Who's Happy To Go Abroad and Drive on the Other Side?

by snugglebunny 19 Replies latest jw friends

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  Pete Zahut

  I live in the U.S but have driven in the UK, Ireland, Wales and Australia. The difficulty I noticed is that when crossing the street on foot or driving, I was in the habit of looking left first rather than to the right and wanting to go right into a roundabout rather than left, which can be disastrous.

  In Brisbane Australia a few minutes after renting a car we were in a pretty bad accident when an 84 year old man came out Into traffic from a parking lot and hit us and then went up onto a sidewalk and knocked down the supports for the overhanging roof of a store, which came crashing down. I automatically assumed the accident was my fault since I didn't feel sure of myself yet. The Police came but I wasn't ticketed and thankfully there were no injuries. I had to pay for the damages of my rental car upfront before I could leave the country. Later when I got home, the other drivers insurance Co. tried to make me pay for the damages to his car which was totaled. I viewed the intersection on Google Earth and determined that there was no way I could have been at fault. Since I wasn't ticketed and since they couldn't give me any proof that I was at fault, they stopped pestering me. After that narrow escape, we took the train everywhere and did the same in Europe this past summer.

  I think that's what I will do from now on....a lot cheaper and less stressful.
• 

  jhine

  I have to say that l have thought about this a lot since all the hoo haa about the diplomat's wife and the young man's death .

  Firstly let me say for anyone who doesn't know that my son died at the age of 25 so l DO know about the loss of a child .

  However as a Brit who has never driven in a foreign country ( on the wrong side ) and l couldn't , hand on heart , say that l wouldn't get muddled up as to which side to be on . So l really don't know how to feel about this situation .

  Jan
  
• 

  punkofnice

  Not for me, thanks.

  When my daughter's BF offered to give me a lift somewhere, I tried to get into the driver's side. It seems that Canadians have the steering wheel in the passenger side WINK WINK.
• 

  BluesBrother

  Only travelled by road abroad once. I declined to drive but the lad who was driving found it very easy to pull round a corner and go onto the left side of the road...force of habit for a Brit.

  “The CPS is currently trying to extradite the wife of an American diplomat who killed a young man by driving on the right and then fleeing back to the USA hiding behind diplomatic immunity)”

  I ,and people I know, have a lot of sympathy for this woman who is being vilified by the British media. I know that road and I can imagine how easily it could happen . After all, it was an accident for goodness sake!
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  snugglebunny

  A couple of thoughts: I do like the USA system of being able to make a right turn even when the traffic lights are red. Re roundabouts in the UK. They're simply a T junction onto a one-way street where all the traffic is approaching from the right. Plus it's also common for drivers to use their headlights to signal that they're giving you the right of way.
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  cofty

  After all, it was an accident for goodness sake! - BB

  Yes and a boy is dead. She should have submitted to the British courts where no doubt she would have been dealt with leniently. It is VERY unlikely she would have done any time in prison at all. The parents said at the time that they understood it was an accident and they were not looking for revenge. But when a life is taken there is a process that must be followed so that justice is seen to be done. You don't get to decide - the British courts do.

  Running home and hiding behind immunity is despicable and cowardly. Now she cannot travel anywhere in the EU without being arrested. She needs to put this right.
  
  
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  dothemath

  We rented a car to drive all over Ireland some years ago. (Glad we did, the best way to see what you want)

  its a total game-changer with google maps, or some sort of gps.

  it gives you total directions, what lane to be in, what's coming up ahead of you, etc.

  I think we would have gotten lost multiple times without it, as the street signs in many cities are very small (sometimes just on the side of a building)

  If you're renting a vehicle in the uk, be sure to get (and get familiar with) some type of navigation (they will rent them with the vehicle)

  If you've got good insurance (might even be included with your credit card, ours was) with gps and someone helping you navigate, you'll be fine!

  You've got to get used to the narrower lanes for sure, but once you're used to that it's no problem!
• 

  Simon

  After all, it was an accident for goodness sake!

  That needs to be determined, and too often people call something "an accident" when it's really carelessness / negligence. If she didn't wait at the scene then it's a crime in itself, because she should have been intoxicated or under the influence of drugs. Fleeing the country hardly scream "innocent".

  I do like the USA system of being able to make a right turn even when the traffic lights are red.

  I liked the TopGear episode where Clarkson called that America's single contribution to civilization. It is very sensible although overall, the UK system where pedestrians and cars are kept separate it better. Yes, North America think it's a good idea to let pedestrians cross while you are looking the other way to check for cars while you turn, then wonder why pedestrians get hit.
  
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  Half banana

  I go frequently to the continent (as we call mainland Europe in UK), about every six or seven weeks. I take my car on the cross-channel ferry. After sufficient experience of driving on the unfamiliar side of the road you can educate the brain to adjust without thinking about it. Be glad you have a cerebellum which is like our autopilot brain. Although of course with driving on the 'wrong' side of the road, this auto pilot can also work against you! Usually if there is traffic about there are no problems, you tend naturally to go with the flow. When starting out without traffic visible, occasionally I have to ask myself, "which country am I in?" Then program the brain accordingly.
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  St George of England

  Here in the UK the Police tend not to use the term RTA (Road Traffic Accident) anymore, but use RTC (Road Traffic Collision). In the vast majority of cases, it is not an "accident" but someone is to blame, they caused the accident even though they never intended to do so. It could be a case of "dangerous driving" or "driving without due care and attention".

  I am quite sure that in the US if there is a collision and someone dies, is injured or there are no casualties, the police will investigate. The idea that this lady did not intend to cause the death of a young motorcyclist does not relieve her of any responsibility.

  Even if she is jailed, at least she will be released, this young man is gone forever due to her actions.

  George