Someone asked what it is like to drive “on the wrong side of
the road”. They meant driving in the United Kingdom
One finds zipping down an Irish back road at 100 km/h exciting
not only because of driving on left, but because the roads are so narrow you
are driving on the right as well.
The motorways are much like our highways. It does not bother
you that the oncoming traffic is to your right. The more rural roads are
nothing like ours.
Besides the obvious position of the steering wheel on the
right and an often terrified passenger on your left, there are the sheep in the
road.
It takes ten minutes or two on-coming trucks to get
accustomed to being on the left. Dodging sheep takes longer.
The roads are often only wide enough for one car and we are
not talking about a Hummer. Some people fold in their side mirrors, although
this is illegal, because it makes it easier for two small cars to pass.
Hedges, houses and pubs are close to the road. This is based
on the fact that the roads were originally for horse carts and pedestrians.
There was no need for a set back.
The people warn you not to clip a hedge row because in every
hedge there may be a stone fence or wall. There are no shoulders or ditches
along the roads. Thus you cannot actually ditch a car. It is easier to stop at
30 km/h than to hit a wall.
So, you drive at 30 km/h a comfortable speed for people in
Ireland. Their history is long and their commutes are short.
Besides sharing the road with sheep (cows, horses, chickens,
and swans) there is also the occasional tractor or hay truck. In California a slow truck pulls to the right, which will
not work in Ireland
Patience is the key to survival. The locals must be patient
with those of us from other countries that drive on the wrong side of the road.
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