We drive on the right...

Sorry coudn't resist. Basically if you treat every other road user as an idiot - especially in August, when we are plagued by thousands of visitors from the north of Portugal - take your time, and don't let other drivers fluster you, you should be okay. Rules are basically the same as the UK, be very careful at roundabouts though, as a lot of them don't have a clue how to use them.

Good Luck

Watch the turnoffs on the equivalent to our motorways...sometimes they have more than one feed off, get the wrong one and you can end up going in the opposite direction to that intended.

Some of the signposting leaves a little to be desired especially at roundabouts, you may not know which junction to take till your you are actually going round it.

However we've found the Algarve quite pleasurable to drive round, the roads being generally good.

Have you ever driven a left hand drive car on the right hand side of the road before?

The first time I ever drove on the right was in the Algarve and there was only one problem for me. Where the hell was the right hand side of the car in relation to the massive drainage ditches which run along the side of the roads?

The solution was to adjust the right hand door mirror so it showed the right hand side of the car and the road edge. Problem solved.

Nowadays I drive more in France than the UK, but in my own right hand drive car so the location of the kerb is no longer an issue. Reckon I'm ambidextrous driving-wise!

Peter

Same here Peter we have a british registered car down on the Algarve and hubby is well used to it. Me i dont drive over there (Aint got enough bottle), too much like madness. They say pace of life is slower on the Algarve compared to U.K. but when driving their skills come into touch they are much left to be desired, they drive like mad people, no courtesy whatsover, and road markings are either worn out or non-existant & how stupid is a pedestrian crossing directly after a roundabout (Dont get this in U.K.). but has the saying goes, (when in Rome do as the Romans do) Maybe France is better.Cheers Jayjan

Just keep your wits about you all the time and it helps if you have another "driver" looking out for you as well. Never had any problems in Portugal driving, just watch for the aforementioned zebra crossings, be careful at roundabouts and keep up with the pace.

Take a trip to Cyprus and drive there, everything is easy after that, much fastness as they say

Lummie

Thanks for your replies

My husband is doing the driving, he drove in Florida last year, it was hard for the first 4 days or so but he got used to it.
I will be that 'other driver' then we will have 5 arguments from the airport to the villa.

Ha ha ha Ali, you sound like me and my hubby, as he does all the driving, I am constantly telling him to watch this and watch that, and we end up with tempers frayed, not speaking for an hour or so, he says who's driving this bl**dy car me or you, Please watch the zebra crossings though they are directly before and after a roundabout and can take you aback, otherwise as other members say keep your wits about you and leave nothing to chance & dont take any notice of the impatient drivers who bang on their horns. Enjoy your experience. Cheers Jayjan

he does all the driving, I am constantly telling him to watch this and watch that, and we end up with tempers frayed, not speaking for an hour or so, he says who's driving this bl**dy car me or you

Glad it's not just us!!!

I don't think the Portuguese drivers are that bad. In our experience they are fantastic at stopping at zebra crossings, even when you're just approaching the edge of the pavement. We can nearly always walk across the dual carriageway of the Avenida des Descobrimentos without waiting! The worst driving we've ever seen was in Madeira and Yugoslavia.

The one thing my hubbie is unsure about is what's meant to happen at those exit slips when there is an incoming slip road just before you are going to exit. I presume it's just a free for all but if anyone knows better I'd be interested to hear.