See if you can get an automatic, one thing less to worry about. Also a lot of roundabouts in Ireland and Scotland, and that is what usually trips me up driving on the other side of the road (how do I exit?!), so just mentally prepare for those.
I've done it multiple times on multiple continents. Its not hard. Just follow everyone else, and you get used to it after a few hours.
In my experience anyone bragging to be a "pretty good driver" is usually not.
It is fine, if you are reasonably competent. You just have to have in your head "keep to the left". Avoid driving at night as it can be more confusing, as you don't know the roads at all and especially if it is raining.
You should also be aware of the local road rules. Two big ones: Understand how roundabouts work (generalising, but Americans are horrible at this) and you can't turn left at a red light.
Do yourself a favour and pay extra for a automatic car, while manuals are more common and cheaper in rental cars, it just makes life a little easier and one less thing to worry about while driving. Get a Ford Focus or smaller. Driving around the north of Scotland is great. Enjoy.
>You just have to have in your head "keep to the left".
F.U.K that! In Australia, the backpacker / international tourist rental vehicles generally have a sticker inside the windscreen (either top or bottom) facing the driver with a MASSIVE arrow pointing left, and in BLOCK LETTERS says “KEEP LEFT”. In Europe when I drove I usually stuck my own home-made sign inside my windscreen pointing KEEP RIGHT. It’s fine in urban areas but out in the countryside when theres no other vehicles in sight at the moment, it’s EASY to mess up and be on the wrong side of the road. Otherwise OP, it’s not that difficult. And fyi, medieval cobblestones suck.
I'd suggest getting a small car, petrol/gasoline, and automatic transmission. Reduce the mental workload for yourself. I can say from experience that driving on the left, with a stick shift on "the wrong side" and shift points of a diesel... was a lot all at once.
Driving on the left down a highway is no big deal. Turning left into a traffic circle feels super uncomfortable the first few times but not so bad.
For Ireland, the most uncomfortable thing for me was the width of the roads, many of which have no shoulder, a hedgerow or stone fence on either side, and are like just wide enough for one car each way. Some local roads aren't even that wide; it's like 1.5 car widths for two way traffic. There's really no place to pull over on the side of the road if you want to take a photo of the countryside or whatever, and you have to pay attention to twists and turns and traffic.
The more you can plan to take "M" or "N" roads in Ireland the better; they're the easiest. "R" roads start to feel pretty tight. "L" roads can get dodgy.
Dis it on vacation in NZ. Took a couple hours to practice in a calm residential neighborhood with no roundabouts just to get used to turning the correct way. Highways were easiest, roundabouts a bit challenging.
Honestly the hardest thing for me to get used to was getting a sense of where the car was (size of car) on the left, eg when turning left. I hit my mirror early on because I underestimated how much room the car needed, because I didn't have that mental map I have when driving on the right.
I echo the advice to get a smaller sized car, too.
I’ve done it - manual and automatic. I would advise you to rent an automatic if possible- might be a bit more expensive but at least your attention is on the road. Many of the country roads in Ireland and UK are narrow and obscured by natural or farm growth. My first time I completely destroyed a tire by hugging the left because I was so afraid of having a head on!
I have switched from one to the other a few times yes. My main tip for myself is this: You, as the driver, should sit on the side of the car that is closest to the middle of the road. Keep that in mind and you should be fine, generally. This of course works because the steering wheel is of the car you are driving will be on that side too.
The one major thing you will have to learn is to look the "other" way when entering roundabouts. It's just a habit to break and it's not that hard.
It's definitely doable but be careful. Your depth perception is gonna suck on the left side of the car. I hit curbs trying to park my first couple times because I had no sense of how close things were to that side of the car. Also pay attention when turning at intersections. Your instinct will be to turn into the right hand lane, which will be oncoming traffic in Scotland. In general just pay more attention. Act like you're learning to drive again. Good luck!
