Driving on the Left, Roundabouts, and Rental Cars

Little strikes fear into the hearts of a traveler as much as the idea of driving on the left. (Goodwill Tip #2: When discussing it with locals, please don’t call it “‘driving on the wrong side if the road;’ call it ‘driving on the left.’” Their country; their rules. 😄)

It does take fortitude to attempt it the first couple of times, but most people are surprised at how quickly they adapt.

For many, the danger comes when they return home and let down their guard. You can suddenly find yourself on the REAL wrong side of the road, just because you’re relaxed and not paying attention.

Note for front seat passengers: The worst thing you can do for a nervous driver is to screech when YOU are nervous, so if you can’t control your vocalizing and body language, you may want to either close your eyes or ride in the back at first.

Sometimes the stone walls on narrow country roads, especially when you meet another vehicle, look as if they’re going to scrape your left cheek, and your mirror trims the hedges and briars that spill over them along the side of the road. On the narrowest of roads, you’ll need to open your window and fold the side view mirror flat against the car until it’s safe to return it to its normal position. (Close your window to avoid a literal stick in the eye while you’re that close to the edge.) Many narrow roads have frequent, small pullover areas on alternating sides of the road. The unwritten rule seems to be that whichever driver is closest to a pullover is the one who should yield. (When in doubt, it’s nice to always be the courteous driver.)

I would sooner drive on the left in Ireland or the UK than drive on the right in a place like France or Italy, where driving is much more aggressive, and nearly a blood sport.

Roundabouts don’t need to be a nightmare. There is no shame in continuing to go round – while taking a few deep breaths to calm yourself – until you’re sure of the exit you want to take, and have eased your way into the proper lane from which to take it. No other drivers will know you’re “on the merry-go-round” unless they’re in the same boat. And just keep saying to yourself, “Keep left, look right!” (Remind yourself of that when crossing streets as a pedestrian, too!) Always yield to vehicles already in the circle as you approach the roundabout.  And don’t be surprised if you see a stop light entering the roundabout or in the middle of it.

Irish route numbers are preceded by a letter, which indicates the size and condition of the road.

M – Motorway – like an interstate, with 2-3 lanes in each direction

National – good, open road with lanes for each direction

R-Route – paved, but more rural

L-Local – can be unpaved and a single, shared lane

For more information, you may wish to browse this website:

http://www.drivingschoolireland.com/contents.html

You may encounter cars with a large red letter on a sign in rear window – L, or N. They indicate that the driver is a learner or a novice driver. Good to know; wouldn’t be a bad practice to adopt here in this country.

Speeding: There are speed cameras on Irish roads. Don’t think that you’re safe, because you’ll be out of the country by the time they identify you. They’ll send the citation to your rental car company, and they, in turn, will charge the fine to your credit card. (You’ll agree to this when you sign your rental contract.)

Usually your US auto insurance does not cover your rental vehicle or your driving outside of North America, so I recommend you consider the car rental insurance.  There are several choices when you rent a car in Ireland, and the only one we’ve ever had a problem with was Europcar. Everything from the condition of the vehicle to the attitude of the “customer service” representatives, to sneaky charges added on after the fact, made dealing with them a most unpleasant experience. We would NEVER recommend using Europcar.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we always rent from Arnold Clark in Scotland/UK. Their service is top-notch, and they’re quick to offer vehicle upgrades to good, returning customers.

Wherever you are, it’s important to know that the boots/trunks of European cars are a bit smaller than the storage space we’re used to in the States, which behooves the traveler to pack as lightly as possible. This is wise for a number of reasons, but in this case, especially if you’re with family or friends, vs a single or couple, the car will be crowded and its STORAGE will be crowded. You might ask for the largest vehicle available in that case, but remember: parking spaces, particularly those in parking garages, are sized accordingly. Getting into and out of parking garages can be an exercise not for the faint of heart.

Prepare with this information in mind, and driving in a foreign country should prove to be a fun little adventure.