Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
•
The Complete Road Atlas of Ireland
by Ordnance Survey (€10, handy ring-binder
style,1:210,000scale)isthebestIrishroadmap,andincludestranslationsofIrish
place names on the last pages. It covers every road your car can wedge onto. Flip-
ping to the next page of an atlas is easier to manage in a cramped front seat than
wrestling with a large, ungainly folding map. Buy the atlas at the first bookstore
or gas station you come to.
• Study your map before taking off. Get a sense of the areas you'll be visiting, as
road numbers are inconsistent.
• Road signs can be confusing, too little, and too late. There are three main kinds of
signs: (1) Those with white lettering on a green background are found on major
routes and give distances in kilometers. (2) Signs with black lettering on a white
background are older and trickier: Distances shown with a “km” following the
numbers are in kilometers, while distances with nothing following the numbers
are in miles (and are slowly being phased out). (3) Brown signs with white letter-
ing alert drivers to sights, lodging, and tourist offices.
• Figure out your lights, wipers, and radio before you're on the road.
• Adjust your side-view mirrors and get in the habit of using them. Many are
spring-loaded to snap back into place (a pragmatic solution on narrow roads). Get
comfortable with the sound of vegetation whisking the side of your car (it rarely
scratches).
• Drive with your lights on to make your vehicle more visible.