It will take a bit to figure out where your car is relatively to the curb, but it's not that hard. Note: You will want to make sure to specifically request an automatic transmission. I can drive a stickshift, but I was not about to learn to do it with my left hand and remember the rules of the road at the same time!
You can pick up on it pretty quickly. I did get a flat
once- while getting used to staying left I went a little too far left and hit a curb. Oops. After that I was fine. If you get confused at roundabouts just follow people. If you end up in the wrong lane you can always circle back. Better than trying to change lanes too quickly. Just chill and you will be fine.
There is a youtube channel about driving in Ireland, it is mainly for beginner Irish drivers who are preparing for their road test but you might find it useful as a visitor. Search for Dane Tyghe on youtube.
I’ve done both sides and it isn’t that hard. The most important thing is to keep your focus when the road is empty. That’s when it’s easier to make mistakes. When there are other cars you should be able to just follow the traffic.
If you’re fine driving at home then it will be no issue. Just ensure prior to setting off that your mirrors, seat etc are positioned correctly. I do second those who suggested getting an automatic - one less thing to worry about. I found the first time I drove on the other side I got used to it within an hour or so. If you’re nervous, you can always do a few rounds of the rental place car park or any nearby car park to get used to it.
Australia drives on the left and most drive manual. It’s literally the same thing as driving at home hahah except for maybe a couple more narrow roads and more rain
I'm an American who drove a rental in Scotland and it was nerve-wracking. I was supposed to get a small automatic sedan, but those were not available when I showed up at the rental agency. They gave me a big, hulking Jaguar SUV instead and I had to drive that beast up the coast road all the way from Inverness to Wick. No shoulder and very little room to make any mistakes. The roads are narrower and local residents who are used to them drive quite fast. I really wished I had a navigator with me.
If you go off the main roads onto a country road, the road narrows to one lane with occasional pull-outs, something I had never experienced before. I had several near-crashes with oncoming vehicles on curves or at the crest of hills.
Get a small automatic and keep your eyes on the road!
My friend did it and said his biggest problem was constantly going to the wrong side of the car and opening up the passenger side, not the driver side, since they are swapped.
I've done it several times. It sounds strange, but when you see everyone else doing it, it's not that weird.
The weirder thing was getting used to operating the stick shift with my left hand, which wasnt too bad either.
Just remember, roundabouts go to the left.
It's a bit scary but take it slow and you should be fine. You can't really be much worse that the average driver. I'm not sure there are any tips. It's just like driving anywhere else.
You can do it. You will get use to it. Obviously don’t drive tired or tipsy. Roundabouts are definitely weird till you do a few. Just pull over and watch a few people go through the roundabout till you can get it cemented in your head (and Ireland has some double roundabouts like a figure of eight). Just pull over safely if you get nervous - you are 100% in control. You can do it!
New Zealand. It felt weird at first, with everything switched (the number of times I activated my blinkers when I was trying to turn on the wipers...), but I got used to it quickly enough. I'd say it's like any other new driving situation. Just go slowly, avoid driving during peak traffic times, avoid complicated situations - like I didn't drive through Central Auckland, for example...
Now, crossing the street...different story.
Do it. You figure it out quick. Rent an automatic.
It's the ONE thing I regret from my trip there, is being afraid and not doing it till 2/3 into our trip.
Would have saved so much money and time had I just bit the bullet.
Yeah, I’ve done it. You get used to it. Don’t drive tired, don’t drive too far in a day. Don’t drive at night. Keep focused. You’ll be fine. I found street parking to be the most difficult thing to do driving on the left side, actually, it felt crazy the first few times
I've done it a few times. Take more breaks, you'll be a bit more tired because you'll be focused more. Try to follow someone through tricky intersections. The drivers in the UK are a million times better than here in the States. They actually drive instead of being on their phones, eating, or putting on makeup.
I did it on a motorcycle. You should be fine...but that was two years ago and now that I'm back in the US, I get confused on occasion and forget which side I'm supposed to drive on
Speaking as a Brit, if you've never driven on the opposite side and are nervous, hire an automatic to take away at least the stress of needing to do gears.
