Driving

[SandyLea]

We were considering hiring a car in October to explore more places up North but there seem to be daily serious car accidents everywhere and lots of fatalities.  Are the drivers really that bad in Tenerife or are these reports a bit exaggerated?  Maybe driving on the right will be too much for us to contend with if other road users are that bad...? What are the experiences of other people on Tenerife roads, will we be safer continuing with our titsa bus travels?

[angiebabes]

You will be fine. Yes, some slightly different habits but basically, slower driving off motorways because of all the bends and hills and drive within your comfort speed on motorway.

[blarer]

Daily serious accidents in the UK as well. If you don't fancy driving there's excellent  frequent express bus services from Puerto de la Cruz to La Laguna and Santa Cruz. Puerto de la Cruz is a good hub for bus links too the northern towns, check the TITSA web site. The newish TITSA TenMas card is great value.

[unhappy]

Don't expect them to signal, Islands are the worst & motorways they will sit on your bumper if you are not doing 120kph

[Davymar]

One piece of advice i would offer, make sure you hire your car from Autoriesen or Cicar, both these companies offer full damage waver included in the price, they do not attempt to scam you for a scratch when you take the car back, there are plenty of horror stories about Gold car and others doing this, we have seen the arguments at the airport, people forced into paying for extra insurance etc, we hire a lot, so we have our own yearly collision damage cover, it costs £40 for the year, no probs if you use the companies i mentioned, but we also hire in Greece a lot, the two companies do not have offices there. the driving in Tenerife is ok, but a lot busier now, watch out for hidden speed cameras!

[Mary]

For what it’s worth we have only ever driven once whilst over, but for us it was a very stressful experience and one we’ve never repeated.
The buses work for us simply because we are not in any rush to go anywhere, and it means we can both have a good look around,without constantly being on alert, it’s a good cheap service and we can get to wherever we fancy.
It’s not for everyone but for us combined with the odd taxi to a restaurant that’s a bit off the beaten track, it works well.
After our one driving experience nothing on earth would persuade me to hire a car again, it’s relaxation I want, not stress.

[cs]

We’ve been going to Tenerife 4/5 times a year for years, we always hire a car and have driven all over the island, we don’t find it on the least bit stressful although parking can sometimes be difficult, perhaps it depends on how much you drive in the UK and where you drive.  Cicar is our preferred car hire company, they can be slightly more expensive than Autoreisen, who we’ve hired from in the past, but the cars from Cicar are newer and in better condition

[SandyLea]

Thank you all for your advice. IF we hire a car, we will want an automatic as, like Mary, I fear we will find driving on the right stressful enough without having to contend with changing gear with a different hand too. Do you know if cicar have automatics? I may phone them. Equally, I know we have credit left on our new bus cards from when we were in LG in April so depending on how brave we feel, may use that up as Blarer says there are good routes out of the bus station to la Laguna etc.

[Edward Bear]

Sandy, one thing worth remembering is whilst driving always keep yourself, the driver, with  the centre line nearest you. The middle of the road.

[pilgrim]

Edward, sorry but I don't get your comment!

[pilgrim]

SandyLea
Driving is not easy, because of the way the locals drive! If you can imagine the 17 -21 year olds back in
blighty and how they drive. Up your back side, not signalling, beeping you, looking at you as if you were an alien. Over here, it is not just the youngsters who behave like that, but the whole bleeding age group up to the OAP's.
If you were to car hire I suggest you get a car when in LG, and drive locally building up some confidence
and practise. If you hire at the airport, you may be a little tired, and the journey west on the TF1 is no walk in the park. When we arrived 3 weeks ago, we as usual picked up our cheep, unfussy car from autoreison as usual. On the motorway just passed Siam Park, we were quickly forced to a stop by traffic stationary in front. That's 120 kph down to 0 in what seemed like a few seconds.
Long story short we were 1 minute behind a horrific accident where a very large lorry and trailer flipped over the concrete reservation from the other side of motorway coming toward us!
A lady killed instantly and 3 other series injuries, it is a miracle there were not more fatalities.
Remeber I said about a minute in front of us. Well when getting the car about 20 minutes before this accident, I asked for a smaller car - no free upgrade! Because I need to park in LG. This took about a minute for the girl to change the car on the computer and pass me the new keys!!!!
Makes me shivver to think!

[SandyLea]

In light of pilgrim's reply, think we'll stick to titsa buses.

