US dopers, your experiences driving in the UK/Ireland.

[An Gadaí]

We're considering renting an automatic car for our short trip to Northern Ireland next week. My girlfriend, who is from the US, will be driving and she has never driven here before.
How did any US visitors driving here find it? Was it easy to adjust to lefthand driving? Any tips, warnings and the like with regard to the same?

[Hanna]

I found it to be easy. I started at the Dublin Airport and adjusting to the driving was easy, even in traffic, but finding my way to where I needed to go wasn't.

Tell her to pay particular attention when making turns so that she stays in the correct lane. It is easy to pull into the wrong lane without realizing it.

One thing that freaked me out, and I'm sure it is because Irish roads seem narrower, is that I was always afraid that the side mirror on the rental was going to hit the cars parked along the road.

[Smeghead]

I didn't find it difficult, but you do have to be aware of what you're doing. I had a tendency to drift left, because I'm used to being, as the driver, on the left half of my lane. And, like most Americans, I once or twice found myself on the wrong side of the road - luckily when there was no one else around.

[Nava]

I'm not American, but it took me a while to adjust to lefthand driving. Every time I move between Spain and Scotland I need a day or two to re-adjust; it was longer the first time. Some things are mirror images, some aren't, and you sort of need to be able to figure out which are which before you manage to create a widow. In my case I had the additional difficulty of Vauxhalls having the lights in a different spot than Renaults, Seats or Toyotas: instead of in a lever poking out of the steering wheel that you can use without moving your hands, it's in a wheel sort'a behind and below the steering wheel.

The roads in Ireland are narrower than in the US and have a lot more, ah, personality, IME; then again, cars are often smaller too. Oh, and remind her that here it's illegal to turn on red, please. That's the point I find harder about driving in the US (or, worse, about being a pedestrian in the US).

[Giles]

I'm an Australian, now living in the US, who has rented a car to drive in England -- so I've adjusted in both directions. The thing that I get wrong the longest is mixing up the turn indicators with the windscreen wipers. When in England, I rented a manual transmission car, but I'm used to driving a manual, so that was fine. Some of the roads, especially in the Peak District and the Yorkshire moors, were pretty narrow: at one time I found myself lost in the middle of a Yorkshire village trying to work out which road to take, but the other drivers just politely drive around me while I sorted myself out -- they must be used to lost tourists round there.

[Runestar]

Keep reciting the following mantra:

"Keep left, look right".

[Spoons]

I've never driven in the UK or Ireland, but I have driven in Australia; which, like the UK and Ireland, drives on the left. It wasn't too difficult, I found, on regular roads--the presence of other traffic travelling in the same direction as I was and on the same side of the road helped.

Where I did encounter problems was in places like parking lots. Things in a mall parking lot weren't quite as "regulated" as they were on a public road with plenty of other traffic, and a few times, I automatically tended to pull to the right (as we would in North America) when I encountered an oncoming car also looking for a parking space. Of course, the driver of that car automatically pulled to the left--my right--so we'd be stymied until I backed up and went to the left. Thankfully, no collisions occurred, but it's something your girlfriend may want to remember in addition to driving on a regular road.

[Celyn]

She might have some fun with roundabouts.

[Daithi Lacha]

She might have some fun with roundabouts.

Seconded. That's where I had my most trouble. Oh, that and driving stick for the first time.

[mhendo]

Like Giles, i'm an Aussie living in America. I've also had to change back and forth a bunch of times, having lived in Australia, the UK, Canada, and the US. I've switched so many times that both sides now feel equally comfortable for me.

For the most part, it really is very easy to make the switch. Some people find it easier to spend a bit of time as a passenger first, so they can get used to the look of the roads and the traffic flow without having to deal with actually driving the car. If you drive first, and allow her to get used to things from the passenger seat, she'll be fine once she takes the wheel.I found it to be easy. I started at the Dublin Airport and adjusting to the driving was easy, even in traffic, but finding my way to where I needed to go wasn't. If anything, i find that switching over is actually easier if you're driving in traffic, because you have fewer opportunities to make the sort of mistakes that people often make when switching over, such as turning into the wrong side of the road when making a turn.

If there's lots of traffic about, you have lots of visual cues about where you need to be and what you need to be doing. You can, for the most pat, just follw the example of the cars around you.

In almost 20 years of switching back and forth between the two sides, i have made exactly two mistakes where i turned into the wrong side of the road. Both of those mistakes were made on deserted country roads, where there was not another car in sight.

