From tomorrow the speed limit on Polish motorways is being raised from 120 kph to 140 kph. That's 87 mph. The limited on dual carriageways raises from 100 to 120. That's 75 mph.
That probably reflects more accurately the speed that people actually drive on these roads. I wonder if people will see it as a licence to drive even faster. It's a bad day for fuel economy though and VAT goes up to 23% on fuel tomorrow too.
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>> It's
>> bad for fuel economy though and VAT goes up to 23% on fuel tomorrow
>> too.
>>
Sounds like Poland has a clever Finance Minister who gets on well with their Department of Transport.
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As one who remembers the days of no limits on rural roads in the UK, I agree with the increase in Polish speed limits. Are you going to try them out, BBD?
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Polish motorways are very good, fairly new, free of roadworks and because they are toll roads, generally light on traffic too. I'm usually driving to or from the UK when I use them so the faster, the better. I think it's the way to go.
I drive a 50-mile stretch of dual carriageway twice a weekend in the summer because we have a little place out of town. I usually go for economy and relaxation so I set the cruise for a bit faster than the trucks and a bit slower than the cars. I probably won't change that pattern but we'll have to see...
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Yes indeed, our motorways are OK, but we're having massive problems building them. We even had to ask workers from China for help. Cheap labour, you know, but they've sort of split or something. It's all mess, politics and so on. Besides, we'll be hosting Euro 2012 soon, but when it comes to transport grid issues, truth is, we're simply not ready for it. I doubt you guys from the West would like it out here. I'm a Pole in Poland, so I know...
Last edited by: Vincent on Tue 4 Jan 11 at 23:11
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I'm thinking of visiting Poland (Warsaw or possibly Krakow) later this year and am wondering whether driving is a good option. Could Vincent and/or BBD share some thoughts on time taken, best routes and where to make an overnight stop (or two)?
It seems the distance from where I live (Hemel Hempstead) to Warsaw is rather more than 1000 miles.
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With all due respect, if you've never ever been to Eastern Europe, you might easily hurt yourself on our roads, just as I'd probably hurt myself on Indian, Bolivian or African, due to lack of proper assimilation, driving techniques etc, which are essential to keep your wheels in one piece. I know it sounds harsh, but it's true. It takes a tough driver to cope with Polish transport grid. Therefore, it's not a good option IMHO, I’d recommend the train or a plane.
Last edited by: Vincent on Tue 4 Jan 11 at 23:35
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If what Vincent is similar to the roads around Milan then I'd avoid too. Got run into by an HGV near Milan airport. I have no memory of the accident as such but suspect it was someone forcing me to slow down or similar.
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If you're staying inside krakow or Warsaw, or travelling between them, public transports pretty accessible. Cheap too. Driving inside krakow is mostly do-able, just a bit crazy really, like wanting to do 60km/h+ with wheels on slippy tram tracks in rain, and wanting to beat the trams all the time. Little patience when you're waiting for people to clear the road. Couple of extra road signs to trip you up if you've not memorised them ahead of time, the diamond for who has right of way.
If it was me, I will never fly to or from Warsaw again, tin shed with no aircon and massive queues :-) krakow airport is very easy to use, very pleasant and I'd continue to fly there. There's a cheap shuttle train into the city centre. There's a fast train to warsaw from krakow if needed.
For my money, krakow is the place to be. Still havent explored everything and we jam packed our days with things to do. Just such a cool place to be, so much to see and do. The people are ace. Lots of laughing at my poor attempts to speak polish :-)
Highlights for me are the free guided walking tour, learned so much and got to feel our way around, great first activity when you visit, they give you a photocopy with a map of the city and good venues marked out for cheap but good meals, beer etc.
To be honest you can't go wrong price wise in Krakow, even the street venues in stare miasto (old town square) are cheap by UK standards. While you're there visit slotki wendel for ace ice cream :-)
The zoo is surprisingly good.
Last edited by: Skoda on Wed 5 Jan 11 at 00:37
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I can't imagine that driving in Poland for us Brits is any worse than tackling Italy, Paris, or say, Barcelona? I'd give it a go. And BBD hasn't had any prangs out there has he..?!
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"If it was me, I will never fly to or from Warsaw again, tin shed with no aircon and massive queues"
Yes that was horrific but it's all changed, the new terminal is open and it's enormous, very impressive.