[Mary]

I honestly think that unless you are very confident driving on the opposite side of the road, it’s
 a wise choice. It’s when something happens unexpectedly which is not necessarily your fault, that there is a very good chance that you’ll react in the same way as at home. It’s really about confidence, age and how you feel regardless of others saying it’s not stressful, it may not be to them but that’s immaterial it’s you that matters.
You do what feels right for you, and then at least you are able to both enjoy the journey.

[AWOL]

We hire when we go down from Cicar who are good to deal with. You can book on their website (they do Automatics) and you pay on collection at the airport. All inclusive price no extras at all. The quickest we have collected I think is less then 10 mins at TFS. JUST SIGN AND PAY. We usually get the 3 day deal whereby you can collect from TFS and we return to the Cicar office in Puerto Santiago. You ask in the comments box on booking to collect FUEL FULL TANK then before you take back just refil the tank. If they take a fuel deposit they refund on return no problem. We do the shopping etc and have a wonder around for a day or so in the hills and get to the apartment from the airport for about €90 which is not much more then a taxi fare at €55 plus a tip.

We then use the buses for the rest of our stay then €9 back to the airport for the two of us. We love the bus system especially with the new Titsa Card.

AWOL

Driving is no worse then the UK in my opinion. I do not live in the UK and whenever I do drive in the UK I come away thinking you all have some sort of death wish. Just concentrate a bit more at rounderbouts as it is a different system.

[Georgie]

What I noticed in March outside the airport were un licensed taxis offering cheap deals that people went for

[angiebabes]

What I noticed in March outside the airport were un licensed taxis offering cheap deals that people went for

That comment has no relevance whatsoever to the topic being discussed.

[blarer]

Well said Angiebabes. This was a veyt good thread until the idiot Georgie decided to join in. He must be a wind up merchant, nobody could be that bloody stupid.

[AWOL]

Sandy, one thing worth remembering is whilst driving always keep yourself, the driver, with  the centre line nearest you. The middle of the road.

Are you Italian Edward as that is how they drive having met many on mountain passes coming the other way

AWOL

[Edward Bear]

Keeping the centre line on your left hand side.  Confused as I am in UK at present.
Apologies Sandy Lea.

[SandyLea]

What I think would be stressful are roundabouts. How long did it take you all to get used to going the wrong way round?

[SandyLea]

Really want to explore places in The Real Tenerife book but will curiosity or cowardice win out?

[AWOL]

Have you never driven in Europe then.?

If not then maybe Tenerife is not the best place to learn. Have a w/e in rural France where it is quiet in Normandy or Brittany. Get Ryan Air to Dinard and hire a car.

AWOL

[pilgrim]

We tend to avoid the rush hours when driving in Tenerife, I think it makes a huge difference. On the inverse, here at home we do the same. We live in the Surrey Hills, with plenty of bendy narrow roads. And when weather good or lets say dry (my car leaks like a sieve). We pleasure drive my 53 year old LHD American muscle car! It has a long bonnet, so turns can be quite hairy. But all good fun! You should see the looks from the old grans when we visit the National Trust locations.

[SandyLea]

I've only driven in Cyprus and Malta and both countries drive on the left like the UK, so it would be our first experience at the grand old age of 60!  Maybe USA as they don't have roundabouts would be better for our first experience?

[Edward Bear]

Sandy Lea , don't worry about your grand old age I have managed for nineteen years at 83. Not too fast.
 

[AWOL]

Driving in the US is not like proper driving and not the best way to prepare you for Tenerife. Hiring in LG would be the best option as easy there and the roads out are also OK for practice up to and around Saintiago to Guia etc or down to Erjos but as I have just recalled you are going to Puerto De La Cruz this time so getting out of there will be tough for a newby. Should have stayed in LG

awol

[SandyLea]

You have more confidence than me, Edward.

Too many works going on in LG at the moment I'm afraid., Awol.

[paulb]

Get the titsa from the airport to peurto  if I remember  u get the right one it stops once on the way then hire a car i wouldnt drive up there on your first attempt

[linda]

We hire a car always as with my back problems bus not viable . We avoid main rush hour hubby drives well .We go to Puerto de la Cruz often via el tanque etc. Bit I don't like is  tf1 on route to Santa Cruz.

[SandyLea]

 Another death on the road today: Tacoronte (not sure where that is).  Seems to be more fatalities than ever lately on Tenerife roads......