Have you driven on the 'wrong side of the road.'
By mipen2006
@mipen2006 (5528)
Australia
March 14, 2008 2:42am CST
I don't mean at home, but when driving in a country where they drive on the opposite side of the road. I come from Australia where we drive on the left. My first experience was back in 196 when I drove through many European countries, and to say you had to concentrate twice as hard in an understatement. The most difficult time was when making a left hand turn at a T intersection. I would cut the corner and finish on the left before realizing my mistake.
Another interesting point was going from Sweden to Norway, who then drove on the left. Where we crossed the border there was just an X where you switched from right to left.
Love to hear any stories from myLotters who have had this experience.
I now live in THailand where they drive anywhere they want.
5 responses
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
15 Mar 08
I have never drive on left side in my life. I wish to try it at least once. I can be fun. I have to travel to Australia or UK...
I may have to rent a car, but I am not sure if they will or will not check my ability to drive on the left side of the road......
I know that I can be easy lost and afraid....
@mipen2006 (5528)
• Australia
17 Mar 08
You can rent a car in any country providing you have a license from your home country or an International license. It's not difficult, but you do have to concentrate more. You should visit Australia, it's a beautiful country, and most people are friendly.
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
14 Mar 08
In my home country we drive on the left hand side of the road. Most other countries in Europe drive on the right hand side of the road. When I rode a bike in Finland and it was difficult to remember how to go around roundabouts in particular. My friend from Australia stopped off in the Philippines and talked to a taxi driver. He was amazed that when parked every car in a street must face the same way. I really love to travel and have been to many different countries. In Indonesia the bus I was on went fast along a mountain road and it went close to the edge. Oh my! In Malaysia most drivers went fast and kept on doing this even if another car was coming in the other direction. I was scared the taxi might crash on its four hour journey. I was told by a Japanese lady that it was easy for a British person to drive on the left hand side of the road but all the signs would be in Japanese.
1 person likes this
@mipen2006 (5528)
• Australia
15 Mar 08
Yes roundabouts are a problem. I had forgotten about them. The Philippines is another place that has terrible drivers. I was in a taxi there once, and it rained that heavily that visibility was down to about twenty meters. The wipers in the cab were not working so the driver opened his window and moved them manually. The rain poured in. Did he slow down? No way.
Signs in most countries are in English as well as the native language now. Thanks for your reply.
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
16 Mar 08
Yes, the driver of the cab didn't want to slow down even though it was raining he had a problem with his wipers. I was got on a bus in Fiji and it began to pour with rain and the windows were open with no glass. Some material flaps were put down so we didn't all get wet. In my home country all cars stop at a zebra crossing when a person wants to cross the road. In some other countries this is not so. I met a couple that were driving their car around Europe and their insurance policy restricted them from spending many days in Romania and Bulgaria. I wonder if the company considered that these countries have some dangerous drivers. It is amazing that the fast drivers survive when they drive in such a crazy fashion.
@SHAMRACK (8576)
• India
14 Mar 08
Dear Mipen,
Few times I had driven on wrong side and once I was fined by the traffic police too. As it was a short cut to another parallel road. The other occurred as I did not watch the sign board which was kept so high. Even now I soemtimes go wrong side not on the same road I go every day.
@mipen2006 (5528)
• Australia
14 Mar 08
Actually I was refering to driving in another country, that drives on the opposite side to your native country. But thanks for your reply.
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
15 Mar 08
I am from the UK but lived in germany for a few years. Whenever I came back to the UK for a few days I would often start out by going on to the right hand side of the road, fortunately without mishap. When I got back to Germany I would do the reverse. A friend of mine in Germany was driving to work one morning when she saw a bus coming towards her on her side of the road, She flashed her lights, he flashed his, she tooted her horn, he did the same. Eventually they were grille to grille. She waved madly at him to get onto the right side of the road. Then she realised, he was on the right, she was on the left!
1 person likes this
@mipen2006 (5528)
• Australia
15 Mar 08
I don't think I could handle changing sides at regular intervals. I'd rather take public transport.
@mipen2006 (5528)
• Australia
15 Mar 08
I'm not referring to driving at home, but driving in a foreign country that drive on the other side of the road.
