Driving in Britain

[eetonaee]

Wondering if anyone has some interesting stories or advice about driving in Britain for those of us from North America who aren't accustomed to driving on the left side of the road.

 

I think I'd be like Homer Simpson or Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) spending most of the day trying to get out of a traffic circle in London.

 

We're spending some time in England before leaving on a cruise from Barcelona.

I'm tempted to rent a car for a day to drive some of the country roads that look so appealing in the movies.

[English Jane]

My advice would be avoid London and other major cities - anywhere else, town or country, should be fine.

Just remember that hire cars are usually manual gear change - you would need to specify automatic if that's what you are used to.

Jane

x

[lord of the seas]

Please do not come to England and drive,you must enjoy yourself whilst on vacation,not invite problems.

[The Monocled Mutineer]

You may want to look at my thread on this part of the forum posted 8 May. The scenic route down the Bourne and Test Valleys may meet your criteria (the country roads, rather than the "rush" of the motorways) and would be a pleasant way of making your way from London (I presume this is where you are staying) to Southampton (I presume this is where you are sailing from).

[MacThespian]

Wondering if anyone has some interesting stories or advice about driving in Britain for those of us from North America who aren't accustomed to driving on the left side of the road.

 

I think I'd be like Homer Simpson or Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) spending most of the day trying to get out of a traffic circle in London.

 

We're spending some time in England before leaving on a cruise from Barcelona.

I'm tempted to rent a car for a day to drive some of the country roads that look so appealing in the movies.

 

1) If you can drive a stick shift, get one; it's much cheaper.

2) If there are two adults, make one the driver and the other the navigator. That way the driver only worries about the road ahead, while the navigator can work out where you should turn (e.g., get out of the traffic circle at 10:00).

3) Don't drive in London. If you don't plan to stay in London, pick up your car at either Gatwick or Heathrow and drive from there. (I've done it both ways, and driving in London is nerve-wracking, even for a born New Yorker.)

4) Read the pamphlets the car rental places (and probably travel agents) have on motoring laws.

5) Count on doing the same number of km per day in the UK as you do miles per day in the USA.

 

It's not as bad as it looks.

[giggster11]

Driving in England definitely calls for more attention for the obvious reason of being on the other side of the road, the other side of the car, and in most cases having a manual shifting with your other hand. I've enjoyed the times I've driven there, especially the small country roads but make sure you're alert as there may be times where you and your car will be quite intimate with the hedges on the side of the road as two cars pass on a very narrow road. Nothing too much to worry about. Enjoy England and your cruise!

[pcur]

We just got back last Wednesday from our trip, and it included 5 days post-cruise in England. We rented a Smartcar (very fun car), which was an automatic. I agree that driving a manual transmission on top of everything else would be difficult, so requesting an automatic would be my first suggestion.

 

My DH had absolutely no problem at all driving on the left. I kept a little chant going the first few hours when we would come to a roundabout (intersection) or were pulling out into traffic: "think left, think left, think left". It helped, and within a few hours he was a duck in water.

 

Now, the BIG problem is navigation. It takes two Americans to drive one car in England. Absolutely, driving in the UK is very confusing for Americans, so here's some more suggestions:

 

Get a DETAILED map book. Ask the car rental place if they have the equivalent of a Thomas' map book. We bought another more detailed one of the Coventry area once we were there, since that's where we stayed for 4 days.

 

You must tell the driver what's coming up ahead, and what they are to do, especially at roundabouts. It's like the face of a clock: "in at the 6, out at the 3" means wherever you go into the roundabout is the 6 on the clock, and then you are telling them which exit to take at the 3 o' clock position, or what ever number on the clock's face corresponds to the correct exit.

 

Roads are numbered: M's are big freeways, then the A's and B's are smaller.

 

Look at the pavement in front of you in roundabouts for the lane with the road number you want. Helps alot.

 

Street signs are not too frequent, and then are not signs on the street but posted on buildings and fences, frequently hidden by shrubs. Look for them!

 

If you get on the wrong road, turn around at the next roundabout, go back to where you messed up, do THAT one again and get on the correct exit. I would advise AGAINST taking alternate roads to get to the correct road; just adds insult to injury.

 

Have a good attitude, it's an adventure, and as DH has been saying, "I saw a lot of beautiful English countryside......unintentionally"!!!

[DonLou]

I am brain-locked. I would never attempt to drive on the "left side" of the road - it is so completely alien a concept.

 

I can recall the numerous times I rode in the "passenger" side of a car in London and cringe, wanting to shout at the driver "You're on the wrong side of the road," or "you're turning into the wrong lane."

 

After driving about 1/2 million miles on the right side of the road, it's just too much for me to "wing it" on the left side for a few days. To paraphrase lord of the seas' comments - don't drive, enjoy your visit.

