Driving in Iceland | Do NOT do this! 

as an icelander thank you for mentioning not to stop at the side of the road.

A tip regarding the sheep along the Icelandic roads: If you see a ewe on one side of the road and one or more lambs on the other side, SLOW DOWN TO A WALKING PACE! The moment the lambs notice the approaching car, they WILL bolt towards the ewe, straight across the road.

As an Icelander, I'd like to add two that need to be known: 1) if a road is closed, it's closed for ALL vehicles! Doesn't matter is you have a 4x drive, no one can use the road except for Ice-sar and police. Some people just can't swallow this thinking they´re better then everyone else with a 4x drive. You're not a special little snowflake *facepalm* 2) the inner circle in a roundabout has the right. If you're in the outer circle and someone in the inner circle wants to exit you need to stop and let them pass. I know it's the other way round in other countries. It's a common driving accident for tourists to crash into locals cars in the roundabout.

I would like to add that if you are not used to driving in bad weather or on icy roads don’t drive too fast. You might not see the ice either so if its cold make sure to look out for that and be careful. And if the road is icy DON’T PRESS THE BREAKS. Also watch out for reindeer’s in the winter especially at night because all you can see is the road when it’s dark and 30 reindeer’s could just come out of nowhere all of a sudden. So just drive slower than it says when it’s winter and it’s dark.

If you are planning on visiting Iceland please read this I am an Icelander and I am in general very accepting of tourists, but there are two things that constantly infuriate me. At the top without a doubt is when tourists stop on the side of the road. It is so ridiculously dangerous and I have almost had a car accident because of it on several occasions. Second is when tourists drive on roads or conditions they have no business being on. Roads, that are either marked as impassable (usually during the winter) or roads that their rental car is incapable of driving on, (usually applies in the summer). Driving on mountain roads, especially in the winter is something that should not be entered into lightly. It requires considerable general and driving knowhow, preparedness and equipment (which definitely includes a four by four on huge tyres that is capable of dealing with deep snow and has all the other equipment required in it. I haven't heard of a rental car like that yet). Tourists usually fulfill none of those requirements. Weather in Iceland during the winter can change on a moments notice and even if the forecast says all clear, tourists traveling on mountain roads often find themselves snowed in and trapped in stormy weather. It is a bit of a nightmare for the local search and rescue team. Please don't think I'm saying that all tourists are hopeless unprepared mountaineers that are incapable of driving in tricky conditions. But it doesn't really matter how good of a mountaineer you are if you're not familiar with the conditions in Iceland. I sometimes think car rentals should do a better job of explaining how dangerous it can get in the winter and how likely you are to damage your rental car or worse if you venture through tricky mountain roads in the summer

With the sheep. PAY ATTENTION TO BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD. If you see a lamb on one side, BE AWARE that the older sheep WILL cross the road before the younger one will and they don't care if a 1 ton metal slab is coming at it at to die for speeds... ALSO if there are sheep on both sides of the road THEY WILL cross over to the largest group, BUT if the ram is on the side with the lesser flock the other group WILL cross over to him. SHEEP DON'T CARE, WE DO. :D If you DO hit a sheep and kill it or injure it in a bad way, call 112 and let them know so that it can be reported to the farmer that owns it and leaving it on the side of the road is a health code violation.

We're going to Iceland on September and your tips are super useful! Keep 'em coming!

Another of Jeannie's advisory videos that is spot on! We just returned from a perfect July week in Iceland! Hoping to not hear anything from those traffic cameras!! And yes, gasoline is like 2.28Kr per liter which is about $8USD per gallon. However cost per passenger mile and the freedom to stop at every special place for as long as you want is worth it (compared to travelers being herded on and off a tour bus). Shop hard for rental car rates as there are over a dozen different agencies available there.

Thank you for the information. We are celebrating my birthday in 3 weeks time in Iceland and we are looking a lot of information that we could get. Thank you so much.

