shanes teeth Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 It does tend to confuse foreigners coming here though.It is a well known fact that they are not as adaptable and open minded as we are.I think it would be money well spent,especially for MacDonalds.Manys the time I've seen French registered Renaults trying to reverse through the MacDonalds drive through in Dover.It's utter carnage at busy times. Why not signs in French "Entre" and "Sortie". Is it too much for the city of Dover and McDs to stick up signs here and there in another language. If the Canadians can signpost their highways and cities in French and English 3,000 miles east to west then posting signs for foreign drivers to make it easier for them to navigate the town and reach the motorways might improve traffic and tempers at the same time. All good points and well made,but not really relevant to the driving on the wrong side subject of the thread.Incidentely I have managed to negotiate French MacDonald's and Buffalo Grill's drive throughs without the need for in and out signs in English.But as I said,we tend to be more adaptable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 All good points and well made,but not really relevant to the driving on the wrong side subject of the thread.Incidentely I have managed to negotiate French MacDonald's and Buffalo Grill's drive throughs without the need for in and out signs in English.But as I said,we tend to be more adaptable! I know a French guy here who drove large haulage vehicles across the channel many a time. I asked him how he managed on the UK roads and he said he had no problem. For my part I never drove a car while I lived in Englland. During viists since then I've driven rented cars. It did seem a bit strange at first but I found it very easy to get used to. Those roundabouts were a bit hairy at times though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanes teeth Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I don't have a problem driving in France in a right hand drive car,I think I am more aware of keeping to the wrong side of the road than I am when I drive a left hooker over there.In a right hander the view into roundabouts seems better.Taking the bike abroad is more worrying and requires an extra bit of thought especially when leaving a car park or filling station where there are no marked lanes. But really all you have to do is think! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I've heard a couple of weird stories about Americans driving in Britain for the first time. One happened many years ago and concerned two American women who landed at Gatwick and rented a car. They drove onto the motorway in the wrong direction and shortly afterwards ended up in a head on collison. Both were killed. Another, this time also a woman who rented a car, had never before driven stick shift and drove from London to Birmingham in first gear. Bit hard to believe but stranger things have happened Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppins Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I've heard a couple of weird stories about Americans driving in Britain for the first time. One happened many years ago and concerned two American women who landed at Gatwick and rented a car. They drove onto the motorway in the wrong direction and shortly afterwards ended up in a head on collison. Both were killed. Another, this time also a woman who rented a car, had never before driven stick shift and drove from London to Birmingham in first gear. Bit hard to believe but stranger things have happened That happend to a family from Sheffield a few years ago, theywere in Florida I think, just drove out of their hotel drive way and turned the wrong way, all got killed, anyhow I don't see why anyone would even consider wanting to drive on the opposite side that there use to, would make no sense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 That happend to a family from Sheffield a few years ago, theywere in Florida I think, just drove out of their hotel drive way and turned the wrong way, all got killed, anyhow I don't see why anyone would even consider wanting to drive on the opposite side that there use to, would make no sense A friend of my wife's told her about the British Airways pilot she flew with who flat out refused to drive the Los Angeles freeways. The idea scared him to death. He could jockey a 747 half way around the world. London-L.A land it safely but the freeways........ no way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0114owl1867 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 no way - our hospitals are overrun already, when we gave hong kong back to china in 96 they tried to change back to the right and there was lots of deaths/accidents in the first week, it would be even worse here, especially with w***n drivers ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizmachin Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 no way - our hospitals are overrun already, when we gave hong kong back to china in 96 they tried to change back to the right and there was lots of deaths/accidents in the first week, it would be even worse here, especially with w***n drivers ! They've now got round it with the Crossover Bridge. Surely one of the wonders of the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppins Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 A friend of my wife's told her about the British Airways pilot she flew with who flat out refused to drive the Los Angeles freeways. The idea scared him to death. He could jockey a 747 half way around the world. London-L.A land it safely but the freeways........ no way. I've driven the M1 just once with not much problem, all you do is follow everyone else, it;s when you get off the problems start, you tend to look the wrong way, even crossing the road on foot i found hard in the England you just don't expect a car to come around the opposte direction, also they follow very close, i thought I had someone in my back seat all the time , and forget those ring roads life in hands rings a bell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callippo Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I read someplace a feasilibility study was done in about 1967, round about the time that Sweden was considering changing over (they did it in 1971) and at that time the projected cost was only 60 million pounds. doubtless it would have ended up being more, but even so that seems an incredibly low amount of money. these days when it would cost tens of billions, it's just not worth it. It's not as if it's all that difficult to switch from driving on the left, to driving on the right, and vice versa, anyway. The Thais and Cambodians, and the Tanzanians and Rwandans do it all the time - and they share land borders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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