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European Roadtrip

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duncan1098 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote duncan1098 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: European Roadtrip
    Posted: 03 May 2018 at 4:26pm
Hi everyone, I've taken up becoming the E63 rep and wanted to say Hi to everyone here 🙂 Was thinking of maybe putting out a European Roadtrip as an idea of meeting everyone and having a great time in the beasts we all own. I was thinking along the lines of maybe heading out to the Nurburgring in Germany then south down to the BMW museum in Munich - open to all ideas 🙂
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Norrie View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Norrie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2018 at 8:03pm
Good Evening, I think you will find there are specific rules concerning persons within the club organising any specific trip overseas that could be deemed as tourist travel, especially if you are considering taking money from people or booking accommodation or ferries etc.

Please can I suggest that you contact the Club office and seek guidance, this situation has come up before and the Club decided to put it in the hands of an official tour company who have all the necessary documentation, permits and insurances.

Let me say, this is totally different to you and a few mates going off on a jolly good time together.

The ring is quite popular and the Club has organised trips to BMW World in Munich.

Indeed, before you think I am pouring cold water on your idea, I had the argument that we ( a group of about 10 of us) went to Alpina factory and BMW in Munich and booked and arranged it all ourselves, this was the subject of much discussion and debate and the club issued a statement from an official travel company alleging we were not complying with all sorts of rules and regulations.

Personally I don't need some company to book my ferry, hotels, tell me what to eat and when or what to look at, but I felt it was only right to mention this to you.   

Edited by Norrie - 03 May 2018 at 8:04pm
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NickDE View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NickDE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2018 at 10:42pm
Nice idea. I'm already booked out with trips to South Germany and Nurburgring this year. I would be interested for next year.
As Norrie points out, the club usually uses a company to manage bookings, finance etc as they are ABTA registered and insured. They did a good job on the 2016 club trip to Munich, I would be haapy to go with them again.
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Nick Wright View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nick Wright Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2018 at 9:06am
Agreed.
By all means book just yourself in and your friends can do the same and tag along.
But once you start doing things for 'the club' it needs to be classed as an official event to give you the organiser peace of mind.
Whatever you do don't make the reservations or collect the money,  the club office are there to help with that and they will keep you in the loop with all the bookings.

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Mike Fishwick View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike Fishwick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2018 at 9:55am
No problem if you do not take any money - I have always given people addresses of hotels and campsites, and then left them to handle their own affairs.  We have usually met at  a mutually conveneint hotel on the first night, and then whenever each car reaches a  place of interest, or at the hotel that evening, to exchange tales of each person's journey.

The problem is that so many BMWCC members seem to be unable to get anywhere unless they are following a number plate - driving in convoy - which usually leads to those at the back breaking the speed limit to keep up, and those at the front being in a frustrating crawl.  This also has the disadvantage that it makes the group of cars into an easy target  for police. 

On autoroutes I often see groups of Brit cars cruising in the outside lane of an empty road, always at a steady 90 mph, which again makes them into targets.  Now that EU police can pursue you to the UK some people will have an unfortunate reminder of their holiday.
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Norrie View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Norrie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2018 at 10:35am
I am sure all the warnings aforementioned are correct, my limited experience going down to Munich in 2015. On the way to St Omer three French Police on motorbikes, helmets but no jackets and wearing shorts, no H & S there then? Drove 2-3 feet away from the side of our cars and tooted and gave the thumbs up sign.
From what I recall of the Motorway or equivalent there was not too much traffic compared to the M25, yes I took all those bits and pieces one is supposed to, mind you typical Europe what is required in one country is not in another. Thank God for the Germans autobahn, unrestricted and managed 182 mph before running out of road, not a Policeman in sight.

Edited by Norrie - 04 May 2018 at 10:35am
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Mike Fishwick View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike Fishwick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 10:19am
The days of shirts and bare arm motorcycling is over - the gendarmerie now have nice suits, with body armour and inflating neck/back protectors - the first officer to try one in earnest was in a high speed pursuit, when the criminals tossed a concrete fence post into his path!  In avoiding this he hit a large Mercedes, yet walked away with a broken wrist.

While a few gendarmes are fine, most of them have no sense of humour whatever, and will nick you for anything.  5 mph on an autoroute is about the limit, while adhesive tape-secured number plates can strand you by the roadside for half a day.  The CRS riot police, who look after autoroute policing in northern France, are even worse, so it is a foolish Brit who assumes that they can ignore French law, and happily cruise at 90mph all day.

