Hi Folks
I just completed a 2 weeks trip around Ireland - Dublin to Cork to Dingle to Galway to Donegal to Giant's Causeway to Dublin. I rented a 6 speed stick shift Opel Insignia from Hertz for $620 CDN with zero deductible. When I picked it up, they asked if I wanted wheel and tire insurance for 25 Euro/ day. With my policy I thought I was covered. I learned to drive on a standard; it is like riding a bike, you never lose it even on the right side. I had not driven a standard since 1996.
There are four categories of roads in Ireland M freeways, N national roads (usually 2 lanes with some shoulder), R regional roads (2 lane but considerably narrower), L local roads (one lane just). N,R and L roads are all narrower than North American roads. It takes time to get used to. That's why I should have gone north at first from Dublin to take advantage of the wider roads while I got use to driving. The Irish are better technical drivers that North Americans. Their traffic culture is based on avoidance rather than staying in your lane because in many places both directions have to share a tiny space beside a brewery truck parked beside a pub.
It is very hard to see local street signs - they are small, placed on rock walls in black and white paint if they are there at all. It is better to follow the M and N signs in cities. For navigation we use the AA map book of Ireland before starting out so we had a general idea. Then we used a GPS on the phone to navigate the last mile or so.
On my first day we drove from the Dublin City Hertz office to Glendalough (Fascinating site!) - mostly on a Motorway. We then went over the Wicklow Gap to catch the M motorway to Cork. Going over the Wicklow Mountains (beautiful country) I had trouble finding my place on the R road and hit the left shoulder a few times. Compounding learning to handle the car were several hundred sheep that usually used the road for sheep things - feeding, resting, sleeping, etc. At 4 pm on my next R road I hit a pothole and blew a rear left tire. When I phoned the Hertz roadside assistance, I was informed that I did not have wheel and tire insurance so I woulds have to buy a tire. As far as changing the tire, I was told that assistance would cost $150 Euros or I could change the tire myself. As i struggled to with their mini jack, A cabbie came by took sympathy and changed the tire in two minutes. He then directed me to a tire shop who would sell me a new tire for $120 Euros cash (no cards). We then noticed that we had also broken the front left tire as well. 240 Euros Cash!! Thank god the small town had an ATM in the Post Office. We limped into Cork at 9 pm.
More later.