What It Was Like Driving On The Right Side Of The Road For The First Time As An Australian

Over the years, I’ve done all kinds of driving tasks that have challenged by abilities. I’ve done hot laps on the race track, gone off-roading on chunky trails, and even tackled the harrowing motorbike swarms of Vietnam. And yet, in all these years, I’d never driven on the wrong side of the road! This month, adventure demanded I learn how—and it was both easier and harder than I thought it would be.

This adventure was spawned thanks to the love I have for one of music’s more obscure and forgotten genres. This past month, I completed a lifelong dream and finally made it to Europe, heading over for a small tour that would see me perform at a grassroots chiptune festival named Wood Chip. Nestled deep in the Danish wilderness, I needed both transport and lodgings for my campsite. A campervan seemed the obvious solution.

This was all well and good, and I made my bookings with excitement. Only, come the big day… I realized I’d given myself quite the challenge. Not only would I be driving on the wrong side of the road, but I’d be doing so in a vehicle a full 90 inches wide. Oh, and it was a manual for good measure. Tally ho, then!

The camper I’d selected for our journey was a hefty beast. I’d initially hoped to find something small, compact, and modern. Perhaps along the lines of a nice VW ID.Buzz with a nice mattress in the back. However, Denmark is a small country, and there simply aren’t a lot of people renting out campers to weird obscure musicians. I had to take what was on offer.

What I wound up with was a full on motorhome. Based on a 2005 Fiat Ducato, this beast weighed a full 6340 pounds, while standing over 9 feet high and 23 feet long. The benefit was that it came with a shower and a functioning toilet, along with gas heating and beds for three. The drawback was that it was huge, hard to maneuver, and not exactly easy to see out of. I was in a small European country and it felt like I was being asked to drive a slightly smaller European country. Or some kind of embassy, at least.

My fears were manifold. I figured it was pretty likely I backed in to something or ran over a few mailboxes on our way to the show. I had concerns about keeping this behemoth in the lane lines on tight Danish roads. My biggest fear, though, concerned coordination. I worried whether I could teach my right hand to shift through the gears, when it was my left that usually handled those duties back home in Oz. If shifting gears wasn’t second nature, the rest of the driving task was going to be so much harder.

Still, needs must and all. I got behind the wheel, checked the mirrors, and got going.

Driving on the wrong side of the road for the first time. Oh, and I picked a motorhome.

Challenging?

Yes. Yes it was.

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— Lewin S. Day (@rainbowdefault.bsky.social) June 23, 2025 at 6:14 PM

Right away, I was amazed at several things. For one, the Ducato’s clutch and shifter were a pleasure to operate. I’d expected to have a hell of a time trying to launch the heavy camper from a stop, but it was never a problem. Smooth on the third pedal, and the diesel torque ensured we were away without a fuss. My right hand, too, had no issue finding the shifter on the dash. It fell easily to hand and I had no problem walking the van up to second, third, and fourth.

However, I also learned that size does matter. The huge camper towered over everything on the tight suburban streets. I thanked the automotive gods I didn’t need to make any three-point turns as I gingerly inched past parked cars on either side of the road. Each turn was like threading a needle, until the relief of getting out onto the more open main roads. Of course, salvation was brief—I only had ten minutes to get my bearings before we had to peel this thing out on to the highway.

As we approached the on ramp, my strategy was clear. I’d use the best of my driving skills, honed on the aggressive roads of the east coast capitals. One must be clear of intention and decisive if one was to merge safely on to a fast road. I wound the Ducato past 3,000 rpm as I thrusted through the gears, keeping a stern eye on the traffic as I slid on to the highway. Once we’d made it on, my dedicated partner played navigator and spotter, regularly shouting “KERB!” every time I veered too far towards the gutter.

This part of the highway? No lane lines.

“Should we reduce the speed limit?”
“No, why would we do that?”

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— Lewin S. Day (@rainbowdefault.bsky.social) June 23, 2025 at 6:23 PM

Highway travel was surprisingly okay. My lane keeping was acceptable, and I managed to keep weaving to a socially-acceptable level. The Ducato could handle 100 km/h (60 mph) while the fastest traffic roared past closer to the limit of 130 km/h (80 mph). I even managed a couple of overtakes on curiously slow traffic without bringing the Danish road network to a halt. At one point, we came across a section of highway with no lane lines—and I like to think I managed it with aplomb!

It was only on the last stretch of our journey that I was faced with my most hellish challenge. We had to wind down some country lanes that were surely less than two lanes wide as we made our way to the festival spot. The huge girth of the Ducato proved problematic, as I gingerly eased it over crest after crest. Thankfully, we didn’t come to grief, and the handful of other motorists gave us a wide berth when we passed. It was only one particularly hurried bus driver that nearly spent my security deposit when he narrowly avoided clipping the rear end.

All in all, my first experience driving on the wrong side of the road was a harrowing one. It was 55 minutes of white-knuckle action, forever flipping between checking my six for incoming bogies and then flipping back to make sure I was actually staying in a lane. Still, we made it to our destination, and I learned plenty in the process. I then proceeded to set up camp, have some dinner, and played an incredibly fun set in the depths of the Danish night. Couldn’t have done it if I didn’t get there in one piece!

There were parts I found easier than expected. I thought it would be a struggle shifting a manual transmission with my hands swapped around but it was not a problem in the slightest. I had it right in seconds and didn’t make any mistakes. At the same time, there were things I found harder than expected, too. Mostly the positioning of the vehicle in the lane. To be honest, though, I suspect a great deal of that was because the campervan was simply so large. A smaller vehicle would have been far more comfortable, particularly given the size of the lanes in Denmark.

My advice would be simple. If it’s your first time driving on the wrong side of the road, consider being kind to yourself by picking something small and simple. Still, if you’re a masochist, go and get the biggest motorhome you can find and throw yourself to the fire and flames. Hopefully, like me, you’ll make it through unscathed.

Image credits: Lewin Day