Once, in the Shenandoah National Park in western Virginia, i made a turn and poijnted the car down the left-hand side of the road. And once, in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, Australia, i made a turn straight into the right-hand lane. Luckily, no-one was coming down the road in either incident, and i quickly realized my error (with the help of startled exclamations from my passengers in both cases) and got back on the proper side of the road.

[mhendo]

She might have some fun with roundabouts.Yeah, make sure you explain to her how to use a roundabout properly.

There aren't too many roundabouts here in the US, and i've found that American drivers simply do not have a fucking clue how to use the things. Entering a roundabout in this country is like taking that last swoop over a big set of rapids in a canoe; you're at the mercy of all the craziness around you, and you just hope that you shoot out the other side with no damage.

ETA: Just saw your comment below mine. She might have driven around them, but if she's American that doesn't mean that she actually knows how to drive around them.

[An Gadaí]

She might have some fun with roundabouts.

She said she's driven around them before, in New England I think.

[ethelbert]

Don't drive in London. Be prepared for narrow roads.

[astorian]

As long as you're driving on highways, you'll be fine. Even roundabouts aren't hard to navigate once you get used to them. In fact. once you DO get used to roundabouts, you may even find yourself thinking, "This is great! Why don't we have these at home?"

Driving in the Irish countryside, however, can be tricky and scary, since roads tend to be very narrow, have a lot of twists and turns, and don't have "shoulders" (Americans know what I mean; we're used to having a mini-lane on the side of a road where we can pull off and park). On an Irish country road, you risk falling into a ditch if you go to far to either side, and you never know iof there's a bus or lorry speeding toward you on the other side of the bend.

An American is more likely to fall into the ditch on the left side of the road, since
a driver in the right seat doesn't get a good feel for how close he is to the far left end of the road. The driver MAY need reminders from the passengers if he/she is drifitng too far left.

[Smeghead]

The narrow roads thing does take some getting used to. The first time I drove in the UK, the car I had reserved was unavailable (cue Seinfeld rant here), so I was given a minivan/peoplemover. Driving on the wrong side of the road in a minivan on those narrow roads was loads of fun.

[aesop]

On an Irish country road, you risk falling into a ditch if you go to far to either side

Unless you're in the western part of the island, where you risk colliding with a rock wall.

US visitor to Ireland and Scotland checking in. Driving on the left is easy to get used to. Driving down a so-called two-lane road that looks barely wide enough for one car is not. Hem in that road with a rock wall on each side and the oncoming traffic can be quite intimidating. Then, just for fun, toss in the occasional random sheep road hazard for good measure. And don't forget she'll be gawking at the landscape instead of focused on the road because it's one of the most scenic places on Earth.

As for roundabouts, they are easy and fun. With the exception of that double roundabout (kind of like a barbell or figure eight) somewhere outside Cumbernauld or wherever that had me thoroughly bamboozled.

Best tip is to give yourselves plenty of time so you aren't rushed. You can't cover 100 miles on Irish backroads as fast as you could on US backroads. But if you're there to tour the country, why would you want to?

[John DiFool]

I didn't find it difficult, but you do have to be aware of what you're doing. I had a tendency to drift left, because I'm used to being, as the driver, on the left half of my lane. And, like most Americans, I once or twice found myself on the wrong side of the road - luckily when there was no one else around.

I was in South Africa (left lane country) for a month several years back, and only screwed up once trying to turn left into the righthand lanes-caught myself and just kept going straight thru the intersection. Even shifting with my left hand wasn't a bother with just a bit of practice. Key was maintaining situational awareness, something that driving sims have helped me with.

[Algher]

US driver who hits Scotland at times...

Day 1 is scary as hell as I adjust. After that, I am fine.
NARROW roads compared to the US, some of which ARE NOT WIDE ENOUGH FOR TWO CARS. The Scots are quite polite and there are cutaways on the road so that you can pull over so that the car from the other direction can keep going. You flash your headlights to give them the go ahead.

I deal with the roundabouts with one system - I happily go through twice. The first pass is to find the exit while staying alive. The second pass is when I take the exit. Telling myself that there is no reason to both ID the correct road AND get onto it makes the roundabouts much easier to manage.

[Shot From Guns]

I don't drive at all, but this is what I recall of others' experiences when we've visited Ireland/Northern Ireland/Scotland:

1.) Get an automatic. You don't want to worry about scrabbling around for the shifter on the opposite side.