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>> I know it sounds harsh, but it's true. It takes
>> a tough driver to cope with Polish transport grid. Therefore, it's not a good option
>> IMHO, I’d recommend the train or a plane.
>>
It cant be any worse than driving in singapore, malaya, naples, milan, new york, or even the M25 and London. I have done all and coped. So could anyone.
If we all had this "oo dear I wont be able to cope" attitude we might as well give up and die,
I drove on the same piece of road round Milan that RTJ70 did, and I didnt get hit, nor have millions of other drivers since.
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I lived in CZ for a few years.
Anyone who used to commute around the North Circular Road back in the days before speed cameras, as I did, would feel right at home.
Usual "traffic from the right always has priority, except when it doesn't" pitfalls apply.
Oddest thing is the use of indicators and brakes.
Indicators are always used to indicate which way the driver is about to turn the steering wheel and not to indicate which way the completed maneuver will take the vehicle. This makes roundabouts and side turnings on bends very interesting. Indicating left on the approach to a roundabout results in total confusion on everyone else's part as it is quite obviously only possible to turn right on entering a roundabout.
The handbrake is never used. Pulling up right behind someone in an uphill queue will result in an unwanted front end modification and it'll be your fault(!) I remember doing a handbrake hill start with a Czech colleague in the car and his reaction was "That bit with the brake is clever, how did you do that and can I see it again?".
The de rigeur parking of vehicles in gear and with the handbrake off can lead to fun times when your fleet car is taken by someone else for servicing, tyre swap, etc or on jumping into a hire car.
On approaching junctions, traffic lights or the tail of a queue, keep a weather eye on the vehicle behind. Like as not the driver will be on the phone, looking at something else, reprogramming his sat nav, scrabbling around in the glovebox or just drunk. Leaving planty of room to allow repeated dabbing of the brakes to attract attention is a good tip here.
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"Could Vincent and/or BBD share some thoughts on time taken, best routes and where to make an overnight stop (or two)?"
I always do it without stopping, I think it's about a 16 hour drive. My preferred route is Harwich to Hook of Holland (Stenna) then it's a straight drive on the E30 right across Europe to Warsaw.
I've tried Dover to Dunkirk because the ferry is only £50 but it adds more than 100 miles to the driving and that just tipped me over the edge.
The worst part of the journey is the first 80 miles or so after you cross the German/Polish border. The motorway isn't finished so it's single-lane A roads. They're nice and scenic but don't do them on a week day or you'll be stuck in with all the trucks. Time it for a weekend when they're not allowed out.
It always makes me laugh crossing the Polish border, it goes instantly from relaxed cruising to monkeys driving up your backside with their indicators flashing, desperately trying to overtake. Don't mistake it for impatience or aggression, it's just the way it's done.
Gdansk and Gdnia are my favourite parts of Poland. Seaside towns, craft fairs, markets, beaches, aquariums, street entertainment, cafes etc.
If you do Warsaw, pop in, I need Weetabix and brown sauce.
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 5 Jan 11 at 18:36
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I may be wrong, but I think Conservatives said they would review whether UK motorway speed limit can be raised to 80 MPH.
Looks like Poland indeed has common sense (which we now seriously lack in UK)
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Thanks, BBD.
I was a bit taken aback by Vincent's views. I have driven across Naples in the rush hour - does that qualify me to drive in Poland?
The thought of doing over a thousand miles in one go does make me feel uncomfortable, though.
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>> I was a bit taken aback by Vincent's views.
I think road deaths are quite a bit higher in Poland than Italy, so its pretty fair to give a warning.
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Indeed. Italians drive like crazy, but their roads are more forgiving. Here in Poland, drivers also often act like crazy, but at the same time, our roads are obviously in worse condition, thus contributing to more road deaths and related injuries. I'm sorry, that's just the way it is.
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>>I always do it without stopping, I think it's about a 16 hour drive. <<
So many car drivers do this, particularly when going on holiday.
Can anyone tell me why it's ok for a car driver but a lorry driver can only do 4.5hrs without stopping and 10 hours driving in any 24 hour period?
Time for tacho's in cars perhaps.
