Driving a manual on opposite side of road

I picked it up pretty quickly. Fortunately, the pedals are not any different.

It was years ago but I was surprised to pick up a manual transmission car when we arrived in Edinburgh. (My fault-- should have checked first.) But happily the adjustment was immediate and easy: Despite the rain, the jet lag, and "wrong side" of the road and shifting with the opposite hand, I had no problems.

Happy travels!

Years ago we had a manual in Ireland. The only trouble we had was finding reverse.

Trotter totally agree reverse was hard. Also went from first to third and then fourth. It was a challenge for me. Eventually it became very easy all but that darn reverse!

You should adapt quickly.
But watch turns, your tendency will be to go into the wrong lane. Helps to have a navigator to remind you every turn.

I got used to the left handed up-switching fairly easily. Downshifting took a bit more concentration. I stopped trying to double-clutch; I missed or ground the gears a few times.

I really had to take care getting used to having so much car to the left of me. I dinged the front left tire a few times going through tight roundabouts.

I picked up shifting right away. The foot pedals are in the same location. It was harder remembering to stay left.
After my first time driving in the UK, I said never again. 20 years later, I drove in the Kent countryside and enjoyed it. This year I'm driving in Scotland, and I'll have a second driver. I expect it to be even better, because I can then sightsee some.

I really had to take care getting used to having so much car to the left of me. I dinged the front left tire a few times going through tight roundabouts.

We blew out a tire taking a left hand turn and hit the curb hard. But that's not a shifting issue. Just getting used to driving on the left, which would be an issue with an automatic.

Thank you. Im going to be brave and try it

Bravo, Leslie! I can easily do manual transmission on the Continent, and driving on the left in Ireland and the UK. Can't combine the two, though.

I remember the first time I drove in Scotland. It was many many years ago. I picked up a Mini at McKay Car Hire on St Vincent Street in Glasgow. I drove out of their lot and right in to oncoming traffic. Scared the bejesus out of me! But after an hour or so, I was fine with it, and went on to drive 4,000 miles in four weeks.

Of course back in those days, the cars were four speed. Now all the hire cars have five and six forward gears, and the challenge of finding reverse!

Good luck, Leslie. You'll be fine! Just make sure that you know where all of the controls are (including reverse, the remote for opening the petrol cap, and the remote for opening the boot) before you leave the rental location.

Best wishes,

Mike (Auchterless)

First, take some time before you even start the engine to locate all the controls, set up mirrors, etc., so you don't have to "hunt" for anything in traffic (you'll have enough on your plate). When you're feeling familiar enough, ease out onto the road. Be extremely careful for the initial run - it takes me 10-20 minutes to make the adjustments and feel confident. Yes, be extra super careful after any turn, your muscle memory will try to put you head-on into oncoming traffic. Get you co-pilot to help with all tasks and have them verbally remind you to "drive on the left" over and over (especially when turning).

Will you try and change gear with the door handles? Yes, have done in Italy. Will you drift too far one way or the other? Yes, have done in Spain and France. Will you go to the wrong door? Yes, France, several times. Including getting in the wrong door.

You will adapt. The forward gears are in the same places between UK/IRL/CY/M spec and rest of Europe spec. The reverse can change between cars of the same marque. Indicators are largely on the left of the wheel, wipers on the right. And some controls, my car has an 'infotainment' system, are not really converted to right hand drive so the controls are not where you think they should be.

Don't drive tired, have a break between flight and driving. Really, don't drive tired.

Get the front seat passenger to do the job of reminding you to keep left if you are drifting.

People generally adapt to it within half an hour of the first drive, but check yourself each time you set off.

the remote for opening the petrol cap, and the remote for opening the boot

and the remote for opening the bonnet.

For me, it somehow felt really easy to shift with the other hand. I was surprised that it felt totally natural.

the remote for opening the petrol cap, and the remote for opening the boot

and the remote for opening the bonnet.

And the remote for finding the remote!

I'd add, it is not generally the driving on one side of the road and one side of the car that is the issue for most people.
If you are hiring in Scotland it will be a UK spec car, RHD, with mph (though modern dashboards can change that!)

It is the signs, and the rules of the road where there is a difference that do. In Scotland have a read up or watch videos on single track roads, you will encounter them.

It is not driving on the right that gets people from the UK travelling, it is rules changes like right turns on red, or give way to the right at unmarked junctions.

"Why do Americans think it’s acceptable to drive on our roads with jet lag I wonder?"

I guess because we are still mad about the no taxation without representation thing.

