: Thu Mar 12, 2009 4:08 pm  

The Key wrote:

It was included in the rental price, which was around about £380 for a week. And tbh, I'm not expecting it to be fantastic if we did get it

or after you've finished with it

: Thu Mar 12, 2009 4:18 pm  

To the best of my knowledge anyone can legally drive a minibus regardless of when they passed their test.

Complications arise when you start putting people in the back.

To do this you need to have passed before a certain date (some time in 96 or 97 I think) or have taken an extra 'minibus' test.

Also beware that you are not allowed to use a minibus in the outside lane of a motorway when you are carrying people in the back, and I have seen the police pull people for this.

: Thu Mar 12, 2009 4:28 pm  

Unless you are excessively speeding or are driving pretty poorly the French rozzers dont generally pull British drivers over in my experience. I drive through France 5 times a year and have been stopped once in the last 10 years at a random police stop, took one look at the license plate and just waved me on without even bothering to check my documents. However if you were in an accident it will invalidate your insurance if you are driving a vehicle(even if hired) that is not stipulated on your DL. If you did go the motorways are fantastic if not somewhat boring and you wont have to get off all the way to Beziers (stops not withstanding). Total distance around 990 miles each way if going via Dover. Also there's quite a saving on diesel still at around 84p a litre at the supermarkets. You can check the prices in France here http://www.prix-carburants.gouv.fr/

Unless you are excessively speeding or are driving pretty poorly the French rozzers dont generally pull British drivers over in my experience. I drive through France 5 times a year and have been stopped once in the last 10 years at a random police stop, took one look at the license plate and just waved me on without even bothering to check my documents. However if you were in an accident it will invalidate your insurance if you are driving a vehicle(even if hired) that is not stipulated on your DL. If you did go the motorways are fantastic if not somewhat boring and you wont have to get off all the way to Beziers (stops not withstanding). Total distance around 990 miles each way if going via Dover. Also there's quite a saving on diesel still at around 84p a litre at the supermarkets. You can check the prices in France here http://www.prix-carburants.gouv.fr/

: Thu Mar 12, 2009 4:36 pm  

The Video Ref wrote:

To the best of my knowledge anyone can legally drive a minibus regardless of when they passed their test.

Complications arise when you start putting people in the back.

To do this you need to have passed before a certain date (some time in 96 or 97 I think) or have taken an extra 'minibus' test.

Also beware that you are not allowed to use a minibus in the outside lane of a motorway when you are carrying people in the back, and I have seen the police pull people for this.

Have you read the thread?

: Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:05 pm  

Robbo4 wrote:

Only if you passed your test before 1996 (IIRC) if you passed after that year you can only drive upto an 8 seater on a standard driving licence.

Thats what i was getting at earlier on. I passed in 1997 and can only drive upto 8 seaters on my licence unless i take another test for a mini bus etc.

: Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:07 pm  

The Key wrote:

I've actually found one company where insurance can be got if 21. All I'm doing at the moment is seeing if its possible. At the moment its looking like a possibility. I just needed to know what type of vehicle can be hired and driven with a normal driving license. Looks like its more possible with a 9 seater but not any more than that at the moment unless a few drivers have higher category driving licences

I looked into driving last year. The amount of time it would take and the amount of tolls you pay etc it didnt prove to be cost effective.