Thanks for the advice.

in addition to the tips, careful to the single-lane bridge, yield and just give way

Thank you for this. So many people want that Instagram photo so bad they lose all common sense.

Your videos and information are great! Your peppy personality makes your videos fun to watch. We are headed to Iceland in two weeks!

Another great video Jeannie :D

one thing u should highlight too is the single lane bridges, those really freaked me the firsT time but eventually its all abt patience n manner.

Thanks for good and logical tips, I appreciate all of them!

Great tips! Thank you

How long does it take for a non stop drive around the ring? I heard 12 hours

I got to Iceland yesterday and it has been two yesterday and the number of traffic circles have more than doubled. Took 41 from KEF to Reykjavik and well you could get dizzy.

I could really use a video on camping in Iceland. Where to do it, and the laws. A buddy and I are going next may and we'll only be camping 1 night in each stop. Your videos have been great!

Hi! I've found your videos very useful and ispiring, thank you for all the useful info and tips! We are gonna get your eBook for sure as we are planning to do the entire circuit. We are arriving to Iceland on the 30th of March and leaving on the 14th of April and we decided to rent a 4X4 and went with a Land Rover Discovery - while they adviced is good enough, there was an option for a Jeep Wrangler - is the Discovery good enough to drive around Iceland during April?

Jeanie, your videos inspired me to rent a car on my trip in Iceland when I was there in October for a one day stopover (in lieu of doing the safe and easy tour). I'm so glad I did this, BUT it was not without its challenges. Being jet-lagged and learning the roads on my first ever attempt driving in a foreign country was, well, interesting. I did a day trip of the Reykjanes Peninsula before heading to Reykjavik to spend the night before catching a flight the next morning. Here are some of my observations from my one day drive around the Reykjanes Peninsula and driving around in Reykjavik. 1) Despite your warnings, people DO stop in the middle of the road and don't seem to care if they're blocking traffic. I encountered this a couple of times. It's shocking just how the mesmerizing scenery will make drivers do insane things! 2) Drivers are aggressive the closer you get to Reykjavik despite what I've heard and you've said about Iceland drivers being courteous. I was going the speed limit, and people were speeding past me, cutting me off, and generally road raging and bullying me because I was "in the way." Something I'm not used to. But I'm also a more aggressive drive back home. Maybe they knew I was a tourist in my Toyota Yaris rental car and this was my initiation? 3) Driving in Reykjavik was a nightmare. Google maps is not reliable in Iceland. That led to some frantic moments navigating busy Reykjavik traffic, driving narrow streets for almost an hour because Google maps is glitching out, and even ending up on a street that was dead-ended for construction by a giant pile of asphalt with no warning signage for street closure. There's construction everywhere in Reykjavik, and Google maps is struggling to keep up. 4) Since we're on the subject of Google Maps, I almost missed my shuttle to the airport from the car rental drop-off early the next morning because Google Maps kept routing me on roads near the airport that don't even exist. Luckily I was able to stop and look at a paper map and make it just in time. The moral of the story is have a PAPER MAP for wherever you're going and don't suffer like I did. 5) I would do it all again and can't wait to return for a longer road trip! If you're a good common sense driver, driving in Iceland is manageable. Just take it easy, don't do anything foolish, know how to drive a manual transmission, and prepare to navigate dozens of roundabouts as you are driving into Reykjavik!

im from iceland and she is so right

Thank you for telling me about the speeding tickets. Probably would have got one.

In regards to no driving off road/parking on the side of the road - I have heard lots of people repeat this that you should not stop at the side of the road, and that you should find somewhere to pull off and stop, but is it clear where you can pull of to stop, or does that count then as driving off road? I hope that makes sense. I've heard of people pulling off in places that look like parking off the road, but then slapped with a huge fine as it counted as being off road.

actually the speeding tickets just got raised 1st may. if you drive 160 on 90 road its 240.000 isk witch is about 2.400 dollars

Do you need an international license to drive in Iceland and how old do you have to be to rent a car in Iceland?