Pat
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>> Can anyone tell me why it's ok for a car driver but a lorry driver
>> can only do 4.5hrs without stopping and 10 hours driving in any 24 hour period?
Probably as much to protect you from your employer as anything else.
for the car driver, its a 16 hour drive once. Without regulation it could be 16 hours 4 times a week for a lorry driver.
However, having said that 16 hours in one go is too long for me, it not pleasant. 8 hours max for me.
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I tend to agree with Pat... I've done Brum to Eastern and Southern Germany in one go for the past few years, via the Tunnel and overnight... I've always found the worst time is the early hours... This year, however I'll be breaking the journey in Eindhoven or Antwerp for the night... Anyone know whether ETAP hotels are ok?
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>> Anyone know whether ETAP hotels are ok?
Basic but definitely OK.
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Used Etap a lot in France - definitely our preferred chain for price/value. Free wi-fi a bonus.
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Well Etap may have just lost my business... Online they allow you to search a hotel that has "reduced mobility" rooms but when you come to confirm the room that option has disappeared so you can't book it online and when you phone the (expensive) booking helpline you have some prat who tells you that you can book a hotel in another country and then when you say you want one of those special rooms it turns out that you have to phone the hotel direct! So I can book the hotel room but can't guarantee a disabled room which isn't a lot of use...
Its also noticeable that there is no email address either for the hotel... I've gone to their Parent Company's "feedback" section and sent them a little note suggesting that an email address for the hotel may be the way forward for those of us with special needs... It will be interesting to see what they say...
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>> monkeys driving up your backside with their indicators flashing, desperately trying to overtake. Don't
>> mistake it for impatience or aggression, it's just the way it's done.
Yes, it is.
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 5 Jan 11 at 18:36
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>>Sounds like Poland has a clever Finance Minister who gets on well with their Department >>of Transport.
Well, not exactly. It's all politics, you know.
They've just tried to kick out the Minister of Transport and I mean not the competition, but buddies from his own parliament club. Somehow, the Prime Minister managed to defend him, but that's only because they're close friends and so to say, wash each other hands (for the lack of better expression, I don't know what would be a proper sentence in English for that, but I hope you know what I mean).
Such a thing happened for the first time in like, 10 or maybe even 15 years.
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>> but that's only because they're close friends and so to say, wash each other
>> hands (for the lack of better expression, I don't know what would be a proper
>> sentence in English for that, but I hope you know what I mean).
>>
In English we'd say "scratch each others' backs" rather than wash each others' hands. Your English is excellent, I'd never have guessed it wasn't your mother tongue unless you'd said that.
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>> If we all had this "oo dear I wont be able to cope" attitude we might as well give up and die
Sure, my intention was only to shed some light on the situation.
Last edited by: Vincent on Wed 5 Jan 11 at 21:08
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I don't drive a Bahn cruiser type car but I would never consider driving to Krakow from UK, ever. In May this year I flew BA (checked luggage, pre-booked seats etc) to Salzburg and an Avis supplied Skoda Yeti diesel for a week for £550. Driving to far parts of Europe makes no economic sense IMO
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>> I don't drive a Bahn cruiser type car but I would never consider driving to
>> Krakow from UK, ever. In May this year I flew BA (checked luggage, pre-booked seats
>> etc) to Salzburg and an Avis supplied Skoda Yeti diesel for a week for £550.
>> Driving to far parts of Europe makes no economic sense IMO
Yeah but once you have not seen one country through the clouds, you have seen them all
The journey (if planned so) is part of the holiday, the experience. Everyone should drive through the alps at least once in their lives for example
Traveling by train will run a close second.
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Depends how many people are travelling, Meldrew. 4 full fare air fares to places without (and often even with) a Low cost airline option is a large sum, usually. When we go to Belgrade, it can be up to a thousand pounds for 4 tickets, and that's on Wizzair, from Luton, not exactly the epitome of luxury. We drove there once and had a marvellous time in both directions.
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I drive anywhere just adapt yourself to the habits of the locals when in Rome.
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Its no problem driving in Poland or the Czech Republic the problem is will the car be there if you leave it alone anywhere.
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That is not specific to Poland.
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But most stolen vehicles end up there or going throw there some 360 a week stolen from Dresden alone.
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Poland raises speed limits - Robin O'Reliant
