Reply to: Driving on the wrong side of the road

[DealorNoDeal]

It's easier if you go to a quiet place.

Fuerteventura is a dream for driving. The local population is small and hardly any tourists, in the hotels, hire cars. Hence the roads are pretty deserted and in pristine condition.

Picking up a car in a busy airport, like Malaga in high season, can be a bit daunting.

[Paddy]

[DoctorStrangelove]

Yes, back in 1992 we did a family driving holiday down to my uncle's house in Sicily. My Dad got beeped several times for stopping at red lights.

Starts humming the Godfather theme to himself.

[NotAllThere]

Alcohol and Memory Loss | Alcohol.org

Thanks - I'd forgotten about that.

[Mordac]

Yes, back in 1992 we did a family driving holiday down to my uncle's house in Sicily. My Dad got beeped several times for stopping at red lights.

Exactly, it's the green lights you need to worry about, as that means there's a red light nearby that nobody is taking any notice of.

[ladymuck]

And traffic lights are 'advisory'. When driving in Italy, always take more clean underwear than you think you'll need...

Yes, back in 1992 we did a family driving holiday down to my uncle's house in Sicily. My Dad got beeped several times for stopping at red lights.

[Mordac]

I remember watching a car squeeze into a tight parking space in Paris. The parking consisted of shunting the car behind and then front to make enough room.

The people I was with said they have a good car and a "Paris" car. The Paris car get's banged to hell.

You're supposed to leave the handbrake off when parked in Paris, for that reason.

[Mordac]

I've driven on the autostrada around Milan a few times. Always crazy. Though it was easier when I realised the 140km/h limit is to be treated as a minimum.

Serbia was terrifying. Mainly due to the Turks driving through - Serbia is the 1000km point from Germany, so by that time they're a bit erratic.

The Arc de Triomph is always fun - barrel on at full speed, then slam your brakes on to give way to the right.

And traffic lights are 'advisory'. When driving in Italy, always take more clean underwear than you think you'll need...

[BR14]

I think you're talking horsesh.....

only that one wasn't related to the L/R hand drive question.
the was another in the hague, involving an icy tram track, and a lack of focus
but that was 5kph, and made some locals laugh.

[Gibbon]

Oh another thing, they call an estate a stationwagon in Italy! Took 5 mins of excruciating arguing that I didn't want a stationwagon (thinking SUV) but an estate. Ended up having to draw one on the booking form 'Si Stationwagon signor'

Also whilst driving back to Pisa airport with wife and kids I inexplicably put my watch back to GMT. We diverted to visit the tower and I forgot about the watch time and told the kids that we had loads of time. My wife was getting a bit tetchy about the time saying we were cutting it close, but I said loads of time and we are right near the airport. Then I clicked and panic set in we had 30 mins before gate closure! So into the car and followed the Aeroporto signs; then disaster the fecking signs were new and the bridge over the Arno hadn't been built yet! Didn't know where I was and no Sat Nav or Smart Phones back then. Drove back into the centro and hoped for the best! Then I spotted a Mondeo with a load of suitcases in the back and on a wild hunch followed him; well that was hairy to say the least as I really was tailgating round roundabouts, traffic lights, turn lefts I didn't let him go. My luck was in as he got us to the airport with ten mins to go. I abandoned the car in a taxi slot and just dumped the keys at the pick up place inside saying 'taxi' taxi' pointing outside. then just got through the gate in time. Whew!!

[ladymuck]

I've only been to Paris once. We took a taxi from the hotel to somewhere that required going round the triumphal arch. I was convinced we were going to get shunted from all angles. I swear the taxi driver took a more dangerous approach as he was laughing with glee at me thinking I was going to die.

The only time I've seen a Frenchman laugh, come to think of it.

[woohoo]

The Arc de Triomph is always fun - barrel on at full speed, then slam your brakes on to give way to the right.

I remember watching a car squeeze into a tight parking space in Paris. The parking consisted of shunting the car behind and then front to make enough room.

The people I was with said they have a good car and a "Paris" car. The Paris car get's banged to hell.

[WTFH]

i've never had any issues.
L/RHD cars, vans, bikes, europe. middle east, americas, no problems

I think you're talking horsesh.....

[NotAllThere]

Serious advice: avoid Italy*, and always hire an automatic. It's actually quite easy to get used to driving on the right (although most of my experience has been in the USA). Find some quiet side streets (or drive round the car-park for a bit) to get used to it. If you have an auto, gear changes are one less thing to worry about.

*I once made the mistake of letting my wife make the hire-car arrangements, and I had to get a LHD manual Fiat Punto round Milan in the morning rush-hour. Every cliche you've ever heard about driving in Italy is true, and then some.
Having survived that, I think I could survive anything...

I've driven on the autostrada around Milan a few times. Always crazy. Though it was easier when I realised the 140km/h limit is to be treated as a minimum.

Serbia was terrifying. Mainly due to the Turks driving through - Serbia is the 1000km point from Germany, so by that time they're a bit erratic.

The Arc de Triomph is always fun - barrel on at full speed, then slam your brakes on to give way to the right.

[BR14]

i've never had any issues.
L/RHD cars, vans, bikes, europe. middle east, americas, no problems