• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

T1 driving in the UK, fingerprick versus Libre

Antje77

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,097
Location
Friesland (the Netherlands)
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
I know the basic rules:
- Check at least every 2 hours.
- Eat something when between 4 and 5.
- Wait 45 (?) minutes before resuming your trip after a hypo has been treated and you've risen to at least 5.

Is this still fingerprick only or do they accept Libre readings?
And more importantly, if Libre says hypo but fingerprick says no hypo, does the fingerprick count? My Libres tend to read lower than blood and I'd hate to have to treat a non-existent hypo just to drive, I'm fat enough as it is.

Also, tips on how to survive driving on the wrong side of the road are very welcome...
As are random other tips on my trip.

Looks like I can finally make that trip to the UK which was planned for the spring of 2020!
So if you see a dirty little green Citroën C3 with yellow plates in september, give me room, I have no idea what I'm doing on the left side of the road!
 
I’ve driven all over the world, luckily you will finally be driving on the correct side, my advice for two reasons would be to hire a car, firstly because it’s always easier to remember you are on the correct side of the road, when you are also on the correct side of the car you are driving, secondly because why would you want to drive a dirty little Citroen? Don’t stress, it’s easier than you think, you get used to it pretty fast. Come and have a coffee if you pass through Surrey.
 
Athough I lived and worked in a number of left side countries (SA, UK, Mozambique) and right side countries (US, Canada, Ivory Coast), I have never driven a car that was not meant for that specific country). My only advice would be to be very cognizant of your immediate environment at all times.

An aspect that could potentially be very dangerous is crossing a street as a pedestrian, it is very easy to walk in front of oncoming cars. In right side countries, the rule is generally: look centre, then look left, and then look right. For left side countries, I suppose it would be: look centre, then look right, and then look left.
 
jape said:
My only advice would be to be very cognizant of your immediate environment at all times.
Click to expand...
I've already decided to paint a big red left-pointing arrow on my dashboard with the text "THIS IS LEFT!"
Fenn said:
secondly because why would you want to drive a dirty little Citroen?
Click to expand...
Because you're not allowed to paint big red arrows in rented cars!
jape said:
An aspect that could potentially be very dangerous is crossing a street as a pedestrian,
Click to expand...
I know, I visited London some 25 years ago. First 2 days were easy, just look to the other side you think you need to look. But by the third day I started to get used to it so I struggled to remember which way was the right way, and by the 4th day I simply didn't know what was left or right anymore.
 
Last edited:
I made the trip from the Netherlands as well in august 2016 and drove around the highlands and back to the ferry in Newcastle. I didn't have the guts to drive on the way up and my brother actually managed to cause a small one-sided accident in my car
My advice would be to go in your dirty C3. Why? Everybody sees you are a bl... foreigner and expects you to make mistakes

I got used to the using the wrong/right side of the road very quickly. The hard part is driving of the ferry when you get back!! To this day more then 5 years later I sometimes have flashes where I go "Ahhh!! I'm driving on the wrong side!". Which I'm then not actually doing... I live in the wrong country...
 
I'd hire a car with the steering wheel on the correct side for where you are driving. There is a danger of you driving on the wrong side of the road both when abroad and when you get back
 
jonathan183 said:
I'd hire a car with the steering wheel on the correct side for where you are driving. There is a danger of you driving on the wrong side of the road both when abroad and when you get back
Click to expand...
I think having the steering wheel on the right will make things even more confusing, in my own car I can at least find everything without thinking.
I also have to deal with anxiety, and my car is a psychologically safe place for me, which a rental car won't be. Which (apart from hauling luggage) is the main reason to bring my own car.
I can eat in it, smoke in it, even sleep in it without worrying about making a mess, and I can bring three times the amount of stuff I'll need. Which will definitely help with the anxiety: If I have everything I need in my car, I can simply escape people when it gets too much because I'll have food, a sleeping bag, a book and a flashlight.
 
I have only driven in Europe once, 16 years ago. Starting in a Renault Espace hire car at Rome Fumicino. Er, baptism of lava!
I was fortunate to be tailing a British expat driving to southern Tuscany. But I learnt one truly vital lesson from this - roundabouts! Think the exact opposite ; you give way to the people who would ram your door if you pull out incorrectly.
This worked very effectively for me. We are also riddled with speed cameras, although I have noticed that people are tending to drive more slowly since the price of fuel rocketed. Whatever you decide I hope you enjoy the ride!
 
Grant_Vicat said:
But I learnt one truly vital lesson from this - roundabouts! Think the exact opposite ; you give way to the people who would ram your door if you pull out incorrectly.
Click to expand...
I've already ordered one of those brilliant window patches to save me at roundabouts! (They can be used both sides depending on what country you're in. )

Grant_Vicat said:
We are also riddled with speed cameras
Click to expand...
No worries about that, I'm scared enough to guarantee not going over the speed limit!
Although now you mention it, it might be worth pasting a converting table on my dashboard. I lnow how long a mile is, but I'm definitely not up to calculating miles on the road signs to the km on my speedometer while conquering your left side driving!

edit: Can they even force me to pay if I drive too fast?
Last time I were in the UK is over 25 years ago (gosh I'm old!), if the next time is in 25 more years they'll surely have forgotten, right?
 
You may have a problem when overtaking as your view of oncoming trafic is restricted mind you this shouldn't be too much of a problem in a C3.
 
Please, kindly let us know the exact dates of your visit so we will stay at home.
 
Even we will have previous points deleted if we drive within the law for 5 years, In 25 years we will probably be travelling in UFOs! The Police can stop you and issue on the spot fines.
 
A kilometer is 5/8 mile, so for a very rough guide for quick easy conversion, 1km is approx half a mile and 1 mile is approx 2km. Something I learned as a small child living in Germany with a British army father (who incidentally always owned wrong-side-of-the-road-in-the-UK German cars).

ETA On reflection perhaps not really a good idea for estimating speeds as the differences between half and 5/8 would become significant at higher figures....
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi. Yes, hire a car if you can as it's easier/safer if the car is the right fit for the country. Ref Libre versus finger-prick I don't believe the law knows about such things. I think you just have to use common sense and judge what it best from the two readings. I gather the 4 to 5 aspect has now been superceded by just 5 upwards. A bit of a a pain but gives a margin for safety.
 
Daibell said:
Hi. Yes, hire a car if you can as it's easier/safer if the car is the right fit for the country.
Click to expand...
Good advice but not possible.
Robbity2 said:
ETA On reflection perhaps not really a good idea for estimating speeds as the differences between half and 5/8 would become significant at higher figures....
Click to expand...
I'll just make a little conversion table to put on my dashboard.
 
I took a blank address sticker, cut it up in arrowed strips and stuck them on my analog speedometer. If you still have one of those that is . What I also did was ride around with navigation software with enabled speed warnings (Sygic at the time). Takes the thinking out of it...

P.s. To which part are you going?
 
EBe66 said:
I took a blank address sticker, cut it up in arrowed strips and stuck them on my analog speedometer.
Click to expand...
Brilliant, will do this!
EBe66 said:
P.s. To which part are you going?
Click to expand...
Not sure yet, I'll take the Hoek van Holland - Harwich ferry and I'll be meeting up with friends but we haven't decided where just yet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…