To be terrified of driving abroad?

[FranceCalling]

Name changed as I am so embarrassed
My 2 DD and I are due to go on holiday soon to France, and in a moment of bravery or madness, I decided to drive as due to multiple disabilities in our family theoretically it should be easier and a lot less stressful.

Except I have never driven abroad before and I am absolutely terrified. I am the only driver, and even the thought of driving off the ferry is making me so anxious. To be honest, even driving on to the ferry isnt much better, I am anxious over everything - getting in the right lane, parking with enough room for my chair and so on.

Then driving in France - the tolls. The motorways. The junctions. I keep telling myself to woman up, that thousands of other people do it every day, but I keep telling myself to just book Eurostar instead!

Does anyone have any tips at all please? I have watched hundreds of youtube vidoes, practiced going round the park roundabouts in my wheelchair the opposite way (must have looked a right twat!) and I still just cant see it happening

There is one easy rule that applies everywhere so shouldn't confuse you.

If you always drive a local car, then you, the driver, & the steering wheel should always be close to the middle of the road.

In the UK we drive right hand drive cars, and we drive on the left, which means the driver is always close to the centre line of the road.

In France etc, if you are driving a French car, will be a left hand drive car, and they drive on the right, so the driver is again close to the centre line of the road.

I stick with that to make sure I'm always in the right place.

Not really, but maybe there are some useful YouTube videos?

Op we regularly drive to France and dh always drives but couldn't this year due to surgery so l had no choice - it was absolutely fine - just take your time and use a sat nav if you have one - your confidence will naturally come

I wouldn’t do it
You sound stressed out and it won’t be any fun for anyone or dangerous for your family at worst

To be honest, if you're that nervous about it, then I'd say don't do it.

Maybe if you had another driver with you that could take over, but on your own...no.

Get a TAG for the motorway if you are using toll roads. Much easier as the person in the passenger seat will have to pay otherwise.

I don't drive when we hire a car in Spain, I can't cope with the gearstick being on the other side!!! I found driving our car in France much better.

Driving in France is actually a pleasure. Roads are much less congested. Driving on and off ferry is also ok. You get directed so just follow directions. Make note of where you are on ferry and nearest staircase etc so you can find your way back to car ok.
I find driving on right actually the natural side to be driving on and have difficulties on my return to U.K.!

I am completely ok driving abroad. Weirdly don’t need to think more than I do here. I worried so much about it before trying it. Obviously I’m a sample size of one, but my experience is I was worrying about nothing! It was all completely natural weirdly

Honestly. It's so much easier driving in France. There is so much less traffic. Just take your time. Until you get your confidence

I will be taking my own car, and will have sat nav, so at least that is something.

I feel that I will be letting DDs down if I don't drive. They find eurostar/flying so stressful and that will never change no matter how many times we do it. I am clinging to the hope that once I start driving the anxiety will reduce and I will be fine. It's just getting to that point.

And passenger side person has to deal with paying for tolls so pass that responsibility on!

Also my 75 year old Mum still drives abroad!

True & I use it but unfortunately doesn't sound like op is driving a local car.

Op I'm sure you will be fine, I would never volunteer to do it but if I had to I would. Just go slow, follow the signs and the other drivers!

Wear a wristband on your right wrist to remind you.

Don’t stress about the ferry. All you have to do is follow the instructions (what lane number to queue in) and then follow the car in front. It’s a lot like driving in rush hour - you’re going nowhere fast.

On-ramps to motorways and roads are different in France because the onus is on the cars on the road to give way. They tend to put the foot to the floor, drive to the end of the on ramp and push in. It can seem very aggressive if you don’t know.

We tend not to do toll roads because the road network quality is excellent and the scenery is lovely.

sat nav is essential. If you’re looking for an exit look for the exit number rather than trying to memorise the words as there can be several together with the same place name going in different directions.

I’m a bit leery of Sunday drivers after lunchtime in France but other than that I’ve found them perfectly fine.

Just keep reminding yourself how awesome you are and you’ll be fine.

