Sorry if this has been covered before.

Advice on vehicles please! We hope to be moving out soon and living in the uplands around Tryvana/Veliko so will be getting a 4x4 - but if as we are advised they are cheaper in UK, with a wider choice, is driving RH drive 4x4 with their higher up driving position ok - or is LHD the best choice? Thanks for inputs from those who have had both!

John

Well, I have both styles..Jeep Cherokee and Peugeot sedan which are both RHD. I also have a Nissan Patrol and a Toyota Yaris, both in the LHD versions. Both of the 4wd vehicles will , and do run rings around the standard versions. Visibility is the big thing, as well as the ability to never leave you stranded in crappy weather. RHD vehicles will always have a much lower resale value over here, so please never be sucked into thinking that you will sell for a profit if you choose to go that route. Example: I recently watched a mate of mine sell VW Toureg, for which he paid 18000 pounds in the Uk, get just over 10,000 pounds here.

To answer your question..go LHD.

It makes no difference what car you drive but in my opinion you must drive a car befitting the Country you live in . E.G. UK RHD Bulgaria LHD

A major problem here would be trying to overtake and not just other cars/ lorries, but the occasional Horse/ Donkey and cart are common place. You either have to rely on a passenger to let you know if the road ahead is clear or if you are driving on your own then put your car in a position where it is at risk from on coming traffic. A major cause of accident here is head on collisions caused by overtaking or speeding .
You will also need to be aware that cyclist ride on either side of the road with no lights whatsoever

Generally the Bulgarians are not bad drivers they just drive badly

Agree with Tony overtaking is the main thing to consider, and I think you may find insurance is cheaper too.

davshaz wrote:

Agree with Tony overtaking is the main thing to consider, and I think you may find insurance is cheaper too.

I've heard you can't get more than 3rd party for a RHD in BG. Is fhis correct?

Thanks for all replies

John

I think that is still the case? when I first arrived with my car from the uk this is what I was told but I've changed mine now so I'm not upto date but I'm sure someone else will know.

tonyb60 wrote:

It makes no difference what car you drive but in my opinion you must drive a car befitting the Country you live in . E.G. UK RHD Bulgaria LHD

Spot on Tony.

Obviously it's going to be easier to get around in a LHD vehicle over here, but if circumstances mean that you're stuck with the RHD, then there are a few techniques you can learn to keep yourself safe on the road. One of the most obvious, and unsafe things I see almost every day is drivers who move right to your rear bumper and duck out to pass at the last moment...driving a RHD like that is going to end in tears sooner or later. I stay back 30 or 40 metres where it is very easy to drift out towards the centre and get a clear look at oncoming traffic..if it's clear ahead, complete the move, if not, drift back into position and wait a bit. Because a lot of drivers hog the white centre line, it's usually easy to have a look down their right side, especially when there is a curve in the road. Many 4WD's sit much higher than a standard car which gives you a good view over the top of the vehicle you are following.

Above all, common sense must prevail and never allow yourself to become frustrated. As I stated earlier, I drive both types over here, often changing from one to the other a couple of times per day and after six years with many many kilometres under my belt, have yet to have any close calls which have been caused by the position of the steering wheel.

It's like any driving technique whether it's LHD or RHD so long as you are sure and safe in what you are doing it does not matter either way. If your driving a RH drive vehicle when over taking you just have to drop back a little further than with a LH drive car for better visibilty when over taking and if in doubt chicken out!I have a Mitsi bushi truck and I find it no problem driving it over here but size does make a difference as not to many people tail gate me and you have better visibility.I don't find a problem with the Bulgarian drivers as they are OK and they actually use their indicators here where as in the UK a lot do not.So it's not a case really of LH drive or RH drive it's about your driving capabilities and if you think that a RH vehicle may be a problem then buy a vehicle over here.