How to Drive on the “Wrong” Side of the Road
Getting Mentally Ready to Drive on the Other Side of the Road on Your Next Trip
Are you traveling to a country where the people drive on the “wrong” side of the street? For example, if you are from the United States or Canada and find yourself renting a car in Britain or Australia, you will have to quickly adapt to driving on the left side of the street. Or you may find yourself in the opposite situation needing to drive on the right side of the street when you’ve been driving on the left side all your life.
If you’ve never driven a stick shift (i.e. standard transmission) and you know you will be driving one while traveling, you can practice at home before you embark on your trip. However, you can’t practice driving on the other side of the road — not legally anyway. Besides, you won’t be able to rent a car that is configured to have the steering wheel on the other side of the car either.
Does that mean that there is no way to prepare for the daunting task of driving on the “wrong” side of the road? No, there are a few things you can do to mentally prepare yourself while at home. The first thing to adjust is our vocabulary.
Don’t Think Left or Right
Don’t think “left” or “right.” And especially don’t think “right” or “wrong.” These words won’t help you adjust your mind to the challenge ahead. Instead think, driver’s side and passenger’s side.
One mental adjustment you can make before you travel is that wherever you are in the world, the car and the road is designed such that the driver’s side is always towards the center of the road. If your are traveling on a two way street approaching a car driving on the other side of the road, you should be able to reach your hand out the window and high-five the approaching driver. Of course, don’t literally attempt to do that, but if you see that if you cannot high-five the approaching driver, then one of the cars are on the wrong side of the road and likely it is yours!
As for the placement of the control mechanisms of the car, they are not in strict mirror positions of what you are used to. Thankfully, for instance, the foot pedals operate exactly as you are used to: on an automatic transmission vehicle, the left pedal is the brake and the right pedal is the gas. If you are on a manual transmission vehicle, the clutch is on the far left. Remember C-B-A: Clutch - Brake - Accelerator (or just B-A for automatic transmissions).
On the steering wheel, the turn signal switch can vary depending on the make of the vehicle. For Asian manufacturers, the turn signal switch is placed on the side closest to the driver’s side window, meaning it flips around depending on whether you drive on the right or the left. European and American manufacturers tend to keep the placement the same. I have not done an extensive survey so take this observation with a grain of salt. In my experience, the switch not being where you expect it takes the longest to get used to. Sure, you will be turning on the window wipers when you mean to signal a turn, but don’t worry! It’s a benign mistake and is an opportunity for a little laugh.
Manual Transmission Gears?
On all vehicles, the configuration of the gears on the stick shift is the same. The gear configuration will be one of these two well-known types:
R 1 3 5
|-|-|-|
2 4 6or
1 3 5
|-|-|
2 4 RThe only difference is where the stick shift is in relation to your body, left or right. But again don’t think that way. The stick shift is always placed towards the passenger’s side (or the center of the vehicle).
Some may argue that it is best not to drive a manual transmission vehicle when faced with driving on the other side of the road. It may mean one less thing to worry about. However, the stick shift being on your other hand may be a good physical reminder of the differences and keep you alert. So if you are an expert at driving manual transmission cars, I say, “go for it!”
Turning is Easy Towards the Passenger Side
What makes a turn easy or hard? The difference is whether you have to worry about just the traffic you are merging into or also the opposing one.
If you are turning towards the passenger side, it is always easy. You are just merging into the flow of traffic. If you are turning towards the driver’s side, then you need to cross the oncoming traffic and then merge into the traffic which is flowing in the direction you want to go.
So if you are turning towards the driver’s side, stay alert! Even when driving at home, as you make the turn, say to yourself, “I’m turning to the driver’s side, I have to watch for oncoming traffic!” Repeating this to yourself will help you when you have to drive in your upcoming travels.
A word about roundabouts (otherwise known as traffic circles): turn towards the passenger side, the easy side.
Parking is Tricky — Avoid Tough Spots Early On
The biggest hurdle to parking your rental car is not just that you are unfamiliar with the dimensions of the vehicle, it is that the bulk of the car is not where you are used to it being! The body of the car is always on the passenger’s side, not the “left” or “right” that you are familiar with. Unfortunately, this difference in spatial orientation is difficult to calculate as you maneuver your car into a tight parking spot. So don’t attempt it early on. Park away from other vehicles whenever you can. The little bit of walking you may have to do because your parking spot is further away is better for your health anyway. Drive around for a while and be reasonably comfortable with the car before making an attempt to park into a tight spot. Be modest and know your limits. By doing so, you will spare yourself the stress of damaging your rental car and dealing with insurance claims.
Summary
Let’s recap. Here are a few pointers to get mentally ready to drive a vehicle in a country where people drive on the other side of the road.
- Do not think “left” or “right”. Think “driver’s side” or “passenger’s side.”
- The driver’s side is always towards the center of the road.
- The foot pedal placements are the same.
- The manual transmission configuration is the same. The stick shift is placed towards the passenger’s side (or center of the vehicle).
- The turn signal switch is usually on the driver’s side of the steering wheel.
- Marking a turn towards the passenger’s side is easy. Making a turn towards the driver’s side is hard.
- Avoid parking in tight spots until you are familiar with dimensions of the car, especially in respect to where the bulk of the car is.
Most importantly, don’t let the worry about driving on the other side of the road consume you. Don’t let it cause you to change your vacation plans by giving up on renting a car. I assure you that you will be able to do it and it will be a memorable experience!