I also make it point to do things people say are impossible. To quote English actor Jason Stratham "Well I make a habit out of doing things that people say I can't do: Walk through fire, waterski blindfolded, take up piano at a late age."

I picked up the car at the airport and drove it to the hotel. Very short trip. We then we stayed up sighting (walking) and the like before an early dinner and had a good night's sleep. However, the next day we drove ridiculously fast (without seatbelts on!), sometimes in reverse, with blindfolds on while singing musical numbers such as I'm a yankee-doodle-dandy because, yeah, that's what we yanks do!

I am of course just kidding you! Safety is my middle name!

You have a lovely country-- though sometimes folks can be a bit cranky, not's that there is anything wrong with that. I've been to Texas and I can tell you stories...but I am digressing from my digression.

Happy travels!

though sometimes folks can be a bit cranky,

I wasn’t cranky until a Canadian straight off the plane and on the wrong side of the road drove into me at Tyndrum.

Fair point. Canadians make everybody cranky!

Actually, come to think of it, I disagree. Canadians are nice people. Much better than folks from America, especially Cleveland. But maybe I am unnecessarily generalizing again....Back to Texans-- wait, I'll save it for later.

The point being driving in Scotland isn't so hard and jet lag and driving aren't a good mix.

Cheers!

My main experience of driving with an American at the wheel did involve some wrong side of the road driving on both occasions I sat in her passenger seat. This was someone who had been in the country for some time as a resident (she was married to a Scottish friend of mine) and had her own van. She worked as a freelance tour manager for bands coming from the US and had already done quite some miles on tour around the UK. Her problem seemed to be getting on the right hand side of the road at T-junctions (not sure what you'd call that in US English) and then turning right into the lane of opposing traffic. Thankfully it was on quiet residential streets and there wasn't any traffic.

Cutting the corner turning left at a T-junction seemed to be a problem too, and she bumped the nearside rear wheel up on the kerb a couple of times.

In her defense, she did have a Florida drivers' licence. I believe you can find them at the bottom of a packet of Lucky Charms, rather than being any standards tested. (Sorry Floridians! Just teasing!)

In her defense, she did have a Florida drivers' licence. I believe you can find them at the bottom of a packet of Lucky Charms, rather than being any standards tested. (Sorry Floridians! Just teasing!)

If you watch the YouTube channel, Girl Gone London, she'd agree being a Floridian in the UK. In comparison to a UK test, hers was essentially driving around a car park!

It is not the only reason that US driving licences can't be converted to UK ones, but Canadian ones can, but in the list!

If you watch the YouTube channel, Girl Gone London,

I enjoy her videos. She has quite an intelligent, thoughtful take on UK life and seems to have a good handle on it.

I'm struggling to remember if my friend was still driving on her Florida licence. You get six months of driving in the UK legally on a US licence but I'm pretty sure she did take a UK test at some point. Her insurance would have been astronomical on her van (ex-Royal Mail LDV) driving on a US licence I'd imagine.

Shifting lefty wasn’t awful. Thankfully the pedals are unchanged.

Ideally it takes three people to do the driving. One to steer. One to navigate. One to say keep to the left at every roundabout and intersection.

I enjoy her videos. She has quite an intelligent, thoughtful take on UK life and seems to have a good handle on it.

I'm struggling to remember if my friend was still driving on her
Florida licence. You get six months of driving in the UK legally on a
US licence but I'm pretty sure she did take a UK test at some point.
Her insurance would have been astronomical on her van (ex-Royal Mail
LDV) driving on a US licence I'd imagine

Along with Adventures and Naps, they are interesting videos seeing us from an outside perspective, and Lost In The Pond in reverse. I liked Adventures and Naps one where she watched some old UK Public Information Films, including some real 1970s and 1980s ones which were pure nightmare fuel yet somehow appropriate for primary school kids.

I though the licence issue was 12 months, then a UK test is required? Anyway Canadians are in a half way house, they can change the licence but only for an automatic one. Australia and NZ can get manual ones, despite NZ being the only place on line I've seen an ad for a car 'From $30,000, $26,000 for a manual!'.

As for the insurance, I can imagine. Most insurance companies discount any previous driving experience irrespective of origin, so they are paying the full whack, the loss of no claims alone for me would put my car over £1000!

I though the licence issue was 12 months, then a UK test is required?

On looking it up, you are quite correct.

I've driven right hand drive cars on the right in The Netherlands and France, a left hand drive car (a friend's 2CV) on the left here in London, and a left hand drive car on the right in Spain, admittedly a few years ago, and managed to cope. That sounds a bit smug in the context of this thread but I've found it gets pretty natural after a few miles and a few intersections.

