Advice on Driving on the "WRONG" side of the Road in the UK & Ireland
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- čas přidán 27. 05. 2024
- Heading to England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland? Well most likely you will need to drive to truly get a feel for the culture and the country. Here we give you some advice on driving in the UK and Ireland. Looking at what it is like for an American to drive in the UK & Ireland when they drive on the left side of the road, not the wrong side.
Filmed in London, UK
Copyright Mark Wolters 2020
Jocelyn's advice for driving in the UK • Advice for Americans D...
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Yeah, it's been said below but just to reiterate, if any emergency vehicle has their blue lights activated you MUST pull over, regardless of whether their sirens are on or not. Most only activate their sirens if you're failing to move over for their lights. No lights = no emergency so no driver action required. Lights = emergency, legal requirement to move over. Lights and sirens = No difference from just lights.
Hope that helps 👍
And by that we mean flashing lights. Some may have extra lights on all the time. Also, ambulances may be carrying patients who would suffer from the noise of a siren.
A point not mentioned is that on motorways you should keep left unless overtaking. Don't go cruising down the middle lane because overtaking on the left is not permitted, unlike the US where passing both sides is common.
Great video, but if you ever get flustered, never be afraid to find somewhere safe to pull over and take a few moments to calm down and recompose yourself.
Great advice!!
Indeed. Petrol stations (if they have no parking spaces, just park near the manual car washing hoses), service stations off motorways, shopping courts off dual carriageways, parking spaces on dual carriageways - though it can be hard to get back on after if it's a high speed carriageway, sometimes side streets.
I pulled over daily, letting the faster cars get ahead so I didn't have to make snap judgments while holding up traffic.
As a Swede who have been to Great Britain over 20 times and Ireland three times (6-7 of them while driving there), I would never get to see all those beautiful places outside the big cities if I hadn't been driving there. Yes, the first time, it's terrifying for the first few hours (I remember stalling at one of the roundabouts at Gatwick airport) but you will get used to it quite soon.
But, the roads are still quite narrow in many places (even for Nordic standards), especially in the countryside and small towns.
Turning on red is not permitted in the UK. As a Brit this has caught me out when driving in the US as I would sit at red lights when I could turn! However sometimes then is a green filter light pointing in the direction of travel, which when lit, replaces the main red light allowing you to turn in that direction. I believe the same applies in Ireland.
The filter light makes much more sense. The right turn on red rule is nuts, because, unlike with a green filter light, the opposing traffic's (or crossing traffic's) lights will be on green. And some states have no right turn on red rules.
It's permitted man. Turning right in a T junction before a crossing walk, there's always a red light but that red light isn't for you, is for the people coming from the left.
Also: Learn all the cars buttons/blinkers/wipers on the rental parking lot when you pick up the car. Better to know before rather than looking weird when your wipers turn on when you want to turn ;)
That is a very common thing with the wipers and turn signal. I don't know how many times I turned on my wipers instead of turn signal.
As an American living in Ireland for 17 years, I would say be careful at the round a bouts! Always go clockwise and always yield to the car on the right.
I would add, to not necessarily hire the car at the airport depending on where you're going especially if you're nervous and want to do some rural driving til you get used to it. If you want to do South Wales and the Cotswolds you can get trains in good time to Bristol/Bath area and hire there. Same with if you want to go to Scotland. Trains to Scotland are beautiful historic routes and you can get to Edinburgh in 4 hours from London on the train have a couple of days in city and then hire there too.
We've taken the train plus a local bus to get to Stonehenge from London. Did the same for visiting the Cotswolds on a wee guided walking tour (first time there). Also, booked a train from London to Edinburgh. Man, that first class ticket was money well-spent. A civilized way for the 4 of us to travel. It's a pity North America abandoned passenger rail.
@@jackolantern7342 North America is a continent, not a country, and it is MUCH, MUCH larger than the UK. It's like comparing apples to oranges.
@@schex9 Er ...being from there I already know this. I didn't feel like separating US or Canada (since their transportation mindset is similar) so I said "North America". Regardless, that's not the comparison I am implying here. What I am getting at is the relative ease of inter-city movement using rail. That's the scale I am referring to -not trying to crisscross the whole bloody continent or country.
