Countries where you've driven a rental car
Nov 14, 2017, 6:35 am
#31
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: London, England
Programs: BA Exec
Posts: 75
Wildest place: Kyrgyzstan - from Bishkek to Song Kul (remote lake up in the mountains) then round Issyk Kul - much larger lake close'ish to Chinese border. Driven my own car in Syria - drove there through Eastern Europe and Turkey back in 2008, great trip. Slightly less wild would be Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Kenya, Mexico, Japan, Bali, Latvia, Estonia, then the not-wild-at-all, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, other bits of Europe. Oh - and Cuba, that was wild, more because of the vehicle than anything else!
Nov 14, 2017, 6:42 am
#32
Join Date: May 2011
Location: CMH
Programs: w/+1: AS MVPG; IHG/Marriott Plat; Hilton/BW Diamond; Hertz Prez; SG Silver
Posts: 1,188
Had this experience in Cairo, too. My taxi didn't even have dash board lights and this was the one screened by the hotel bellhop!
Nov 14, 2017, 6:47 am
#33
Join Date: May 2011
Location: CMH
Programs: w/+1: AS MVPG; IHG/Marriott Plat; Hilton/BW Diamond; Hertz Prez; SG Silver
Posts: 1,188
First and last left-side rental was Australia. Pretty surprising when the windshield wipers come on and you think you pushed the turn signal stick. My wife constantly got in on the right side thinking it was the passenger door, but quickly escaped when asked if she was driving.
Nov 14, 2017, 8:03 am
#35
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: MSY
Programs: BA GfL
Posts: 5,928
USA (home)
Canada
Bulgaria
England
Scotland
Ireland
Wales
Australia
Costa Rica
Croatia
Slovenia
France
Hungary
Jersey
Kazakhstan (driven, not rented)
Russia (driven, not rented)
Namibia
Oman
Panama
South Africa
Spain
UAE
Yemen (driven, not rented)
By far the hairiest driving was in Costa Rica, due to the fact that I was driving through torrential rain in a tropical storm, at night, on a highway with potholes so big you could have fit a rowboat into them. Worst traffic: Moscow. Most pleasantly surprising: Namibia.
Canada
Bulgaria
England
Scotland
Ireland
Wales
Australia
Costa Rica
Croatia
Slovenia
France
Hungary
Jersey
Kazakhstan (driven, not rented)
Russia (driven, not rented)
Namibia
Oman
Panama
South Africa
Spain
UAE
Yemen (driven, not rented)
By far the hairiest driving was in Costa Rica, due to the fact that I was driving through torrential rain in a tropical storm, at night, on a highway with potholes so big you could have fit a rowboat into them. Worst traffic: Moscow. Most pleasantly surprising: Namibia.
Nov 14, 2017, 8:35 am
#36
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: STO
Programs: SK EBG *G
Posts: 203
Sweden (home)
Denmark
Norway
Finland
Iceland
Faroe Islands
Latvia
United Kingdom (L)
France
Spain
Portugal
Greece
United States
Canada
Australia (L)
New Zealand (L)
Brazil
In New Zealand, me and my friends rented a campervan and were driving around. Just as @rxgeek notes, the windshield wipers came on more often than expected. We all had a good laugh each time and even counted how many times each of us made the mistake
Craziest driving: Brazil and Crete (Greece)
Loved the one-lane tunnels on the Faroe Islands, often described by the locals as chicken race!
Denmark
Norway
Finland
Iceland
Faroe Islands
Latvia
United Kingdom (L)
France
Spain
Portugal
Greece
United States
Canada
Australia (L)
New Zealand (L)
Brazil
In New Zealand, me and my friends rented a campervan and were driving around. Just as @rxgeek notes, the windshield wipers came on more often than expected. We all had a good laugh each time and even counted how many times each of us made the mistake
Craziest driving: Brazil and Crete (Greece)
Loved the one-lane tunnels on the Faroe Islands, often described by the locals as chicken race!
