Driving abroad for first time - tips/confidence boosts please!

[Drivingthevengabus]

I know it's ridiculous as I'm almost 50, but I have never driven abroad either in a left or right hand drive car. I am taking my kids on a short break to Ibiza shortly and it will be cheaper to hire a car than use taxis/transfers - especially as we want to visit a somewhere on the other side of the island to where we are staying.

I am a fairly confident driver, but I am not the most coordinated person in the world. I'm worried my brain will struggle with being on the 'wrong' side of the road. Will I be able to do it? Any tips/advice/confidence boosts?

Hire an automatic car, when you don’t have gears to think of driving gets less stressful

@Drivingthevengabus

be very careful when leaving one way systems and garages

that us when it’s easy to make a mistake

stick and arrow on your steering wheel to point right

On the whole I find it fairly straightforward, road architecture tends to guide you the right way. But as PPs have said, be careful when setting off or coming out of one way systems.

Something I do when driving through unfamiliar towns is say the colour of traffic lights out loud. It is easy to get distracted by navigation. This makes me pay attention to the driving itself.

Take your time, if you end up having to go around a ring road twice because you m8ssed your turn off it doesn't matter.

definitely hire an automatic and get satnav or something you can use on your phone (take phone holder too)

Thanks for the tips! The automatic thing is a good idea. But not sure if I'll then be trying to overcome muscle memory around gear changes as well?

I have already checked out the route from the airport to the hotel on streetview and it does look pretty easy once out of the airport it's a straight road for 90% of the way. I thought that might help me to get used to driving on the wrong side without having to actually do anything too complicated. Although I know getting out of the airport is going to be the hardest bit.

The best advice I was ever given about driving abroad in a left hand drive car, is to keep thinking
“Keep ME to the centre of the road or roundabout”.

My late wife and I used to visit Formentera every year, and ONE year we decided to hire a car and I would drive. As you might be aware, Formentera is a small island in the Med, a short boat ride from Ibiza.

I hired an almost identical car to the one I had at home, and didn’t find driving on the right to be much of an issue. What was horrendous, and the reason I only hired a car on one holiday, was the huge number of people zipping all over the place on mopeds, overtaking, undertaking, riding in packs, I found it really scary.

I know you asked for confidence boosts, so I’m sorry this post isn’t one of those, but it was something I hadn’t realised would be an issue.

I drive an automatic at home. I'm fine driving anmanual shift in the UK or an automatic in Europe /USA but I really hate driving a left hand drive manual as changing gear with my right hand feels weird.
I also say traffic lights out loud!

Ahh - no worries, the mopeds had crossed my mind already! And I've seen there are lots of places that hire beach buggies in Ibiza too.

I find it a bit nerve wracking too, but if you’re a confident driver at home then I’m sure you’ll be fine. The most disorientating thing for me is having the rear view mirror on the wrong side. If you’re used to driving a manual at home then I don’t think it makes any difference whether you get an automatic or not. I’ve driven both abroad and didn’t find the manual difficult. It’s more the strange feel of having the whole car on the wrong side of you!

I drive abroad a lot. Definitely get an automatic - I think just that being different helps to remind you.

Also, for the first couple of days, I often talk out loud to myself, saying "Left is the DIFFICULT one here" when I have a left turn to do.

I find using a hire car is easier than using your own. Sitting on the left helps you to remember to keep to the right hand side of the road. I enjoy driving abroad, the roads are usually quieter than the UK, make sure you take the full insurance, and check, take photos and videos of the car when you collect it, in case they try tio claim you caused damage that was already there. I have never had a problem with this, but always do this anyway.

It's easier than you think, it comes naturally because you're on the other side of the car and on the other side of the road. I wouldn't get an automatic if you're used to a gear shift, because that in itself takes a bit of getting use to.

we’ve driven all over Europe and various places in Canada and always get an automatic, so much easier. You can do it. It was much scarier driving down the M6 with roadworks and no hard shoulder than anywhere else we’ve driven.

Last few times we've driven abroad I've been the designated driver, I have my husband constantly reminding me any time we approach a roundabout to stay right for the first few days. It's fine after the initial adjustment. Maybe task one of your kids with reminding you, not sure how old they are.

Yes that could work - they are definitely old enough to do that.

I would advise picturing in advance how roundabouts will work, particularly when turning left.

I find it helps to every time you get in the car to say ‘drive on the right’ as that’s when you are most likely to forget.

also, we’ve had the hire car delivered to the hotel before now…so you aren’t getting off a plane and straight into a car….

I drive abroad a lot. I remember being nervous the first time after quite a big gap of not driving abroad.

I had a mantra I muttered to myself continually and it really helped.

KEEP TO THE RIGHT, LOOK TO THE LEFT (especially on roundabouts!)

Personally I wouldn't go for automatic necessarily, it is horrendously expensive to have an automatic car compared to manual. And having a manual car just makes me concentrate even more than an automatic which I'm used to at home

The only thing I would say is, it's best to be quite decisive and forceful on the roads, they really are where I drive!

Within minutes, your brain will adapt I promise you, just keep saying keep to the right look to the left!

This ! Driver always towards the middle of the road.

I did this exact drive not too long ago, getting out of the airport was easy because the cars are stored (mine was) in a massive car park that had essentially its own exit. Then it’s 90% straight road so you get used to the weird side before you get into towns and turns. I was nervous too but was basically over it by the time I needed good awareness of my side. You’d think it’d be hard to retrain your brain, but we’re clever creatures and the brain quickly adjusts. As long as you look a lot at junctions and roundabouts, which we all should be doing anyway, you’ll be grand.

Thanks so much everyone! I am feeling more confident that I can do it.

I am still umming and ahhing about auto v manual. I do very, very rarely drive DHs auto so it's not totally alien to me, but there aren't many smaller, cheaper ones available as I've left it a bit last minute.

I'd definitely recommend auto if you can, you already have enough changes driving on the 'wrong' side without having to think about changing gear with the wrong hand. I have accidentally smacked the door with my left hand enough times now to know that I want an auto!

Yes, was going to say have someone in the passenger seat who will calmly tell you if you're a bit close to something.

Mostly it follows from being in a left hand drive car and all the road markings and other cars. I find it's the times when there are no other cars around that can be the hardest!

Look for a few you tube videos which have tips and are from the drivers pov in the country you’re going useful to get used to traffic signs etc