@@jackolantern7342 Er... being from the US, I already know this. I have also traveled in Canada and parts of Europe. Most of the Canadian population lives within 20 minutes by car of the US-Canadian border because the weather north of that border is mostly incompatible with farming and sustainable year-round living. The US state of Texas compares reasonably well in size with the continent of Europe. If all of the major US cities, and by extension, most of the population, lived in a space the size of Europe, there WOULD be trains between cities because the train rides would be shorter and the usage would be greater because you'd have more people desiring to use the transport. Our whole country is the size it is simply because that's how it was expanded over the years. By the way, there IS ease of inter-city movement where population density is high, e.g. the northeast coast states of the New England region. I've taken trains between towns in upstate NY and NYC and between DC and towns in Virginia. The key is having dedicated rails for passenger trains and people living in the area. Dedicated rails are not economical in the rest of the country either in the area near the cities (expensive to acquire land) or in rural areas (long distances to cover). Another key difference is that the US was able to build roads AFTER the invention of the car and were not constrained by fences along roads, narrow bridges, etc. Freigh rail and roads also filled the best routes, crowding out a passenger rail option. This is our whole [] country. P.S. I am an engineer, so I am well-versed in the challenges of the economics of projects.
@@schex9 Texas is slightly larger than France. Europe is slightly larger than the contiguous United States
Emergency vehicles only have their lights on if they’re going to a call; they won’t be driving around casually with the blues on
Apart from that, great video!
Yes! If you see the lights and hear the sirens, just give them space so they can get to their emergency.
Some of them will if they want to get through traffic, and then idiotically wonder why people start ignoring them. Saw it recently - ambulance lit up lights and sirens, got through traffic, switched them off, then did it again further up the road.
@@rogueuniversities6866 I won't say that doesn't ever happen, but most often it's because they have been 'stood down' before they reached the emergency (e.g. somebody else got there first and cancelled further assistance).
Back in the day my buddies and I went to Ireland. Finding an automatic was tough but we found one. We also lost our left side side mirror to a stone wall. The roads are often super narrow. But it wasn't as scary as driving in Paris.
Medieval towns always have narrow streets, it was a tactical defense to push away the advancing enemies.
man we got on such a narrow midevil st in France we just quit and parked the car and walked our way to the hotel 😂😂😂
I always have thought the US car rental companies should offer closed course driving lessons to folks traveling to the UK, on a course with roundabouts and UK road signage, using cars typically of the UK rental market. Would give drivers some confidence, lock them into using the rental company and possibly reduce accidents when in the UK.
Also a reminder...you can NOT go through any red light at all. Ever. Unlike when we were in Florida and you could turn on a red.
Love your videos but have to correct you on 1 point.
It is not the norm that the emergency services have there blue lights on, only when they are responding to an emergency.
On roundabouts always give priority to the vehicles coming from your right.
Just got back from the UK yesterday. Went from York, through Northumberland, to the Lake District, and Yorkshire Dales. Driving was not bad on the left, and I could handle the roundabouts like a pro after watching a couple of hours of videos on how to drive the roundabouts. The biggest problem I had was the size of the road. Often there is two-way traffic on roads that are just wide enough for one. The Brits know how to stop, squeeze close to the edge, and pass, but it was a terror for me. Still, we saw a lot of Britain that we otherwise could not have because we drove. Worth it!
As soon as i looked at the background of where you filmed this, I immediately recognized where you were at. In the background is my go to cafe, Regency Cafe, for a full English breakfast at least once every time I'm in London. You won't find many tourists and the line can be long.
Top 3 really tough cities to drive a stick shift:
1. La Paz, Bolivia
2. San Francisco, CA
3. Lisbon, Portugal
Athens, Greece. Still got living nightmares thinking back **shudders** ;)
Madeira, Portugal 😓
@@Leo31291 I love that place, but yes, even scarier than the landing.
I would add Pittsburgh to the list - such a hilly, even mountainous city.
I live in the UK, this stuff is all accurate, if a bit depressing, with our expensive petrol and small cars. The only thing is most with Car Park Ticket Machines you just put money in and you don't have to remember numberplates
Is the overtake lane positioned on the left like the left-hand drive?
@@valenesco45 on the right if a dual carriageway( 2 lanes traffic going same direction) or middle and right hand lane if a motorway, on 2 way roads( single carriageway) you can overtake on the right as long as the centre white line next to you is broken and not solid
Electric car for me for two years now - Have no idea what petrol costs these days. I imagine it's cheap because of covid19.
