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Article #381: Driving tips in Ireland - Brief history of left-hand traffic

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






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