Nov 14, 2017, 8:41 am
#37
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 2
US
UK (England, Wales, & Scotland)
Ireland
Australia
Belgium
really not difficult adapting to left hand driving.....biggest problem I have in the UK is the width of the roads......one lane wide with two way traffic and parking on both sides....lol.......Wales can be tricky especially the back roads and coming out of Beddgelert in Snowdonia......very narrow tight winding steep road with lorries and buses coming at you and no where to go.....you learn very quickly to fold the mirrors in.....lol
UK (England, Wales, & Scotland)
Ireland
Australia
Belgium
really not difficult adapting to left hand driving.....biggest problem I have in the UK is the width of the roads......one lane wide with two way traffic and parking on both sides....lol.......Wales can be tricky especially the back roads and coming out of Beddgelert in Snowdonia......very narrow tight winding steep road with lorries and buses coming at you and no where to go.....you learn very quickly to fold the mirrors in.....lol
Nov 14, 2017, 8:43 am
#38
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,574
USA
Mexico
Canada
UK
Ireland
France
Germany
Italy
Austria
Slovenia
Croatia
I'm mildly amused whenever an airline sends me rental car offers associated with trips to places like Lima, Cairo, or various cities in India.
Places where it would be INSANE for a foreigner to attempt to drive, or places where it's simply not permitted to begin with.
Mexico
Canada
UK
Ireland
France
Germany
Italy
Austria
Slovenia
Croatia
I'm mildly amused whenever an airline sends me rental car offers associated with trips to places like Lima, Cairo, or various cities in India.
Places where it would be INSANE for a foreigner to attempt to drive, or places where it's simply not permitted to begin with.
Nov 14, 2017, 9:25 am
#39
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 218
Surprised no one has mentioned China.
My list is:
Canada
England
France (all over)
Germany (lived there)
Switzerland
Italy
Spain
Netherlands
Belgium
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Denmark
Sweden
Austria
Hungary
Slovakia
South Africa
First time left side of the road was England about 10 years ago. Reserved a small automatic. Rental company "upgraded" me to a minivan. No way. Then they said they had an Audi diesel with a stick - the only thing smaller. Took it and had spouse chanting "stay left". Shifting with my left hand led to a few gear grinds, but wasn't bad at all. Overall I got used to the differences within a few miles. After a few more trips, it's pretty automatic when I switch sides.
My list is:
Canada
England
France (all over)
Germany (lived there)
Switzerland
Italy
Spain
Netherlands
Belgium
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Denmark
Sweden
Austria
Hungary
Slovakia
South Africa
First time left side of the road was England about 10 years ago. Reserved a small automatic. Rental company "upgraded" me to a minivan. No way. Then they said they had an Audi diesel with a stick - the only thing smaller. Took it and had spouse chanting "stay left". Shifting with my left hand led to a few gear grinds, but wasn't bad at all. Overall I got used to the differences within a few miles. After a few more trips, it's pretty automatic when I switch sides.
Nov 14, 2017, 9:34 am
#40
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,409
For me, four wheels only, automatic only, and almost always with AC:
USA
Canada
England
Portugal
Spain
Andorra
France
Monaco
Italy
San Remo
Switzerland
Germany (West, East, and Reunified)
Belgium (Dutch and French speaking areas, plus Brussels)
Holland
England (only--never Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or Ireland)
Liechtenstein
Norway
Denmark
Sweden
Greece (Rhodes only)
My only experience with driving on the wrong side of the road was in England, several times, but never in London.
USA
Canada
England
Portugal
Spain
Andorra
France
Monaco
Italy
San Remo
Switzerland
Germany (West, East, and Reunified)
Belgium (Dutch and French speaking areas, plus Brussels)
Holland
England (only--never Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or Ireland)
Liechtenstein
Norway
Denmark
Sweden
Greece (Rhodes only)
My only experience with driving on the wrong side of the road was in England, several times, but never in London.
