Added: 10/19/2005 |
Dealing with the rental agency--always a pleasure if you are prepared!When on a holiday in a foreign country, rental agency is the first thing many of us look for. Just as well as renting a house, apartment or villa would insure your privacy and save you from staying in a hotel, renting a vehicle could do so much more for you and your loved ones during a holiday. With your own wheels not only do you feel more comfortable and at home, you can as well experience the culture of whichever country you are in from the inside and see the things no traveling agency could ever show.
However, as always, there are some crucial points to be kept in mind when dealing with a car rental agency abroad.
First and foremost, while still planning your holiday, make sure to check whether the country you are visiting accepts the driving license valid in your country, and in case it does not, you might have to add "applying for international driving license" (IDL) to your 'to do' list. But even here there is a catch, not all countries accept IDL; there are, unfortunately, still some countries that require you to get their driving permit rather than IDL. So, make sure you do your checking in advance, because you surely don't want to end up in a foreign country facing your rental agent telling you that your driver's license is not acceptable.
Once that is cleared up, find some time to take a look at the list of renting agencies represented in the country you are visiting. You can find those on-line, as well as through your traveling agency. The information on-line might be more objective, since you can compare prices as well consider other people's opinions, evaluations, and recommendations. Doubtless, you can do that on the spot with the help of yellow pages just as well, but being prepared hasn't hurt anyone yet.
Another thing you should take into consideration before actually sitting down behind the wheel of a rented vehicle is the difference in the driving rules of your country and the country you are visiting. The legal driving age differs from country to country, so check the laws first. Also, you might find that some rental agencies will refuse the service to people younger than 25 or older than 71 (strictly out of their own policies). Then the driving rules themselves: some countries are stricter on buckling up, for example, others are more or less lenient on that. The road signs, too, might slightly differ from country to country, which might create a not-so-slight confusion, or even cause problems. For your own good, obtain a copy of basic driving rules of the country you are visiting, that way you could avoid unnecessary problems with both the rental agency and the police.
Back to the rental agencies now, when dealing with rental agents, always ask questions if you have any and make sure to clarify everything you are not certain about. That, again, could easily prevent you from paying additional fees and penalties.
Surely coming across any type of problems with the rental agency while already in the foreign country is not that pleasant of a thing. Why not just prepare in advance and make your experience a positive one then?
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