- In all the hours of driving and roads we have covered never once have we encountered any police or radar traps.
- The major freeways are all tolled. In our rental car we have a toll transponder so we don't even stop as the chip is read as we drive through the toll lane. Our credit card will be billed.
- Some freeways have overhead readers that charge each vehicle based on the size of the vehicle. Cars pay the lowest charge.
- When you see cars stopped on the side of the freeway, every motorist is wearing a fluorescent green safety vest as they are stepping around their car. Excellent safety practice. So many motorists are killed at the side of the road each year.
- At various spots on the freeways they have areas you turn off into with gas stations, food marts, restaurant(s) and occasionally accommodations.
- Price per litre of unleaded gas is around 1.20Euro per litre. To convert to Canadian dollars it would be around 1.70CDN per litre. Much higher than our gas prices and we pay the highest in the country in Vancouver.
- When driving on a side road and you are nearing a village and/or in a village there are posted speed restrictions. Commonly the speed limit is 50 km/hour. If you exceed this and there is a 'traffic light' it will go RED and you need to stop. I get the impression though that the locals simply speed on through and don't stop. They aren't really intersections.
- The drivers here are so fast. The average speed limit on the freeway is 120 and only 1% of the cars limit themselves to 120. Many cars speed by over 200 and this is not the German Autobahn! Today, when I was driving in some spots I never passed a car for 40 minutes and I was passed by everyone. Shocking I know!
- 95% of the drivers are good at checking their rear-view mirrors and immediately pulling into the right hand lane for faster drivers approaching from behind.
- I have already covered this, but when you are passed the car will cut right in front of you rather than driving a safe distance and then pulling in front.
Lana and I are arriving in Portugal August 21st and returning to Vancouver September 6th. During the 2 1/2 weeks, we will be travelling throughout urban and rural areas.
Alentejo Region
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Driving in Portugal
OK, I thought I would describe the peculiarities of driving in Portugal. Definitely, some differences than driving in Canada and other European countries. This is my list to date:
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