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Is driving in Hong Kong difficult?

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  1. #1

    Is driving in Hong Kong difficult?

    Hey guys,

    New to the forum and I'm pretty familiar with HK since I visit once or twice a year usually for the past 5 years. However, this time, I'm thinking of driving around instead of taking the MTR and bus.

    I'm from North America, so I've been taught and driven on the left side my whole life. I'm wondering if will be difficult to adapt to driving on the right-side in Hong Kong when you usually drive on the left side or will it be a piece of cake?

    If anyone has any comments or suggestions, feel free to post em!

    Thanks!


  2. #2

    Join Date
    May 2015
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    I'm a North American who drives daily here. My thoughts relative to the USA...

    Switching from right hand drive to left hand drive not very hard. Takes a few days but you will intuitively adapt no problem.

    Traffic here is no problem compared to the average US city. Traffic flows very well overall and a traffic jam here usually amounts to 30 min or less delay... not too bad.

    People very drive slow & defensively here. Very few really agressive drivers

    People don't know how to use round a bouts. It's insane. Everyone hogs the outside lane the entire way around

    No one uses a turn signal

    people generally don't use the horn

    parking is very cheap ( relative to cost of living ) & easy to find

    overall I find driving here a lot less stressful than in cities like NYC and LA where I used to live. Frankly, it's one thing I like about living here. People drive sanely, there is very little traffic and parking is cheap & easy to find.


  3. #3

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    Driving in Hong Kong reminds me of driving in London.

    I've driven in a lot of Asian countries and it's nowhere near as bad as them...people call HK 'Asia Lite'...I think driving is worse in most southern and eastern European countries...

    I learnt to drive on the left but have never found driving on the right a problem, it seems to kind of be an automatic function of the brain somehow.

    I wouldn't be without my car in Hong Kong. Many will disagree but I find public transport very overcrowded and the mini-buses/taxis make me feel sick as well as scared.

    NeTWorKz and Alanerko like this.

  4. #4

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    I did get lost when I first came but after a while, one gets used to the system. Interestingly I find that it is the Hong Kongers that are not so adventurous and prefer not to drive to an unfamiliar destination, preferring instead to take the MTR.

    NeTWorKz likes this.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    The left-side right-side switch isn't too hard, just take care for the first couple of drives. Getting lost will probably be your biggest issue.

    NeTWorKz likes this.

  6. #6

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    One other issue is that signage is very poor here. Many signs are vague, don't give adequate notice and a surprising amount aren't visible due to tree branches blocking them.

    Find youself a good GPS system or do as I did and learn the hard way

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  7. #7

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    it doesnt matter how bad of a driver you are, no one will shoot you here.

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  8. #8

    Join Date
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    Sorry, have to disagree strongly!

    Quote Originally Posted by jmbf:
    Getting lost will probably be your biggest issue.
    Getting lost is very, very easy, getting back to known areas is extremely difficult with all those one way streets here. I rarely use GPS here though, I think Google might do the job. Used Nokia before (on WM) and that worked great too.
    NeTWorKz likes this.

  9. #9

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    Switching sides in the car / on the road is pretty straight forward. Hong Kong has good road markings so once you start it will hopefully be easy.

    Hong Kong is very safe to drive in and if you get lost you can't get into trouble.

    Work out where you could drive to and hire a car and just do it. I would suggest Brides Pool and Route Tw/sk

    NeTWorKz likes this.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Sep 2012
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    actually I am glad I got to explore by motorbike first - so when I got in the car for the first time I knew the roads..

    cos sometimes a missed turn can really mess you up!

    but a car will show you waht a small place this really is - and you will explore more.

    ppl yap on about taxi's but really its not the same.. altho if u just wanna go to a to b its prob cheaper ( gotta count the parkin eh? ) - but exploring the NT is way more fun in ya own wheels.. even HK island has some nooks and crannies..

    not many terrific roads here and local drivers drive like they are on the MTR - love being up each others arses and race to the lights.. not what I would called skilled with foresight.

    shri and NeTWorKz like this.

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