Re: Driving on left side
I've now done 25 trips with left side driving and cumulatively driven on the left side over 18 months. Locations include Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland, and England. Early on, I was uncomfortable. Somewhere it got to feel normal quickly. Let me share some experiences.
When I enter a highway from a stop sign, I look at both lanes twice and make sure cars are not coming in any direction or approaching in any lane. I don't automatically assume by looking at one lane only I am looking into the correct lane to determine if the road is clear. I came dangerously close to being broadsided early in my first trip. I was atartled when I saw a car approaching from the direction it came from.
I have driven on the wrong side of the road briefly. If there are cars on the road, that helps with turning into the correct lane. If you are on the wrong side of the road, pull off to the side first and stop if necessary.
Be careful when you come back home. I once drove about 100 yards on a road back home after six weeks of left side driving.
If you have driven a manual transmission a lot, renting a manual transmission vehicle won't be that difficult. I you rarely have driven manual transmissions a lot, you can probably handle it. There is a pretty good savings when you rent a manual transmission in Ireland or the UK.
Get GPS with audio so you aren't focusing on looking a a screen. Familarize yourself with a map so you have a mental template of where you are going.
Roundabouts are a traffic flow device I like better than stop signs or stoplights now that I have gotten used to them.
Motorways are easier than two lane highways. Narrow roads in Ireland are the most challenging.
Drive a couple of laps around the rental lot before you get going. If you have a manual transmission, make sure you know how to get the car in reverse. Different makes have different mechanisms.
Make sure you understand insurance issues. I have a credit card with insurance benefits in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Many exclude coverage there. If you have that coverage, bring the letter stating the benefits. I rent exclusively with Hertz and show as no insurance on my rental profile. Ireland has separate coverage for theft, which covers total loss if car is stolen.
In many areas, add 20 to 30 percent more time if roads are less developed.
Drive in the daytime. Arrive early. If you have long overnight flight and will arrive tired, stay overnight one night and pick up car later that day or early next morning.
Minimize alcohol consumption. Some countries have low thresholds for impaired driving. A citation for impaired driving would probably invalidate insurance coverage if you have an accident.
Australia has fixed speed cameras in many areas. I came home once and received two citations in the mail. I go there a lot, so I paid them. Thresholds above posted speed limits are small. It's not like California.
Charles Lund