@@paultipton743 So basically it's specular in all aspects. It looked way more complicated in my mind than it actually is, but still feels wierd to me 😅 as I never experienced this driving.
@@valenesco45 as long as you don't overtake over a solid white line you'll be ok,solid white line overtaking is illegal.
Middle and right hand lanes on motorways are for overtaking only in the uk and you should get back in the left, I haven't driven on the right so I guess it's just opposite
We went to the States in November. Drove on the Right after a 30 hour trip from Australia. Not ideal conditions, dark, car fogging up, getting lost. We decided the next day that my wife was a better driver and I was a better navigator. No problems after that except for the 4-way stop signs...and turn right on red. Can only do equivalent of that at home if there's a sign saying left on red permitted after stopping. Fortunately, we found American drivers to be fairly forgiving and no one honked us in our confused state.
The US is still big on Four Way Stops. Most Americans get really confused with roundabouts. As for right turn on red, in the US, it's pretty much a universal rule that you can always turn right on red unless it says otherwise. As long as you stop before you turn though. Many states, cops can get nitpicky about that.... forgiveness also depends on the state. Most drivers will never honk at you in the south or in California.... in the Northeastern cities like NYC, you can expect alot of honking and shouting if you sit at a red light when you could freely turn.
@@knucklehoagies But NYC is the opposite. There are never rights on red unless there is a sign saying its ok to do so.
I remember when the law first came out back in the 70s, there were all these add campaigns, "There's a new law in Virginia! Right turn on Red after Stop!" I can still remember the tune!
@@knucklehoagies Roundabouts are as much of a norm in New England (or at least parts of it) as 4-way stop signs.
Turning right on a Red light in Ireland will get you a ticket.
It is a breach of the Rules of the Road.
Hi Mark. One thing to note on speed limits on the (island of) Ireland. In the (Republic of) Ireland the distances/speed limits on road signs an are in kilometres/kilometres per hour. In Northern Ireland (as in the rest of the UK) they're in miles/miles per hour. Ditto for the readings on a car's speedometer. So if you pick up a car in Belfast it will show speeds in mph to match the road signs; BUT when you then (seamlessly) cross the boarder to the south, the 120 motorway speed limit is is kph (not mph!)
Good point!
I can't tell if you're outrageously dedicated or just crazy standing out in the rain to make this video. Great to see Jocelyn helping you out with a few explanation moments. As always, your info is spot on!
When my mom was young, she spent half a year in Australia. Driving went flawless - as you said, it you're used to it pretty quickly. But the reverse is also something to watch out for. Back home, the first roundabout she faced, she kinda blacked out because she completely didn't know what to do.
Groninger?
Another word of advice about finding reverse gear: my little VW Polo requires you to push down on the gear knob to put the car into reverse - a variation on pulling up the plunger as you mentioned. Thanks for the great video!
Note about Republic of Ireland (RoI). RoI runs on kilometres, not miles. UK/Northern Ireland runs on miles. Have to keep an eye on this especially if driving say Dublin to Belfast. RoI lights do not have that red-Red/amber-green. That's a UK thing
Great video, great tips, as always.
Thanks for sharing!
Driving is so much easier for us Brits visiting the US than the other way round, I bet the manual cars, tiny roads and roundabouts are a nightmare.
When I come back after a US road trip I stall from the airport every time forgetting it's no longer an automatic 🙂
That is because when you return home you are driving a real car.
This is very true! I rented a car in LA and i got used to it in just under 30 mins. The roads are huge, wide and the straight (mostly). Stopping at the stop sign was a bit hilarious for me, esp when there were no cars in any direction, but I got used to it.
I traveled to Scotland in 2007. Rented a car in the city of Edinburgh. I was nervous about driving on the left side of the road but once I got behind the wheel and followed the car in front of me I was fine.
For me the country roads are the most challenging. They are narrow and the speed limits are quite high compared to the United States for such a narrow width. Plus very curvey.
I did reserve an automatic transmission though, made it easier.
Didn't want to have to shift with my left hand and deal with the sudden change of driving on the opposite side of the road too. Thanks
Love all the informational travel videos!
Careful you don't knock over any cyclists, you get diplomatic immunity 😕
Andrew Johnston “Special relationship”...
Only if you had it in the first place. It doesn't work retroactively.
