Americans who've driven in Ireland???

Question

I am planning a trip to Ireland and I want to rent a car instead of going on a bus tour becuase I want to stop when I want to stop and see what I want to see. Anyway, I've heard scarey stories about Americans having a lot of difficulty driving in Ireland due to the narrow, winding roads and of course the whole driving on the "wrong" side of the road thing. Also, I need an automatic and I've heard they are difficult to get. I need some American's to tell me about their driving experiences in Ireland? Was it scarey? Did you get the hang of it quickly or will you never do it again? Thanks.

Answer 1

I rented a Ford Focus with the stick shift, shifting with the left hand and just the unfamiliarity of driving on the left created two problems. I wish I had rented an automatic.

The Irish are fast but courteous drivers, some may tailgate a bit, but you don’t get hit with high beams, horns or nasty gestures not like us Americans.

The Travel Writer Rick Steves had a suggestion in his book on Ireland and that was to go to a convenience store and buy a pack of “L” stickers, they are a white square with a red “L” inside it, you put one on the back window and one in the front window, it designates that the car is being driven by a Learner Driver. I bought a set at a Spar Store (sort of a glorified 7-11); I was amazed by how much lee way I was given with that sticker on the car. Just one note on the sticker, we found out that you can’t drive on any of the “M” highways with this sticker, so when we traveled from Meath to Dublin I took it off.

I had a rental for 8 days, it probably took me 2 days to get used to the driving, by then I was doing pretty well.

I hope you enjoy yourself on your trip.

Take a look at snaps of my trip over there.

Answer 2

As far as renting a automatic, just make your reservation as soon as possible and you shouldn't have any problems. As far as actually driving - I drove and we picked up our car just outside of the Dublin airport and I really didn't have any trouble at all (except following the directions the rental agency agent gave me as how to reach our first destination. My fault ,not his). The only other things were the roundabouts which I conquered after the first time (did get honked at that first time though) and the street signs in the city. Not always easy to see as they're posted up on the side of buildings much of the time and it's hard to look for them and keep your eye on the road or for pedestrians at the same time. Overall not bad at all, though one other word of advice, I don't know that I'd try keeping a car in Dublin if you have a prolonged stay there. Either start in Dublin and rent the car when you get ready to leave or end up there and turn it in as soon as you get there. It's an easy city to get around on foot or public transportation.

Answer 3

Hi.  I visited Ireland a couple of years ago during the summer and rented a car.  Within 30 minutes of landing at the airport in Cork, I was behind the wheel and heading down the road!  While it was very different, and at times intimidating, driving in Ireland isn't that bad.  Both my friend and I got the hang of it very quickly and felt at ease driving all over Ireland.  I will say that we didn't attempt driving in Dublin.  The locals said it is difficult even for them!  If you are confident in yourself as a driver here, then I say go for it!  It is a once in a lifetime experience and something you can say you have done.

Answer 4

I did it a few years ago and enjoyed it thoroughly.  I rented an automatic with no trouble.  The trick I found to following directions there is to know which towns you will go through to get to a destination.  Many times the road signs just point to the next town.  I had no problem with the driving on the left. Well - I had a tendency to go up on the curb a bit on left turns. It was fun for me.  I jsut stopped whenever and wherever.  Went in pubs and chatted with the locals.  Nice people.

Answer 5

It's you lot that drive on the wrong side of the road, not us

Answer 6

I've rented both automatics and manual shifts.  The automatic is easier since the gear shift is on the opposite side.

I had no problem driving (went for 2 weeks last year and drove about 1000 miles).  Making a left is easy cause you just hug the curb, but when you make a right hand turn, it's natural for you to want to drift to the right hand side.  Helps if you have a passenger to remind you "Stay to the left!"

Rent a car, you will see so much more than if you were on a bus tour!!

Answer 7

My mom and I rented a car and I drove us around for the very same reasons.  The roads are very narrow and winding plus they usually have a stone wall or hedges bordering the road which sometimes makes it difficult to see.  The first day was a little intimidating but I didn't make any errors. My rental had a little sign in the window right in front of the driver that said "remember to stay to your left"!  Watch out for the "round-a-bouts"  I got on my first one in Galway after leaving the airport in rush hour traffic and I went around about 3 or 4 times before I finally figured out how to get off!!! lol  By the end of the first day I had it down pat.  By the7th day you would have thought I'd lived there my whole life.  No problem's getting an automatic for me either.  It was the best experience I have ever had and I wouldn't tour Ireland any other way.  We got to do what we wanted when we wanted and really interacted with the Irish people.  We stayed away from most of the tourist things and mingled with the people.  We took every back road we could and stayed away from the "carriage" routes.  We also ate every meal in a "pub".  That was the best.  Don't miss Durty Nelly's if you can help it!!!

Answer 8

I just went with my familys car.(Some of them live in ireland)

Answer 9

golly Michael w you really loved that car i liked Ur snaps very good

Answer 10

Beautiful...everywhere there!! Yes, its true, you can really really tell that the romans did not make it to ireland.. romans knew the quickest route was a straight line...the irish were just too drunk to figure that out when they were building roads. Its really not bad, i went over in my 05 dodge durango and did find some 2 lane roads were just as wide as the truck! Their really isnt any thing scary about the dirve, just take you time...enjoy what you see! if you drive fast then yes, you will find if rather scary. (its not like your driving on a cliff..your just going up, down, arround hills...)

Would go back in a heartbeat...just maybe in a car and not my truck

Answer 11

You just can't be driving like a maniac, you have to approach curves slowly and if you are the smaller vehicle you have to back up until you get to a wide enough place where you can let each other pass, you get used to driving on the left side real quick because the car is built that way, even though the gas pedals and the brakes are the same position as American cars

Answer 12

I'm a US citizen now living in Ireland.  Drove here since visiting in 1995 and been back and forth several times.  1) you get the hang of it.  The steering wheel is on the right and shifting gears with your left hand gets some adjustments but you get used to it. 2) with the wheel on the right and driving on the left (don't say 'wrong' side of the road - everyone hates that as you know), you get used of driving on the left side of the road 3) the big issue is negotiating right and left turns through intersections.  You need to remember as you are turning to stay on the left side of the road, roundabouts you go through backwards than if you were in the US but it's no troubles really  As for the small roads, there's really not an issue, we have smaller cars here than you blokes in the US so it's comparable.  Just relax be mindful of what you are doing, drive slow but be aware I'm probably going to be behind you so move out of my way so I can pass you.

As for driving again in Ireland - in a heartbeat...it's the only way I can get to work!

Answer 13

I picked it up really quickly and loved it. Of course I had an automatic. I shouldn't have been driving though, I was only 21 at the time. It didn't seem like that big of a deal to me, the worst moment was driving through a one-lane mountain pass in the pouring rain with someone coming at me. The mountain passes are insane. Highway driving is fine, the little country roads aren't bad as long as you slow down and get over when another car comes at you. I did damage the car a little in a parking garage in Galway, but when my family turned the car back in to the rental place they said it was no big deal and that it happened all the time. The only downside for me was that is was uncomfortably cramped. But it's so nice to be able to stop and see what you want when you want.