[skisteamboat]

One can always tell a non-Brit by the fact the windshield wipers come on when making a turn since the blinker stalk and wiper stalk are reversed from left hand drive cars. My first trip I was in deathly fear the clutch, brake and gas pedals would also be reversed but they are the same as a left hand drive car.

 

Other than that little quirk, its not really a problem IF you stay out of major cities like London, Manchester, etc. and don't try and drive after a long flight coupled with jet lag.

 

Cheers

[bigwally]

One can always tell a non-Brit by the fact the windshield wipers come on when making a turn since the blinker stalk and wiper stalk are reversed from left hand drive cars

 

Not for many years. UK cars started having turn signal and wiper stalks on the same side as LHD countries to comply with EU regulations in 1984. I've had Mini Coopers with both styles, and the earlier car I eventually did switch so that it would match the rest in the fleet because I was always doing just what you describe.

 

The only thing with turn signals on the left stalk and a manual shift car is that you have to remember to signal before you need that hand to change gears.

[goldencup]

Now even I'm confused (and I'm a Brit!). Both my cars are way newer than that and both have the indicators on the right-hand stalk.

[bigwally]

Hmmm, interesting. We had a long discussion of this on a Rover Group web site I belonged to some years ago. Perhaps I was mistaken and it just relates to Rovers? Though I've had Euro Box hire cars (mostly Fiats, but this last time I had a Smart ForFour) and they've always been kitted out like I'd expect them to be.

[Mabbiesmum]

If you want to get the most out of driving in the English countryside then buy an Ordnance Survey Landranger map of the area you are visiting.

 

http://leisure.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/leisure/ItemDetails.jsp?item=os_landranger

 

These show all those little winding roads that run between the major ones and are by far the most fun to get lost on.:)

 

They also show interesting places to visit, footpaths, country parks, resevoirs and all sorts of places off the beaten track.

[lucywestie]

:) I was born and raised in the UK but have lived in Canada for the last 10 years. My wife went back last year and hired a car. About a week after she left my mum in the UK gets a letter from the hire car firm stating that they had received a letter from Nottinghamshire Police that she had been caught speeding via one of their roadside radar cameras. The point of this story is that if you get caught the Rental car company will bill you approx $35.00 [nearly $80 canadian] just for sending you the letter. Not sure how big the fine was but I was able to speak to an officer with Nottinghamshire Police who told me to send a letter stating that my wife was from Canada and only there on holiday and they wiped the ticket as they have no way of putting points on her Canadian Licence!

As an afterthought even though I still have my UK license I got an international one through the CAA [Canadian Automobile Assn] which cost me about $30. Dont even know why I got it but all it really does is identifies what your US/Canadian license is equivalent to in certain countries round the world.

So there ya go, watch for the speed traps, dont get caught eating or drinking while driving and when on those narrow country roads watch out for the wing mirrors because when my wife lived in the UK she managed to rip them both off trying to avoid oncoming traffic...:)

[lucywestie]

Good grief, just saw the OP is from B.C and there was me explaining what CAA means..sorry about that..will teach me to look a lot closer in future!;)

[daiB]

1) If you can drive a stick shift, get one; it's much cheaper.

2) If there are two adults, make one the driver and the other the navigator. That way the driver only worries about the road ahead, while the navigator can work out where you should turn (e.g., get out of the traffic circle at 10:00).

3) Don't drive in London. If you don't plan to stay in London, pick up your car at either Gatwick or Heathrow and drive from there. (I've done it both ways, and driving in London is nerve-wracking, even for a born New Yorker.)

4) Read the pamphlets the car rental places (and probably travel agents) have on motoring laws.

5) Count on doing the same number of km per day in the UK as you do miles per day in the USA.

 

It's not as bad as it looks.

 

 

Hi all you potential UK drivers.

 

First of all MacThespian's last comment is true. Although by driving in the south east of England you are in the worst place for traffic, as there are more cars in this area, than anywhere esle in the UK. Sounds daft but if you have the choice then drive in northern England or Scotland for your first time.

 

You certainly will not be doing many km's per day as we still use miles.

 

I must admit that I do not understand most of your concerns as I have driven in the US and had a great time.

 

I have also driven in France/Germany/Holland and it is now very common to see cars from those countries in the UK coping very well.

 

I would admit it is much easier for us to go from 'shift' to and automatic than for you to do it in reverse.

 

 

:)Happy Cruising and driving:)

 

 

:cool:

Dai

[lisiamc]

Hmmm, interesting. We had a long discussion of this on a Rover Group web site I belonged to some years ago. Perhaps I was mistaken and it just relates to Rovers? Though I've had Euro Box hire cars (mostly Fiats, but this last time I had a Smart ForFour) and they've always been kitted out like I'd expect them to be.

