Driving on the other side

[ProXimaCore]

I'm going to be doing some driving on the right hand side of the road in a couple of weeks around Europe. I'll be in a car though and not on the bike. I'm pretty nervous about it and I'm looking for some helpful tips. I have no idea what to expect. Can anyone offer some advice?
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Honda NSR125R -> Suzuki GSXR400R GK76a -> Kawasaki ZX636 B1H -> Honda CBR400RR NC29 -> Nothing

[veeeffarr]

Drive on the right.

[Mr.Everready]

Will you be in a left hand drive car or your own ?
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the undemocratically unelected mod of the Scottish section

[Marc_Buck]

Give way to left on round-a-bouts.
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94 fzr600r

[Bomberman]

If the post I remember was from you, then the car you're driving is set up left hand drive? If so, it's really easy. No tips needed. I went on holiday once and we hired a car, and I was shitting it. Really worried about diving on the wrong side and how I'd forget and plow into traffic etc. etc. 5 minutes later I'd forgotten and was just cruising about like it was normal. Don't worry about it.
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'Allo! My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!
'89 TZR 125 - '94 GPZ500s - ZK3 GSXR600 Alstare

[Kickstart]

Hi

First thing is easy. Where you will have a problem is first thing in the morning when You don't think about it.

Driving a lhd car you will screw up your gear changes, and will often reach for the door handle to change gear. As a passenger in a lhd car the mirror is a pain as you cannot see anything in it.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[TheShaggyDA]

When I used to smoke, the norm was to flick my ash out the driver's window. Hiring a car in Spain, I was still flicking my ash with my right hand, straight onto my passenger

Gear changes were more of a problem than the actual road position. Apart from the time when I hit a crossroads where thought I had right of way - sailed straight through. Poor road markings didn't help, but it was just automatic - oops

One mistake I made was turning left from a single carriageway onto a dual carriageway. My approach was fine, but I turned too soon onto the wrong half, and needed to bump over the central reservation to avoid the oncoming traffic - oops part 2

Something to watch watch for, I found, was just after I picked the car up. While nervous about driving on the wrong side, I was paying a lot of attention, and found myself with another car coming at me head on. I had to convince myself a fair bit that I was in the right, (and on the right) and not swerve back to the left. I think (as it was close to the airport at Alicante) it was another fellow Brit who wasn't paying as much attention.

Yet another thing to watch is when you overtake something, don't let your brain get all comfy while you are out in the left lane - remember to move back
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Current: CB500 Previous: CB100N, CB250RS, XJ900F, GT550, GPZ750R/1000RX, AJS M16, R100RT, Enfield Bullet

[i:6e3bfc7581]But still I fear and still I dare not laugh at the madman...[/i:6e3bfc7581]

[buddha]

if you're in a hired car, just remember the passenger side is nearest to the pavement.

And if you're driving your car, your side is nearest to the pavement.

I hope that might help.

[stinkwheel]

If you go to France remember that everyone drives like an idiot with no consideration for anyones safety...and they will quite happily crash into you, just look at how many dented cars there are.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[NickD]

Shit........ I thought this was a thread about homosexuality, bloody misleading thread title.

Seriously, I find driving in france really stress free until you get near a major city, then it gets mental.

Riding on the right actually feels more natural to me, but it's just the first couple of seconds of each journey that are dodgy, purely from a habit point of view. To get round this I have a big hand written sign in the map pocket of my tank bag reading 'DRIVE ON THE RIGHT..... TWAT'. I've never done it in a car, but maybe a note on the dash, to remind you, would help.
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I was only doing what it said on my licence officer....
Tear along the dotted line!

[McJamweasel]

When I was in france I found riding on the right came pretty damn natural. It took me a day or 2 to get the nag of where to look at roundabouts but other than that I adapted to it pretty quickly.

Some tell him what that priotrity right sign says, cos I can't remember. Basically, it means that whatever is joining from the right has priority over you. AFAIK its being phased out now in France (only say it on one or 2 roundabouts) but is still used in some other countries.
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BCF: Be yourself, just don't be an arse.

[Kickstart]

Hi

"Priorite a droite" is still very common in Belgium. You will find that the locals will not look left if they have priority. If they look left and something is coming then they might hesitate. The hesitation means that they have given way and a resulting accident is their fault.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Keen]

its actually really easy driving on the right....

I did it last year in florida, the only time I had problems was on deserted highways, when theres no other traffic you forget, I drove down a huge road for ages on the left, until I saw a truck coming further up the road!

In france the drivers are completely insane so watch out... but when everyone else is driving on the right, you just end up following suit without really thinking about it to be honest...
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"he who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man"- Dr. Johnson

[mchaggis]

About the only place I think you'd have to think would be pulling into junctions and going round roundabouts backwards. Still, go with the flow and I doubt you'll have too many problems.
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[funmonkee]

[tgabber]

Watch out if you do an overtake on a quiet road.

A few years ago my brother and I were touring through France. At the start of the holiday with my brother at the wheel we were on a single carriageway road and overtook a slow farm vehicle. We were chatting away, not a care in the world only to come around a corner to see a big articulated lorry bearing down on us on our side of the road... er... no... we were bearing down on it on their side...

As my brother switched on the windscreen wipers instead of the indicator (I remember that particularly because it wasn't raining, a wiper caught and the blade flew off) we served back onto the correct side just in time.

The whole holiday was a bit of a disaster car-wise as, on the last day, some froggy-chav joyriders broke into it, dumped it in a field all pranged-up and stole my camera complete with all the exposed holiday snaps to boot.
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"It's all about dislocating expectation"
Kawasaki KMX125 -> Aprilia RS125 -> Kawasaki ZZR600

[ProXimaCore]

Bit late getting back to you all. But thanks for all the helpful replies everyone!

I'll be starting in Germany. In Munich. Probably not the best place to start off. I'll try sticking to some quieter parts till I get the hang of it. Then we'll be heading off to a few other cities from there. Haven't quite decided on where exactly yet. Anyone got any good recommendations where I can go?

As for the car. It'll be a left hand drive.
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Honda NSR125R -> Suzuki GSXR400R GK76a -> Kawasaki ZX636 B1H -> Honda CBR400RR NC29 -> Nothing

[ProXimaCore]

Well I went and I done it. Was a lot easier than I expected. At first it felt like back when I was a learner. But after about 30 mins I was back to being normal again. After a day of driving I didn't have to concentrate anymore. Then the next day I went off to Munich city centre. That was scary! All these weird new road rules and remembering to stay on the right hand side at the same time. After that I was an expert though. GPS navigation worked wonders too. I'd have been still lost there without it.

Feeling brave, I ventured 400km to Vienna down the autobahn. That was quite fun. Managed an indicated 217kmph in a ford focus 1.6. So it felt like home being in the left lane most of the time. Well except when the BMWs wanted past. Nearly every car there was a BMW.

The only thing I had difficulty with being on the other side of the road was I was always drifting too far over to the right hand side of my lane. I think it was because I was sat on the other side of the car it felt natural for me to be above the right hand side of the lane. I had to concentrate on that quite a bit still. Even after some time. That was about the only problem though.

No near misses at all. I think I covered about 1000km too!
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Honda NSR125R -> Suzuki GSXR400R GK76a -> Kawasaki ZX636 B1H -> Honda CBR400RR NC29 -> Nothing