Trip to Europe - DRIVING EXPERIENCE

[Liamthedevastator]

Yikes, the Title makes this sound like spam. It's not!!

So I'm going for a 40 day trip to Europe, and my last 5 days I'll be in the UK. You guys have a LOT of race tracks and there's something called "Track Days" which does Driving Experiences. I want to do this SO BADLY. The Ariel Atom is just a beast, and to get to drive it would make my life.

The issue is that it requires the customer to have a Full and Valid UK drivers licence. Well, that I can't get, but there's a rule where if you are visiting your foreign licence is valid for vehicles under 3.5 tonnes, and the Atom is only 500kg.

Does anyone know if that would be legitimate? I'm directing this towards our members from across the pond, but if anyone knows I'd be sooooooooo grateful.

Also, I leave on the 21st and get my full licence (hopefully) on the 19th. Would a paper licence be fine?

Thanks guys!

 

[blue2k]

Provided your full licence or driving permit remains valid, you may drive vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes and with up to eight passenger seats, for up to 12 months from the date of coming to GB. However, you may only drive large vehicles which have been registered outside GB and which you have driven into the country.

 

[0235]

yep. people who come from across the pond can drive in the UK using their licence. i doubt they would moan at you at one of the track days. there is a good way to skip driving test in england by comig over from either the states of Canada.

 

[bobvdijk]

Will you be in The Netherlands?

 

[Liamthedevastator]

Thanks everybody, that makes me feel way better! Now all I need to do is past my test on the 19th before I leave on the 21st.

I'm going to be in Amsterdam for 3 days, but I think that's about it. My Girlfriend and I plan to take the EURail over to Germany somewhere, then head back over to Paris for a bit. After that it's up to Dublin then back to London where - provided I pass - I'll be driving a very fast car. If I don't pass I'll be trying to get into the Top Gear studio, but they haven't released the recording dates so we may miss it.

Phew, thanks again guys!

 

[Upchuk]

If I don't pass I'll be trying to get into the Top Gear studio, but they haven't released the recording dates so we may miss it.

Phew, thanks again guys!

Ill hate you so much if you get to be in the audience!

 

[Toacrabman]

Next you could drive this,

 

[Liamthedevastator]

Ill hate you so much if you get to be in the audience!

I'll be doing my best to get in there, but please don't hate me!

And Tao, they offer tank driving experiences too

 

[ventrue]

My Girlfriend and I plan to take the EURail over to Germany somewhere,

Germany? Railway? You'd better expect trouble. Best to take along some emergency gear:

• A Book (something heavy, like Tolkien or the Bible)
• Extra food (preferably something that doesn't melt or freeze)
• Water
• Money to buy more along the way (but don't buy food on the train, the prices will knock you out)

Also:

• Wear Comfortable clothing
• Travel very light, no heavy suitcases

And make no mistake, I am NOT kidding. You might get lucky, but in general, long-range travel with Deutsche Bahn just sucks. You have a good chance of being delayed quite a bit ("You wanted to take the flight back home at noon? Oops, I'm so sorry!"), and particularly the higher-end trains are very susceptible to failing air conditioning (in summer), heating (in winter) and service (whenever there are other problems, which happens quite frequently; this winter, for example, powder snow fried the electronics of half the ICE-fleet).

Also, another interesting thing that tourists regularly get wrong are train numbers. Every train has one, looks like this: ICE 123, IC 1234, RB/RE 12345. This is not the line on which the train travels, but a daily unique number, so if you miss your train, don't wait for the same number to come by again.

Aside from that... have fun in the Old World