It's not a problem reaching for the window winder (remember those?) to change gear sometimes, but staying on the correct side of the road is the most important bit.

I drove a Japanese import MX-5 (Miata) for several years and the indicators (turn signals) are on the opposite side on Japanese market cars. That's quite amusing when you get in another car and try to signal with your wipers coming up to a roundabout.

I drove a Japanese import MX-5 (Miata) for several years and the
indicators (turn signals) are on the opposite side on Japanese market
cars. That's quite amusing when you get in another car and try to
signal with your wipers coming up to a roundabout.

And old BL cars, at one point as a young adult I was switching between one way round on my instructor's car and the other on the family car I was practicing on!

Yup, tried to change the gears with the window winder several times, and almost got pulled over by the Gendarmes because 'the driver' had their feet on the dashboard! 'Non, non, c'est anglais!' and waived though the roadblock!

I've driven RHD a couple of times just myself abroad, usually accompanied. Got a few odd looks as it looks like the car was self driving, but ticket barriers were a right pain in the Schipol - get out, run around the car, get ticket, run back hoping to beat the barrier coming down.

It is not driving on the right that gets people from the UK travelling, it is rules changes like right turns on red, or give way to the right at unmarked junctions.

Excellent point! That's why, before leaving the States and continuing through the days in London before picking up our car, I downloaded and read the UK Highway Code. Well worth the time and effort (though it didn't prevent my being caught by camera in one of those tricky "bus gates" that appear to be primarily revenue enhancement for the municipality).

Link: https://www.gov.uk/browse/driving/highway-code-road-safety

Thank you for the link to road signs. I'll study up on that!

fort (though it didn't prevent my being caught by camera in one of those tricky "bus gates"

I’d love to know if there’s one person in the U.K. who hasn’t been fined for going in a bus lane or through a bus gate entirely accidentally. It’s probably only possible if you stick to country roads and small towns.

I have been fined in my own city. My brother got a fine here when visiting last year. It’s a nightmare!

Some people can do it, I cant. I destroyed my rental in Johannesburg some years back. Wasnt a pretty sight. Finally parked it called Avis said they had 30 minutes to come and take it or I was just going to walk away. I havent tried to drive on holiday since that date. Oh, I totaled a scooter in Grand Cayman one year too.....

Best to keep an eye on the signs, and treat the markings for any bus lane as radioactive, and probably mined.
Some bus lanes are part time, others are not. This will be on the sign but in the 12 hour format.

Once came across some Americans pushing a rental car out of a parking space. They had driven into the space forwards and were unable to get out again. We asked what the problem was, thinking they'd broken down. They told us that they'd been given a rental car with no reverse gear!!!! They were totally serious. It was a VW I think, but anyway in order to select reverse you had to lift a collar on the gear stick. They felt pretty silly when we showed them how to select reverse gear. Most cars have a little diagram on the gear stick that shows where reverse is.

Here in Skye the community have purchased small signs that say 'keep left' (with diagram for those who don't speak English). These are placed at many junctions and we also have bumper stickers. Some B&B and hotels also have a stock of wrist bands that say keep left. I hope it helps, but I will never forget the driver who pulled out of a side road on to a fast A road, and straight into my path. I was travelling at about 50mph and slammed on the brakes. We ended up nose to nose but no damage to either car. Yes it was an American. He told me that he'd just landed in Edinburgh that morning and decided to drive to Skye. Please don't drive while jet lagged or tired. You might think you're the exception and will be fine. But you might well cause a fatal accident.

Best to keep an eye on the signs

I took out quite a few with my side view mirror .......... ahhhhh ........... along with the side view mirrors of a lot of parked cars ......

We have a lot of those cars without a reverse gear in the Lake District, and they are always driven by tourists, never locals. The road from Ambleside to Hawkshead (but there are plenty of other such roads) is a favourite place to come across them, especially in the summer months.
Or if they can perchance find reverse don't know how to fold the wing mirrors in, or reverse in a straight line.

It is not that unusual that a local has to jump in the car to get them out of their predicament on a log jammed road. It's not just their problem, it's the half mile of traffic stuck oncoming and behind.

Often the same people who drive feet away from the hedgerows as if the hedges are going to jump out and bite them.

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/crime-courts/6662881/exclusive-video-careless-holidaymakers-a9-smash-caught-on-dashcam

"Let's be careful out there".

Sergeant Phil Esterhaus (Hill Street Blues)

Mike (Auchterless)