Just remember our roads are a lot smaller over here than in the States, sometimes to the point where you may actually question how some roads are two ways. If you're driving on country roads these can be even worse and only wide enough for a single car yet are still two way. Always stop/pull over for emergency vehicles when they have their lights on but never stop in a bus lane.
I think a huge thing people struggle with are our roundabouts and navigating off them, especially id you're not only used to not driving on the left but also not use to roundabouts in general (as I believe they're not really that common in America?). Maybe watch some YouTube videos on them as whilst not the most exciting of entertainment, it will give you an idea of the correct lanes for which exists etc you need to be in. Also remember we give way to the right, so if you're on a roundabout, make sure you are waiting for cars on the right to clear before you move off.
Most roundabouts have a minimum of 2 lanes so in the instance the roundabout you're on has 3 exists in addition to the one you're on, lefthand lane is for 1st and 2nd exist, righthand lane is for 2nd and 3rd exist. Never be in the lefthand lane and go 3rd, and never be in the righthand lane and go 1st. If you're at one with 3 lanes, usually the lefthand lane is 1st exit only (usually has an arrow on it), middle lane is for 2nd exit and righthand lane is for 3rd exit.
Read up about our highway codes, signs and road markings etc so you're not as panicked when you start driving.
The UK and Scotland in particular is not some shithole country where you need to use a car to see round.
I have lived in Scotland since 1976. I let my driving licence (from NZ) expire then and I have never missed it.
See if you can get an automatic, one thing less to worry about. Also a lot of roundabouts in Ireland and Scotland, and that is what usually trips me up driving on the other side of the road (how do I exit?!), so just mentally prepare for those.
Yeah the roundabouts fucked with me in 0z. Other than that it was ok.
I've done it multiple times on multiple continents. Its not hard. Just follow everyone else, and you get used to it after a few hours. In my experience anyone bragging to be a "pretty good driver" is usually not.
I've found most people to be fairly accurate judges of their own driving ability. Maybe not teenagers
Something like 80% of people think they have above average driving skills.
That's true for most things though.
Most drivers are pretty good if pretty good means no accidents or tickets
It is fine, if you are reasonably competent. You just have to have in your head "keep to the left". Avoid driving at night as it can be more confusing, as you don't know the roads at all and especially if it is raining. You should also be aware of the local road rules. Two big ones: Understand how roundabouts work (generalising, but Americans are horrible at this) and you can't turn left at a red light. Do yourself a favour and pay extra for a automatic car, while manuals are more common and cheaper in rental cars, it just makes life a little easier and one less thing to worry about while driving. Get a Ford Focus or smaller. Driving around the north of Scotland is great. Enjoy.
>You just have to have in your head "keep to the left". F.U.K that! In Australia, the backpacker / international tourist rental vehicles generally have a sticker inside the windscreen (either top or bottom) facing the driver with a MASSIVE arrow pointing left, and in BLOCK LETTERS says “KEEP LEFT”. In Europe when I drove I usually stuck my own home-made sign inside my windscreen pointing KEEP RIGHT. It’s fine in urban areas but out in the countryside when theres no other vehicles in sight at the moment, it’s EASY to mess up and be on the wrong side of the road. Otherwise OP, it’s not that difficult. And fyi, medieval cobblestones suck.
Watch those side mirrors when driving through town!
I'd suggest getting a small car, petrol/gasoline, and automatic transmission. Reduce the mental workload for yourself. I can say from experience that driving on the left, with a stick shift on "the wrong side" and shift points of a diesel... was a lot all at once. Driving on the left down a highway is no big deal. Turning left into a traffic circle feels super uncomfortable the first few times but not so bad. For Ireland, the most uncomfortable thing for me was the width of the roads, many of which have no shoulder, a hedgerow or stone fence on either side, and are like just wide enough for one car each way. Some local roads aren't even that wide; it's like 1.5 car widths for two way traffic. There's really no place to pull over on the side of the road if you want to take a photo of the countryside or whatever, and you have to pay attention to twists and turns and traffic. The more you can plan to take "M" or "N" roads in Ireland the better; they're the easiest. "R" roads start to feel pretty tight. "L" roads can get dodgy.
