Driving in Ireland

Stay on the left side of the road - not the right!  Some people choose to bring cars from the US because they're much cheaper or the brand or model is not available in Ireland.  But remember - you have a right hand drive for driving on the left.  And if you pay cash at toll booths or need to pull a ticket to enter a parking garage, you're on the wrong side of the car so you better have some long arms!!  Apparently you can get the steering wheel changed over though.  Seems like a lot of hassle.

Unfortunately for US citizens, you cannot exchange a US drivers license for an Irish one.  I've heard it's because your license is granted on State by State basis - who knows? Go to www.RSA.ie to review the current requirements for new drivers in Ireland.

In summary, you need to start this process by taking a computerized theory test where you must get 35 questions out of 40 correct in order to pass and this in turn allows you to apply for a learner permit.  I was amused to see that in a room of about 6 people testing I was easily the eldest by about 30 years!  There were some test takers in their school uniforms and that made me feel ancient.  I sighed a breath of relief when I passed this first hurdle on November 8, 2023 but knew I had to get cracking with lessons and pass my actual test and have license in hand before August 2024.  Why? Because car insurance companies will insure you on your American license for up to one year only. 

Thankfully there are some exemptions as a result of having driving experience from another country.   The mandate for learner drivers is 12 lessons and you can't take your test any earlier than 6 months from when you receive your permit.  I turned my US license in to the NDLS (National Driver License Service) in order to qualify for 6 lessons and have the 6 month wait restriction lifted.  Next step was to get a replacement license from New York in order to continue to drive without restrictions.  If I can't get on a motorway, then I can't visit my family or friends on the other side of the country!

I started lessons with a lady in Bray who specialized in teaching on automatic cars.  She too had lived abroad and we had many lively chats during our drives.  I applied for my test online in late December and was invited to book my test in early March.  In late April I took my driving test in the center in Dun Laoghaire,  after much angst about the maneuver known as Reverse Around the Corner, something that does not exist in the US and is a bit dangerous in my opinion.  Sure enough I failed my test  - not because I couldn't reverse around the corner but more so because I didn't check my blind spots and mirrors enough - and I even got penalized for going slightly over the middle line when I drove around a bend...what can I say - the roads are narrow and my car is big!

Back to driving school I went. This time I needed to find a way to embrace mind over matter.  The day of my second test came round.  It was July and I knew if I failed I wasn't going to have another try for a couple of months and my insurance would lapse.  Woke up at 5am for a 10am test.  Listened to the meditation recording my manager had so kindly provided.  Prayed I would get it this time - and I did!  It felt amazing.  You can predict exactly who passed by the look on their faces when they leave the center.  As I entered to sign in for my test an older gentleman from Nigeria I'd say came out beaming.  I took the chance to  congratulate him and he thanked me.  

Prepare to spend a lot of time on the road in Ireland.  During my first year here I  clocked about 16,000km.  Back in NY I barely registered 4,000 miles in one year. If you don't live close to a motorway, it takes a while to get places.  And even when you do live close to a motorway, it takes a while to get places...