But really - 182 mph?  I doubt if Norrie or any other member is really fit to drive at such speeds, particularly on public roads.  Perhaps such invulnerable people should apply for a job as a fighter pilot!  I remember an M3 driver, during a BMWCC factory tour, who kept on and on about how he had travelled at 131 mph for ten minutes - through Belgium!  He must have been either stupid or had a death wish . . .
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Norrie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 10:18pm
Yes, 182 mph, would have been faster had there been enough road. However,the new ALPINA estate top speed in excess of 200 mph, Fit to drive, yes 100% as per the acceptable law. Is it dangerous? Only if you crash, I am around the M25 most weekends full for foreign truck drivers breaking driving hours and side swiping cars, so I will take my chance. But to be honest if any travelling is more onerous that it worth, then for me, forget it. I am lucky I have travelled the World extensively at the expense of employers. I think I have seen all I want to and resent paying monies for EU stealth tax for motoring alleged offences.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mjn77 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 May 2018 at 10:53am
I do a road trip every summer, you are more than welcome to tag along.  But to be honest, most people realise the total cost and bottle out.

2017 here; http://www.bmwccgbforum.co.uk/2017-euro-alpine-road-trip_topic14634.html
2016 here; http://www.bmwccgbforum.co.uk/2016-euro-alpine-roadtrip-write-up-pics-and-vids_topic13949.html
2014 here; http://www.bmwccgbforum.co.uk/2014-french-alpine-roadtrip-pics-and-vids_topic13951.html

And yes, the Autobahn Big smileLOL you go as fast as your nerves will let you.


Edited by mjn77 - 06 May 2018 at 10:54am
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NickDE View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NickDE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 May 2018 at 6:48pm
Originally posted by mjn77 mjn77 wrote:

I do a road trip every summer, you are more than welcome to tag along.  But to be honest, most people realise the total cost and bottle out.

Ive enjoyed all your road trip reports. Personally I would recommend others to buy a slightly cheaper, older BMW and spend the money saved on a European Roadtrip. Just over a month to go until my E30 Convertible takes me to the Black Forest, and five months until my E46 track car takes me to Spa and Nurburgring. Cool
Darkness gone, Tronic gone, Solo gone, DBA going, go Darknes2, go Frozen, go Black Pearl, go The Vibrator
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mjn77 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 May 2018 at 7:54am
The cheapest part about owning a car is the initial asking price!

I've owned my E90 for a shade over 3 years and in that time, i've already spent over £10k in diesel! Add in road trips, tyres, insurance, servicng, breakdown cover, MOTs, VED, general maintenance, winter tyres, etc and it soon adds up.

Anyway, lets not sidetrack.  If the OP would like my previous year's routes then he can have them, they may give him some ideas.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote duncan1098 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 May 2018 at 9:00pm
Hello everyone! Wasn't getting notifications for this post which is annoying... It does seem a bit silly needing to go through all of that to book a simple trip! I'll try my best to organise something in conjunction with the office to get an official event rolling at some point. My issue is then it would be harder to invite other clubs along etc. Got a vision of 100+ BMW's coming along, but of course that is a vision and reality probably wont allow it. Regardless I'll try my best to sort something - bit busy with my own life at the minute, however as June clocks around I'll see what I can do. :)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mjn77 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 May 2018 at 9:41pm
You'll never get 100 people at the same time, no chance.  Some of the hotels on the passes can often have fewer than 10 rooms for starters.


Edited by mjn77 - 16 May 2018 at 9:42pm
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duncan1098 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote duncan1098 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 May 2018 at 9:42pm
Oh I know, but we can dream can't we? :)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mjn77 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 May 2018 at 9:53pm
Personally, i think you'll be lucky to get half a dozen cars.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NickDE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 May 2018 at 10:22pm
Organize it and they will come
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mjn77 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 May 2018 at 8:10am
And don't forget, the bigger the group of English cars, the more on the radar of the foreign police you become.  And they love their on the spot fines.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Mike Fishwick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 May 2018 at 3:54pm
Being too obvious is another good reason to avoid the usual Brit habit of travelling in convoy - or perhaps men cannot read maps?  It also helps if you respect the laws of European countries - it does not hurt you, and if not in convoy is not difficult.  Convoys always make it a drag for the leader, and a race for the tail-end people. 

Remember also that if the police pick up the tail-enders for speeding, they can now also prosecute the leader, on the erroneous principle that the leader 'must' have been travelling faster, and was also responsible for the conduct of the entire group.  Ther have been several prosecutions on this basis in both Europe and the UK.

If anyone is interested I have details of the route we  used the other year for the Alpine Redezvous, from the Pont du Garde (Roman aquiduct in the south of France) to Schwangau (Mad King Ludwig's castles) via the best alpine passes of France, Italy, and Switzerland.  My email is ozimandius@wanadoo.fr.



Edited by Mike Fishwick - 19 May 2018 at 6:07pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mjn77 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 May 2018 at 3:28pm
Thanks Mike, i might just email you for that route!  I'm just in the middle of planning my 2019 trip :)
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