I am looking for advice or tips for driving on the left side of the road. Is it easy or hard to adjust to? Here in the USA it is the opposite and we will be doing a lot of driving throughout the UK and Ireland. Actually, my husband will be doing the driving, and being a good wife, I will be telling him how to drive.

Driving in the UK and Ireland is pretty easy (outside of the largest cities -- there it is better to take public Transportation). Drivers are generally more accomodating and curteous and make allowances for the few mistakes you might make. The best suggestion is to get a good road atlas -- 4 inches to the mile or better. <BR> <BR>I have written a phamphlet re driving in the UK and other practical hints I provide in my travel seminars -- But instead of repeating all of the do/don'ts I'd suggest you do a search on "driving" -- you will find several threads with lots of suggestions as well as some post from folks who just didn't like driving over there at all.

I was amazed how easy I found it to be. There's something very natural about just following the flow of traffic-- your brain is not really engaged, so you don't question which side is "right". The only time I made a mistake was when I was turning into a driveway, and I instinctively went right. But since there was no oncoming traffic it was a non-issue. <BR> <BR>I found the signage to be the greater challenge, so you can help your husband (as a good wife) by getting your navigation down, and figuring out things like, "Take the third exit out of the roundabout"!

Driving on the left isn't too tough, but shifting with your left hand is. Get an automatic if possible.

<BR> <BR>If you'll remember that the stripe always is on the drivers side, it's not so hard. Traffic in London and some of the other large cities is very heavy and not a good place to learn. The roundabouts make so much sense you'l wonder why we don't use them in the U.S. <BR>( Wonder why ? ) <BR> <BR>Enjoy . . Rich

My two recurrent issues in adjusting - (1) overconfidence after a few days leading to dumb mistakes, all recoverable so far; (2) *%$#@! mirrors are in the wrong place. No matter how many times I look at the door post, it's still not a mirror. <BR> <BR>Remember on the roads in the UK and Eire that all those Germans and Belgians are having the same trouble as you. A lot of Germans put a sticky on their steering wheel saying "Links Fahren!" to remind themselves. Only the locals, some colonials, and the Japanese feel at home.

John, that is such a good idea! When we go to Ireland in Aug, I will get a little sticky(it is good enough for the Germans) and put it near the steering wheel for my husband. So I don't have to keep on repeating "stay left", all the time. I do hope they have a marriage counselor available for crisis intervention &gt;g&lt;. Judy ;-)

Deb <BR> <BR>i tried to email you a very funny thread on this topic; but you're not you! If you'd like it, search "Driving in the UK" or email me.

Never .. Never drive with jetlag, even if you think you are OK you are not. Get a good nights sleep near the airport and get the car the next day. Never .. Never drive a manual shift unless you are very adept at it. It may cost a few dollars more for automatic but it worth it ten times over. Make one person the driver and one the navigator. It's easier to get used to driving on the left if you do not switch back and forth. Be prepared to scream things like "watch out for the signpost", "watch out for the mail box", "Oh my God you are on the wrong side of the road", "watch out for the truck, car, bus, whatever", "watch out for the kids, pedestrians, dog, cat, whatever", "do you realize this is the 4th time around this roundabout", "Oh my God this road is so narrow we'll never make it" etc etc. <BR> <BR>Driving is great tho, we've done it several times and seen a lot more that way but it can be a challenge until you get the hang of it.

real post

Deb, <BR> <BR>1. Check out www.roadwatch.ie for tips on driving in Ireland. <BR>2. You won't need a car in Dublin so don't pick it up until you are reay to leave Dublin or if you are departing from Dublin then get rid of it if you plan on spending a few days in the city. Driving is a nightmare in the city even for the locals and parking is expensive. If on the on the other hand you are landing in Dublin and staying there for a night or so outside the airport most agencies have their collection points in the downtown area of the city so I would advise going back out to the airport to collect your car before leaving Dublin to tour other areas of Ireland. <BR> <BR>3. The hard shoulder is not for driving - if you pull in to let cars pass you then stop as it is not the slow lane and you are not insuranced if you have an accident on the hard shoulder while driving. Watch out for traders selling fruit and vegetables from stationery vechicles on the hard shoulder. Best idea is to stop and let the cars pass you. Avoid all routes into and out of Dublin at rush hour and on Sunday evenings and Friday evening especially N4 and N5 routes. Tune into AA Roadwatch reports on the radio - RTE RAdio One from 16.30 in the evening or most stations. <BR> <BR>Finally allow yourself ltwice the time to drive half the distance you would normally cover back home. <BR> <BR>Hope this helps, <BR> <BR>Cathy <BR> <BR>PS Don't worry if you the road signs cause problems - they are non-existence in most places outside the main cities and the main routes - just stop and ask a local.

You'll get used to driving on the left. Where I have problems is as a pedestrian remembering to look right. <BR>

I usually don't have us much problem over there as I do when I get home. There I'm concentrating on getting it right (or left) but when I get home I start driving as in Ireland or England.

Deb! Always think, BIG RIGHT, LITTLE LEFT when turning out of anywhere onto the road! <BR> <BR>And for Mikey: my mom has the same problem when she gets back, and she is not even the driver!

Driving on left side is easy especially if you drive an automatic and on a highway. I have several problems with driving in UK. 1. Roundabouts -- it's something you have to get used to-- you have to know that you are approaching one so that you get prepared to stop if needed. City like Swindon has too many roundabouts (in some places there are five of them in one spot). 2. narrower roads -- now you are driving the other side, two lanes total, cars are coming from the other direction...I hit leftside curb manytimes. 3. it is legal to park cars facing wrong direction. Sometimes when you enter a street and notice cars facing you, you wonder whether you came into a oneway street from the wrong direction until you see another car following you. But it is fun to drive in UK.

I can't really advise as I live in the UK but I can appreciate your apprehension. I've now got so used to driving in the US (my adopted second home!) that I find it tricky here! <BR> <BR>Please believe me, traffic is so dense here that you will find it hard to go wrong and you'll be amazed that you get SO used to it that when you go home you'll question whether you're doing the right thing! <BR> <BR>Roundabouts really will make the most sense. They're a little tricky to begin with but so long as you don't rush or worry they'll make your journeys a lot easier. Slow as you approach and just share your observation between the car in front and what's happening on the roundabout -you'll instinctively know when there's space to move out (this'll make sense when you get here!!). <BR> <BR>Have fun & good luck!! <BR> <BR>Mxx