Driving in Iceland

I won't lie: It has been a bit stressful. Without McKelvie to help navigate and Google Maps to tell us where to go, it would be a disaster.

In general, driving in Reykjavik is a lot like driving in Wichita. I've gotten used to the different colors used for street and highway signs and the different shapes for speed limit signs. Icelanders also paint arrows on the roads earlier to give drivers more warning for upcoming turns, and I like their stop lights better, even though they aren't located above the intersections where I expect to find them. Entrance and exit ramps are better protected in Iceland too. I've even gotten used to kilometers per hour rather than miles per hour.

BUT...While the drive was beautiful today, the highway between Reykjavik and Gullfoss was more like Brenham Blacktop in many places - no shoulders and no drainage. The 90-minute drive home in the rain was no fun. So. Much. Hydroplaning.

Icelandic highways also follow the land. They don't cut straight through, so roads meander. You have to pay attention - there are no straightaways.

And now that I can handle an Icelandic roundabout (There were 14 total this trip!), I'll probably cause a wreck the next time I have to go through an American one. 😝 I also encountered my first one lane bridge today.

Icelandic driving rules aren't hard - they're very similar to American rules - but these special situations, like the roundabouts and one lane bridges, can be scary the first few times.Read more