Not funny
@@peterdarnell9183wasn't meant to be funny.
It was a Motorbike not a cycle.
2:30 Disengaging the reverse lockout differs from car to car. Yes, the Ford you rented has a reverse lockout that is disengaged by pulling up on the collar on the lever, but quick on-the-spot research may be needed for other cars that use a different type of reverse lockout, such as......
1. Push down on shift lever, and while held down, move to reverse. Most commonly used on Volkswagen/Audi Group vehicles.
2. Push lever towards reverse, then push harder to overcome resistance. Examples being most BMWs, and the 2013-2016 Hyundai Genesis Coupe.
Very good straightforward video. Thanks for the advice.
love your videos!!! Thanks Wolter for all your content
Good stuff! Thanks for the information.
In essence, bring buddies that love driving. That way we can all take turns and view this beautiful country. Great advice
If only Anne Sacoolas has seen this
I love this video! I had seen it before, but it hits different now that we are actually planning a trip to Ireland. I have to say the thing that intimates me the most is the videos I see of area like Dingle, where there are winding one lane roads with traffic going both ways. I look at those and go "you've got to be KIDDING ME"
A few things I learned on trips to New Zealand. My mantras: "easy left, hard right" "right foot over the (center) line" "look both ways" when a pedestrian crossing a street. Believe it or not, after a week or two of driving on the left you may find it confusing when you return home! U-turns got me on the wrong side of the road more than once - think about it when you turn around. New Zealand is really friendly to those unfamiliar to driving on the left - lots of road markings reminding you to keep left and arrows painted on the road.
I like the Layer Cake nod by filming near to the Regency Cafe 👍 I walk past that spot all the time.
Putting a left-pointing arrow taped to the bottom of the windscreen can be a useful reminder in confusing situations. Stopping at the opposite side of the road ie in a layby can be potentially dangerous as instinctively you may want to drive off on the wrong side.
Great advice , I will remember this when We travel to Ireland in the future. :)
The Regency Cafe in Westminster! My favourite place to get a traditional Full English Breakfast. Caught this in the first 5 mins of your talk Professor Wolter 👍
2:20 The plunger sometimes works upwards, sometimes downwards. The upwards ones sometimes have a collar that you lift. Sometimes reverse has no plunger at all. Be aware of that if it is selected top left, as you can accidentally engage it when trying to select first gear.
The first time I drove on the left I asked the car rental guy at Gatwick if he had any words of advice and he said not really, just be careful. I always have to think carefully about what lane to turn in to at intersections. This is more of an issue in Australia and New Zealand with lots of wide streets.
Omg. We have sidewalks in the states that are wider than roads in Ireland. .
That plunger to go into reverse isn't in every car.
True.
It’s mainly on cars with 6 gears
some require you to put pressure putting it in reverse, others need the stick to put pushed down, theres a lot of options, just mess with the stick
This video is really helpful thank you, I am a little less nervous about driving during my vacation lol
When you rent a car, ask the rental people how to put the car into reverse.
Good idea, especially as the plunger handle thing is not quite universal!
Cool video! I think it’s neat that the red and yellow come on before the green. Those traffic cameras sound annoying!
Thanks!
Using manual/ stick shift requires using both feet. Clutch might take some getting used to
Do practice before your holiday. When I drive in America after a few miles I find the automatic a breeze.
They do NOT have the lights on all the time, they are called emergency lights for a reason.
Regecny Cafe! You picked a great location for the vid.
First View from Nepal!! Good Luck and stay safe!!
Getting tour car into reverse varies with each car. Manual is the only way to drive.
You went to Arundel! I live five minutes away from there! It's very beautiful, hope you enjoyed it 😊
At 20 seconds in, that's Llanfoist bridge in my town!!
By far, the most informative video on tips for driving. I remembered every one and everyone cam true! Even when the significant other swears they're fine driving and gets in a fender bender at the end of day 1. That Peugeot did not have a chance! Wheels gave way while skidding on stones on a back farm rd in the cotswolds. And it was only at 15 mph. Either way, those rds are terrifying in the cotswolds!!! Thanks for the tips though, they were perfect. Next day new car, I drove, white knuckle left hand stick was weird...but all went well. Go figure. Driving can cause divorce, beware.
The roads in the Cotswolds are wonderful - for motorcycles (4 wheels are too many). Except for the potholes.
