Jump to content
Wanderers Ways. Neil Thompson 1961-2021

Driving On The Right Side Abroad.


leigh white

Recommended Posts

Done it once so far in Italy at bologna Airport.

You know its the opposite side but when you get out of the car hire garage and go directly into a roundabout.... Fuck me. Nightmare. 

Ended up alright and had a few days out in the week we had over there but can't say I enjoyed driving. Was on edge all the time. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

Its ok once you get into it 

Worst ones for me were driving narrow roads round Lake Como with coaches coming at you constantly, and being on the highway after 5 mins in an automatic just outside Nashville

And the filters in the US for turning right are dramatic

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Zico said:

Its ok once you get into it 

Worst ones for me were driving narrow roads round Lake Como with coaches coming at you constantly, and being on the highway after 5 mins in an automatic just outside Nashville

And the filters in the US for turning right are dramatic

Worst I've seen is M6 southbound before you get to m61 turn off. Some polish guy straddling two lanes basically asleep at the wheel. Everyone beeping and him not giving a fuck. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Site Supporter

America is a brilliant and terrifying all at once. Massive wide roads but on the motorways its an absolute free for all. They do tend to obey speed limits though (which are ridiculous at times)

Europe is fine, you adjust pretty quick. Hardest bit is driving a right hand drive car on the right. Better if you can get a left hand drive.

I got a £100 fine in Cyprus for doing 100mph coming back from Nicosia. Copper who pulled me over though let me off when he started talking to my missus and basically just ogled her tits for 5 minutes. Gave us a warning. Tits are ace.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Spider said:

I got a nosh in the car about 20 minutes later near the hotel. Was a good afternoon, that.

A nosh on an empty bus driving on the wrong side of the road in Majorca was good, pretty sure the driver kept looking round when I kept groaning when the girlfriend took me to the brink.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
8 hours ago, Zico said:

Its ok once you get into it 

Worst ones for me were driving narrow roads round Lake Como with coaches coming at you constantly, and being on the highway after 5 mins in an automatic just outside Nashville

And the filters in the US for turning right are dramatic

A woman leant out of her window in Dallas with the turn right filter except it wasn’t a filter it was just a red light “you can fuckin go you fuckin jackass, beeeeeppp beeeeep, move your fuckin shit beeeeeeppppp”

I didn’t because it was red then the fucker never changed so I went, she sped past me and shouted “fuckin asshole”

Didn’t realise until I spoke a guy on a JFK tour who laughed and said son this is Texas that was polite 

Argentina is one Of the worst places I’ve drove but mainly because the whole place is absolutely lawless, people do what the fuck they want so couldn’t tell you which side they drive on

Italy is horrendous, every parked car is bashed to fuck, all roofs are dented it was bizarre until I went to an inter game and they lost 3-0 at home to Roma and they started tearing up their own city, jumping on cars and booting off wing mirrors.
Mad cunts

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Elvis said:

Drove in Dubai and most other Emirate states for 4 years. Shite myself when I drove for the 1st time but quickly got used to it. 

 

Driving in Dubai is mental at the best of times, that Sheikh Zayed Road is ridiculous - saw loads of minor and major crashes on it. I was always conscious that if I had a "coming together" with one of the locals, then it would be deemed as my fault, even if it wasn't. I'm sure as well, that even after the most minor dink, you can't move the cars to the side of the road until the police have been and witnessed it (presumably to find the westerner guilty)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Sweep said:

Driving in Dubai is mental at the best of times, that Sheikh Zayed Road is ridiculous - saw loads of minor and major crashes on it. I was always conscious that if I had a "coming together" with one of the locals, then it would be deemed as my fault, even if it wasn't. I'm sure as well, that even after the most minor dink, you can't move the cars to the side of the road until the police have been and witnessed it (presumably to find the westerner guilty)

it's mad and your not far of wrong. if an emirate is involved then it's your fault. Saw accidents most mornings driving to work. Nice driving to work around xmas with the sun roof open listening to xmas songs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
1 minute ago, Elvis said:

it's mad and your not far of wrong. if an emirate is involved then it's your fault. Saw accidents most mornings driving to work. Nice driving to work around xmas with the sun roof open listening to xmas songs.

I had a drive in a bmw i8 when I was there, because it’s pretty fuckin silent and lightning you don’t realise how quick it shifts

I had been in it 5 minutes and nearly crashed because an Uber pulled into my lane without signalling and the car behind me was close to hitting me , that was just one incident I saw 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Site Supporter
11 hours ago, jayjayoghani said:

On a similar note, anyone ever tried driving with a trailer or more to the point, reversing with one? Fuck me, it's tricky. 

Easier if you stop looking over your shoulder to reverse. Set your mirrors so there is the same amount of trailer in each whilst you are in a straight line, bang it in reverse and if you see a bit more trailer in the left mirror, steer left and vice-versa.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, DazBob said:

It's easy to spot Brits driving in America.  They're the ones sat waiting at a red light, indicating to turn right, with everyone beeping behind them.

One of the American's better ideas, love it, the one that still gets me is exiting a freeway to your left ( being in the fast line for a better term to get off)or entering a freeway to your right ( coming on in a fast line) can by a bit scary in rush hour if you are not aware of it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Depends if you’re driving a right hand drive or left. Many Brits drive their own cars in France and beyond. Driving a left hand drive ain’t so easy.

Used to bang my arm constantly on the door trying to change gear on a left hand drive car. 
Biggest problem is the unusual traffic signs in some countries. Completely different to ours.

Also countries with trams in the middle of the road. The passengers always have right of way when alighting. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never driven abroad. Only hired a car once. Estapona to Gib. I'd not got my driving licence so Mrs Manc had to do it. The most aggressive driver you could ever not wish to meet. She'd not driven a manual for a good 5 years. Every time she changed gear she veered right towards the barriers on the right. Had one of them FitBit watches at the time. My heart rate was 140

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Site Supporter

Plenty of weird and wonderful local rules too. I soon learned in Crete you straddle the right hand lane and hard shoulder when driving and use the driving lane for overtaking. Whilst you're overtaking you indicate at the start of the manoeuvre and leave the indicator on until you get past. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.