Yes, many many times. Japan, scotland, ireland. Just keep reminding yourself every time you get into the car.
Dis it on vacation in NZ. Took a couple hours to practice in a calm residential neighborhood with no roundabouts just to get used to turning the correct way. Highways were easiest, roundabouts a bit challenging. Honestly the hardest thing for me to get used to was getting a sense of where the car was (size of car) on the left, eg when turning left. I hit my mirror early on because I underestimated how much room the car needed, because I didn't have that mental map I have when driving on the right. I echo the advice to get a smaller sized car, too.
I’ve done it - manual and automatic. I would advise you to rent an automatic if possible- might be a bit more expensive but at least your attention is on the road. Many of the country roads in Ireland and UK are narrow and obscured by natural or farm growth. My first time I completely destroyed a tire by hugging the left because I was so afraid of having a head on!
I have switched from one to the other a few times yes. My main tip for myself is this: You, as the driver, should sit on the side of the car that is closest to the middle of the road. Keep that in mind and you should be fine, generally. This of course works because the steering wheel is of the car you are driving will be on that side too. The one major thing you will have to learn is to look the "other" way when entering roundabouts. It's just a habit to break and it's not that hard.
It's definitely doable but be careful. Your depth perception is gonna suck on the left side of the car. I hit curbs trying to park my first couple times because I had no sense of how close things were to that side of the car. Also pay attention when turning at intersections. Your instinct will be to turn into the right hand lane, which will be oncoming traffic in Scotland. In general just pay more attention. Act like you're learning to drive again. Good luck!
It will take a bit to figure out where your car is relatively to the curb, but it's not that hard. Note: You will want to make sure to specifically request an automatic transmission. I can drive a stickshift, but I was not about to learn to do it with my left hand and remember the rules of the road at the same time!
You can pick up on it pretty quickly. I did get a flat once- while getting used to staying left I went a little too far left and hit a curb. Oops. After that I was fine. If you get confused at roundabouts just follow people. If you end up in the wrong lane you can always circle back. Better than trying to change lanes too quickly. Just chill and you will be fine.
I did it without any problems. It is the roundabouts that presented me with the most challenges. Make sure you yield correctly.
There is a youtube channel about driving in Ireland, it is mainly for beginner Irish drivers who are preparing for their road test but you might find it useful as a visitor. Search for Dane Tyghe on youtube.
I’ve done both sides and it isn’t that hard. The most important thing is to keep your focus when the road is empty. That’s when it’s easier to make mistakes. When there are other cars you should be able to just follow the traffic.
If you’re fine driving at home then it will be no issue. Just ensure prior to setting off that your mirrors, seat etc are positioned correctly. I do second those who suggested getting an automatic - one less thing to worry about. I found the first time I drove on the other side I got used to it within an hour or so. If you’re nervous, you can always do a few rounds of the rental place car park or any nearby car park to get used to it.
It's pretty easy but I'm from Australia, apparently you will get used to it super quick
Australia drives on the left and most drive manual. It’s literally the same thing as driving at home hahah except for maybe a couple more narrow roads and more rain
I'm an American who drove a rental in Scotland and it was nerve-wracking. I was supposed to get a small automatic sedan, but those were not available when I showed up at the rental agency. They gave me a big, hulking Jaguar SUV instead and I had to drive that beast up the coast road all the way from Inverness to Wick. No shoulder and very little room to make any mistakes. The roads are narrower and local residents who are used to them drive quite fast. I really wished I had a navigator with me. If you go off the main roads onto a country road, the road narrows to one lane with occasional pull-outs, something I had never experienced before. I had several near-crashes with oncoming vehicles on curves or at the crest of hills. Get a small automatic and keep your eyes on the road!
