Top 'Must Know' things about hiring a car and driving in Barbados!

It's easy to hire a car in Barbados but here are some top tips if you haven't done it before!

1. In Barbados, we drive on the left-hand side of the road!
2. It's very hot here - no surprise there! So consider ensuring your chosen hire car has air conditioning (A/C) if you can't take the heat. Many hire car outlets rent roofless or convertable vehicles as well (Mini Mokes, Jeeps, etc) - it is wise to keep the hood up during the peak sun hours (11am - 2pm) to avoid heatstroke.
3. Hire cars will come with maps and Barbados is fairly easy to navigate - a lot of the fun of hiring a car is finding your way around the island and tripping over the lesser travelled spots. However, if you have a difficult time with maps you might want to consider the optional sat-nav systems. Failing that, stop and ask a friendly local, or, view the bus signs - 'To City' you're heading towards Bridgetown and 'Out of City' you're heading away from it!
4. Barbados has a lot of pedestration crossings - zebra crossings if you're from the UK - but many can be faded, keep an eye out for them on the roads (and the exit of roundabouts on the highways) as it's courtesy to stop for pedestrians. They're marked by black and white stripes across the road.
5. The Bridgetown one-way system can be a navigational puzzle sometimes, but there is no rush, if in doubt, go slow and watch the traffic around you closely, you'll find locals very patient with 'H'ire cars.
6. When heading to the north or the east of the island make sure you have enough fuel in the car, gas stations get a little sparse that way and you want to ensure you can get back to where you started.
7. Speaking of gas stations in Barbados, you don't need to pump your own gas, the vast majority of petrol pumps are manned and your gas is poured for you - no need to get out of your car.

Do you have any more top tips on driving in Barbados? Share with us!