Driving Tips In Ireland - Brief History Of Left-hand Traffic

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