________________
If you’d like to JOIN FOXY Lady Drivers Club to enjoy motoring services, including FREE car fitness checks from selected FOXY Lady Approved businesses, ladies evenings covering car maintenance and tyre issues, and trustworthy advice like this.
In short, the subscription benefits of FOXY Lady Drivers Club include
+ preferential rates for car insurance
+ exclusive new car deals (Suzuki and Citroen)
+ regular money saving offers
+ VIP services* at female friendly approved garages & dealers
+ a friendly motoring helpdesk
+ expert legal, claims and accident advice
+ a monthly e-newsletter packed with news & female reviews.
PLUS a copy of the latest Official Highway Code.
*free car checks, member discounts and local ladies’ evenings.