Hi, thank for the video, i have a question btw, what is the tolerance speed in Iceland? you mentioned 90KM is limit speed. does it mean 91KM the Speed Camera will catch me?

What was the website that helps you see all the road conditions?

Jeannie, I'm taking my family to Iceland, on our way to continental Europe, at the end of the month. I'm staying in Akranes, which is NW of the capital about 45 minutes. Any tips for the area or just in general?

hello jeannie, Bob here from the Netherlands. At the end of May we have planned a 14 day tour in Iceland with a rental car. for the preparation I have seen almost all your RU-vid videos and learned useful tips from them. I have 2 questions maybe you can answer them. - is the use of a dashcam allowed? - which water is best to drink, from the tap, from the bottle of the store or from streams, I quickly get upset stomach greetings Bob and keep posting videos on youtube

can you go over the road signs, i noticed the one way or do not enter are completely different and i accidentally went down a one way road, got the strangest look from a senior gentleman and also the amber or yellow coming on before the light changes to green, so odd but really helpful

Thank you. I get gas card from different gas companies and that help me keep the tank full.

Iceland is a good place to visit and. I have been there. People r helpful. All rolls there in Iceland are for safety reasons not for annoying.

do you have websites or car rental companies you recommend? So many to choose from?

Can you post a video on how to purchase gas? I've heard that people have a lot of difficulty with this. Do people from Canada get pre-paid cards? Heard that Visa doesn't work there.

Hi Jeannie, another great video. What month does Iceland start to turn from Amber to its lush Green?

I *may* be going to Iceland in like a year lol but I'm already searching the internet for info cause I'm inpatient

Iceland sounds like where i need to be right now.

I like Iceland's road signs, and in mainland europe too, but it's like a blast from the past back to the 80's - Speed Racer - Go Speed Go!

Do the locals get mad if you're driving slow?

Only saw one! speeding camera in 2 weeks and 4500km of driving. This one was nearly the airport :D

So if I get a flat tire I should keep driving and avoid pulling off the road to fix it 🤔

Hi Jeannie! Is there any website or any kind of fact collection for natural sites that charge entrance fees now? I’ve heard that e.g. the Stokksnes peninsula, Seljalandsfoss and Kerið charge parking or entrance fees like almost all Icelandic caves (but of course only a little). Are there other places that charge money by now as well?

if you go on the main highways.. it's never more than 100km between gasstations.. that's like what.. 60 miles :)

Is you have an emergency, like your tire pops etc do you recommend pulling to he side of the road then or is it typical to stay in the lane?

As a german who has lived in Iceland there is also one thing to mention: if a sign says "danger" or something along those lines, in Iceland they mean it. !

One way bridge crossing was biggest thing for me... and it is not mentioned here at all...

I agree Jeanie, just some common sense and not too much to ask for for visitors.😯

I am planning a trip to Iceland and your channel has been ever so helpful to watch. I would rather take local transportation than renting a car and driving, so how is the bus transportation between towns?

Can you do one how to avoid rental car scams

Where do you park your car in Reykjavik Centre if you're staying in a hotel with no free car parking spaces

Can you make a video on how to pump gas in Iceland? My sis and I got lucky last time someone just came to help us lol

Hello, Does anyone know if I can drive in Iceland for 4 days with my Mexican driver license (card is in spanish only) or do I need any kind of validation / translation in order to use it there?

Do not use turn lights, no one is using them in Iceland, it's best to just remove them from the car to make it lighter.

Do you give tours?

Could you do a video on the puffins? We are going to Iceland in June and want to know all about them!

Next year in June will be my first visit, I am a little nervous to drive myself around, and was hoping I can take shuttles instead.... what would you recommend knowing this information?

Does Iceland have a Highway Patrol to assist stranded motorists ect?

thank you

Good video, but you forgot the most important rule of driving in Iceland. Do NOT drink & drive. They will come down on you hard if you get caught ( as they should). I saw a lady get a $1,000 fine for dui, & that was in 1983.

