Driving in countries where they drive on the other side of the road...

[Violet_Crumble]

Yes, USA. I'm talking about you specifically, but also Europe. My brother's going to the US in November and he's going to pick up a car in LA and drive all over the place, including in large cities. I think this is a bit of a worry, because I've heard of things like this one where not being used to driving on a different side of the road causes a huge prang.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-13/fatal-accident-in-kewdale/3826432

My brother insists he's a really good driver and I'm underestimating his awesome driving skills, but I know from switching from a European car to an Australian built one how easy it is to slip into normal habits without thinking. The steering column of my old car had the wipers and indicators on different sides than my new one, and after six months with the new one, I'm still finding there's times when I go to indicate, only to find I've turned my windscreen wipers on.

Any advice from anyone who has successfully mastered driving in built up areas on the other side of the road than what they're used to at home?

[cbayer]

1. My first couple of days in Australia were pretty scary.

Particularly at intersections when I was turning.

I just had to stay super alert and think through every move, not letting my reflexes ever take over.

People in LA are pretty friendly drivers, believe it or not. They are generally patient with people who hesitate or seem unsure. Even on the freeways, they tend to let people in to merge and don't tail gate or cut you off.

OTOH, the traffic is insane everywhere.

I'm wondering if there is a GPS program that addresses any of this. Something like, "turn left in .5 miles and remember to turn left into the right hand lane!"

Anyway, I did rapidly adapt in Oz and felt quite comfortable after just a few days.

In England, I found being a pedestrian the real hazard, despite those big "LOOK RIGHT" signs painted into the crosswalks.

[Callalily]

2. As stated above, stay very alert.

Even so . . . turn-arounds are a bit of a challenge!

But you'll do fine . . . just relax.

[Violet_Crumble]

3. Thanks to you and Callalily for the advice...

I'm going to remind my brother before he flies out to stay super alert and not let his reflexes take over. I'm more a reflex person, so that's probably why I'm still having the occassional oopsies with the indicators and wipers on my car.

lol, when I was in England, I couldn't work out why they had all those things painted on the kerb. Maybe they were aimed at European and US tourists, because I took like a duck to water to being a pedestrian there, and was so confident with the roads that I'd even take on London traffic (not right in the middle of the city, but out a bit where it's not permanent gridlock)...

[Retrograde]

4. It was easier driving than being a pedestrian

just follow what the people in front of you do, and be on your toes all the time. It's easy to get confused when tired, so until he's used to driving on the "correct" side I recommend driving very conservatively - i.e., stay below the speed limit, don't try to pass too many people. My biggest problem when I was in the UK on business was getting out of work, getting into the car as I normally would, and wondering what happened to the steering wheel...and the pedals (which are in the same configuration, luckily).

My first experience driving on the other side was in Tasmania, where people seem to mainly drive in the middle

[maddezmom]

5. He'll do fine

I know I was freaked out the first couple of times I drove in the UK, but you get used to it really quick. Most important thing for me would be to get a good GPS for the vehicle if it doesn't come with.

[aranthus]

6. This may sound crazy, but

It's easier drving on the freeways than on the street. I discovered this in England, where the motorways are far easier than the highways (especally on signage). On the freeway the opposing traffic is on the other side of a wall and once you get on the traffic is all in your direction. Just be careful getting on and off. He might also try driving on a quiet side street to get used to the feel of driving on the wrong side, where there isn't a lot of opposing traffic.

Plan ahead. It will help if he knows exactly what route he's going to take before he gets on the road. Mapquest.com is great for this. Just click the link for diirections, input the starting and stopping points, and it will give him step by step instructions. This is especially helpful in downtown areas where there are a lot of one way streets. GPS is great, but it won't give you as much advance warning as having read the mapquest instructions.

A strong word of warning from someone who has driven LA traffic for decades. Don't. Not unless you absolutely have to. It's not fun, the drivers are crazy, and the traffic can congest without reason or warning. Outside of town there are some great fun drives, but in town, take the bus, the metro, a taxi or your feet. If you must drive LA traffic, be especially vigilant. Stay off the freeways during rush hour especially the 10 and the 405. In fact, stay off the 405 altogether if you can avoid it. A massive widening project is going on for the next year, and traffic is likely to be insane.

The same advice for any large city. Once he gets there, he should seriously consider leaving the car in the garage and taking public transit, or walking. This is really true in places like San Francisco, New York or Washington D.C., as they have good metro systems.

Wish him good luck and good driving!