Big Cities or Local Towns?
05-16-2016, 12:19 PM
#1
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
Big Cities or Local Towns?
For those that have been there, which option is more conducive to ED? A few issues to consider:
1. Safety. Where is parking better? A secure lot with valet (ugh!) or an unmonitored lot in the suburbs?
2. Traffic. No explanation needed.
Curious as I'm starting to finalize my ED itinerary. TIA
1. Safety. Where is parking better? A secure lot with valet (ugh!) or an unmonitored lot in the suburbs?
2. Traffic. No explanation needed.
Curious as I'm starting to finalize my ED itinerary. TIA
05-16-2016, 07:12 PM
#2
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: New Orleans, LA (NOLA)
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I would do both. My wife liked staying in the bid cities for the luxury hotels and night life. There are also more sites to see a big city. There is just more to do. On the other hand, big cities in Europe are a lot like any other big international city everywhere else and you miss the culture.
We stayed predominately in big cities but always had lunch and made stops in small towns along the way.
We stayed predominately in big cities but always had lunch and made stops in small towns along the way.
05-16-2016, 07:56 PM
#3
I feel the tourist towns in the countryside should be pretty secure. The most insecure areas are accessed by rail and metro. There are plenty of MB, BMW and Audis in the country resort areas.
I'm hating driving in cities. Curbed my wheels yesterday coming out of a secure parking garage with a narrow left turn exit ramp. There were gratuitous curbs on both sides. In viewing my dashcam it was probably impossible to make the curve in one go.
My philosophy is save the big cities for trips with no car. You can always go back and do those later. Do all the things you can't do (easily) without a car.
I'm hating driving in cities. Curbed my wheels yesterday coming out of a secure parking garage with a narrow left turn exit ramp. There were gratuitous curbs on both sides. In viewing my dashcam it was probably impossible to make the curve in one go.
My philosophy is save the big cities for trips with no car. You can always go back and do those later. Do all the things you can't do (easily) without a car.
05-17-2016, 07:10 PM
#4
1st Gear
Join Date: May 2016
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Just came back from ED
I did a mix and match of big and small cities. I completely avoided underground parkings altogether( I took delivery of a GT4 so even moderate angles are a no no...) and used Airbnb to book my room/appts. That way, you know in advance what is the long term parking situation and choose accordingly. My car was always safe for the night and I used hourly parking in bigger cities and did most of the tourist stuff by walking anyway. I spent half the time in Germany and split the rest between Strasbourg, France and Salzburg Austria.
It is one of the reason I left Stuttgart right away for Heidelberg where it is less crowded. Especially right after delivery where I was most paramoïd.
Hope that helps.
P.S. If was going to big French or Italian cities on the other hand...I would not even go close to the center of town with a new car!
It is one of the reason I left Stuttgart right away for Heidelberg where it is less crowded. Especially right after delivery where I was most paramoïd.
Hope that helps.
P.S. If was going to big French or Italian cities on the other hand...I would not even go close to the center of town with a new car!
05-18-2016, 12:37 AM
#5
I would do a bit of both.
But, and I've said this before, park in big cities and use S-bahn/metro etc. So much more relaxing and easier.
And be very careful before committing to a park w/ steep/circular ramps. I entered one in Brussels last year, and once in I couldn't go back and it got really tight, and I still don't know how I got up to the 4th or 5th level - it was that tight - w/out scraping wheels or worse. In future I will do a little 'recce' unless I can see it's a normal flat level structure - usually not an issue in the 'burbs, the tight one was in the middle of the old part of the city.
Later that trip a Giant Schnauzer ran full tilt straight out of a hedgerowed park outside Brussels - zero warning - and directly into the front 3/4 of of the car I was driving. Then began a saga that's not relevant to the qn posed, suffice it to say sh*t happens no matter how careful one is.
But, and I've said this before, park in big cities and use S-bahn/metro etc. So much more relaxing and easier.
And be very careful before committing to a park w/ steep/circular ramps. I entered one in Brussels last year, and once in I couldn't go back and it got really tight, and I still don't know how I got up to the 4th or 5th level - it was that tight - w/out scraping wheels or worse. In future I will do a little 'recce' unless I can see it's a normal flat level structure - usually not an issue in the 'burbs, the tight one was in the middle of the old part of the city.
Later that trip a Giant Schnauzer ran full tilt straight out of a hedgerowed park outside Brussels - zero warning - and directly into the front 3/4 of of the car I was driving. Then began a saga that's not relevant to the qn posed, suffice it to say sh*t happens no matter how careful one is.
05-18-2016, 03:43 PM
#6
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
I would do a bit of both. But, and I've said this before, park in big cities and use S-bahn/metro etc. So much more relaxing and easier. And be very careful before committing to a park w/ steep/circular ramps. I entered one in Brussels last year, and once in I couldn't go back and it got really tight, and I still don't know how I got up to the 4th or 5th level - it was that tight - w/out scraping wheels or worse. In future I will do a little 'recce' unless I can see it's a normal flat level structure - usually not an issue in the 'burbs, the tight one was in the middle of the old part of the city. Later that trip a Giant Schnauzer ran full tilt straight out of a hedgerowed park outside Brussels - zero warning - and directly into the front 3/4 of of the car I was driving. Then began a saga that's not relevant to the qn posed, suffice it to say sh*t happens no matter how careful one is.
05-19-2016, 01:09 PM
#7
Rennlist Member
I feel the tourist towns in the countryside should be pretty secure. The most insecure areas are accessed by rail and metro. There are plenty of MB, BMW and Audis in the country resort areas.
I'm hating driving in cities. Curbed my wheels yesterday coming out of a secure parking garage with a narrow left turn exit ramp. There were gratuitous curbs on both sides. In viewing my dashcam it was probably impossible to make the curve in one go.
My philosophy is save the big cities for trips with no car. You can always go back and do those later. Do all the things you can't do (easily) without a car.
I'm hating driving in cities. Curbed my wheels yesterday coming out of a secure parking garage with a narrow left turn exit ramp. There were gratuitous curbs on both sides. In viewing my dashcam it was probably impossible to make the curve in one go.
My philosophy is save the big cities for trips with no car. You can always go back and do those later. Do all the things you can't do (easily) without a car.
