Recently, there were some threads on the Scotland forum with links to driving tips. I imagine many of the tips would relate to Ireland as well, but I thought I'd look for info specific to Ireland. I did find the following:
https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/driving-in-ireland-for-tourists/
I'm wondering if folks have tips of their own or links they think are particularly good.
We will be driving for a bit over three weeks and doing much of the Wild Atlantic Way.
Look right. When you’re making a left hand turn, look right. That’s where traffic is coming from. It’s also important to look right when crossing a street. The tendency for folks who drive on the right is to only look left when first crossing the street.
There is no such thing as a left turn on red (like the right turn on red in the US).
Folks in the rotary have the right of way. It’s polite to use your turn signals when leaving a rotary,
Edit to add: when you’re on one of the larger M roads that have bumps between the lanes, line up your tires on the bumps when it’s safe. You’ll then get an idea of where the car is in relation to the lane and the road. I believe your mom will be with you. If so, and if she’s up to it, have her help remind you where you are in relation to the road.
Go for the full insurance .
Rent the smallest car you can get away with.
Will be looking forward to your tips. We will be in Ireland in April. Safe travels!
Smallest car possible (the size road-spacing advantage also means it could be cheaper).
Manual transmission isn’t a disadvantage (this, coming from someone who’s driven several stick-shift cars at home, even now, and both my husband and I are left-handed). Many others insist on an automatic.
The person in the front passenger-side (left) seat should be the navigator, alerting the driver to the next upcoming turn/roundabout in “x” kilometers, then reminding as that feature gets closer. Person should also remind the driver on a regular basis to not get too far to the left, where stone walls and/or a shoulder drop-off might exist. Reaffirming speed limit signs, too.
On two-lane roads (road numbers will usually start with a letter “L” or “R”), anticipate that there will be curves and or hills where you can’t see around or over, and expect that something BIG will be appearing in a moment, coming at you. If it’s a tractor, get waaaaay to the left (remembering that your navigator just said not to get too far left), take a deep breath, and hold on. You may want to slow down, but the tractor will not!
On extremely narrow roads, when it’s barely wide enough for two vehicles, be prepared to come to a stop. The oncoming vehicle will (or, at least, should) stop too, so that the two of you can ease by each other. That may require further adjustments to accommodate side-view mirrors or dimensions of the larger vehicle. You’ll appreciate (and be appreciated for) having the smaller one.
At roundabouts, if you’re ultimately going to the right (a three o’clock position, if you’re coming from the six o’clock direction), don’t make an immediate right as you reach the roundabout. You need to keep to the left, to the far side of the roundabout, then curve right towards your exit.
Highway exits will have a sign before you reach the exit, indicating which lane will get you to which direction. Get lined up accordingly. There may well be a multi-lane roundabout at that exit, which requires particular attention.
In a small roundabout on a small road, if you miss an exit, stay in the roundabout and go around again, giving you a second chance to determine your correct exit.
Really big roundabouts on big “A” highways are much more complicated, and are less forgiving if you miss an exit the first time, so be prepared before you reach it.
Take breaks, as needed - or even before they’re absolutely needed.
Familiarize yourself with the windscreen (windshield) wiper controls before you get a rainstorm. And yet, don’t be surprised if when you want to signal a lane-change or a left or right turn, you wind up activating the wipers! LOL
Watch for big, medium-brown signs with white lettering. They’ll advise of interesting sights ahead, maybe something you hadn’t expected, but that you might love. That’s how we discovered the wonderful Gougane Barra lake and hiking trails in County Cork.
Driver may be focusing on driving (rightfully so), but could be missing out on outstanding scenery. Will different people be driving, to allow everybody a chance to be a spectator? If not, pull off more often, for views!
This is an unwritten rule, but from our last trip in 2024, seems to be an Absolute Truth - the biggest bullies on the roads in Ireland seem to be driving an Audi. Not all Audi drivers are inconsiderate, but if a car zips by you then cuts you off, won’t let you in or change lanes, or tailgates, it’s likely to be an Audi. Not sure why, but maybe certain people in Ireland also are attracted to Audi’s.
I found the geometry of "wrong-side" driving difficult to internalize. For example, I couldn't always "feel" whether the car was within its lane. I used the side mirrors more than I ever do at home to see the car's position. Mostly helpful in areas with lane striping.
Twice I rented a car in Ireland, once using a stick shift. I also drove across O'Connell Bridge in Dublin.
Keep three things in mind
Use the Street View feature on Google Maps to preview your daily driving routes - particularly with regards to signage, roundabouts, and to check out some of the narrow (single lane) roads before approaching them at speed.
Great tips, everyone, thank you. We have driven a lot in Europe, and then also England, New Zealand and Australia. I navigate and watch quite carefully as an extra set of eyes. G3RRY, I know exactly what you are saying. There have been times when thru my teeth, "you are too close on my side"!
As someone already mentioned is to check the route if you are using Google maps or other driving apps. They will default with the shortest route. This can be an issue in Ireland as it will give you a route with you driving down a goat track when you could have taken a longer and better route if you looked.
Trust me on that. I spent three weeks driving around Ireland by myself looking for golf courses to play. And trust me not many golf courses are off the main drag. So it was an adventure.
Good luck.
another question-We will be driving from Antrim to Dublin airport in a day. We have tentative plans to stop at both Trim Castle and Bru na Boine on the way. I had planned to take a route that doesn't take us thru Belfast, but it looks like we should just get to Bru na Boine efficiently. It appears that it is basically hiway thru Belfast. Is this drive fairly straight forward? And not on city roads (as opposed to highway)?
Our trip eight years ago (it’s been that long?!?) included departing our hotel east of Belfast, heading towards Belfast on that highway during what turned out to be morning rush hour (traffic, but better than Denver’s at the time), and continuing to Trim. Very straightforward, no downtown city streets. just multi-lane highway in/around Belfast.
Cyn, thanks, just the info I needed.
