Nervous about driving abroad (ie on the right)

[MrsSeanBean]

I tried it once many years ago and BF at the time had to grab the wheel as I veered over to the left after turning out of a junction. I found it better on roads with a central reservation, but a nightmare 'around town'.

DH claims it's no big deal and has done it before, but I feel it unfair to let him do all the driving. Is it something that comes with practice? (Trouble is, where can you practice, one mistake could be fatal...)

Also, how easy are the road signs to understand? I speak basic French and German but cannot guarantee I would be fluent in road-speak. DH speaks neither and seems remarkably blase about the whole thing.

it really isn't as difficult as you think, the only thing I found weird was roundabouts - but I find them a bit weird anyway

maybe don't start on the autobahn straight away, try some quieter roads first?

The odd thing is - I actually found the motorway type roads easier as you had to drive on the correct side. When the roads were quieter and there was nothing else around, I found it easier to go wrong.

Are you in a rh or lh drive car ? I found it easy to be in the "right" car for the road then the driver is always positioned to the centre. Road signs are very similar just in kmph not mph - watch your speed !

We would be in a right hand drive (UK) car.

I find it actually feels more natural on the right after a while. Road signs/rules are usually similarish to UK.

Are you hiring a car or taking your own? If hiring, you'll find you keep trying to open teh door when wanting to change gear.

Yes, comes with practice. I found it easier on busy roads, where you sort of just follow the car in front IYKWIM.
I have only ever made mistakes (in Britain, me bloody foreigner ) when alone on country roads.
Will you have R or L hand drive car? If you have the "wrong" car for where you are driving, I found helpful to have a bright large sticker on the side of the steering wheel which should always be hugging the curb. So R hand drive car on Continent, have sticker to R of steering wheel and this is the side of the car that should be near the curb. Does this make any sense at all? It helped me many moons ago.
Having gone back and forth between 2 countries for 16 yrs now, I find it very easy to switch from one to the other now.

I am sure you will be fine; thinking about it is prob scarier than actually doing it..

Sorry, cross post.

Every time you get in the car - I must drive with myself in the gutter.

Road signs are easy and if you want to share the driving, then you drive on the motorways which are easy as you cant swap sides and get your dp to do the towns.

Make sure your off side wing mirror is very well set up for you and think about an extension if you are wary - this will give you better view of cars that could be in a blind spot due to your position in the car.