RHD v LHD in France / Spain advice and other
HI all. Long time no post for various reasons.
May I ask for the benefit of people's experience/opinion. Looking now to head to Spain for a recky for 6 weeks is. We have dogs and want to get about so motorhoming best option. Could buy (£25,000 ???haha) and ue again and get LHD but not cheap these days and would have to get all the 'extras' you need for Europe travel. If rent, you get all that included, done,sorted (£4600 ish) but only for six weeks.
Looking at renting but the hire place (Essex) ony has RHD. I have lived abroad and driven happily RHD and LHD and drove my French LHD car here quite easily. Motorhome driving position is obvioulsy better (higher) but still bigger vehicle etc.
A european once said to me that they would defo recommmend NOT drivnng RHD on the continent but I think it's easier that way round than LHD in UK.
So may I have your opinion on this point.
Have they added anything else to what you have to carry?
How do you secure your dogs when you are driving?
And for those of you who have travelled recently - will we be OK stopping various places overnight on our way down and obvioulsy in Spain once we're there and mooching around looking at properties/areas. And any tips?
Thank you
V
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All UK caravanners drive RHD cars in Europe. No great problem, so surely no great problem with RHD motorhome either.
Dogs can be secured in a harness attached to seat belts or in a cage similarly secured.
Your dogs will need up to date rabies jabs and then will need Animal Health Certificates from a vet before you travel
Unbooked overnight stops across France are easy enough at motorhome aires or campsites. Others will advise you for Spain if you say where you will be.
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Personally I feel happier driving a RHD in Europe, put me in a LHD using the other hand for gear changes and looking over the other shoulder can make me feel a bit disoriented at times. If you’ve got a continental MH so much the better as the door is on the ‘right side’. I’ve owned and driven LHD cars in the UK and find that easier here than overseas.
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I have driven caravans and motorhomes in Europe for over 40 years and never had any concerns. Obviously you need to take more care overtaking but it isnt really a big issue. I do recall in the early days leaving a site in France and driving on the left but also coming back to the UK and driving on the right!
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I heard it explained that the British drive on the left, the Germans drive on the right, and the French drive in the middle!
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Lost count of the miles (should that be kilometres?) I have driven in Europe in RHD vehicles both towcars and a motorhome. Never seen it as any kind of disadvantage. My problem was when I returned to the UK and found myself driving on the wrong side in supermarket car parks!!!
David
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Have the same problem. At some stage within a few days of returning to the UK I’ll find myself briefly driving on the wrong side of the road, usually after leaving a petrol station.
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If you really want a LHD motorhome you can fly to Spain very cheaply and rent a motor home there - but that means leaving your dogs with family, friends or kennels in UK.
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As a result of Covid, I’ve only driven our RHD motorhome in France once in the 3 years we’ve had it, but found it a lot easier than when towing a Caravan. The mirrors are just so much better, very large and vibration free, making it easy to be sure if anything is coming up from behind. Add that to the higher driving position giving increased forward visibility, and I found it easier than driving a RHD car solo. Ours is a continental layout van and the door is therefore on the correct side for getting out away from traffic whilst abroad. However, it also has cab doors which we would use here to avoid exiting close to moving vehicles.
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My only problem driving a LHD vehicle on the 'wrong side' of the road is that I tended to want to sit too close to the middle of the road because I was still trying to position myself in the same part of the road as I would be if I was in a RHD car.
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Left shoulder to the middle is a rule taught me decades ago when driving on the right be it in a RHD or LHD vehicle.
In my days of working globally I would drive to an airport RHD / left side of the road, get off a flight and be RHD / lsor or LHD / rsor, fly to the next country and drive as required.
One time I was returning from India, RHD / lsor, arrived in the UK where again RHD / lsor. That was on a Friday. On the Sunday called out to get to Canada asap, so RHD / losr to Gatwick, then 2 flights to Northern Ontario into a LHD / rsor, then the following Friday fly down to West Virginia and a hire car LHD / rsor, fly back to UK via Canada arriving on the red eye Sunday morning, drive RHD / losr to office, return to Gatwick that evening, fly 2 flights to NO back in LHD / rsor for 2 days. Collect client reps in LHD / rsor car to airport, fly to Jamaica. MoBay to Mandeville in RHD / losr car. Travel to site in RHD / losr car, then swap to LHD / losr 4x4, drive round site then swap back to RHD / losr car. 4 days later drive RHD / loser car to airport, fly back to NO into LHD / rsor car. Situational awareness is all that is required, it really isn't difficult.
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