Driving your motorhome on the wrong side of the road

[dazandandrea]

I actualy prefer driving our van abroad on the "wrong" side.
No idea why.

 

[Guigsy]

Driving on the wrong side, I can get used to pretty quickly. It's the changes in the layout conventions and signage, particularly at junctions, that makes my brain work harder. Some of the prompts I took for granted in the UK don't always apply abroad. The road that runs parallel to the motorway that means you sometimes have to turn off several 'junctions' before your turning has caught me a couple of times.

Overall though, it's not that difficult. It's useful to have a passenger that's also looking out for you for the first couple of hours. You can call out to them what you've seen and what you're doing. Reduces brain load a bit and improves confidence.

 

[Towat101]

The right side is the wrong side, the left side is the right side.

 

[Hymerboy]

I know that plenty of you stay away from France because you don't fancy driving on the wrong side of the road. I've written an article about doing just that. You can discuss the article, or ask questions about it here

Driving your motorhome on the 'wrong side of the road' in France!

This can be a bit daunting at first. But, follow these tips and your driving in France will be a pleasure. Download our free head up display.

www.mfun.uk

If youre driving on the wrong side of the road you should not be driving at all.

 

[Widge]

If youre driving on the wrong side of the road you should not be driving at all.

And besides, we all drive on the Right side of the road here, its you back in blighty that drive on the wrong side.

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[Manxcat]

The rules of the road are a paradox.
Quite.
When driving or cycling along
If you keep to the left you're sure to be right
If you keep to the right you're wrong.

 

[Ian Bosman]

I always point out that driving on the wrong side is much easier when everyone else is doing it too.

A comment, driving on the "wrong side" is when you are on the left hand side of the road in Europe (say) or on the right hand side in the UK!
BTW, lots of countries drive the same side as the UK, eg Japan.

I advise people to be extra vigilant on the third day when you think you have the hang of it. Also NEVER cross the road to fill up with fuel as it is all too easy to forget when leaving and also when parking in a car park or restaurant. It helps if your co-pilot is also a driver as they can help you when reversing etc. Keep an eye on your mirrors when overtaking as it easy to miss traffic on your passengers side.

 

[Widge]

The rules of the road are a paradox.
Quite.
When driving or cycling along
If you keep to the left you're sure to be right
If you keep to the right you're wrong.

Sounds too much like the rules of cricket to me
The Rules of Cricket

You have two sides, one out in the field and one in.

Each man that's in the side that's in goes out, and when he's out he comes in and the next man goes in until he's out.

When they are all out, the side that's out comes in and the side thats been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out.

Sometimes you get men still in and not out.

When a man goes out to go in, the men who are out try to get him out, and when he is out he goes in and the next man in goes out and goes in.

There are two men called umpires who stay out all the time and they decide when the men who are in are out.

When both sides have been in and all the men have got out, and both sides have been out twice after all the men have been in, including those who are not out, that is the end of the game!

 

[Lenny HB]

Stangely enough, I used to work for a company that had plants in Germany and was often over there. During many conversations it was mentioned that when they were over in the UK they never drove. Didn't fancy the other side of the road. Strange I thought. But when we were at Bonterra last month. We got talking to a couple of German ladies in the bar and the same thing came up from them. They were really interested in how I found driving on the other side of the road. They didnt fancy it.

I was at a street wine festival at Lieser on the Mosell a German next to me started chatting to me was the local mayor. He was telling me his son went to Bristol uni and the first time he went to visit his son he was petrified of driving in the UK.

 

[Lenny HB]

I actualy prefer driving our van abroad on the "wrong" side.
No idea why.

Me too but its really the right side as I'm LHD.

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[Reallyretired]

When I first drove on the continent many years ago. I just used a bit of card with an arrow drawn on it. On returning to the UK just turned the card round.

 

[Lenny HB]

Who remembers give way to the right on roundabouts?
They were a bit of a shock to the system lucky France only had a handful of roundabouts at the time.

 

[berni109]

Stressful situations or when you mind is on something else are things to be avoided if possible. Your sat nag has managed to get you lost or you are looking for a nice lunchtime restaurant in a sleepy little town - STOP when safe and sort it out!
Very nearly ran into someone at a priority from right junction. Little more than a narrow lane onto the main road through village.

 

[Mike n Vikki]

Have been driving on the wrong side (when in the UK) for several years in our LHD Hymer and never found it an issue. We are just in the process of changing to a newer van which is RHD. Was halfway through the test drive before I realised the steering wheel was on the other side! Helps that the new one is an auto, so not much flailing for the gear lever. although I was caught feeling for the handbrake on the wrong side! When driving in France there is so much less traffic than here (mostly!), so just take your time and watch out for those Priorité a droite nasties.