SundayNewspaper

E10 The Mix | | SUNDAY, MAY 12, 2019 2 R By RICK STEVES Tribune Content Agency It’s easy to travel through Europe without a car, but there are times when I enjoy the freedomof having my own wheels. I don’t drive in big cities, but having a car can be the best — and sometimes the only — way to get off the beaten path. When exploring small towns or the countryside, I connect the dots with a rental car. Last spring, for example, a great little car helpedme get around the whitewashed hill towns of southern Spain and the beach towns of Por- tugal’s Algarve region. I rode cheap public transportation out to Sevil- la’s airport, picked upmy car and got onmy way. There’s nothing exotic about driving in Europe. Sure, southern Europeans seem tomake up their own rules of the road, and you’ll need to adjust to some unfamiliar signage, but it’s all part of the expe- rience. Here are some tips for mak- ing the most of the open road. The basics: While the British and Irish drive on the left, everyone on the continent drives on the same side that we do in the U.S. Filling the tank is just like back home, except it’s euros and liters rather than dollars and gallons. Don’t overreact to Europe’s high cost of fuel. Over there, cars get great mileage and distances are short. Signs: All of Europe uses the same simple set of road symbols, which you can easily find online or through your rental agency. Any sign that’s red usually means “don’t” — such as don’t enter or don’t pass. A blue sign typically is telling you “do” — such as “go right” or “exit here.” Make educated guesses if you don’t know for sure (a red sign with an exclamationmark is telling you “be ready for anything”). Passing: After just a fewminutes onGermany’s autobahn or France’s autoroute, you’ll learn that the fast lane is used only for passing—cruise in the left lane and you’ll soon have a Mercedes up your tailpipe. When you do pass other drivers, be bold but careful. On winding roads, the slower car ahead of you may use turn-signal sign language to indicate when it’s OK to pass. Be sure you understand the lane mark- ings: In France a single, solid, white line in the middle of the roadmeans no passing in either direction; in Germany it’s a double white line. Traffic circles: For many first- time European drivers, traffic cir- cles are a high-pressure event that require a snap decision about something you don’t completely understand: your exit. Take an extra loop around to explore your options. Don’t worry —no other cars will know you’ve gone around enough times to get dizzy. Speeding: Inmany countries, car speed is monitored by automatic cameras that click photos and send speeders very expensive tickets by mail (they’ll find you through your rental agency). It’s smart to know — and follow— the area speed limit. Drinking and driving: The legal blood-alcohol limit is lower in Eu- rope than in the U.S., and punish- ment ranges from steep fines to imprisonment. In France, all cars must have a Breathalyzer on board (supplied if your rental starts in France). Europe takes its DUI laws seriously, and so should you. Expressways and tolls: Most of Europe is laced with freeways. Pack a paper map and more tips for a European road trip TRAVEL READER’S LENS By COLIN DILTZ Seattle Times photo staff Photographer: Vance Thompson Photo taken: April 12, 2019, at Coffee Pot Lake in EasternWashington Photographer’s description: “This image was taken during a Northwest Fly Anglers Club outing on Coffee Pot Lake, northeast of Odessa, Washington. Rainbow trout as big as 20 inches to 24 inches are routinely caught and released. There is a nesting pair of ospreys near the boat launch. Later in the year, rattlesnakes have been seen in the area.” Critique: “This is a nice first-person perspective of what it looks like to be fishing out on this lake. The cloud cover provided decent light to give us a nice view of the water and landscape.” Share your recent photo fromaround the North- west. Submit online at seattletimes.com/submit- photos. Our favorite will appear in this spot next week. We judge the year’s best and award prizes in December. Colin Diltz: 206-464-2047 or cdiltz@seattletimes.com ; on Twitter: @colindiltz. I gave. You gave. We all gave, together. Special thank you to our sponsors and partners who made it all possible! SPONSORS MEDIA SPONSORS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT Thank you to over 21,000 people who participated in GiveBIG on May 8. You were part of the biggest giving event in Washington State. Your generosity raised an incredible $11.4M to benefit communities across the state. We look forward to seeing you next year! MARKETING PARTNERS Global WA • KNKX • Seattle Parks Foundation • Shunpike • Youth Development Executives of King County • Washington Nonprofits