Driving lessons in Vienna......English speaking

[DrYazz]

Dear good Volks of Vienna,

I have held a driving licence in the UK for over 10 years, and consequently sit between Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher in terms of driving ability.

I would like however a few lessons to learn about the specifics of driving in Austria, the rules and regulations and to get in the right mindset.

An English speaking instructor is a must, as I have been studying Deutsche for only a month.

I intend to bring one of my one vehicles here, from the UK, in March.

Has anybody taken lessons here?

What would you recommend?

[CapnNismo]

I imagine if you just go to www.herold.at you should be able to look up Fahrschule and just start calling around to the places and ask if they speak English. "Haben Sie einen Fahrlehrer, der Fahrstunden auf Englisch geben kann?" (that sentence double checked from my Austrian girlfriend). You can narrow your searches on Herold by postal code (thereby also districts in Vienna), so you can find places that are local to you.

[Parsifal]

I too learned to drive in the UK. Prior to living in Vienna full-time I hadn't done much driving on the continent.

I wouldn't worry too much about learning the specifics, as you put it. One of the first things I did when I got here was to hire an IKEA van - driving it across Wien and back really wasn't a problem at all, despite the fact I hadn't done much driving here before.

The UK driving instructor I had was probably like most other driving instructors - a bit of a Norman no-mates anorak but informative and helpful to a fault. Knowing Austrians like I do I doubt you'd get someone like that here. If you're unsure about driving your own car here, perhaps ask a friend if you can try their car (vehicles are insured here not drivers), or hire a laudamotion car for a couple of hours.

[beanbag]

Unless you are not at all comfortable, I wouldn't waste your money.

Just make a note of the following:

- You have to give way to pedestrians with the silly crossings you have here!

- You give way to your left UNLESS you are going down a one-way street. In which case, you give way to your RIGHT!!!! This one almost wrote off my car 3 days after buying it!!!

- The speed limit on motorways is 130kph (85mph) which is nice.

- And also very important, GIVE WAY to trams. Even if your traffic light is green. They ALWAYS have the right of way and will not stop for you. Again, I almost wrote off the car just days after buying it!

- You don't need to buy a Vignette unless you are using the highways. If you never use them, don't buy one. The cheaper option is always the yearly one.

- Also Viennese drivers are some of the rudest and most revolting road uses I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with. They never say thank you and barge into a spot without checking mirrors. They will also never allow you into a lane. You have to barge in yourself.

- Saturday night roads are full of drunk drivers so watch out as they act like idiots, and taxi drivers are a menace on the roads.

The rest you'll pick up.

The roads in Austria are however some of the best I've driven on! Enjoy those and make sure you take a trip to Salzburg and Grossglockner! The mountain pass is amazing in May!

[CapnNismo]

- Also Viennese drivers are some of the rudest and most revolting road uses I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with. They never say thank you and barge into a spot without checking mirrors. They will also never allow you into a lane. You have to barge in yourself.

- Saturday night roads are full of drunk drivers so watch out as they act like idiots, and taxi drivers are a menace on the roads.

I think this can be applied to just about any major city in the world...

[beanbag]

I never experienced such rudeness in London.

In Graz however it's a totally different ballgame! The drivers are polite, courteous and very pleasant.....It's like a different world!!!

[CapnNismo]

I never experienced such rudeness in London.

Really? In 3 days I lost count of the times I was almost murdered by the drivers in London, especially the taxis.

[beanbag]

I never experienced such rudeness in London.

Really? In 3 days I lost count of the times I was almost murdered by the drivers in London, especially the taxis.

I'm not trying to get into an argument different people have different experiences, but with 5 years driving experience in London and 4 years in Vienna, I can unequivocally say the Viennese are much worse....by a massive stretch. (The pedestrians are just as bad too never saying thank you or even making eye contact when you let them pass...)

I just say it how it is for me....

P.S. Outside of Vienna in places like Graz, the drivers are positively pleasant and say thank you, offer you place and are very much like British drivers....

[Parsifal]

British drivers can be jerks, but there are plenty of polite ones as well. Like beanbag I haven't come across that kind of balance in Vienna. And graciously giving way to a pedestrian is usually rewarded with some acknowledgement in the UK and I have never experienced that here.

[Luvbeers]

To repeat some of the other points...

-Don't drink and drive inside Vienna
-Stop for pedestrians or possible pedestrians
-When there is a big 30 painted on the road don't go faster than 30kph
-Don't honk your horn to complain about traffic (or a truck unloading in the middle of the road) it is illegal and I might egg your car from the window

[beanbag]

To repeat some of the other points...

-Don't drink and drive inside Vienna
-Stop for pedestrians or possible pedestrians
-When there is a big 30 painted on the road don't go faster than 30kph
-Don't honk your horn to complain about traffic (or a truck unloading in the middle of the road) it is illegal and I might egg your car from the window

You'd better not be that bugger who decided to throw eggs inside my rented 3 series convertible! Sixt were pretty good about it, but it made a mess of the car!!!

[Luvbeers]

as long as you weren't the bugger honking your horn when you should have been taking public transportation!

[beanbag]

when you should have been taking public transportation!

Eh!?!?!?