Driving Tips by Left Lane Maureen
Driving tips from Left Lane Maureen
County Cork, Ireland
By Maureen Sullivan CTC
Taking a self driving vacation in Ireland is not as difficult as you would think. Yes, they do drive on the other side of the road, the left side of the road.
A story I made up to make it easier to drive in the countryside of Ireland is “You run your wife into the bushes”. When one is driving the narrow roads, you will find yourself driving in the middle of the road. When a car comes from the other way, the driver runs his wife or passenger into the bushes. This puts the car on the left side of the road. Remember the passenger hugs the outside if the road. Running your passenger into the bushes puts the car on the correct side of the road.
The steering wheel is on the opposite side of the car. So, when you are by yourself the first thing you do after getting into the car is to look around to see if anybody is looking. Then, get out of the car and get back in on the side with the steering wheel. If your wife says you’re getting in the wrong side, you reply “I’m just opening the door for you”. The reason for driving on the left side of the road dates back to medieval times. They rode their horses on the left side of the road, forcing strangers coming towards them to pass them on the right. Then, if the need arose they would draw their sword with the right hand. An Irishman once told me “We don’t drive on the wrong side of the road, you do!”
To drive in Ireland all you need is a valid drivers license with 6 months validity. All passengers must wear seatbelts. No child, under 14 years of age, should be riding in the front seat of the car. Ireland has very strict drinking and driving laws. Taxi cabs are now all over Ireland and if you are going to the pubs, use a taxi. My uncle told me, “In the old days they didn’t have DUI laws because the donkeys didn’t run into each other and they always knew how to get home”.
To plan your Irish vacation, start by flying into Shannon Airport where you will land on time if they can get the sheep off the runway. In this way you experience the Irish driving in the countryside. Coming out of Dublin Airport, one starts driving in 3 lanes of expressway, driving on the other side of the road. If you arrive on the east side of Ireland, plan to finish your vacation by leaving from Dublin Airport. This saves crossing back to Shannon and 3 ½ extra hours of driving.
Do not take the car into Dublin City. There are over 1.5 million people who live in Dublin, not counting the Irish who drive to work in the city. It is a nightmare of one way narrow streets, congestion and roundabouts that will quickly confuse you. The streets changes names every block and the streets signs are on the buildings, sometimes the second floor level. Top it off, the city has a new train tram system call “Luas”. It runs on the street with the cars, and when there is no train coming, the cars drive on the tracks. Staying in Dublin, return the car at Dublin Airport and take the “Air Link Bus” or a taxi to Dublin Center. Or, you can stay outside of Dublin at a B&B and take the “Dart Train” into Dublin’s Fair City.
Get an automatic car, it is worth the extra money, since Ireland is very hilly. You do not want to kill the engine going into a roundabout because you were watching traffic and forgot to shift or put the clutch in. The rental company will give you an auto information packet with driving instructions and advice in case of an accident. You should look this information over carefully. Familiarize yourself with the car before leaving the rental lot. Remember, you drive on the left side of the road! Your passenger is your navigator (map interpreter) and is as important to the operation of the car as the driver.
May the road rise to greet you!!
A great way to start your vacation is a visit to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. It is located 8 miles from Shannon Airport. You will be leaving the airport on N19. Take the turn towards Limerick, N18 motorway and you will see signs for the castle turn off. You’ll know you are in Ireland when you see Bunratty Castle.
On the M50 around Dublin there is “Barrier Free Tolling” “e flow” Pass for the toll (no cashier at the toll). You can pay at any retail outlet or petrol station displaying the Payzone brand, nationwide. Toll is 3.10 Euro per journey. It must be paid before 8:00 p.m. the following day to avoid any penalties for late payment. So when you purchase gas before you get off the M50, buy the “e flow” pass. You will need to give the license plate number and as you pass through the toll it will register paid. All other expressways have cashiers and you can pay with Euro. When you return the car, they will ask to see the “e flow” pass receipt.
The Irish have a way with words. “Traffic Calming” signs as you enter a town, means traffic may be slowing down ahead. When they build a bypass around a town, they call it the “Relief Road”. On dual motorways, always stay in the left lane. The right hand lane is used only for overtaking a slower vehicle. “N” roads are national roads and are wider and faster to travel. When the “N” are made into a dual motorway, they will be called “M” roads, example N7 and M7 are the same road. “R” roads are local roads and are much more interesting.
Ireland is a place for doing nothing. Take a walk through a town, sit on a cliff overlooking the ocean, visit with an Irishman, stop at a pub and have a cold pint of the black stuff. In the old days, we called this relaxing. Hyper connected by our smart phone, texting frenzy and driven by our active lifestyles, we’ve lost touch with the elegance of doing nothing. Ireland has the beauty and tranquility offered by the unspoiled scenery of the rolling hills, mountains and rocky shoreline. Take time to experience the peace and sink into the luxurious sights and sounds of Ireland.
Contact us and we can plan with you the places, people and sites you would like to visit. As your travel consultant, we provide the following services: reserve a car rental, pre-book your accommodations to B&B's, hotels, castles. manor houses and farmhouses. All trips include a personal, day-by-day spiral-bound itinerary with more driving tips by "Left Lane Maureen."