 

I think you can still find a bit of both. We live in in the UK, and our cars are a 2-yr-old Ford and and a 9-yr-old BMW. Both have the indicator on the left, and the wipers on the right. I previously had an ancient Honda that was the other way round.

 

Also, for people thinking about maps, if you have sat nav, you could check to see if you could download the maps for the UK. We have a Garmin sat nav, and were able to buy and download North America maps. I would still have a good paper map available. Sometimes the sat nav has funny ideas of where to send you!

 

Lisa

[bigwally]

Yes, we can get Europe maps for a great many of the sat navs sold here. The more expensive ones sometimes come with, but those are definitely the exception rather than the rule. I think the cost for the maps as either a download or CD runs to about $150.

 

I personally don't have a sat nav. I use a copy of the Michelin 'Europe Tourist and Motoring Atlas', which cost me $24 at a local bookshop.

[bigwally]

dont get caught eating or drinking while driving.....

 

Or using your mobile phone, at least not whilst it's in a hands-free cradle.

[snaebyllej]

My experience with windshield wiper & turn signal switches is that European brands have them the same way as we're used to in the U.S., but Japanese brands (like the Toyota Yaris I had last week) have them reversed.

[judyzoo]

If there are two adults, make one the driver and the other the navigator. That way the driver only worries about the road ahead, while the navigator can work out where you should turn (e.g., get out of the traffic circle at 10:00).

 

 

The navigator's job is also to yell at the driver before he hits something on the left side of the road. Some of those roads are so narrow, and the driver isn't used to judging, from the right-hand side of the car, how close the car is to the left. DH (our driver) and I (our navigator) quickly discovered that there was not time for me to say anything even resembling "Move over; you're too close to the side" so we made the code word for this a hastily-yelled 'OVER!" I spent much of my time in the car leaning over toward the right, as if that would help pull the car to that side.

 

Seriously, if you take your time and -- as so many others have said -- don't drive in London, you should be fine. At the very least it will be an interesting experience. But do take a good map. If you miss an exit from some of the main expressway-type roads it's sometimes almost impossible to take the next exit and reverse direction to get back to the desired exit.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

To the original poster, I wouldn't try it for a single day, it's not worth it. Unless you're going to be somewhere already where it's not built up, and feel quite adventurous. And have that good navigator at your side to get you around the roundabouts, etc. And don't even think of going near Heathrow or a city of any size.

 

For a longer period, sure, then you have time to take it slow and learn. Although admittedly, when we've done it, it's been my husband who was doing the driving. The first time, we came straight off the plane from Toronto and jumped in a car to drive to Nottingham from Heathrow. That was a big mistake, sure would not do that again, especially with a hangover! Our friend sat in the back seat with his hands covering his eyes!

[susieh]

just a few extra words of caution related to rules in the UK.

 

It is illegal to use (ie touch) a mobile phone (cellphone) while driving - you can answer a call only if you do not need to touch the phone to do so. You can dial a number only if you can do that without touching the phone (for example if you have a blue tooth headset and voice activated dialing). There is a £60 ($120) fine plus 3 points if you are caught doing so.

 

It is also illegal to drink whilst driving - I don't mean alcohol - I mean for example that you cannot drink from a bottle of water while driving, you cannot eat a sandwich or an apple or anything like that either. You can smoke (which seems a contradiction as you cannot eat or drink).

[pcur]

DH just got through with a book that I have also read. It's called Hard Way by Lee Child. He's a Brit, and the series of books are FABULOUS mysteries. Anyway, the main character in all his books is Jack Reacher, a 6'5" ex-military cop. This book has him driving in England at the end of the book, on the M11 going to Cambridge, which is EXACTLY the route we took a few weeks ago. DH said he described the driving experience for an American to a "T".

 

Good book, and you'll read all about the driving!

[nellydean]

If we can drive for hours through a tropical downpour from Clearwater to Orlando, navigate an 8-lane highway in Santa Monica, meander the hills of San Francisco after getting lost from the airport, and drive all the way from Chicago to the Field of Dreams and back just to stand on a baseball diamond in the middle of Iowa, then you, dear American cousin, can certainly drive in our beautiful little country. But stay away from London, as advised, keep off the M6 if you don't like being sandwiched between lorries (it's the busiest motorway in Europe) and stop often to take in the views.

 

And, if you venture behind the wheel in continental Europe, NEVER, EVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, ATTEMPT TO DRIVE IN ANY ITALIAN CITY, AS THEY ARE ALL COMPLETELY MAD - THIS PARTICULARLY APPLIES TO NAPLES (where do you think they got the expression see Naples and die from?!)!

Have fun :)