Hi folks, I'm traveling to Ireland and the UK through the month of December. I plan to rent a car for a few days, and I'm wondering if my navigation apps will recognize that I'm meant to be driving on the left side of the road? I see the cautions not to touch my phone while driving, similar to rules in the US. I just wonder if it will be a helpful tool for getting used to driving on the "wrong" side :D. Thanks!
John in Olympia
I used Google Maps on my iPhone when I was driving in England a few years ago. It clearly showed that I should drive in the left side and that I should drive "the other way" in round-abouts. The last was a great help, because I have previously tried to drive the wrong way, which gave me a nasty surprise when I saw a throng of cars coming directly towards me :-)
PS. Remember to download offline maps before you leave wifi.
Google Maps on my I-Phone worked great for navigating in Ireland 3 years ago, while my husband did the driving. Right and left turns were directed where the left lane allowed.
One critical thing to remember when approaching a roundabout is that traffic goes clockwise, not counter-clockwise. To go “right” at a roundabout, stay on the left as you enter the roundabout, and go around the far end of the traffic circle, before taking your exit; don’t immediately cut to the right at the traffic circle, or you’ll be heading the wrong way, in the oncoming traffic’s lane(s).
We use Waze without issue in the U.K.
Please don’t do what Cyn has suggested! At a roundabout, if you are turning right, you should be in the right hand lane (if it’s not a single carriageway) and pull into the middle of the roundabout and indicate right until you reach the junction before you are leaving the roundabout, when you should pull over to the left lane and indicate left.
If going straight ahead at a roundabout, you can be in either lane and you don’t indicate until you are turning off. Obviously, stay left and indicate left if that’s where you are heading.
One critical thing to remember when approaching a roundabout is that traffic goes clockwise, not counter-clockwise. To go “right” at a roundabout, stay on the left as you enter the roundabout, and go around the far end of the traffic circle, before taking your exit; don’t immediately cut to the right at the traffic circle, or you’ll be heading the wrong way, in the oncoming traffic’s lane(s).
There's only one way on a roundabout, there's no oncoming traffic. In multi lane roundabouts if you want to take an exit on the right you stay in the right hand lane otherwise you'll be crossing the path of those wanting to exit prior to you and risk a collision.
Your gps app will know which side of the road you should be on and guide accordingly. I use Google maps or Amigo and they automatically adapt whichever country I'm driving in.
edit Jennifer can type faster than me 😆
Both should work fine. With Google maps downloaded for offline use, you don’t need a cell connection or use data. You won’’t have real time traffic information either if that’s important to you. I don’t believe Apple’s maps that come with the iPhone or Waze have downloadable maps so you would need some data plan while overseas, but you would have real time traffic information.
As stated by our UK contributors, don’t move to the left/outside lane in a roundabout until you’re exiting.
Thanks for the tips folks! I’ll download the google maps and take care in the roundabouts! We have a lot of roundabouts in WA state, so I think I’ve go the general gist - except counter clockwise.
Glad you got additional input. I was simply referring to staying to the left of the circle’s hub, arcing around the far side of the roundabout, not necessarily choosing a lane. After driving in Italy last month with no roundabout collisions, hopefully that was all done acceptably The few roundabouts here at home are tiny, one-lane designs, so bigger ones must take more advanced strategies. Happy motoring, John!
Remember the slogan of older well-dressed liberals:
STAY LEFT LOOK RIGHT
There are all sorts of YouTube videos that you can watch to help you get the feel of driving on the left side of the road. I bet you can find some that will take you through a roundabout.
We went to Iceland recently, and driving through roundabouts there is different than in the US, particularly the ones that have two lanes entering and existing. I won't go into details, but it did take some learning and was scary the first couple of times.
Thanks! There are some great videos showing people driving on the left side. I’ve even found some from the town we plan to stay. We plan to take Ricks advice to heart and go around roundabouts several times before exiting.
Apple Maps, Google Maps, and Waze all work well in the UK. I use Apple maps regularly, and Google Maps occasionally. I have a colleague that swears by Waze. From that perspective, you'll be fine.
On the cautions about touching your phone while driving, you would be wise to heed them. Police are quite serious about that rule in the UK. You can end up with a 300 GBP fine on the spot.
You might want to consider downloading Amigo. One of its benefits is an alert for upcoming mobile and fixed speed cameras. It's a free app and relies on users to flag the location of speed cameras (particularly useful for mobile cameras).
Rick Steves may think it a good idea to drive round a roundabout several times, but is likely to confuse other road users who will not be expecting it.
what a stupid suggestion
Au contraire, sometimes it takes several times around the roundabout to find the indicated exit -- especially when the GPS says "take fifth exit" but some of the places might be driveways ... or you can only count four ....
You should you your common sense and eyes and not rely on Satnav. There are signs indicating where roads lead to
I never use a Satnav but agree that would be useful in finding destinations in towns
I use paper map, or on rare occasions the map on my phone
…Back to that “right turn” situation. If looping around the roundabout an extra time or two, certainly you wouldn’t be expected to keep your right turn signal flashing! Everyone else in the traffic circle would have to think you expected to turn into its center, or decided to just put on a light show for other motorists.
Whilst in a round about, remember the words of the contemporary bard, Clark Griswold.....
"Big Ben, kids!!! Parliament!"
And just follow the Chevrolet in front of you, or in other words, do a Chevy Chase!
If looping around the roundabout an extra time or two, certainly you wouldn’t be expected to keep your right turn signal flashing!
Yes, actually, you should.
The right turn signal indicates you are continuing around the roundabout, and you should be in the inmost lane, then when going out it is manoeuvre to the outside lane after the previous turning and indicate left and leave.
Don't forget to read the directions painted on the road.