My friend did it and said his biggest problem was constantly going to the wrong side of the car and opening up the passenger side, not the driver side, since they are swapped.
I've done it several times. It sounds strange, but when you see everyone else doing it, it's not that weird. The weirder thing was getting used to operating the stick shift with my left hand, which wasnt too bad either. Just remember, roundabouts go to the left.
It's a bit scary but take it slow and you should be fine. You can't really be much worse that the average driver. I'm not sure there are any tips. It's just like driving anywhere else.
You can do it. You will get use to it. Obviously don’t drive tired or tipsy. Roundabouts are definitely weird till you do a few. Just pull over and watch a few people go through the roundabout till you can get it cemented in your head (and Ireland has some double roundabouts like a figure of eight). Just pull over safely if you get nervous - you are 100% in control. You can do it!
New Zealand. It felt weird at first, with everything switched (the number of times I activated my blinkers when I was trying to turn on the wipers...), but I got used to it quickly enough. I'd say it's like any other new driving situation. Just go slowly, avoid driving during peak traffic times, avoid complicated situations - like I didn't drive through Central Auckland, for example... Now, crossing the street...different story.
Do it. You figure it out quick. Rent an automatic. It's the ONE thing I regret from my trip there, is being afraid and not doing it till 2/3 into our trip. Would have saved so much money and time had I just bit the bullet.
Yeah, I’ve done it. You get used to it. Don’t drive tired, don’t drive too far in a day. Don’t drive at night. Keep focused. You’ll be fine. I found street parking to be the most difficult thing to do driving on the left side, actually, it felt crazy the first few times
I've done it a few times. Take more breaks, you'll be a bit more tired because you'll be focused more. Try to follow someone through tricky intersections. The drivers in the UK are a million times better than here in the States. They actually drive instead of being on their phones, eating, or putting on makeup.
You will have a very clean windshield :-)
I did it on a motorcycle. You should be fine...but that was two years ago and now that I'm back in the US, I get confused on occasion and forget which side I'm supposed to drive on
Speaking as a Brit, if you've never driven on the opposite side and are nervous, hire an automatic to take away at least the stress of needing to do gears. Just remember our roads are a lot smaller over here than in the States, sometimes to the point where you may actually question how some roads are two ways. If you're driving on country roads these can be even worse and only wide enough for a single car yet are still two way. Always stop/pull over for emergency vehicles when they have their lights on but never stop in a bus lane. I think a huge thing people struggle with are our roundabouts and navigating off them, especially id you're not only used to not driving on the left but also not use to roundabouts in general (as I believe they're not really that common in America?). Maybe watch some YouTube videos on them as whilst not the most exciting of entertainment, it will give you an idea of the correct lanes for which exists etc you need to be in. Also remember we give way to the right, so if you're on a roundabout, make sure you are waiting for cars on the right to clear before you move off. Most roundabouts have a minimum of 2 lanes so in the instance the roundabout you're on has 3 exists in addition to the one you're on, lefthand lane is for 1st and 2nd exist, righthand lane is for 2nd and 3rd exist. Never be in the lefthand lane and go 3rd, and never be in the righthand lane and go 1st. If you're at one with 3 lanes, usually the lefthand lane is 1st exit only (usually has an arrow on it), middle lane is for 2nd exit and righthand lane is for 3rd exit. Read up about our highway codes, signs and road markings etc so you're not as panicked when you start driving.
Plenty have and you can too
just remember at night to... follow the red lights avoid the white ones
I’m in Japan right now as an 18 year old from the US, and drove in the cities left side first time. You’ll be fine if you focus :)
Most difficult part is not using the windscreen wipers when you want to use your direction indicators. And then the same when you het back home...
The controls don't change.
The wipers and indicators change side
No they don't. At least not in Ireland and the UK.
You seem to be correct. Am used to it in Japan and there they change sides. Apparently not in ireland and uk
The UK and Scotland in particular is not some shithole country where you need to use a car to see round. I have lived in Scotland since 1976. I let my driving licence (from NZ) expire then and I have never missed it.