That was until my first encounter, last month, with a G.P.S (sat.nav. - call it what you will) when taking a friend to a meeting in Paris.
My friend brought his trusty G.P.S and we set off at 2 am to miss the early morning city traffic. From my house, the quickest way to the N13 is a right, a right again, a left and then straight on for 15 km. But no, according to my co-pilot, it was a left, right and right. Bad start.
Once on the N13, all was okay, down onto the autoroute at Caen and through the péages - the last being 7.50€ at the A14 which is an easy way straight down to the Champs Elysées. At this point my map said straight on, but co-pilot said right. After shouting at it, I missed where I should have gone and had to turn around to head back in the right direction, but not on the same road thanks to the one-way system.
Still, my co-pilot can get me out of this.
We arrived at a major junction; maybe you know Paris and can understand where we were: facing the obelisk at place de la Concorde with the Seine running in front of me, avenue Champs Elysées on my right and rue de Rivoli on my left and which is one-way against me.
Co-pilot says left. Impossible, I’m thinking, it's one-way! but I was out-numbered as my friend was still on the co-pilot’s side and then the lights changed and off I went to the left.
I think it was the screaming that made me turn around so quickly when faced with four lanes of commuting Parisians out for my blood.
I gave up on the co-pilot and found our building myself - just on the right at the point we were told to go left!
Now a quick word on speeding: don't! It's costly, and do you know about rain speed restriction? Yes, we have all seen the signs on the autoroutes - 130 down to 110 in bad weather - but did you know that it also applies to other roads: 110 down to 100 and 90 down to 80.
At the end of March I had to go to Roscoff from Villedieu and I passed 6 fixed or mobile cameras and 18 police bikes on bridges, roundabouts or slip roads. There is an on-the-spot fine starting at 90€ and you have to pay there and then if you have a U.K licence. No cash? They will take you to a bank machine.
I was caught overtaking a lorry doing 25 kmph when I believed (wrongly) that I was out of the 50 zone. I had no cash or card, but they saw my wife's cheque book and told me to sign it, which I did and it went through her bank, no problem. As long as it has the official police stamp it's okay, so be warned!
Just to finish, Formula 1, what a start! We are seeing some unusual names at the front on the grid and a different British driver making it to the top - makes the racing so interesting - good old Jensen Button. Just shows you what 'Virgin' money can do. But what a shame for the Mclaren team's start to the year.
next month: the scenic, non-toll route to Paris.
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