Nov 14, 2017, 9:56 am
#41
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Koblenz, Germany
Programs: Emirates, Turkish, OmanAir, Lufthansa, United
Posts: 11
My List
Spain
Switzerland
Austria
Germany
Czech Republic
Kuwait
Oman
Malta
Isle of Man
Ireland
Greece
Turkey
USA
UK
Worst experience: Turned in a rental at Hertz Frankfurt Airport, realized a box of red wine was still in the trunk. Hurried to counter to alert them and were promptly told "nothing was found" as we heard employees clinking glasses in office behind the desk. Never again Hertz since then. Shameful.
Slowest service: Econocar, Kuwait International Airport. Generally, all Middle Eastern car rental agencies operate at the speed of molasses in January, "club" member or not.
Worst rental car: Spain - after our initial vehicle, Seat Ibiza, gave out on drive from Barcelona along the coast, we got a Skoda Fabia with an anemic 1.0-liter 3-cylinder engine in it. While comfortable enough, the slightest hill meant patience, patience, patience.
Switzerland
Austria
Germany
Czech Republic
Kuwait
Oman
Malta
Isle of Man
Ireland
Greece
Turkey
USA
UK
Worst experience: Turned in a rental at Hertz Frankfurt Airport, realized a box of red wine was still in the trunk. Hurried to counter to alert them and were promptly told "nothing was found" as we heard employees clinking glasses in office behind the desk. Never again Hertz since then. Shameful.
Slowest service: Econocar, Kuwait International Airport. Generally, all Middle Eastern car rental agencies operate at the speed of molasses in January, "club" member or not.
Worst rental car: Spain - after our initial vehicle, Seat Ibiza, gave out on drive from Barcelona along the coast, we got a Skoda Fabia with an anemic 1.0-liter 3-cylinder engine in it. While comfortable enough, the slightest hill meant patience, patience, patience.
Nov 14, 2017, 10:59 am
#43
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: South Florida
Programs: Delta Skymiles
Posts: 192
Right side
US
Canada
Mexico
Belize
Costa Rica
Panama
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Venezuela
Peru
Chile
Argentina
Brazil
Morocco
Spain
Greece
France
Left side
UK
Jamaica
Australia
NZ
South Africa
Namibia
Kenya
Japan
Thailand
Malaysia
Right side in left side car (Micronesia runs on used Japanese cars)
Federated States of Micronesia
Palau
Northern Marianas
US
Canada
Mexico
Belize
Costa Rica
Panama
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Venezuela
Peru
Chile
Argentina
Brazil
Morocco
Spain
Greece
France
Left side
UK
Jamaica
Australia
NZ
South Africa
Namibia
Kenya
Japan
Thailand
Malaysia
Right side in left side car (Micronesia runs on used Japanese cars)
Federated States of Micronesia
Palau
Northern Marianas
Nov 14, 2017, 11:23 am
#44
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: PBI/MIA
Programs: AAdvantage Gold, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Gold, Skymiles, Mileage Plus
Posts: 397
USA
Canada
England
Ireland
Greece
France
Belgium
Luxembourg
Germany
When I was driving in Ireland, I told my wife and son they had carte blanche to yell LEFT!!! if I was driving on the wrong side. It happened only twice; once in the rental car lot at DUB, once coming out of a roundabout in rural County Cork.
Canada
England
Ireland
Greece
France
Belgium
Luxembourg
Germany
When I was driving in Ireland, I told my wife and son they had carte blanche to yell LEFT!!! if I was driving on the wrong side. It happened only twice; once in the rental car lot at DUB, once coming out of a roundabout in rural County Cork.
Nov 14, 2017, 12:18 pm
#45
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 6,344
UK, Australia and New Zealand.
I don't like going to places without public transport and I dislike taking taxis.
The only other countries I ever intend to rent a car in are Iceland, Canada and Oman, because there are specific places I want to go which won't ever be served by public transport, and by the time self-driving cars are around I might be too old to enjoy the trip...
I don't like going to places without public transport and I dislike taking taxis.
The only other countries I ever intend to rent a car in are Iceland, Canada and Oman, because there are specific places I want to go which won't ever be served by public transport, and by the time self-driving cars are around I might be too old to enjoy the trip...