Since Ireland's public transportation is not famous for its efficiency or reliability, renting a car is a great way to see the country, especially if traveling to several destinations within the country. There are several things to consider when renting a car in a foreign country and below are a few tips of information to make the process a little easier.
Where to Rent a Car in Ireland
Depending on the flight time, having the car rental arranged before hand has some benefits. However if taking a red eye that lands before 9 am, be sure to check the times of the rental desks, as many don't open before that. Some companies do offer early hours, though knowing which before booking will alleviate waiting four hours for the keys.
Some of the better-known companies, such as Enterprise and Hertz are viable options for the early arrivals, as well as offer a more efficient service. While overall, more locally based companies may offer a few dollars per day lower cost, the hassle is not worth the little money saved. County Car Rental, while their service is friendly, is more inconvenient than the 10 Euros saved. Their office is not right at Dublin Airport, which causes one to have to rely on a shuttle and their office does not open until 9. Aer Lingus' daily flight which lands at 5 am puts one there well before the open time.
Some Things to Consider When Renting a Car
Driving might seem like a natural endeavor to those above the age of 17, however several factors need to be taken into consideration when driving in a country whose vehicles "keep left and pass right." First off, in the event one is exploring solo, a GPS system is not a bad investment. For about 9 dollars a day one can rely on personal navigation at all times, which comes in handy for country drives where a single car may be the only one on the road for an hour at a time. On the other hand, some of the fun is stopping along the way to ask for directions; therefore a navigation system will alleviate that.
If one normally drives an automatic transmission at home, be sure to specify this on the rental contract, as many European cars are standard stick shift. Automatics usually cost a few dollars more a day and are not as efficient on gas, but if one is not comfortable driving stick, rent the automatic. Remember that in many places, as in the US, one must be 25 in order to rent a car. It is also a good idea to check with the home insurance company to see what they cover as far as driving in other countries and rentals overall. Be sure to take out the proper insurances so that the car and driver are covered in the event of an accident in the vacation destination.
Driving on the Left Side of the Road
The most noticeable difference when driving in Ireland is they, like the English, drive on the left side of the road. This means that what is known about driving has to be reversed in one's mind.
First off the driver's side is now on the right side of the car. This also means that one passes on the right, and the right is the fast lane. If driving on a major highway, all merges are from the left side, therefore be sure to check both blind spots.
Many roads are also very narrow, therefore when two cars meet, they cannot pass each other unless the other moves over. Remember that when pulling over, do so on the LEFT, even though the first instinct is to go right.
Road Rules of Ireland
When driving in Ireland one must remember that its rural setting lends to situations where there are very few traffic lights, since for many areas, they are just not necessary. With that being said, the intersection roundabout has its own set of rules. Enter from the left and yield to oncoming traffic from the right.
Regarding signage, speed limits are posted in kilometers per hour instead of miles; so don't get too excited when you see 100 on a signpost. No, this is not the autobahn; 100 km/h is about 60 miles per hour.
Renting a car is a great way to see the beauty of the Emerald Isle. However, with any international car rental, there are a few things to take into consideration before grabbing the keys and going for a drive. Knowing a few tips about driving on the left as well as which car companies to rent from will surely make the drive through the country both a memorable and enjoyable one.
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