2.) The first time my mother went to Ireland was when my brother and I were still kids. Li'l bro had one of those mats with roads and houses and such that you can play on with toy cars; Mom used that to practice driving on the left side (especially turns).

3.) It's hardest to remember to stay on the left after making a turn at an intersection. It can be useful to have your passenger call out, "Stay left!" any time you turn onto another road.

4.) When driving on small roads (with no dividing line), the general method seems to be to drive very quickly down the middle, then slow and pull to the left when passing a vehicle coming from the opposite direction, who will do the same. Expect to hear a pretty much constant "thwipthwipthwip" of hedge branches brushing the side of your vehicle.

[TJVM]

Driving in the Irish countryside, however, can be tricky and scary, since roads tend to be very narrow, have a lot of twists and turns, and don't have "shoulders" (Americans know what I mean; we're used to having a mini-lane on the side of a road where we can pull off and park).
As with others above, this is what I found most harrowing about driving in Ireland. I got used to driving on the left quickly enough, but when driving in the country, I often felt like I was an inch away from smashing someone's mailbox or scraping the side of the car against a stone wall. Passing large vehicles going in the opposite direction could also be harrowing. I suspect that there was really more clearance than I imagined, but it felt dangerous.

I also found driving long distances to be unusually tiring, because I had to actively concentrate on what I was doing, as opposed to cruising on mental autopilot the way I tend to do at home.

[Smeghead]

I also found driving long distances to be unusually tiring, because I had to actively concentrate on what I was doing, as opposed to cruising on mental autopilot the way I tend to do at home.
I had forgotten that, but now that you mention it, I had the same experience.

[Elendil's Heir]

Haven't been in Ireland, but in Great Britain I'd agree:

* back-country roads are much narrower and, in some cases, more poorly maintained than their U.S. counterparts.

* roundabout traffic moves more quickly there than on the few U.S. roundabouts I've been on (there are a few in the outer eastern suburbs of Cleveland, An Gadaí).

* more animals (sheep) are on the roads in rural areas.

* I found it frustrating that street signs tended to only name the next small town down that road, not the big city toward which you were ultimately heading, which meant you had to follow on the map much more carefully to be sure you were still heading in the right direction.

* never had a particular problem staying on the correct side of the road.

[Little Cat Z]

The first left turn was totally weird. I kept thinking, "Okay. This is just the opposite of a right turn in the US." But it didn't seem like it.

After four hours of driving around on the wrong side of the road, I signed into my B&B with my left hand! Normally I use my right for writing. But I'm fairly flexible about this.

For some reason the road maps looked very different to me, too.

Good luck finding an automatic.

[Sam I Am]

I find it easier, rather than thinking about left/right, to think of it as "I (the driver's side) should be towards the middle of the road".

[Candyman74]

Roundabouts are easy. Forget about the roundabout; just imagine you're at a t-junction and need to turn left. Then follow the road until you need to turn left again.

[delphica]

I was constantly putting on the wrong turn signal. It was like in my mind, I had decided that everything was opposite, so that if I intend to turn left, I should put on the right turn signal. Then, as soon as it was blinking, I would realize my mistake and switch to the left turn signal. I'm sure people driving behind me thought I was hopelessly lost, or just plain stupid.

[amarone]

Roundabouts are easy. Forget about the roundabout; just imagine you're at a t-junction and need to turn left. Then follow the road until you need to turn left again. And which lane are you going to be in on those roundabouts that have two or three lanes?

(I'm surprised we haven't had a Magic Roundabout link yet.)

[Really Not All That Bright]

Yeah, make sure you explain to her how to use a roundabout properly.
When in doubt at roundabout, keep going. Better to make an extra circuit than to hit something.

[Daylate]

I guarantee that the first few times, after you park and then come back to the car, you will first open the passenger side door and get at least partially into the car. This will be a source of amusement to any Brits who may be watching.

[amarone]

Being English but have lived in America for 15 years, I am used to the transition. However, the thing I have most trouble with is hitting the door with my hand when going to change gear.

[mhendo]

I guarantee that the first few times, after you park and then come back to the car, you will first open the passenger side door and get at least partially into the car. This will be a source of amusement to any Brits who may be watching.I still do this very occasionally in the US, usually when the car is parked on the left side of a one-way street.

[Carol the Impaler]

This doesn't really apply to your situation, I don't think. But if both driver and passenger are new to Ireland and driving on the left, the passenger is the navigator and in charge much the like anesthesiologist in a surgical procedure. The driver does nothing but keep the car on the road safely and do whatever the navigator says!! :-)

With one exception. The driver must actively ignore gasps of terror from the passenger. It only looks like you're going to hit that rock wall.