Whenever we drive through England with our continental-european car, the right seat becomes the "seat of terror"! Massive fun for everyone who's not in it!
I can't imagine driving a continental car on the opposite side of the road!
The best advice I have received, and in turn given, "The Centre Line is your friend". Most accidents I have seen or had, have to do with the tires and mirrors on the left side of the car. If, when driving, you stay close to the center line, that is less likely to happen. The confusion with the turn signals and the windshield wipers sometimes take a few days to sort out.
NOT good advice on a UK motorway. PLEASE do not do this. Left hand lane is for cruising. The middle and outside lanes are for overtaking only. You’ll get beeped, plus it’s dangerous (and infuriating). Take a look at the UK highway code. Good luck!
Matt Orton I agree on the motorway. My advice is for local roads and in town. It is very clear to me that the outside lanes on motorways are for slower traffic everywhere.
As an Australian who has driven manual cars in Europe and in Brazil I can say that there are of course the same issues. The changing of the gears presents no problems, thank the motoring god that the pedals are in the same position. What did and does cause me trouble from time to time is roundabouts. You gotta concentrate more than at home for sure. And the ‘slow’ lane here is the passing or fast lane in Europe and vice-versa, that often caught me out
Correction for you: At a roundabout, going straight on, you should take the left most lane, unless indicated otherwise by paint on the road. You can take the second lane if busy (again, unless indicated otherwise)
If you're going straight at a roundabout in Ireland you should be in the left lane, unless it says otherwise.
BTW diesel in the UK is about $2.50+ per litre at the moment (August 2022)
The Regency cafe behind you is one of the best traditional cafes in ldn. I hope you went in
I had breakfast at the Regency Cafe, it was awesome.
In Malta, we also drive on the left side of the road. You get use to it and follow signs.
Just to be clear, everywhere in Europe is metric bar UK. In Republic of Ireland it's Km on Google maps and on road signs, but northern Ireland is miles on Google maps and road signs. It can be confusing if you're driving around the border areas of ireland as it can change like 10 times in 30 minutes.
If you do use Google maps, I usually download my route on my phone before I leave as signal definitely drops for a few mins in very rural areas, but If you miss a turn it won't be able to redirect. When that happens You just gotta drive in some direction til you get signal and can reconnect, don't worry, in rural areas there's a million narrow side roads that looks like farmer track roads but are perfectly fine, so if you have idea of general direction you'll find your back to civilisation eventually.
Also, In the west of Ireland, we generally give Dublin registration plates with current year e.g. 20-D-1234 a wide berth as it's a tourist so don't worry if your car cuts out at a light, most people are nice and won't beep at you etc. Don't let some kid tailgating bully you into driving fast, it's common to tailgate but let them drive dangerously, don't you do so!
The best tip I’ve had is keep the center stripe to your right shoulder. The other is, left turns are easy right turns cross lanes. Younger people adapt quicker.
In Singapore just like downtown London there's a system called Electronic Road Pricing when you drive through the Central Business District where you pay more like a Congestion Charge to encourage more people to use public transport like buses and trains rather than driving and jostling for parking space.
Any Americans who want to practice on roundabouts in the USA go to Indianapolis and spend a few days driving in the north suburb of Carmel. Their mayor loves them and they have the most in the US, up to about 146 last count and growing. As a result they are becoming more common Indiana with the east side of Valparaiso having a major one and several around South Bend.
Generally speaking, when going straight ahead/2nd exit on roundabouts you should approach in the left hand lane generally unless road markings/signs suggest otherwise
Hi from the U.K Some good advice here, but I still if you used to an automatic, rent this when visiting the UK. Also two situations that you need to be really careful with are
1 When there is no other traffic on the road. It is very easy to revert to driving on the wrong side of the road. When other traffic is present, it helps guide you, especially at junctions.
2 When travelling down the middle of a one-way street, it is very easy to turn onto a two way street on the wrong side.
Thanks for sharing! Appreciated!
One thing to really watch out for while (or whilst) driving in the UK is when pulling out into traffic from car parks. That's where I get confused. I say to myself "car park -left lane" whilst in the UK and then "parking lots - right lane" when I get back home.
If you want to see the British countryside by car and you don't intend going to London try flying into Birmingham instead. You're in the middle of England, close to the Cotswolds and only a couple of hours from Wales. Less hassle than Heathrow as well.
