FV 106 : (Part 2) Driving tips from a French instructor

Buy Full Notes This episode is the second part of my conversation with Hélène, a former driving instructor from France who will share information about driving in France. Compare with your own country! We'll start with talking about the speed limits and recent changes about them in France. Why so much controversy, and what are the reasons behind these changes? Find out why there often are trees along the road, which I'm raising as something particularly illogical and dangerous. However, we'll learn that there are good reasons for this! We'll also tell you about la priorité à droite, a very important road rule that may not exist in your country. What does a French driving licence look like and how long is it valid for? Do foreigners need an international licence to drive in France? Listen to find out! Also check out the links in the shownotes for more tips about driving in France and the link to a fun comedy, "Un Point c'est tout", where reckless drivers attend a worksop to get points back on their licence. Vocab List autoroute (nf) = freeway chaussée (nf) = road, roadway cinétique (adj) = kinetic clignotant (nm) = indicator espacer = to space out essuie-glace (nm) = wiper manette (nf) = lever, hand command méfiant,e (adj) = cautious, wary panneau (nm) = road sign piéger = to trap, to trick piéton,ne (n / adj) = pedestrian poteau (nm) = pole, post puce (nf) = chip radar (nm) = speed camera ralentir = to slow down rond-point (nm) = roundabout sens unique (nm) = one-way signalisation (nf) = signing, marking, signals terre-plein central (nm) = median strip tronçon (nm) = (road) section trottoir (nm) = footpath virage (nm) = bend, turn, curve voie (nf) = lane Questions: Why are there trees along the roads? Which hand commands / levers are inverted on Australian cars and European cars? What used to be the nickname for the French driving licence? Answers: It's to artificially add a bit of danger and make drivers more cautious: if a straight line was clear, they would tend to drive faster and take more risks. It's psychological! The windscreen wipers and the indicators! Le petit papier rose Links & Resources French Your Way Podcast, Episode 75: "France Travel Tips (PART 3): Driving": frenchyourway.com.au/podcast75 "Tips for driving in France" (article) "Un Point c'est tout" (théâtre, Laurent Baffie) Did you like this podcast? You can support my work by leaving a review on iTunes. Your kind words warm my heart and also help me be found by more passionate learners of French. Merci beaucoup! Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and never miss a new episode!