[Southern Yankee]

The biggest problem I had was landing in Dublin and getting the rental car. It was my first time driving on the left and when you leave the airport you're thrust right into heavy city traffic. You're kind of forced to adapt quickly!

The other thing that took some getting used to, was driving on the twisty, extremely narrow cliffside roads WITHOUT GUARD RAILS as a native was on your bumper beeping the horn at you because you're driving slow enough NOT TO DIE by going off the one-car-width lane and into the sea below, which is apparently, too slow. :p

[lost4life]

Staying in the correct lane when turning, banging my hand against the door when trying to shift, mixing up the turn signals and windshield wipers, constantly getting into the wrong side (just act like you meant to do it).

The turning thing messed with my head when I came back to the states. It was like someone fiddled with my brain's operating system.

[HMS Irruncible]

I never had any problem with left-hand driving. The fear of a grisly, violent death pretty much cemented the habit within an hour or so.

I will however admit that now and then, when getting into the car, I would get out my keys and promptly seat myself on the passenger side. I never completely broke that habit because the only negative consequence thereof is a brief moment of "huh, some prankster moved the steering column. Oh wait, I've been living overseas for the past year, haven't I?"

[Maeglin]

As long as you're driving on highways, you'll be fine. Even roundabouts aren't hard to navigate once you get used to them. In fact. once you DO get used to roundabouts, you may even find yourself thinking, "This is great! Why don't we have these at home?"

I couldn't agree more. I have driven through the Welsh countryside twice, each time for over a week. As long as I recited my "drive on the left, look on the right" mantra, I was fine.

The more difficult part was not the reversed direction but the country lanes. These lanes are often single-file traffic with high walls or ditches on either side. It can be very difficult to manage oncoming traffic, especially when the locals drive at terrifying speeds.

In well over 1500 miles of driving in Wales, the worst I did was striking off the driver side mirror against a stone wall in a country lane.

[ShadowFacts]

My wife and I have visited Ireland twice from the US, and the driving was definitely an experience. We did not really have much problem adapting to the left lane thing, but the narrowness of the roads coupled with the fact that there is rarely a shoulder was really unnerving. These huge trucks (or lorries, if you prefer) would be barreling down the road and it just seemed certain they were going to plow right into you, and there was no way to "lean" to the left because there was a damn stone wall (or hedge or something). The speed limits on some of the roads seemed ludicrous, too. We actually took a photo of this ridiculous narrow country lane - just enough room for one car - with an 80kmh sign. :eek: Second time we were more prepared for it, and we had a smaller car, which helped.

Note that is was the Republic, not Northern Ireland.

ETA: And I should have read Maeglin's post, which beat me to it ;) So, um, ditto.

[Shot From Guns]

When in doubt at roundabout, keep going.

Tsk, should have phrased it, "When in doubt at a roundabout, don't get out."

[AK84]

Whats scary about round abouts. Go with the flow.

[Candyman74]

And which lane are you going to be in on those roundabouts that have two or three lanes?

(I'm surprised we haven't had a Magic Roundabout link yet.)

If in doubt, the left lane. Unless you're going right. :)

[Hippy Hollow]

I drove for a week to Suffolk, Bath, and Oxford from our B&B near Earl's Court. In a manual transmission VW Golf. Lovely car, and I had a great time.

A roads and motorways are similar to driving in America, as far as the road quality (particularly single or double digit A roads). The difficulty is getting started on a trip; you tend to veer to the right. Once I got onto the road I was fine.

B roads are best avoided if you're trying to get somewhere in a hurry and narrow roads make you nervous.

Roundabouts are fairly easy to navigate; I lived near Boston and dealt with them all the time. The key is not to freak out when you approach one. As someone mentioned upthread it's perfectly fine to go around twice... or thrice.

The biggest adjustment is with signage. First, UK roads have incredible signage, on the motorways at least. I think I was on the M25 orbital when I saw a "Get in lane" sign... about five miles before the exit. In America you might get a half-mile's notice. But Yank roads typically give you directions - Hwy 183 North, Interstate 10 West, etc. In the UK it's just "M40." So you need to know where you're going, and the towns along the way.

Motorways have many fewer exits than interstates do, so make sure you're headed the right way before you get on the slip road.

I guess in this GPS-savvy world that might be a minor concern.