| Hiring a car is the easiest way to to | | | | rest of Canada and the USA. |
| get to and from Dublin Airport, but some | | | | The European left-driving countries one |
| people. never drove a right hand drive | | | | by one changed to right-hand traffic. |
| car before. You might think it is | | | | The last country who joined the 'right |
| uncomfortable or even dangerous. Don't | | | | side', was Iceland. The change took |
| be afraid. It's actually easier than you | | | | place in 1968. Today, only 4 European |
| think. Here are a few tips on driving | | | | countries still drive on the left: |
| your rental car on the Irish roads. | | | | Cyprus, Malta, Great Britain and |
| One of Ireland's Senator suggested Irish | | | | Ireland. |
| motorist should drive on the right side | | | | It would be very difficult to change the |
| of the road to facilitate tourists and | | | | traffic directionality in Ireland |
| foreigners when they drive on Irish | | | | because of the heavy traffic and the |
| roads. | | | | amount of cars -1.8 million - on Irish |
| I admit that his idea made me thinking. | | | | roads. Although driving a rental car |
| A couple of questions came to my mind, | | | | on the left side of the road is as safe |
| like, "Did European countries always | | | | as driving on the right side. There are |
| drive on the left ? " "Did everybody | | | | a couple of basic things to remember. If |
| drive on the left and later switched to | | | | you are familiar with them, you can just |
| right-hand traffic?" "Why and when did | | | | relax and enjoy your driving holiday. |
| it happen?" Let's check out the history | | | | Here are a few driving tips when you |
| of right- and left-hand traffic in | | | | drive a rental car in Ireland. If you |
| Europe and overseas. In the past, | | | | never drove right hand drive car before, |
| almost the whole world travelled on the | | | | book a car with automatic transmission. |
| left side of the road. It was more | | | | This would ease driving, and you don't |
| convenient for a right-handed person to | | | | have to worry about changing gear with |
| mount a horse from the left side of the | | | | left hand. Before you hit the road, get |
| horse, especially if he wore a sword.. | | | | familiar with the car's controls and |
| Later, Napoleon spread the right-hand | | | | equipments. When you sit in a right-hand |
| traffic all over Belgium, The | | | | drive car, the car's controls are |
| Netherlands, Luxemburg, Switzerland, | | | | exactly at the same place as in a |
| Poland, Germany, Russia and many parts | | | | left-hand drive car. Pedals from right |
| of Spain and Italy. Probably because he | | | | to left are accelerator pedal, brake |
| was left-handed and he wanted to be | | | | pedal, clutch pedal (if it is a manual |
| different than the English. | | | | car). The hand brake lever is on your |
| Although Britain, the Austro-Hungarian | | | | left. |
| Empire and Portugal had resisted. The | | | | Take a look at the speedometer too. In |
| division between left- and right-hand | | | | 2005 the measurement of speed limits on |
| nations remained until after the First | | | | Irish roads was changed from miles per |
| World War. England and France founded | | | | hour to kilometres per hour. The |
| many colonies, which had to follow the | | | | speedometer measures in km/h only or |
| rules of London or Paris. England had | | | | both in km/h and mph, but km/h is |
| its influence i.e. in Australia, India, | | | | pre-dominant. Take your car around the |
| Kenya, Indonesia and New Guinea. Congo, | | | | block at Dublin Airport, or drive a few |
| Vietnam, Spain, Portugal, South- and | | | | minutes in the rental company's car |
| Central America and parts of Africa had | | | | park. |
| to follow France's right-hand traffic. | | | | When you are familiar with your rental |
| There was also a right- and left-hand | | | | car, hit the Irish roads. Keep always |
| traffic divison between Canada and the | | | | left! Many car hire companies put a |
| US. From Quebec to Louisiana people | | | | small sticker saying "keep left" on the |
| drove on the right because it was | | | | dashboard. After a couple of days you |
| controlled by the French. While | | | | will definitely get used to driving on |
| territories occupied by the English - | | | | the left side. So don't be afraid to |
| British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova | | | | drive in Ireland. Enjoy your holiday |
| Scotia, Prince Edward Island and | | | | to the full. Discover the spectacular |
| Newfoundland - kept left. | | | | natural beauty and the ancient history. |
| In the 1920's British Columbia and the | | | | As the Irish say "Turas maith" - Bon |
| Atlantic provinces changed to right-hand | | | | Voyage ! |
| traffic in order to conform with the | | | | |