"speeding cameras aall oover iceland" hahaha! umm noo most of them are actually in the few tunnels we have aand there are only 3 others going the entire circle one way, only situated in the southwest corner lol

You cannot make a right turn on red in Iceland. On the Ring Road there are VERY few toilets, as in hours apart. Take a can, toilet paper with a trash bag (as you can't bury in hard lava fields), and a bottle to pee in. Maybe wear diapers! Haha! I resume driving the Ring Road tomorrow and I will not drink 2 hours before! Seriously!

Im going to Iceland in 2 weeks time. I was going to hire a car to get around (only there for 3 days) so didn't want to be on long tours each day. Think i might give it a miss though.......

how are the roads on september?

How often do the Police check Driving License

What side of the road do they drive on ? You fail to mention it anywhere in the video !

Thanks. I will go there. ^___^. Hope we will meet in one day

We are leaving in a few weeks for Iceland :) this is a great to know what to do and not to do :)

The no right on red law really screwed me over lol

From everything I have heard in videos on visiting Iceland it sounds way to complicated a place to go. I'm staying home.

No Google Maps or Waze there?

Does your FB group still exsist?

The pictures you have of the roads are very accurately reflected in the mod maps of Iceland in Euro Truck Simulator 2. The snowy ones in particular! If someone wants to practice Iceland driving at home.

I am from US, I'll be stopping on the side for pictures and drive off-road!!!

I would say that almost every road sign is in English also.

can we drive at night??

Do cars really flip over in Iceland?

U are missing the turirist that are popping on the side of the road but thanks for the things you said

There are many unappealing aspects to the notion of living in Iceland, but this video reminds me of what piques my interest in being there (as well as the other northern countries.) Common sense seems to be at the core of life there. Part of common sense is acknowledgement of the fact that there are other people, and you're a part of that larger picture. (It doesn't mean people don't love you, it just means you're not the very center of all of reality.) There's lots to be said for the Mediterranean countries, but I think of the Spanish expression "Viva yo!" ("Long live me"). That beloved expression is uttered when you want to do something that you know perfectly is destructive of society at large, but you want to do it anyway, so you holler "Hooray for me" and vault the fence. It's colorful. It's romantic, dramatic. It's also stupid, and I'd love to live somewhere where everybody knows dumb when they see it, and they understand that there's more than ME. Alas, I suspect that Icelanders stop at red lights at 3:00 AM, and wait for the green, even if there couldn't possibly be a car around for miles. My New York perspective thinks that's a bit much -- but it is a kind acknowledgement of the fact that the law is the law, like a little tribute to the Great Spirit, if you know what I mean. And, you know, when people exercise common sense and common decency, you don't need skillions of regulations detailing every possible situation that arises. Commitment to the spirit of the law at the individual level makes enforcement of the letter of the law lots smoother and cheaper than "Oh yeah? There's no law against it, so sue me!" I could give up tomatoes in winter for that.

Thank you for the videos! Does anybody know if it is illegal to sleep over in a car in Iceland in May-June? Many thanks!

WOW

Lapel mic?

Hi

lol the citizens drive like 40 kph faster than everyone else

Helvítis túristar

You literally told us everything that everyone should do and every country around the world. I was hoping to learn about the roundabouts

From India

Once a wise old man from Quebec Canada told me not to drive abroad

3:01 This is in The Netherlands ;)

Just saying you can stop on the side road if it’s like in the country or like where is not much traffic

roads.is no longer works

Mit liv min dod min AA it's the

I feel so bad after reading most of this comment because I'm Chinese too , but I believe most of the "Chinese" that never follow the rules are always from China.

2:55 you want to have your headlights and seatbelts on. How do you know what i want???? I dont

It sounds as if this video was filmed in a bathroom.. . . .Great tips.

I am Piter

Do donuts on the side of the road..

I am driver

I'm actually really looking forward to the day when not so many people are visiting Iceland. It is becoming quite uncomfortable.