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Driving Abroad..; Right hand side of the road..
Topic Started: Oct 11 2010, 11:09 AM (225 Views)
bluenosekev
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Gil Merrick
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Ok I have been abroad many times, but have never driven, next month am away agian for a week and this time I have rented a car to get about (couldnt be bothered ever before).

Anyhow as we all know the rest of Europe drive on the wrong side of the road to us ;) and am just wondering have any members on here had any good/bad experiences driving on the right hand side of the road?

feed.back

Kro.
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Blacksmith
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Jeff Hall
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You'll soon get used to it, Kev. In fact, you'll probably have more trouble adjusting to driving on the left when you come back. At least that's what I've noticed. I think it may be because you're concentrating so much when you're driving abroad and don't tend to need to do it so much when you come home. I know it's almost got me confused like that a couple of times. :unsure:
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Migster
Bob Latchford
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Just remember that you should be towards the middle of the road and not the kerb (because the steering wheel is on the other side) and you'll be fine. This is not to say "drive down the middle of the road".
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bluenosekev
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Gil Merrick
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Blacksmith
Oct 11 2010, 11:18 AM
You'll soon get used to it, Kev. In fact, you'll probably have more trouble adjusting to driving on the left when you come back. At least that's what I've noticed. I think it may be because you're concentrating so much when you're driving abroad and don't tend to need to do it so much when you come home. I know it's almost got me confused like that a couple of times. :unsure:

Gotcha Mate.. **thumbup

Navigating a roundabout for the first time is gonna be interesting :blink:

Kro.
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Blacksmith
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Jeff Hall
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That's no problem at all, Kev, because they often have a central raised area in the road leading up to the island, so you can only go one way.

Take care when turning left, however. Some junctions can be a bit confusing.
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bluenosekev
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Gil Merrick
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Migster
Oct 11 2010, 11:20 AM
Just remember that you should be towards the middle of the road and not the kerb (because the steering wheel is on the other side) and you'll be fine.  This is not to say "drive down the middle of the road".

Gotcha Migster **thumbup

If I am noticed by my absence going into December then you all know why ;)

Not that anyone will miss me, apart from Pooley as he wont have anyone to remind him about our little bet that he needs to pay out at the end of the season :)

Kro.
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TBone
Garry Pendrey
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I normally spend the first day trying to remember not to change gear with my left hand! Hiring an automatic would alleviate this problem...
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SimonBCFC
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Mike Skinner
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It's incredible easy, spent 3 weeks in America travelling and we hired a car, after the first 10 mins you're used to it **thumbup
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baron von bluenose
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Bob Latchford
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the gear sticks tricky with the right hand but what i find hardest is the pedals are back to front ie you brake with your left foot and accelerate with it too, the clutch on the right is easy though.


:angel:
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bluenosekev
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Gil Merrick
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baron von bluenose
Oct 11 2010, 03:54 PM
the gear sticks tricky  with the right hand but what i find hardest is the pedals are back to front ie you brake with your left foot and accelerate with it too, the clutch on the right is easy though.


:angel:

I get your drift Baron.

So its just a simple matter of sticking to the speed limits (not gonna be easy that) and you know keep it nice and steady, suss out the gears, clutch ect...simples ..Simonbcfc reckons its a doddle after 10 mins so it cant be too difficult..


Kro.
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PartisanBCFC
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Jack Wiseman
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SimonBCFC
Oct 11 2010, 08:27 AM
It's incredible easy, spent 3 weeks in America travelling and we hired a car, after the first 10 mins you're used to it **thumbup

America is the easiest country in the world to drive a car in

However a few Brit tourists have caused accidents (one fatality occured in my area) by driving on the left ....thus heading directly into oncoming traffic

That's why 95 per cent of British car renters buy full coverage insurance (including up to one million dollars of liability coverage) before theyu even leave the UK.......The Germans do the exact same thing


Kev....I'd seriously avoid driving in Paris though

Portugal can be a bit hairy too

The Caribbean Islands make me laugh though.....Some of them are former British colonies where the left hand side is supposed to be the side to stick to but the locals simply drive on any side there are no potholes :LMAO: :LMAO:



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bluenosekev
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Gil Merrick
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PartisanBCFC
Oct 11 2010, 04:08 PM



Kev....I'd seriously avoid driving in Paris though


Having a relaxing week in Cyprus.

