How to Drive a Car to a Ferry
Are you planning an out-of-town trip away from the mainland? This means you’ll have to board a ferry, and if you’re bringing a car along with you, you need to have the right skills to get your vehicle safely on the car ferry. Don’t worry, because it’s easier than it looks. Here are some simple steps you can follow.
What You’ll Need:
Car
Car ferry
Ticket
Procedure:
Buy a ticket for the ferry. Some terminals allow ticket purchases to be made online, but in some ferry companies, you need to go to the terminal and purchase one yourself. Just approach the ticket booth, and make sure you state clearly where your destination is. Most terminals have the booths separated according to destination, so carefully read the signs.
Find out where the correct lane is. The line up has many different lanes. Refer to your ticket as to where you need to go into. When you’ve found the right one, park your car as close as possible to the vehicle in front of you.
Turn off your car engine. You might need to wait for a little while. This will help save gas and prevent your vehicle from releasing harmful emissions.
When the lane starts to move, start your vehicle. Follow the cars in front of you, until you board the ferry. In some cases, there are some overpasses and ramps to pass through, and you’ll need to make tight and complex turns.
Drive on the ferry, following the direction of the terminal staff. Keep following them as you enter. The crew will show you a parking spot. Don’t ignore them, as these guys actually make sure the weight of vehicles are evenly distributed all throughout the ferry, so it won’t turn over.
When you get to your spot, put your vehicle at least 24 centimeters in front of you. This maximizes the number of vehicles the ferry can accommodate.
After you’ve engaged the parking break, put your vehicle in Park.
When it’s time to get off, don’t start your vehicle until the one in front of you starts moving, to reduce car emissions in the ferry. Get off safely, still following the vehicle in front of you.
What To Do If The Ferry Ramp Collapses
In some unfortunate cases, the ramp that goes to the ferry collapses with the vehicles on it, dropping them in the water. To avoid danger, you must set your car so you can escape quickly, if this misfortune happens.
Open the windows as far as possible. Make sure the objects don’t blow out. When you go underwater, the pressure will be too heavy for you to open your windows.
Unlock the door. If they automatically lock when placed in Drive, override it by pressing the driver’s button’s Unlock function.
Release your seat belt. This will help you get out easily and save you a few precious seconds.
Getting your car safely on the ferry is very important. Just remember these tips and safety precautions, and you’ll soon be driving all over the other island.