Major Achievement
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This is going to sound really daft but I had a major achievement today.
I passed my driving test 44 years ago.
I have been coming to France for 25 years
Today I took the car out and drove on the right of the road for the first time all by myself!
I feel as if I have done something really clever.
Well done sallym
do you normally drive on the left in France then ?
Well done Sally, it can be a bit daunting.🚗
driving in France is easier than driving in the UK, round here anyway, now you’ve tried it you’ll wonder why you didnt before , but well done for finally taking the plunge
Agree with that Slarti, driving on the right seems so much easier for some reason, I hate driving in the UK, it stinks.
Thanks all. I did drive in France (on the right) for a few days years ago when my husband was waiting for a cataract operation. But he is the world’s worst passenger and would suddenly screech as if I was doing something wrong so that I slammed the brakes on only to be told that I wasn’t going fast enough or would suddenly grab the dashboard as if we were going to crash! He made me so nervous that I was scared to try it again.
However I have begun to realise that if something happened to him or his eyesight became worse we would be really stuck if I couldn’t drive here. So despite him looking really worried today I tried and it was fine!
I hasten to add that I have been driving in the UK all this time with no problems so he has no right to be nervous of my driving!
Totally agree with slarti, well done for getting over the fear, but I much prefer driving on the right, I find it a more natural way to drive. Now you need to learn to drive the French way, straight down the middle, no left or right just straight down the middle, and make sure you take the inside lane at a roundabout when taking the first exit, and the outside lane when going all the way round the roundabout. Another thing to remember is if you get lost and need to check a map, simply stop wherever you are, no need to pull over, then check your map, another thing is if you see someone you know, simply stop, wind the window down and have a chit chat for ten minute’s. Remember these simple rules and you will be fine.
I know exactly what you mean sallym, I am married to such a driver. My husband hated being driven, by anyone, including me, so I didn’t get to drive a lot in France or the UK. Now we haven’t got a car, and I feel rather miffed!
well done you and keep it up!
Well done Sallym!
Many people feel it too daunting to even attempt! Lhd or Rhd cars.
& really, it isn’t that hard. (Until you stop changing gear with the window winder anyway, or you passengers leg heh.)
But have known plenty of ‘experienced’ drivers who have still ended up on the wrong side from time to time
Just remember, punchin hand to the kerb, (or ditch).
keep on truckin
Exactly bo! Exactly!
sallym, well done! Like you, drove many years in the UK and my first ever drive here was a booze cruise with a mate watching as passenger.Terrified I was.
I prefer driving on the right now and my only cockups are in England!
Aw well done sallym, it’s great to be independent
Well done Sally, I like driving a right hand vehicle on the right. Don’t know why, it just feels safer driving next to the kerb
Absolutely agree with you Scary Hairpiece
Well done Sally! As others have said I really find driving on the right (in a left hand drive car though) seems to come much more easily than driving on the left. My major achievement, once we moved to Brittany, although having driven here already for 14 years, was to suddenly find I had the courage to drive on multilane carriageways, something I, for one reason or another, hadn’t had the courage to do before we moved up here from further down. I just love driving here now on whatever amount of lanes . I know how you feel about this major achievement – a big well done
Just to add to BO’s post, when driving it must be at high speed and if you can’t overtake, even on a bend then make sure you are up the arse of the car in front!
and if you need to turn left up ahead, make sure you overtake the car in front just before the turning so they have to wait behind while you wait for it to clear.
I am hoping that when I am more confident in driving here then I can brave driving in Bulgaria where they don’t drive on the left or the right but on whichever side seems smoother!
only problems I’ve had driving a RHD car for the past few years is when I return to the Uk and end up on the wrong side of the road, had to apologise a couple of times when I’ve said to my passengers “look at this idiot on the wrong side of the road” only to be pointed out that its me on the wrong side
funnily enough doesnt happen here
Aw well done sallym, it’s great to be independent 
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