Driving on Vacation, other side of the Road/road rules (rental, vehicle)

[curiosity123737]

How are you guys with driving on the other side of the road in a Rental Car, and going on vacations to countries where they drive on the left, or even just driving on the right in a foreign country.

Its OK where there is not too many roads, junctions,heavy traffic and you have time to ease yourself into getting used to road signs, and then drive into the busier areas/cities/motorways over the course of the vacation.

Personally the thought of just jumping out of plane and driving around a busy city without much preparation, and time to get used to the roads is a little stressful to me.

Add to that unfamiliar cars, unfamiliar road signs, unfamiliar driver behavior, jet lag, distractions of Sat Nav/other people in car while driving - all a bit of nightmare

Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among people who are healthy on their vacation - and driving in third world countries, I imagine is more dangerous than europe.

Perhaps its just me but I think its a very underestimated risk on vacation

[vmaxnc]

I agree on all counts. Plus, think of what you'll be missing while you're trying to adapt to all this. Trying to reverse a lifetime of near-muscle-memory in a few days while trying to be on vacation doesn't sound like much fun.

[RobRiguez]

The biggest problem I had were the speed cameras and banging my head on the side glass when trying to look over my shoulder when reversing.

[bmwguydc]

I have never had a problem switching back and forth, but twice when I was run off the road (once into a nice stone wall that grazed the entire side of a rental Mercedes), it was my fellow Americans who could not drive in England who were the culprits.

[StealthRabbit]

Piece of cake IF car is correct for nation. You just keep the steering wheel towards Center of Road. (Be especially careful when making left and right hand turns into multi-lane roads). Rotaries can be fun too, especially high speed on freeways.

It is more of a challenge when you cross via border / ferrie and your car is OPPOSITE country std. Then you keep steering wheel to OUTSIDE of road. (tough to Pass trucks / hay wagons on 2 lane)

It is ALSO a tad embarassing when, by habit, you climb into car, and fasten your belt THEN realize the sterring wheel is on the OTHER side... You WILL do this...at least ONCE


An even greater risk in USA, is the foreign drivers who think they can stay awake and drive the long distances we frequently cover. I have lost some foriegn family friends who fell asleep and crashed. (They were from an Island country where you NEVER drove more than 1/2 hr at a time.

Trucks can be VERY dangerous in 3rd world countries + even THINKING someone is gonna give you Right of Way Never gonna happen. Oh, and watch for the buses that sometimes go OPPOSITE dirrection of traffic (splat) They go FAST right next to curb.

[curiosity123737]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Piece of cake IF car is correct for nation. You just keep the steering wheel towards Center of Road. (Be especially careful when making left and right hand turns into multi-lane roads). Rotaries can be fun too, especially high speed on freeways.

It is more of a challenge when you cross via border / ferrie and your car is OPPOSITE country std. Then you keep steering wheel to OUTSIDE of road. (tough to Pass trucks / hay wagons on 2 lane)

It is ALSO a tad embarassing when, by habit, you climb into car, and fasten your belt THEN realize the sterring wheel is on the OTHER side... You WILL do this...at least ONCE


An even greater risk in USA, is the foreign drivers who think they can stay awake and drive the long distances we frequently cover. I have lost some foriegn family friends who fell asleep and crashed. (They were from an Island country where you NEVER drove more than 1/2 hr at a time.

Trucks can be VERY dangerous in 3rd world countries + even THINKING someone is gonna give you Right of Way Never gonna happen. Oh, and watch for the buses that sometimes go OPPOSITE dirrection of traffic (splat) They go FAST right next to curb.

I'd disagree that its a piece of cake - perhaps after a few days or a week - take a european city where you have tram lines, bike lanes - and working out who has right of way, and being forced to make quick decisions with traffic, or indeed trying to find your hotel with sat nav, etc - I think driving on the other side of the road, and unfamiliar road signs your almost like a learner driver for a few days.

I lived in Norway - there is a odd rule, where on non priority roads, car emerging from right have right of way - I found so many people who were driving rental cars, who insisted they where great drivers - were not even aware of this rule - therefore if someone emerged from right and hit them - then they would have been liable and done for careless driving - its just an example but I think many people overestimate their driving and knowledge of the roads, hence the reason why the rate of accidents for travellers in foreign countries is higher than locals

[Baldrick]

I drive on the left all the time (i'm in England ) but drive on the continent most years. I've never had much of a problem with it to be honest. The hardest times I find are when approaching a roundabout or pulling out of a junction when there's no traffic, you automatically go onto the side you normally drive on for a few secs until panic kicks in.

Other than that if you just concentrate on following the car infront for the first 15mins it pretty quickly kicks in. Be sure to read the local road laws though as from country to country in Europe there are some big differences including what you have to carry in the car at all times.

I've driven in the US a few times (a 6 month posting, holidays and the like) and it took a little while but I survived it and after a few days I was driving just as badly as everyone else.

[Jezer]

Never really had a problem though I have never driven a stick shift LHD car.

I nip over to the continent in my car quite often and it helps to have a passenger for overtaking and especially for tolls!

The only thing that took a small amount of time to get to terms with in the US was the 4 way junction, which I think is a great idea and should be used here.

[jambo101]

For most of the time i didnt have a problem driving on the left side of the road but i sometimes got dis orientated in the roundabouts, like this one in Swindon..

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6WY1rQTnFr...oundabout1.jpg

[OpenD]

I never had a problem driving, but I can't tell you how many times I almost got clipped stepping off the curb as a pedestrian in countries where the curb lane came from the right.