Trek Guide

Driving on the left for the first time, and the moment it goes wrong

About 75 countries drive on the left, from the UK to Japan. The danger is not the motorway but the empty road after a stop, when habit pulls you…

By Anjali Shrestha · Sep 27, 2026

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About 75 countries drive on the left, including the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India and Nepal, and most drivers who grew up on the right adapt within a day. The motorway is not where it goes wrong. It goes wrong on an empty road, after a…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

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Which countries drive on the left

Roughly 75 countries and territories drive on the left: about a sixth of the world's land, a quarter of its roads and a third of its population. Many of them are former British territories, but not all — Japan, Indonesia and Thailand drive on the left too…

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What changes inside the car

The steering wheel is on the right, and in a manual car the gear stick moves to your left hand. The pedals stay in the same order, which surprises people: accelerator on the right, brake in the middle, clutch on the left. What flips is the hand you shift with…

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The rules at junctions and roundabouts

Keep left, give way to the right at roundabouts, and turn right across oncoming traffic only when there is a safe gap. The UK's Highway Code puts the basic rule plainly in Rule 160: "keep to the left, unless road signs or markings indicate otherwise", with…

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A first-day routine that works

Spend the first half hour somewhere quiet, and use the centre line as your anchor. The single most useful habit is to keep your own body near the middle of the road: you sit on the right, so the centre line should be by your right shoulder. Drivers who get…

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What about Nepal

Nepal drives on the left, but almost nobody visiting drives themselves, and we would not suggest it. Mountain roads are narrow, many are unsealed, buses and trucks set the pace, and landslides close roads in the monsoon. Visitors hire a car or jeep with a…

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What we would do

Rent an automatic, collect it rested and outside rush hour, and spend the first half hour on quiet roads with the centre line at your shoulder. Say "keep left" every time you pull away, especially when the road is empty, and let someone else navigate for the…

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Keep reading

Which countries ask for one alongside your licence. What the desk sells you, and what you already have. The number that decides what a claim really costs. Nepal's great drive, and why you hire a driver for it. Sources: Wikipedia, "Left- and right-hand…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

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