I did this for the first time a few years ago after years of being too scared. Firstly, all the motorways that lead off ferry are used to first time continental driving so even the French are slightly more forgiving whilst you get your eye in.

Roundabouts, just accept you're going to get honked at for the first few whilst your brain has an argument with your limbs.

The French also, helpfully, have two kinds of roundabout. The cedez le passage which is just like ours, give way to traffic already on them AND the (thankfully rare) X roundabouts where you don't! Some helpful signage info Here

Remember your headlight sticky things, and if I remember correctly you have to carry your own breathalyser kits as well. You can buy full kits for French driving of all the stuff you never knew you needed. The headlight thing doesn't apply if you're driving a French car.

Screaming helps. I did quite a lot when first driving in France and Spain. And don't do the Pyrenees until you feel very confident indeed.

I love your wheelchair practice, that's brilliant!

• meant to read you don't have priority whilst on the roundabout! It's batshit but worth being aware of.

Driving onto the ferry is fine. If it’s Dover, just keep looking for the car sign above your lane.
At the ferry they’ll tell you exactly what to do and where to go.
Have an idea of your route - we used to buy a book map of France to see where we were going.
Use Apple Maps or Waze. They’re great.
At the toll booth payment is easiest by ensuring you’re in the card payment lane, but I’d keep a bit of cash handy as I went in the wrong lane once and had to pay cash. You have to use the passenger side to pay.
Remember, bum in the gutter and be extra careful when turning, going in and out of car parks.
I’m sure you will have a lovely time

When I lived overseas I had to do this, had no other choice. I was very nervous because the roads were chaotic (much more so than in France) and the driving was super-aggressive. I used chilled music (Bob Marley ) when I first started and took short easy drives literally up the road and back. Found that I got used to it really quickly. After a while I found that driving in the right was more intuitive for me, especially at roundabouts. At first I really observed what the other cars were doing.
It was hard at the time but I'm glad that I did it because now it doesn't faze me to drive on the right overseas.
Good luck!

Don’t stress about the ferry, you’ll be going so slowly so plenty of time to get your bearings.

French roads are great, quieter and less congested. Will you have a front passenger? If so make it their job to remind you to stick to the right side of the road, to approach roundabouts to the right etc. The tolls are fine, we use a contactless card so no faffing with cash.

Honestly, you’ll be fine and so proud if yourself when you do it. Good luck OP 🙂

It's quite freaky at first but you do get used to it. My advice would be to just go the wrong way if you feel panicked. You can always come back on yourself.

The first time I did it, I took several wrong turns before I got my nerve up enough to do manoeuvres that I didn't like the look of. But I was flying around like it was second nature by the end of it.

I was dreading it, but actually it was fun once I was used to it.

@GetInTheBinThenGetInTheSea My advice would be to just go the wrong way if you feel panicked.

I thought for a minute you were suggesting the OP just carry on on the wrong side of the road if they get muddled 😂

Sorry but that's terrible advice. The OP is just nervous. If you don't do things because you're nervous you never do anything.

Driving in France is easy. The motorways arent nearly as busy as the UK. All the tolls are contactless so that's easy too. You just need someone on the passenger side to wide down the window and wave the card about .

I've been driving on the continent for years and it's actually very relaxing. The road layout leads you in the right direction etc. Just get people to remind you to drive on the right when ever you start off .

Do it. You'll never look back

I completely get it OP, I'm very nervous too but have driven our car in France a bit and once you get going it's fine. I drove a left hand drive for the first time on a couple of short trips this year and also fine once I got going. If you have sat nav and you miss a turning don't panic, it'll just redirect you.

I've seen stickers like this before, they sold them on the ferry at one point. They go inside your windscreen as a very quick visual reference for which lane you should be in if you're panicked.

If you're taking your own car it'll be obvious to other drivers that you're not local, and they will likely then be prepared for a longer pause or some indecision.

Haha no definitely don't do that! 😁

Oh and download Waze or another sat nav app that will guide you to your destination