Driving on the wrong side of the road… pointers needed
 

Guys, I’m going to be driving in the UK tomorrow and the next day.

I’ve been several times but usually get my BIL (who lives there) to drive or take transit.

Remind me - who has the right of way in a roundabout?

Any other tips?

The vehicle in the roundabout has the right of way.
The only time I got screwed up was in big parking lots. No lines to keep left of.
Your left hand will (should) pick up the shifting pretty quickly.

Have a great time.!
Best
Les

The truth is it doesn't really matter what side you're sitting on... As long as you remember that you keep closest to the middle of the road.

We give way to the Right.

I've driven in LHD countries often and I got used to it very quickly. Also... My sister moved to Denver almost 20 years ago and she's had no problems. When she's in Aus she has no issues switching back.

There is a big multi lane roundabout in Barbados that my name is still mentioned.
It was the first time that I had driven on the not right side.

Since that time, I have driven in the UK and Grand Cayman many times and got used to it pretty quickly. I absolutely hated driving in London. The tube and bus transit is a better choice.

Keep in mind the direction of traffic entering the intersection is coming from when crossing the road as a pedestrian or driving. Look right first.

Australia, 1987, I am really paying attention driving...not my first time.

However, my buddy and I stop for lunch outside of Perth, now two knucklehead pedestrians that failed to look right first.

Very close call.

I do not recommend driving when you're tired. The overnight flight and a morning drive are a bad combo.

A gentle reminder in case you consider a taxi. The "black cabs" are the best but you'll PAY BIG!

Keep the drivers side next to the line in the middle and the passenger side to the kerb. I tell myself that for a half hour constantly when I change sides. It works for both and it really helps (me).

You’ll only open the door a couple of times changing gear…

Ware roundabouts - they will mess you up. Opposite direction to here.
No right on red - no left either…

I have found one of the most jarring things has been the relative position of mirrors. Having to look far left or up and left seemed harder than shifting with my left hand.
Every time we have gone to the UK we have been on an overnight flight and have picked up our hire car at either Heathrow or Glasgow.
We always carry the big AA "Supreme Scale Atlas Britain". Of course we do a lot of back road exploring .

Best
Les

When taking a turn at an intersection, focus on the correct lane you should turn into. It is a bit of a mind fk if you just rely on muscle memory. Then you'll end up in on coming traffic.

Also, if you end up in the passenger's seat, don't look up at rear view mirror. You'll be thinking you are driving and see something you aren't expecting in the mirror that is totally not what you are used to.

It's easy when there is traffic. When it's early in the morning and there is no traffic, and you take a right turn, you may accidentally find yourself on the wrong side of the road :) BTDT.

For our entertainment, please run a dashcam and post the videos on this thread.

driving on the "wrong" side of the road is easier than driving on the wrong side of the car

Damn turn signals are swapped. I signaled all over NZ with my wipers! Arg.

Exactly.

I live in a wrong side of the road country and have no trouble driving in US or Europe. As earlier said I stick to the rule of driver is always closest to the centre of the road.

That's Aus/NZ versus the rest of the world? In England and Japan the wipers and turn signals are (generally) the same as NA, no?

Probably a little late now but the last couple of times I have been to the UK I have checked into a hotel at the airport after I get off the plane. It is good for the body and mind to get some decent sleep before starting to drive in a foreign country plus the added challenge of driving on the other side of the road.....SmileWavy
Cheers, Guy.

I agree! I just got back from 2 weeks driving around Ireland and Scotland, logged quite a few miles and a TON of roundabouts. The “wrong” side of the road was easy to get used to, but driving from the “passenger” seat was totally unsettling to me at first. Got pretty comfortable after a bit but definitely took some getting used to. I had a automatic, shifting a manual trans with my left hand was an added distraction I didn’t need!

EDIT: also, remember that on the highways the left lane is the “slow” lane…

In my experience, it is manufacturer dependent.

What's a real kick is shifting a manual with your left hand. Pedals are the same.

So far… ok. I got a Stelvio as a rental car… not bad except for the idiotic wiper controls.

This is the problem, including when you get back home!! I did this after driving three weeks in NZ, driving down a quiet street and wonder why the car approaching is in my lane.

Last week there was a car travelling the wrong way around a nearby roundabout, likely back from holiday.

We have folks living up the road who moved from the UK. One day while on her way home, the wife saw John pull out of his driveway and onto the road into the left lane. She hung back and watched as he drove about a half mile before he saw a car coming the other way and quickly remembered which side of the pond he was currently on.
Hope you're having a great time, unclebilly!

Best
Les

Your most dangerous time will be on the second or third day, when you feel comfortable, that’s when you’ll see headlights approaching head-on. From personal experience. Stay paranoid for the first week if you can.