When you are talking about the roundabout all I can think of is the scene in "National Lampoon's European Vacation."
in my youth, i remember when detroit's cars rearranged the interior to accommodate cars easily with the steering wheel left or right. Thailand drives like England where's the steering wheel on the right side, but just to the north LaoPDR, Laos, the steering wheel driver is on the left. There's a place on the border where the highway crosses and with big warning signs--notices drivers have to change lanes.
Nice content, thanks.
Parking could also be paid by phone on an app therefore eliminating the use of coins.
I’m scared to drive in the UK And I’m from the UK 😂
Southeast Asia is much worse!
A-Train Travels haha I’m sure!!
I am just about to pick up my rental and hadn’t thought my insurance wouldn’t cover. Well it doesn’t. So I can still get the insurance from the rental company. Good save
Pro tip. When you are on a variable speed motorway in the UK. You will see a yellow cameras that monitors your speed. These are dotted on the side of the road and are placed at intervals, this distance will vary form road to road.
Now.. If you switch lanes after each camera the tracking software can't track your speed so you can drive a bit more 'enthusiastically' without getting shopped.
Very good tips and advice in this. I didn't know that the police leave their lights on. That would have freaked me out a bit if I was driving over there for the first time. I also would have assumed that distance was measured in Km, not miles. Very interesting
Just on emergencies and the rough areas😉
They don’t, the advice is wrong, they just don’t have their sirens on constantly during emergencies- they will have their lights on though
I like the traffic lights in Pattaya Thailand, they have a numbered countdown to say how long you have to wait
That was a nice touch I also enjoyed except when you drive a car and 100 scooters surround you and you have 100 people to keep track off when you pull away
i've seen those... it's like you are at the indy 500 waiting to take off :)
Emergency services do NOT have their lights on all the time.
I’d like to add to this. I go to Scotland a lot. I have seen more of Scotland than most scots 😂. Anyway,
1- what IS hard is not driving on the left side, it is that ALL your driving reflexes are for the right. Looking in mirrors, checking out entry ramps etc. I would say it takes 4-5 days to relearn.
2- because of 1, don’t go too fast while learning the left reflexes. At least in Scotland, other people are chill with slower traffic. You don’t get road rage like in north america
3- another thing that is a challenge is figuring out your car’s size on the road. When you get in a car driving in America you have an instinctive sense of your size. You lose than when learning to drive left. So watch those sidewalk borders.
4- another challenge is when there is NO round about and there is a normal intersection. Be really careful in turning into the correct lane!!
5- good news!! If you are returning to UK and will drive again, it’s like a bicycle, it will come back to you pretty quick.
6- Narrow lanes: yeah! You have to learn really fast that incoming traffic will pass around 2 feet or less of you. You have a natural tendency to give some space but there is no sides, it is your lane then the asphalt stops and often you have a rock wall 2 feet after. So, look far ahead, stay where you are and get comfortable with close incoming traffic.
7- Single lane ehtics! When driving on single lane roads, all the passing places are not only for the traffic you encounter, it is ALSO for faster traffic behind you!! The default speed limit is 60mph, even on single lanes, so when a car drive up behind you because it is a lot faster than you, LET it PASS!! Remember I told you people are chill with slower traffic? NOT on single lane roads. I follow those bylaws but i have see. Tourists going 30mph and local drive 3 feet behind them, kind pf saying MOVE!!
bonuses:
You will go towards the wrong side of the car when walking towards it
When google maps tells you it takes x minutes to go somewhere, add 15 minutes for each 30 minutes. No kidding. Especially if you have single lane roads.
Learn the signs beforehand. Some
Are important for your safety. Narrow lanes have often a direction priority
Excellent video, I would add that the majority of parking meters in the UK do not give change.
Lol that’s the cafe from the movie layer cake
Well said in your intro - its not the wrong side, just the other side. 🙂
So funny here in SA we drive on the left. When I was in Kanada I had to drive on right it takes about 30 min and you get used to it. Circles are what you need to keep paying attention to go right way round. For GPS I will suggest download map area in maps for offline use. Driving stick is easy but then everyone learns to drive manual first
I suggest to use google maps in nz m8. You'll be surprised that overgrown footpath is happily announced as "this is the fastest way" so many times you almost forget those 45min drives back when the road just ends at a closed gate in the middle of the shire ;)
Some different narrative..
