Another driving in Great Britain question

Nope. I drive my British right hand drive car frequently in Europe but well remember the first time I took a car across the Channel. When you drive from the side nearest the middle of the road you naturally drive in the right place. I'm no psychologist or driving mechanics specialist but I bet its because when you see the middle line and traffic coming towards you your brain swaps it around and everything works fine. You can also see around traffic in front and are able to pass. I wound up putting mirrors around my car so could see into all the new blind spots in France. I've been there so many times - I've lost count - that I can now make adjustments and its second nature now for me to drive throughout Europe. I think it really helps me to have a co-pilot who can tell me what traffic is coming - although she does get petrified. They say that two wrongs don't make a right. I think that applies here. To try to drive on your "wrong side" of the road using a car with the wheel on the "wrong side" for the road I think is asking for trouble. You say you have driven lots in Europe. If so, you will be familiar with the narrow lanes and roads. Often there is no middle line on that type of road. If you are sitting in the left driving position on those I would be worried that you might revert to driving on the right with possibly fatal consequences. Good luck with passing cars on narrow roads, or overtaking. Now, I expect my good mate Ed from Pensacola to weigh in here. I would expect him to disagree with me because he regularly brings cars to the UK from Europe, much as I do the other way. My point is new car, wrong side, habits. Let's see what others say...

It doesn't bother me, but I'm pretty stupid and don't think about things (which is what Nigel was politely attempting to imply).

I have driven in GB twice, plus Australia and NZ - all "reversed" - and I have driven numerous times in mainland Europe. It isn't that much of a problem to switch from one to the other. However, cars are designed the way they are for a reason. It is far more important to have a good view on the center of the road than any other part. That's why cars are designed to put the driver as close to the center as possible. In my opinion, it is NOT AT ALL wise to put yourself in the wrong position unless you live over there and do such things frequently and for short periods of time. People often confuse "can I do it" with "is this wise to do" as if the two were the same thing. They are not. You can do what you suggest. It is not wise for you - a non native - to attempt it. Simply rent a different car for the short duration of your time in Belgium (assuming your itinerary cannot be just as easily done by train), then ferry to GB and get your longer duration, drive-on-the-left car there. This also solves the issue of dropping the car in a different country than pick-up - which is a major issue.

For me it is easier to keep using the left-side drive car. I just imagine that I am driving in the left lane of one way streets. That way I don't have to relearn where the shift levers, pedals, spatial relationships,etc are.

Richard, My suggestion would be to rent or lease a right-hand drive vehicle (preferably with auto transmission) for use in the U.K. Although you're an experienced driver, you won't be used to driving "away" from the centre line, so it's going to seem "awkward". As someone else mentioned, there could also be a high drrop-off fee for renting in Belgium and drropping the car in England. The first time I drove in the U.K., I found that it was better to get some practice driving on the "correct side of the road" by starting in a more "rural" area. The roads are often narrow, but there's less traffic so not quite as difficult. Be sure to review the protocol for roundabouts. You'll also need to adjust your usual practices as pedestrians. Be sure to look both ways before crossing the street, as traffic will be coming from the opposite direction to what you're used to. I've almost been hit a couple of times! One observation to mention. Don't rely on the driving times provided by MapQuest or other sites. I've found that driving in the U.K. ALWAYS takes longer than even the best plans. Also, having a GPS makes things much easier (although it's not a good idea to trust them completely). I always prefer to get the best CDW (especially in the U.K), so that I don't have any worries, should some kind of an "incident" occur. Happy travels!

I just can't agree with most of what's been posted. A super-wild guess is that I've driven a couple of hundred thousand miles with a right-hand drive while driving on the left, about half that many with a left-hand drive driving on the left, and about half of the latter number doing it Nigel's way. The time has probably been equally split between the UK/europe, africa, and asia, with a bit of Australia/New Zealand tossed in. There's just no stinking difference. Shifting is not a problem, even with a manual, since muscle memory transfers laterally very easily. Pedals stay the same. The wiper and turn signal stalks are reversed, which is a bother for the first couple of hours. I just went out and measured our cars - - the average distance from the center of one headrest to the other is thirty-two inches. When a friend comes to visit, her giant lincoln looks to be about a foot wider when parked next to our cars. Visibility has never been a problem. If a parking lot gizmo or a toll booth is on the wrong side, you either stretch like heck or get out and run around - - nobody honks at you. If it were such a big issue, only a guy in whatever seat could land an airliner. Even worse, american mail vans and garbage trucks would be piled up on every street corner. What's really nuts is the idea of taking the car from the continent and leaving it in Great Britain. Just for grins, kayak says you can rent a car in Paris for a random two weeks in June for about two hundred and fifty bucks - - drop the same car in England and the price jumps to over fourteen hundred. The Dunkerque-Dover ferry runs about fifty bucks one way, less than double that for a round trip. There's no way that two rental periods, even with the one shorter one, is going to be cheaper.

I've driven a left-hand side steering car in the UK and a local, right-hand-side steering one. It's MUCH easier with the right-hand side steering one. Sitting on the "normal", left hand side of the car as a driver in the UK really means you don't get to see everything you as a driver are supposed to see. And by the way, without a passenger occupying the other seat you can't even enter a car park. But of course it is doable. If I was you I would compare the cost of renting a local car with the cost of the ferry trip (for your car), parking your car somewhere in Belgium for three weeks etc etc. and then make a decision based on that. What's comfort and - at least a perceived better safety worth to you?

I agree with those who say to get a right-hand drive car. It is easier to adjust to driving on the left and going through those roundabouts towards the left with a right-hand drive car. It is also safer. Imagine trying to pass a slow vehicle on a narrow rural lane when you are sitting in a left-hand drive car. It would be impossible to see ahead. It is wonderful that you have driven in Europe without incident so far. You don't want to break that record.

"However, cars are designed the way they are for a reason. It is far more important to have a good view on the center of the road than any other part. That's why cars are designed to put the driver as close to the center as possible." Randy put it best. While it can be done and some posters do it regularly, it is not a good idea at all. You don't mention if you'd be dropping the continental car off in GB, but if they even allow you to, the cost will likely be astronomical. I've driven in GB and learning to drive on the other side and from the other part of the car is really not a problem. If you are sitting on the right, it feels natural to keep traffic to your right. I think you are overthinking this.

Although I respect Ed from Pensacola's experience and have followed his advice on several occasions, this is one time I must differ. In my last post I focused on passing other cars on rural roads. I have been on both sides of the car and I believe there is a big difference in visibility. When driving in the left lane and overtaking another car, one simply can't see oncoming traffic as well when sitting far to the left. Ed's mention of airliners, mail trucks, and garbage trucks is not relevant in this case, since these vehicles are not overtaking other cars on winding, one and two lane rural roads. It's a safety issue. I believe prudent, responsible drivers should always consider safety first.