Driving on Left Side of Road | Left vs Right Hand Drive Rental

Newbie Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 1

Heading to GC in May for the first time and needed some advice. Looking forward to testing out my skills at driving on the "wrong" side of the road. Very Happy

Since we'll be driving on the right side of the road, I had assumed it would make the transition easier if the rental car was right-hand side drive. But when I look at Andy's, most of the rentals say they are left hand drive (ie - same side as here in the US)

In my opinion driving a left hand drive car on the right side of the road would make things even more confusing. No? I wanted some opinions for those that drove on GC and had to adjust to driving on the right hand side of the road, what type of car made the transition easier - left hand side or right hand side driving. Thanks!

Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 12:04 pm Post subject:

Hi prestocj! Welcome to the forum. I drove a left hand side car when I was down there and caught on pretty quick. The hardest part was trying not to mix up the windshiled wipers with the blinkers. I kept on turning on the wipers every time I wanted to use the blinkers. I don't think I ever figured it out. Also, just keep on thinking LEFT! That will make sure you're on the right side of the road. Good luck trying to find out how to open the gas tank as well. I had to ask a local as I couldn't find the lever.....it was under the mat on the passenger side....I would have never found it! Enjoy your trip and remember........think LEFT!

Banned Joined: 15 Feb 2005 Posts: 183

I've driven both left & right hand sided cars on GC...you'll quickly get used to whatever you rent. My husband actually finds it easier driving ones with the steering wheel on the left!

Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 12:37 pm Post subject:

We have driven both, and actually prefer rental cars with the steering wheel on the right hand side of the car (opposite from here in the US). That puts you at the center of the road, similar to the way we drive here in the states.

We also rented from Andy's and we ended up with a Nissan Sentra which had the steering wheel on the left. The next day we inquired about getting a different car with the opposite steering, and they did say we could check back and switch if we wanted to.....so, they do have them. We actually didn't do the switch.....we decided that we were just fine with the left hand drive.....you have to be a little more careful when you are making turns....it's hard to explain.

Anyway, I can't remember the kind of car that Andy's has with the right hand drive.....I think it starts with a "c". (I don't know my cars very well, sorry).

Char

Native Joined: 15 Feb 2005 Posts: 1230 Location: Ohio

We rented a right hand drive Suzuki Alana (I think it was called) from Andy's last June and I loved it. It was a 4 door with a cd player and I thought driving "felt" better too when you were sitting toward the center of the road like you are in US when driving on the right. It doesn't take long to realize that the left turns are the easy ones and the right turns are the ones you have to yield to oncoming traffic on - just the opposite of what we are used to.

I was the only driver for the first few trips, but now both my husband and I drive - just be careful. Once late at night we met someone on the road driving at us on the right! Luckily we had warning and blinked our lights trying to alert the driver to the problem, but he kept going so we just pulled over till he passed. This was in the East End district, not SMB area.

Edited to add for newbies - I mention that this happened in the East End district only because it was an empty road, so this would be unlikely to happen in busier areas like the SMB area. When you're in traffic, following the other cars sure helps you remember which side to stay on! Laughing

Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:05 pm Post subject:

I also preferred having the steering wheel towards the middle of the road, right hand drive, in Grand Cayman. The only problem I had was the windshield wipers kept going on every time I signaled a turn. nono1

It was a little scary the first time out, but you get used to it pretty quick.

Alan

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 11:50 am Post subject:

My husband does all of the driving for us while on vacation. He has driven both, and he felt it was easier with the wheel on the left.

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 12:09 pm Post subject:

I rented a Suzuki Samarai in St Croix with right hand drive and a stick shift. Shifting is a lttle trickier with the left hand, but not too bad. But I stayed up half the night before wondering if they had swapped the pedals as well!! Luckily, they didn't. Would have made for a bizarre dance.... dancing

Newbie Joined: 29 Aug 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Chicago

OK, the ultimate silly question. If given the option at rental agencies, what kind of car do we drive in the states, right or left hand drive?

Also, are soft top jeeps safe to park and go shore diving or do we need to zip it up?

If we do need to zip it up, is that a pain? Should we just rent a convertible car?

I'm a Cayman Virgin........thanks for any input!

Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 9:37 am Post subject:

Hi jennabird,

Wow! You leave tomorrow! How exciting.

No silly questions here --- in the states, we drive [b]left[/b ]hand drive cars.

As far as zipping up your soft top or whatever.....just use common sense and don't leave anything of any value out visible in your car. If you have a sedan, put everything in the trunk. Don't know what to do with a jeep. Cayman is very, very safe, and the people are wonderful and trustworthy, yet you still don't want to put temptation right out in plain sight.

Not sure if that answered your question or not....

By the way, I prefer driving a right hand drive car when driving on the left, as in Cayman. It's really a lot easier.

Have a great trip!

Char

Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:34 am Post subject:

Jenna,

We rented one of the soft top jeeps and ended up exchanging it for a convertible after a few days. We found that the Jeeps were old and difficult to zip up but the biggest problem was that on the few occasions that it did rain, the Jeep leaked.

The convertible was much easier to drive and close up of course, plus a bit more trunk space.

Have a fun trip.

Heidi martini

Newbie Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Posts: 15

I plan on renting a van for the day and taking the family (total of 7) to Rum Point and other locations off of SMB. I am renting from Andy's, using my CAG discount code but wanted some advice.

Andys has both left and right hand drive vehicles. Personally I have never driven on the wrong (err...sorry) the left side of the road before but have been to the Bahamas several times and been in vehicles that do so. I believe I can get used to it rather quick but wondered if it was easier getting a vehicle that is right side drive or left side which I am used to.

I understand from reading other posts that the right side drive gives you much better visibility when wanting to pass cars. With a large family I doubt if my American speeding ways will be so prevalent.

Thanks for everything.

Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:31 pm Post subject:

Welcome to the forum, fittestsurvive Smile

,

Well, it's truly a matter of personal preference, but I think you'd do fine with a right hand drive. It doesn't take much getting used to at all, and it really makes more sense to have right hand drive when driving on the left. It's not just for passing, but just overall visibility....making turns and everything. Think of if this way....you might think that it's opposite of what you're used to here in the states, but having your "shoulder to the middle", as they say, would be exactly the same as we drive here.....therefore, it really will seem more normal. Otherwise, you're sitting way over on the shoulder of the road.

We always request right hand drives, but the size car we wanted to rent from Andy's only came in left hand drive....so, we managed.

If you get a right hand drive, count the number of times you and your passengers go to get in the car, but get in on the wrong side! I guarantee you.....it will happen a dozen times! That, and turning on the windshield wipers instead of the turn indicator Jump

Sounds like you've got a good attitude about learning to drive on the left...you'll do fine!

Char

Like Char said, it would make more sense to get a car with the steering wheel on the right, but we wanted a convertible and they only had left, and we did fine. With getting a right, we thought it was just another thing that we weren't used to. Just remember when starting out to say to yourself, "Stay left, look right".

Bonnie

Native Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 2034 Location: Illinois

I think with the steering on the right, it's a little reminder that things are a little different.

You don't do much passing in Cayman---

Shelly :-)

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