driving on the "wrong side" of the road

[ade]

Right guys n dolls,

I'm off on me hols next Friday for 2 weeks to Southern Spain - heading for the mountains (Ronda way) and have hired a car.

Am a bit apprehensive as its the 1st time I've driven abroad and its all "backward" - so looking for tips.

OBVIOUSLY you stay to the right and go round the roundabouts the opposite way - anything else?

Probably get a Corsa or similar - made sure it has air con so thats a plus.

Ade

[shy witness]

my boss went on holiday alott years ago and got a basic hire car.......


he just got a screwdriver and removed the rear quarter windows completely lol......no need for air con....haha

just put them back in when finished.super stuff

[smcgsi16v]

Its actually a lot easier to drive a left hooker on the wrong side then a right hooker on the wrong side.i.e driving in frog land in a english car.
Just keep the middle of the road to your left. Easy!

[Jack]

Its surprisingly easy, I managed it fine without thinking much about it when I had to drive to Gutersloh

[Stuart]

just bear in mind local driving rules.. like in germany people entering roundabouts have right of way over those on it etc.

[Will F]

As said, you will pick it up very quickly. I kept bashing my left hand on the door to change gear! lol

As Stu says, roundabouts are the 'worst' thing, but once you have navigated one, you will be OK.

[Lee H]

Also you will find it strange having the gearstick on your other side at first but soon get used to it.

[spanishfly]

The hardest part of driving abroad is when you get back to England!

[Ernie]

I went to spain the other year and hired a clio. its amazing how much pull you can get on the handbrake with the wrong hand as it span around a treat lol.

[Riggy]

^^^^^ pmsl you rebel lol

[Ernie]

carpark handbrake training. you cant beat it.I was Russ swift for a few day's lol

[ade]

so - is the accelerator and clutch back to front aswell???

[Lee]

lol, no. Throttle's still on teh left.

The only issue youll have in a left hooker IMO is road positioning. Try to imagine what its like to be a passenger. I had a go in my Dads car in Brasil on a main highway, and he kept screaming at me as i was hanging the passenger side of the car into the other lane lol

[Jack]

lol, no. Throttle's still on teh left.
Are you sure about that? ;)

[Stuart]

changing gear must be a riot with lee at the helm

[mowgli]

It is dead easy. just try not to think too much into it.
The biggest thing is to look the other way at junctions, a german bloke got killed by a truck near hinckley, the witnesses all testified that he was looking the 'wrong' way.
The other thing is to try to drive like the locals, if you get into 'driving miss daisy' mode, you will annoy everyone.
A good tip for the lane discipline thing is to follow another vehicle and keep the other driver lined up in front of you.
Keep your passport on you at all times, Spanish cops will demand it.