[sjmjax]

I’ve never been to Australia but have spent time in England and particularly the BVI and Cayman Islands.

Getting a car with right hand drive is important. It is both a good reminder as well as an important visibility aid at intersections.

It’s interesting to notice that tourists (and myself at times) look the wrong way for traffic when trying to cross the street. It’s funny how conditioned we become to a particular pattern.

Also interesting to note how efficient the traffic circles are in these countries. It’s the combination of drivers knowing how to properly use them and traffic circles properly sized for a smooth transition entering and exiting the circle.

Many cities here are trying to incorporate traffic circles in place of four way stops and traffic lights. But those two issues prevent their success. Ignorant drivers and vastly undersized circles for smooth functioning.

[woodbutcher1963]

I remember driving on Tortola several times. The Roundabouts were always fun because your instinct is to turn right and go counter clockwise.

Whereas you have to turn left and go clockwise around.
The problem was the cars still were US imports so they all had the steering wheel on the left side. I always found out it best to wait for someone else to come around and follow them.

I had a Ford minivan one time. It only had 16K miles. Yet the van was beat to crap. The steering wheel was about 1/3 play. It didn’t help that the RUM was cheaper than the coke to mix it with. Somehow we made it back to the villa at Cane Garden Bay though.

[John Milner]

The best time to drive on the left side in a country where you are not used to it - is during higher traffic periods. You simply follow the traffic. It’s when the roadways are empty the ‘normal’ tendency to go right kicks in and you get into trouble.

Roundabouts are great at intersections where they are appropriate. We have several near us in Florida and at first people were overly cautious. But as more and more figured it out it is a great way to move traffic. It automatically gives priority to the more heavily trafficked direction. Accidents, when they do occur, are ‘safer’ since no vehicles are going at higher speeds.

And bonus... when the power goes out they are unaffected since there are no lights.

[Jamestown1630]

Traffic circles in DC were hell to deal with when I was working in the city. People would have problems, not because they didn't know the right lane to turn from, but because so many people refused to use the right lane, and they'd cut you off when you had to turn off the circle. I hated them, especially Logan Circle.