Your right about Paris tho, been there twice and wouldnt dream of driving a car there,same goes for Italy.

kro.
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Blacksmith
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Jeff Hall
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I've driven through Paris and I was so glad I had my say nav as it got me through fairly easily. I would never attempt it without a sat nav, though.
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SimonBCFC
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Mike Skinner
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PartisanBCFC
Oct 11 2010, 05:08 PM
SimonBCFC
Oct 11 2010, 08:27 AM
It's incredible easy, spent 3 weeks in America travelling and we hired a car, after the first 10 mins you're used to it  **thumbup

America is the easiest country in the world to drive a car in

However a few Brit tourists have caused accidents (one fatality occured in my area) by driving on the left ....thus heading directly into oncoming traffic

That's why 95 per cent of British car renters buy full coverage insurance (including up to one million dollars of liability coverage) before theyu even leave the UK.......The Germans do the exact same thing


Kev....I'd seriously avoid driving in Paris though

Portugal can be a bit hairy too

The Caribbean Islands make me laugh though.....Some of them are former British colonies where the left hand side is supposed to be the side to stick to but the locals simply drive on any side there are no potholes :LMAO: :LMAO:

The fully stopping at stop signs is annoying, and no one told me about the being allowed to turn right on a red light thing either haha, an another thing, on your highways, is there a ‘fast lane’ everyone was just over/undertaking everyone else, it was carnage! :LOL:
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Blacksmith
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Jeff Hall
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My drive from San Diego to LA was frightening. If there was the slightest gap in front of you, someone jumped into it.
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baron von bluenose
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Bob Latchford
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this is probably why the germans never got to england

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lay8aZlsbB0&feature=related
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pooley
The Icon
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abroad is rubbish compare to over here. Why would anyone want to go anywhere else when we have our rolling hills and beatuful beaches and seas...and nora batty
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SimonBCFC
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Mike Skinner
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Oct 11 2010, 08:45 PM
My drive from San Diego to LA was frightening. If there was the slightest gap in front of you, someone jumped into it.

I did that drive, but the other direction, down the 101 if my memory serves me correct, but we went from San Francisco, down to LA then onto San Diego
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baron von bluenose
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Bob Latchford
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the best place i ever drove wa jersey fantastic place, they have this thing called filter in turn which means you take it in turn to go 1 at a time , very civilised
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ManicBlue36
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Geoff Horsfield
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Had the pleasure of doing it for the first time in August in PARIS! Know it sounds crazy picking up the hire car from the middle of that city, but there was a reason.

Thankfully, I had my satnav and partner to navigate. Without them, I think I would have died.

The problem I found, was at main junctions, where there were great open crossings, and the temptation was always there to take the first left, (as you normally would do over here) instead of the 2nd.
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Blacksmith
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Jeff Hall
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I agree, Pooley, that this country takes a lot of beating for its beauty, but you can beat it if you want a better chance of good weather in the summer. There are so many beautiful places in France alone that pull me back time and time again to explore them.

My favourite is The Drome in the Rhones-Alpes region. The scenery is absolutely stunning.

Then there are the various 'gorgeous' gorges like the spectacular Ardeche and my favourite, the Gorges Du Tarn, with its spectaculat sight of vultures wheeling overhead.

Then, of course there is the dramatic volcanic scenery of the Massif Central and the Fabulous Dordogne with it's prehistory and the amazing cave paintings of Cro Magnon man and the terrific Lascaux caves.

The beautiful scenery of the Loire valley with it's chateaux is also worth seeing.

And so many more!

I'm a country loving person myself and don't take as much interest in the towns and cities, but again, there are many beautiful ones that can keep you gazing in awe.

And I haven't touched on Germany and Austria.

So, all in all, I agree with you about our beautiful scenery in Britain, that I never tire of seeing, but there is so much to see abroad that it is well worth the visit.
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proccy_blues
Joe Bradford
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most important thing is to concentrate on the direction traffic is travelling - sounds easy, but at junctions and particularly roundabouts it can get hairy. i love it though, tends to be much less traffic than here and it's sunny ;)
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