Driving on the Unusual Side
Three lessons in change management from driving the wrong way.
I’ve had my driving licence for 17 years, yet I almost entered a roundabout the wrong way. It wasn’t alcohol, it wasn’t sleep deprivation, it was Ireland.
When I travel abroad, I often rent a car, as it helps with logistics. My default is driving on the right side, so driving in LHT (left-hand traffic) like Ireland or Malta was a challenge.
Driving on the other side is one of my favourite examples of change management. These aspects are transferable to any kind of change: it doesn’t matter if you are trying a new habit or changing processes inside an organisation.
Driving Lessons
Start Small
When I approached the car, I went over to the passenger’s side instead of the driver’s side. It’s all flipped inside, except for the pedals, thankfully. I had made it easier for myself by picking an automatic car. I’d recommend this to anyone driving on the other side for the first time.
In Practice: When implementing changes, make it incremental, so it’s easier to control. When you want to learn how to walk in barefoot shoes, it’s good to start 20 minutes a day until your feet adjust. Instead of changing the whole technology stack, start with one component of it.
Follow Others
I wasn’t sure if I was up to the challenge of driving abroad on the wrong side, but I thought: I’ll just do what others are doing and we’ll be fine. And yes, following other cars on complicated crossings helped a lot. However, I ended up entering the car park exit the wrong way a few times when there was no one to follow.
I tried to remind myself every time the road was empty with no reference points: Am I keeping left?
People’s behaviours are contagious. When leading and introducing a change, find early adopters and work with them closely so others can follow them.
In Practice: If you want to change, find people who have transitioned, and follow them. It’s easier to adapt when people around you are already adjusted, share a certain hobby, or behave in the way you want to change.
As a popular saying goes: We are the average of the few people we spend the most time around.
Remind & Repeat
The airport in Dublin has impressive infrastructure for car rental companies, and the car parks are the biggest I’ve ever seen. Reminders to DRIVE LEFT and KEEP THE LEFT SIDE are everywhere, from stickers on the car windscreen to signs on the roads. I believe they were just as helpful to other tourists as they were to me.
It was difficult for the first few hours of driving, but then my brain got used to it. I only had problems with it at the start of a new day or after a long break.
But reminders work best when combined with repetition. A persistent issue was the rear-view mirror. I was searching for it up and to the right instead of the left. However, on my second “unusual-driving-trip”, I got better at every aspect of driving, including finding the rear-view mirror in the right spot.
In Practice: Communicate frequently, as one reminder is not enough. Overcommunication beats one-off messages, as people are not listening as much as you think. Repeat behaviour to get better.
Final Thoughts
Both Ireland and Malta had something else in common: many narrow roads, especially in the countryside. Driving on a different side was challenging but rewarding to see many beautiful places which were difficult to access without a car.
After my first trip, it was no longer anything scary. I described my next trip to Malta (the driving part of it) simply as a fun mental exercise to recalibrate my brain. It’s a reminder to give scary things a chance, even if you almost enter the roundabout the wrong way.
When did you last try something the “wrong” way round?
Thanks for reading,
— Michał
P.S. The majority of the world’s countries and population drive RHT (right-hand traffic). However, as I’m right-handed, it felt more natural to keep the dominant hand on the steering wheel, so the other could switch gears and make adjustments.
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I’m the opposite. I grew up and learnt to drive in LHT. But even now, 13 years after moving to another country and driving in RHT, when I’m tired I still get in the passenger side or reach for the gearstick and hit the door instead.
So I’d add: make sure you are in the best condition to lead through change, because fatigue has a way of pulling us back to what feels familiar.
Love this framing, Michał - driving on the “wrong” side is such a vivid way to teach change management. Also, thank you for the shoutout!