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Driving in Poland – Recommendations, Tips and Tricks
24. In Poland, there is a serious fight against corruption, so do not even try to give a bribe to the local police. There are severe fines not only for officers who take bribes, but also for drivers who try to resolve disputes that way.
25. Drunk driving is considered one of the most serious violations. The maximum allowed blood alcohol content for drivers is 0.2 ppm. The minimum fine for this kind of violation is 500 zloty.
26. If the blood alcohol content is from 0.2 to 0.5 ppm, the driver will have to pay a fine of 500 zloty. Moreover, his driving license will be suspended. If the blood alcohol content is more than 0.5 ppm, the driver can be immediately arrested, and the case will be submitted to the court.
27. Large police checks are not rare on local roads. During them all motorists traveling through a particular checkpoint must pass a breath test to identify blood alcohol content. It is not possible to refuse as such an action will certainly result in a severe punishment.
28. The speeding fine depends on the level of excess. The fine for minor speeding is about 50 zloty. It is worth noting that driving at a speed that hinders traffic is also considered a violation of the regulations. This aspect is usually controlled on the highways.
29. Polish petrol stations adopted a system of self-service. You need to fill the tank, and then go to the cashier to pay. It is important to mention that there is no the 92 gasoline at local petrol stations, and the 95 gasoline is offered in two types - with or without lead. It is allowed to carry up to 20 liters of fuel in cans in one car.
30. Despite the fact that the system of self-service may seem quite awkward to many drivers, all the petrol stations are well equipped and even beginners will find it simple to understand the principles of their work. Thus, all petrol stations provide special disposable gloves for drivers. These gloves are for customers, so they will not soil their hands.
Hints on Car Hire in Poland
When choosing a car for your Poland trip, don’t forget to check and compare the franchise amount (indicated in the rental conditions) for all cars considered in your selection. The franchise may vary from 200 to 2000 euro/dollars even for cars of the same class. A thorough comparison will allow you to choose the option with the lowest franchise.
During your booking, we will offer you to take a full coverage of the franchise ('No Risk' or 'No Excess' package). If you book a car without full coverage, it is recommended to take it at the pick-up time - this will substantially reduce your financial liability in Poland for the whole rental period.
During your car pick-up in Poland, do not forget to check what to do in breakdown-, accident- or theft-cases. Most of our offers include 'Breakdown Assistance' package. Besides this, every rental office would be happy to assist you with this package.
Prior to the car return, please check your voucher for the fuel conditions. If it is indicated that a driver shall return the car with a full tank, do not forget to refuel it on the way back, this will save you from additional charges at the rental office.
If you are looking for a car hire in Poland, we advise you to check OrangeSmile.com actual rental offers. Just use the orange search form at the top. We guarantee that you would not be able to find better rates anywhere else!
32. In Poland, gas fuel is very popular with locals, so gas refueling stations are as widespread as ordinary petrol stations. The cost of fuel is different in different cities, and it usually depends on what road the gas station is located. As a rule, the average price of gas is twice less than the cost of petrol.
33. If looking at the flow of cars carefully, you will notice that the majority of cars on the roads of the country belong to medium and budget segments. Luxury cars as well as large SUVs can be seen very rarely. Fiat remains the most common foreign car in Poland. You may also see a lot of Daewoo and Felicia on Polish roads, but BMW and Volkswagen are not frequent guests on the country’s roads.
34. Spacious and comfortable streets are typical for the majority of cities of the country. There are roundabouts on almost every crossroads. Local drivers call such crossroads «rondo». Some crossroads are equipped with special road junctions that allow turning right without waiting the green light.
35. “Speed bumps” are also present on local roads. As a rule, drivers are warned about them by special road signs. To make sure that the speed bump will not be a surprise to drivers, it is marked with bright yellow markings.
36. Close to downtown you may often see streets of a non-standard width. Do not drive at high speed on such roads as it may be dangerous. On some roads with tram movement, drivers are not allowed to move on tram tracks even to make a maneuver. If there is such a restriction, there will certainly be an appropriate road sign. On some roads the tramway is separated by a special border from the main road.
37. In the morning and in the evening there are often large traffic jams in the city center. When it comes to remote areas, traffic jams occur infrequently there. They are possible only in case of a serious accident or road repairs.
38. Without a doubt, travelling in the city's historic district is the most difficult thing for drivers. The streets there are very narrow and winding. Despite this feature, local people are used to travelling on them at high speed. It is also worth mentioning that among fans of high speed there are not only young motorists, but also elderly drivers.
39. Krakow is one of big cities with a friendly atmosphere on the road. Here, drivers are friendly and polite to each other, and in Warsaw the situation on the road is more complicated.
41. Owners of powerful cars will benefit the most if they decide to travel in winter. Only some vehicles are able to move in narrow snow-covered streets and on slippery roads. Many cars parked on the street are simply covered with snow, and it is impossible to get them out of the snow trap.
42. In some cities, enter to the territory of the central and historic districts is limited for cars. There are zones where parking is limited and areas, where you need to acquire a special permit to park. Drivers will easily find out about all the nuances of the rules from road signs.
43. It should be noted that these limited areas are usually small, so they are unlikely to cause any discomfort. In some areas, movement and parking is limited only at a certain period of time.
44. It will be not simple to find a free parking in the center of the city, but the choice of paid parking lots in the center is very large. The cost of paid parking services depends on their proximity to the center and places of interest. Finding a parking lot is very simple. You only need to look for the «Parking» sign.
45. Parking in the wrong place is a violation, and it will result in a large fine. The police also have the right to put on the wheel lock. To remove it, you must call the phone number indicated in the receipt and follow the instructions.
46. Drivers are allowed to use fog light only when the visibility on the road is less than 50 meters. While moving, you need to monitor carefully weather conditions, and as soon as the visibility improves, the fog lights must be turned off. By the way, in poor visibility conditions drivers are recommended to accompany overtaking with a short beep.
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