# Driving on the "wrong" side of the road **URL:** \ **Category:** The Show\ **Created:** [April 27, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road/84811 "2014-04-27T20:09:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pooches](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/45deac/32.png) [@pooches](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pooches)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road/84811/1 "2014-04-27T20:09:00Z")
what I figured out when acting as the designated driver in Scotland is that you can stay aware of the center line and keep it on the drivers side and be in the correct lane. of course when you’re making a turn it’s still a challenge! ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 9:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road/84811/2 "2014-04-27T21:10:26Z")
Huh . . . ?! Are you even asking a question . . . ? ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 9:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road/84811/3 "2014-04-27T21:55:17Z")
That’s how I adapted quickly too. ---
**Author:** ![cdaquila](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cdaquila/32/18089_2.png) [@cdaquila](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cdaquila)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 10:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road/84811/4 "2014-04-27T22:02:32Z")
I’m wondering if this is in response to the Ireland thing from last week. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 11:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road/84811/5 "2014-04-27T23:01:54Z")
Probably, but like I said the roundabouts are killers. ---
**Author:** ![PresidentBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@PresidentBeep](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PresidentBeep)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 3:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road/84811/6 "2014-04-28T03:29:50Z")
For me, the hardest part about driving in the UK wasn’t the side switch, but just how narrow a lot of the roads and streets are there. ---
**Author:** ![NaasPreacher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f07891/32.png) [@NaasPreacher](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NaasPreacher)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 10:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road/84811/7 "2014-05-02T10:35:10Z")
I am from the US but have lived in Ireland for twenty years. There are few easy things to do that will help immensely. Drive slowly on the back roads - you may frustrate folks, but we are used to slow visitors Try to stay on ‘N’ roads as much as possible. the ‘L’ roads can be no more than lanes sometimes. The speed limits are crazy. You may turn from a nice, clear, broad road where the speed limit is 60k to a tiny road where the speed limit is 80k. When on the tiny roads keep your eyes open for any stretch of road you can pull over onto - you may have to reverse into it if you meet an oncoming vehicle The driver focuses on the centre line. If you are driving next to the shoulder you are in the wrong lane 🙂 Specify an automatic when you hire a car. It cost a little extra, but saves the extra burden of shifting with your left hand Always give way to vehicles on the roundabout Be very careful on turns - think before you turn ‘centre line, centre line, centre line.’ I hope Dave and family enjoy their trip - it is a lovely place. ---
**Author:** ![NaasPreacher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f07891/32.png) [@NaasPreacher](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NaasPreacher)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 10:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road/84811/8 "2014-05-02T10:37:25Z")
Oh yeah, don’t say ‘wrong side’ when you are here - say ‘other side’ 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road/84811/9 "2014-05-02T19:46:17Z")
We lived 5 years in Malayisia where they drive on tthe “wrong” side of the road. Coming home for Christmas and getting back into my own car was no effort, as well as switching back to the right hand side of the road. The biggest problem is a sudden shift when you are on the road, such as driving off the ferry from Calais, France to Dover, England, and not noticing a big sign that says “KEEP LEFT!!” True, the very narrow roads and almost no shoulders are the biggest challenge. Years ago I was in Switserland with a VW bug, and met two rich US ladies driving a late 50s car with large tailfins. Both fins had been badly clipped on the hairpin turns through the Alps. And the brakes must have jad a real workout! Taking a big US car to Europe has never made sense, except to show off! ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2014, 10:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road/84811/10 "2014-05-04T10:18:11Z")
We were driving from London to Lancaster to see my son. It was our first experience with driving on the “other” side. We pulled off for a roadside rest and were on a narrow dirt road with a truck coming from the other way. My wife looks up, sees the truck coming, sees that I’m on the left side of the road and screams “you’re on the wrong side”. Naturally I paid no attention to her as the truck safely passed. It was a torturous trip for her.