Re: Prague

[Janet P Gunn <jgunn6 at csc.com>]

Stephan,

Thanks.  Just what I needed.  Comments in line.

Stephan Wenger <stewe at stewe.org> wrote on 03/08/2007
03:26:32 AM:

> Hi janet, all,
> Renting a car at the airport, and from an international
rental car 
> company, is straightforward.  More expensive than in the US,
> though.  I cannot advise the budget deals you may get from local
> companies or individuals.  Also keep in mind:
>  
> a) cars of a given rental car class are smaller
than in the US---
> much smaller---so go for full size minimum if you are 2+ people withsuitcases.

I'll just be one person, without suitcases.

My idea of a "small car" is the one I drove
in college- a 500cc 2-stroke Berkeley, which seated two as long as neither
of you were overweight. My most usual request at a US car rental counter
is "don't you have anything smaller?"

> b) Stickshifts are still very common, especially
for the smaller car
> classes.  Make sure to rent an automatic, if you think you need
it

No thanks.  I MUCH PREFER a manual transmission,
and drive one every day (Nissan Sentra).


> c) the Hilton is just outside the inner city
and has ample hotel 
> parking, so keeping the car there is not an issue.  Forget about
> using the car in the inner city---no spots.  But then, the inner
> city is extended walking distance.

Yes- my only intention was to use a rental car for
one or two "day trips" outside the city.  
I'd use public transport if convenient- the guide
book says "bus from Florenc in Prague"- but I have no idea if
that is two busses a day (not convenient) or every hour (fine), nor how
far the museum is from the bus stop.  I have emailed the museum director,
and got a response which indicated that
-the email worked
-he read and wrote English
- he would get back to me with more detail later.

But "later" hasn't happened yet.  I
need to "ping" him again.

> d) Driving in town is similar as in most other
European major 
> cities---US folks would consider it somewhat aggressive.  But
it's 
> quite survivable.  Once you leave the immediate vicinity of Prague,
> people drive fast, but safely, and there's not too much traffic.

I have driven in Western Europe- most recently my
husband and I drove around north western France immediately before the
Paris meeting.  Is it similar.

> e) Buy all insurance you can---saves hassle and
discussion time in 
> case you have a fender bender.

Thanks.  That I would not have thought of.

> 
> And with respect to the horror stories re taxis:
> I have had perhaps 10 taxi rides in the Prague
vicinity over the 
> last four years.  In this, I had one incident where I driver
> attempted to grossly overcharge me.  I was alone in the cab,
but it 
> had stopped at my destination, so I simply opened the door, put one
> foot out, and threatened to walk away.  The reaction of the driver
> was to come down with the price, fast.  I'm not a body builder
or 
> anything.  This stands in contrast to an experience I had in
NYC in 
> the late 1980s, where I stupidly boarded a grey cab, and found 
> myself and hour later in New Jersey, with no money and credit cards
> whatsoever, and the first-time-in-life experience of a gun near my
> head...  So much about common sense when hiring cabs.

My only experience with a gun near my head was in
a parking garage on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, in the block between
the House Office Building 2 and the Police Station.  But I got away
with only giving him my money.  I held onto my credit cards and, more
importantly, my green card ( I carry a UK passport, though I have lived
in the US since '59).

> 
> Finally, with respect to meeting venues.  I think there's value
in 
> distinguishing Canada and the US.  Meetings in Canada are typically
> a pleasant experience; decent folks at immigration, reasonable
> lines, reasonable hotel rates and restaurant prices, decent cabbies,
> ...  I can't say all that for US meetings.  And I carry
a German 
> passport.  Colleagues of mine, who are very good technologists
and 
> would be an asset for IETF face to face discussions are not even 
> considering attending US IETF meetings, because they are at the 
> disadvantage of being born in a predominantly muslim country... 
So 
> that would be a factor to consider as well.

In the late 50s (Suez crisis) we lived in Canada,
 but crossed into the US quite frequently.  My father very often
got "special attention" (as in "Please park the car and
come into the office") because his British passport showed that he
was born in Cairo, Egypt. (HIS father was an Egyptologist.)

Thanks,

Janet
> 
> Regards,
> Stephan
> 
> On Mar 7, 2007, at 8:38 PM, Janet P Gunn wrote:
> 
> 
> For those of you with experience in Prague/Czech Republic- 
> How practical is it to rent a car?   
> There are a couple of places outside Prague I would like to visit
on
> the weekend (in particular the JAWA Motorcycle Museum of Konopiště,
> about 20 miles outside Prague), and I am considering renting a car.
> 
> Thanks 
> 
> Janet
> 
>
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