Here in the UK, our emergency vehicles do not have their blue flashing lights on all the time, they only activate them in response to an emergency, their siren is an audible warning and only used to avert others of their presence. If your driving and a police vehicle is behind you, then uses blue lights whilst following, it’s for you...😫 if that happens your to pull over at the nearest safest place, Don’t pull over directly...
Parking in cities, towns and villages, apart from car parks, is invariably more expensive if you have to pay, if you don’t have to pay for street parking beware of ‘controlled zones’ to park in these streets you have to have a residents permit, ie, you have to live in that street.
A lot of cities in the UK have a park and ride system, you park in the car park and a bus takes you into the city, a lot cheaper and much less stressful.
European roads are smaller than the US ones, that’s true, but the UK ones are no more dangerous than any others.
If your not licensed to drive a manual car, DONT, one, you’ll not be able to rent it and two you’ll end up with either an accident or a very big bill for repair costs for destroying the cars gearbox, clutch and probably engine too....
LoVE THIS. I drive a stick in the US so thats exciting news BUT scary to think about passing or having the stick in my left hand…😅Ive driven in Iceland and rural France with no problem…but Ireland is the real test.
Learning to drive in "left side of the road" countries is pretty easy.... basically everything is reversed. Right-Turn Yields instead of Left-Turn Yields. Round-a-bouts go clockwise instead of counterclockwise, etc..... but then again, Americans haven't really adapted well to round-a-bouts yet since we're still primarily a "Four way stop" country.
Hey Mark, always interested to hear your take on our little island across the pond. You seem to have been to the UK plenty of times but what’s on your UK to do list that you haven’t yet been able to do?
Its a small country,but a big island.
Many rural roads don't actually have a "side", they're so narrow you will be driving in the middle. There's no jaywalking laws so pedestrians could be anywhere (and have the right of way).
I don't know why everyone doesn't do this. When I travel to Australia, NZ or Brit'n I put a STUDENT DRIVER magnetic bumper sticker on my car. They come 3 for $7 on Amazon. It's a genius hack. Everyone gives you a wide berth.
Impressive knowledge as am British
Relate your body to the road rather than the car; keep your left elbow in the centre of the lane, or point your right elbow down towards the middle of the road.
I can only speak for Ireland ... another issue is the streets and foot paths (sidewalks) are narrow so when you park on a street fold the side mirrors in (they are hinged) so it doesn't stick out ... don't forget to unfold it before you drive ... its more common then you think for traffic to take off a parked cars mirror which you will be charged to replace. you are to put your hand brake on at a red traffic signal . Again don't forget to release it before you go. Mark you said a day to get used to driving ... I don't agree it's a far easier adjustment then you'd think I was very comfortable in minutes ... EXCEPT i did try to shift gears with the window knob many times before that became the new routine. USE indicators (turn signals) especially in a round-about (circle). The country roads are rather narrow but I find Irish drivers are far more considerate then american drivers. Keep left only go into the right land to overtake (pass) Don't drive along in the right lane. If you are in the right lane move over for other traffic approaching behind you ... often they will flash their head lamps on and off to signal you to get out of the way. Did you mention zebra crossings? If not ALWAYS stop for pedestrians in or approaching a zebra crossing (diagonally striped cross-walkways often with flashing lamps at either end) many people will just walk out assuming you know to stop for them. Enjoy Ireland its grand ... thanks again Mark for another excellent and informative video ... be well mate cheers
After going lift and right hand drive and back again for two or three times it's like riding a bike. Luckily i always got automatic on the companies dime ;)
@@peterpain6625 nice
In Australia it’s quite the opposite. When you rent a car most likely you are going to get one with automatic transmission, and we also drive on the left here. 01:58. Speaking of Australia is there any chance you might be able to do a video?
Praise the heavens for automatic. Got to australia after 30h on 2 planes in total zombie mode and had still 200km to drive to get to my prebooked hotel (yes, i am that cheap ;)). With left handed stick shift i'd probably had it half way and would have either walked or sleept in sideroad ;)
For everyone worried about roundabouts, do a google image search for 'Swindon Magic Roundabout' haha
It would be the right side if not for Napoleon
Left Side Traffic Exists Also In Australia 🇦🇺 Japan 🇯🇵 But The Blinkers And Wipers Are Opposite Most Likely More Automatic Cars