Driving in Ireland

The interior

I can't talk about Ireland without mentioning left-hand drive. Being used to driving on the right-hand side of the road with the driver's seat on the left-hand side of the vehicle, I have to admit that the first few kilometers were unsettling. A strange feeling of being a passenger in your own car... but with a steering wheel and pedals.

If it's any consolation... you get used to it very quickly! The commodos (the levers under the steering wheel) are not reversed. The indicators are on the left of the steering wheel, and the windshield wipers on the right. The same goes for the pedals: they are in the same order. From left to right are clutch, brake and gas pedal respectively. Phew!

The only thing that changes is that the left hand will become a little more active. It's the one that'll be asked to change gears, adjust the heater or fold down the sun visor. The right hand will also be on vacation this time. It may seem anecdotal, but you'll be left-handed (pun intended), I promise.

And on the road?

Well... the first few kilometers are not easy. It's important to get used to the car's size, but also to find the right position in the traffic lane. We're inexorably drawn to the left, and that's where the danger lies. If you're too far to the left, you'll either hit the roadside or the shrubs.

A point of vigilance when crossing. It's not easy the first few times to understand which lane to take. Car rental companies have thought of the tourists by sticking magnificent arrows pointing to the left just about everywhere (directly on the windshield, on the dashboard and even on the steering wheel) to get the message across: drive on the left.

Two things you'll really appreciate: roundabouts and right of way. Don't ask me why, I've fallen in love with Irish roundabouts. They're very easy to get into, and just as easy to get out of. The signposting on the ground is a big part of it, and it's rare for drivers to be in the wrong lane and do the wrong thing. And when it comes to priorities, what a pleasure to have to look to the right... with the driver's seat on the right! It's so intuitive, and eliminates the need to bend over in front of the passenger to see if you should let someone through or not.

Ireland's roads aren't very wide. It's only on the main roads that you'll have no trouble passing each other. As soon as you leave the freeways for the roads, at best there's barely enough room for two cars, and at worst... there's only room for one. In practical terms, this means that when you come across someone, you'll have to think hard about putting your car in reverse, or else consider using the roadside facilities created specifically for crossing vehicles.

In terms of speed, we're on a mix of 50km/h in town, 80 or 100km/h on the highways and 120km/h on the motorway. It's very well indicated, so there's no risk of making a mistake.

What about tolls?

In Ireland, the price of tolls is fixed and depends on your type of vehicle. In other words, whether you exit at the first exit after the toll or at the very end of the toll section, you'll pay the same amount. As an example, I took two toll freeways which cost me €3.1 each.

In short...

Launch yourself without apprehension, the secret is only concentration. As long as you stay in control of your speed and behavior, everything will go smoothly. And if you're unlucky enough to be driving in the right-hand lane, the locals will be more than willing to honk at you. When driving, they're... impatient, and certainly used to seeing tourists take the wrong lane in big cities.