Maureen Sullivan CTC
Sullivan’s Travels, Inc.
www.sullivanstravels.com
480-671-0207 office
847-481-9149 cell
County Cork, Ireland
By Maureen Sullivan CTC
Taking a self driving vacation in Ireland is not as difficult as you would think. Yes, they do drive on the other side of the road, the left side of the road.
A story I made up to make it easier to drive in the countryside of Ireland is “You run your wife into the bushes”. When one is driving the narrow roads, you will find yourself driving in the middle of the road. When a car comes from the other way, the driver runs his wife or passenger into the bushes. This puts the car on the left side of the road. Remember the passenger hugs the outside if the road. Running your passenger into the bushes puts the car on the correct side of the road.
The steering wheel is on the opposite side of the car. So, when you are by yourself the first thing you do after getting into the car is to look around to see if anybody is looking. Then, get out of the car and get back in on the side with the steering wheel. If your wife says you’re getting in the wrong side, you reply “I’m just opening the door for you”. The reason for driving on the left side of the road dates back to medieval times. They rode their horses on the left side of the road, forcing strangers coming towards them to pass them on the right. Then, if the need arose they would draw their sword with the right hand. An Irishman once told me “We don’t drive on the wrong side of the road, you do!”
To drive in Ireland all you need is a valid drivers license with 6 months validity. All passengers must wear seatbelts. No child, under 14 years of age, should be riding in the front seat of the car. Ireland has very strict drinking and driving laws. Taxi cabs are now all over Ireland and if you are going to the pubs, use a taxi. My uncle told me, “In the old days they didn’t have DUI laws because the donkeys didn’t run into each other and they always knew how to get home”.
To plan your Irish vacation, start by flying into Shannon Airport where you will land on time if they can get the sheep off the runway. In this way you experience the Irish driving in the countryside. Coming out of Dublin Airport, one starts driving in 3 lanes of expressway, driving on the other side of the road. If you arrive on the east side of Ireland, plan to finish your vacation by leaving from Dublin Airport. This saves crossing back to Shannon and 3 ½ extra hours of driving.
Do not take the car into Dublin City. There are over 1.5 million people who live in Dublin, not counting the Irish who drive to work in the city. It is a nightmare of one way narrow streets, congestion and roundabouts that will quickly confuse you. The streets changes names every block and the streets signs are on the buildings, sometimes the second floor level. Top it off, the city has a new train tram system call “Luas”. It runs on the street with the cars, and when there is no train coming, the cars drive on the tracks. Staying in Dublin, return the car at Dublin Airport and take the “Air Link Bus” or a taxi to Dublin Center. Or, you can stay outside of Dublin at a B&B and take the “Dart Train” into Dublin’s Fair City.
Get an automatic car, it is worth the extra money, since Ireland is very hilly. You do not want to kill the engine going into a roundabout because you were watching traffic and forgot to shift or put the clutch in. The rental company will give you an auto information packet with driving instructions and advice in case of an accident. You should look this information over carefully. Familiarize yourself with the car before leaving the rental lot. Remember, you drive on the left side of the road! Your passenger is your navigator (map interpreter) and is as important to the operation of the car as the driver.
May the road rise to greet you!!
A great way to start your vacation is a visit to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. It is located 8 miles from Shannon Airport. You will be leaving the airport on N19. Take the turn towards Limerick, N18 motorway and you will see signs for the castle turn off. You’ll know you are in Ireland when you see Bunratty Castle.
On the M50 around Dublin there is “Barrier Free Tolling” “e flow” Pass for the toll (no cashier at the toll). You can pay at any retail outlet or petrol station displaying the Payzone brand, nationwide. Toll is 3.10 Euro per journey. It must be paid before 8:00 p.m. the following day to avoid any penalties for late payment. So when you purchase gas before you get off the M50, buy the “e flow” pass. You will need to give the license plate number and as you pass through the toll it will register paid. All other expressways have cashiers and you can pay with Euro. When you return the car, they will ask to see the “e flow” pass receipt.
The Irish have a way with words. “Traffic Calming” signs as you enter a town, means traffic may be slowing down ahead. When they build a bypass around a town, they call it the “Relief Road”. On dual motorways, always stay in the left lane. The right hand lane is used only for overtaking a slower vehicle. “N” roads are national roads and are wider and faster to travel. When the “N” are made into a dual motorway, they will be called “M” roads, example N7 and M7 are the same road. “R” roads are local roads and are much more interesting.
Ireland is a place for doing nothing. Take a walk through a town, sit on a cliff overlooking the ocean, visit with an Irishman, stop at a pub and have a cold pint of the black stuff. In the old days, we called this relaxing. Hyper connected by our smart phone, texting frenzy and driven by our active lifestyles, we’ve lost touch with the elegance of doing nothing. Ireland has the beauty and tranquility offered by the unspoiled scenery of the rolling hills, mountains and rocky shoreline. Take time to experience the peace and sink into the luxurious sights and sounds of Ireland.
Contact us and we can plan with you the places, people and sites you would like to visit. As your travel consultant, we provide the following services: reserve a car rental, pre-book your accommodations to B&B's, hotels, castles. manor houses and farmhouses. All trips include a personal, day-by-day spiral-bound itinerary with more driving tips by "Left Lane Maureen."
Maureen Sullivan CTC
Sullivan’s Travels, Inc.
www.sullivanstravels.com
480-671-0207 office
847-481-9149 cell