Doc the boss and an Indian does France part two

For the bike? How big is the tank for heavens sake? OK - seen the reason mentioned! Not having a credit card I don't get these problems. We don't qualify for one. :D
Same thing would apply to your debit card. Assuming you do have one to compliment your bank account.

In France, it is more than common and is a norm to have 24/7 unmanned fuel stations even in the supermarkets. Therefore as a foreign card holder (happy to be corrected) the fuel station will preauthorise anything g from €120.00 up-to €200.00 despite you only filling up with 20L of fuel costing maybe €35.00 in total, but your bank balance will be down from let say €250.00 euros in total, to just €50.00 for anything up-to 48h and possibly in some instances longer. This will result in you having to use an alternative payment card for the next fuel stop or if you have cash, ask a local to fill it up for you in exchange for said cash, as French fuel stations do not take cash, unless there is a bod sat inside a tea hut upon exiting the station, which is in my experience quite rare to see anyone inside, so much so that on my recent trip, said tea hut had a (assuming here) brick put through its window, suggesting that the tea hut, (the hole covered up with what looks like a very old cardboard box) hasn’t been used for a long time.

Same thing with preauthorisation happens here in the UK if you chose to pay at the pump, it is just that over here the account does get balanced out by latest the following morning.
 
Last edited:
Same thing would apply to your debit card. Assuming you do have one to compliment your bank account.

In France, it is more than common and is a norm to have 24/7 unmanned fuel stations even in the supermarkets. Therefore as a foreign card holder (happy to be corrected) the fuel station will preauthorise anything g from €120.00 up-to €200.00 despite you only filling up with 20L of fuel costing maybe €35.00 in total, but your bank balance will be down from let say €250.00 euros in total, to just €50.00 for anything up-to 48h and possibly in some instances longer. This will result in you having to use an alternative payment card for the next fuel stop or if you have cash, ask a local to fill it up for you in exchange for said cash, as French fuel stations do not take cash, unless there is a bod sat inside a tea hut upon exiting the station, which is in my experience quite rare to see anyone inside, so much so that on my recent trip, said tea hut had a (assuming here) brick put through its window, suggesting that the tea hut, (the hole covered up with what looks like a very old cardboard box) hasn’t been used for a long time.

Same thing with preauthorisation happens here in the UK if you chose to pay at the pump, it is just that over here the account does get balanced out by latest the following morning.
You need to have deep pockets to buy fuel over there then. I htink we would be in trouble.
 
You need to have deep pockets to buy fuel over there then. I htink we would be in trouble.
The cost of fuel isn’t that different to UK, but is a bit more expensive.

You can get away with it, but what would be a 5 minute fuel stop might end up being a half an hour if not longer if you haven’t got an alternative payment card and just cash.
 
Well it's back to school day for some of us. Discounting all the roads that dot actually go over a pass - see discussions above - according to the traffic department we have the Puerto de Escúllar, at 2,000 metres bit of a disappointment and being all the way down in Almeria a bit far for a Sunday jaunt for me up here in the Pyrenees.

But actually that's pants - just up the road from me there's the Port de la Bonaigua at 2.072 metres which as a guess is the highest in the Spanish Pyrenees and I'll stick with that for now :)
 
I was going to suggest you go and do Gorges du Verdon, but your ribs might not standup to more ribbing and yer troos will be soaking wet. A day trip to Antibes is nice, would suit you well, if you leave really early, you’ll be there in time fie Brek, mooch about, spot if lunch and head back, be back on the beer by 4pm. Nice bit of road it is too.
 
I was going to suggest you go and do Gorges du Verdon, but your ribs might not standup to more ribbing and yer troos will be soaking wet. A day trip to Antibes is nice, would suit you well, if you leave really early, you’ll be there in time fie Brek, mooch about, spot if lunch and head back, be back on the beer by 4pm. Nice bit of road it is too.
I have a route for that from Captain and I will be doing it.
Not today my arms ache. Two up plus luggage for two weeks plus big bike around the roads today.
 


Back
Top Bottom