Hey Sternwake--Travel to Australia

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I didn't want to hijack Numpty's Welcome thread.  I saw in it that you spent a year down in Australia.  I've often daydreamed about doing that, and have even bought the Lonely Planet guide to Australia.

Biggest problem to my mind is the fact that they insist on driving on the wrong side of the road.  I've had a lifetime's experience driving a certain way, and I'm pretty sure I'm on autopilot half the time.

I was just wondering how much trouble you had adjusting to the driving down there?  Thanks.

Regards
John

 

[WheelEstate USA]

I bet you'll adjust real quick when you see a big truck headed toward you

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I bet you'll adjust real quick when you see a big truck headed toward you

If I don't have a heart attack first!

Regards
John

 

[LeeRevell]

Just remember, the Roos have the right of way Down Under.  

 

[SternWake]

Learning to drive on the other side of the road was pretty easy, I think I had more issues when I came back to the US.

There were times I'd walk up to the 'drivers door' but would be on the wrong side of the car, and when backing out from a parking spot onto a street there was a little brain fart as to which side of the road to be on.

I had actually learned to drive a VW Kombi in Capetown South Africa about 8 months before I got to Sydney.  Shifting gears with my left hand also came pretty easily. 

It probably was a good thing I was so used to driving on the opposite side when I visited Bali from Australia. When driving a car and the steering wheel is on the opposite side, the desire/instinct to drive in the other lane is not very high, but when riding a motorcycle, one can easily flashback and find themselves staring at oncoming traffic.

 

[Patrick46]

my son spent 3 months down in Tasmania, Australia, and said it only took a couple days, and he had it down, no problem!

and when he got home, I met him at the airport and he wanted to drive. Yep...he went to the wrong side of the road!

 

[offroad]

Was in New Zealand for a week. Rented a car and drove left side. It was weird but not hard learned in a hour.

 

[ilovemyvan]

We spend 3 months in Australia and found it quite easy to drive in traffic because you basically follow the other cars in front of you. Where it got tricky at first was to turn a corner when there were no cars to follow. For example when you turn right at a corner you have to go wide which is very much against your instinct. I'm absolutely convinced a certain truck driver still remembers my husband trying to fit between his rig and a ditch while I was screaming "Wrong way...wrong way". I never laugh so hard.

We found it much more difficult in England, driving on the left side of the road with a van we had bought in Holland were they drive on the right side of the road so the steering wheel is on the left like here. It was down right scary to pass a slow vehicle. The driver had to rely on the passenger to decide when it was safe to pass. I don't know about you but I like to see the incoming traffic before I get into the incoming lane. So I would hold my breath, fight the urge to close my eyes and hoped my husband didn't have a suicidal wish I didn't know about.

Recently I read that in New Zealand they started taking the keys away from tourist drivers that couldn't handle it and are dangerous to others.

Nicole