Driving Around The UK
If you are a visitor or have moved recently, and not familiar with driving in the UK then you need follow the guidelines mentioned below to make sure you drive safely.
1. UK has left-hand drive: The most imperative thing to remember is that in the UK you need to drive on the left-hand. This is a tradition, which dates back to the time when horse carriages used to be the primary mode of transportation, and the whips the drivers used would hit pedestrians by chance. This gave vent to a law that all traffic must be driven on the left side, and all drivers must sit on the right-hand so that the pedestrians may remain safe.
2. Get an automatic: Since most UK drivers are familiar with manual driving, rental cars are generally manual transmissions as well. In case you are used to driving an automatic vehicle, you will have to denote when renting the car that you want an automatic one so you do not have to learn driving for a single trip.
3. U-turns: U-turns and three-point turns are allowed on UK roads, as long as the driver feels they can do so without putting anyone in danger. Make sure you watch out for this as it is fairly common to see people making u-turns in the middle of the motorway or highway and holding up traffic.
4. Parking: In the UK, it is allowed to park wherever parking is available. This specifically applies to sides of the road, and it is not necessary to park facing away from oncoming traffic. You might see cars parked facing oncoming traffic, and you should be prepared to have a car jump across the lane to grab a spot open on your side. However, don’t follow this example as you will not be used to it and might get in an accident. Keep parking as you would at home to stay comfortable.
5. Have patient: If you get to drive across the country, you may be stuck behind trucks and tractors since they are driving at an extremely slow pace. Although it may seem torturous, honking persistently will not do any good. For this reason, have patience and wait until you can go past them comfortably without putting anyone in danger.
6. Lay-bys: Since, a lot of the country roads are extremely narrow allowing only one car to pass, you should be prepared to have to drive onto, or even reverse towards the nearest, a lay-by which is a paved area next to the road. This is so that someone approaching you can pass by. Whoever is closer to a lay-by will be the one having to pull over, sometimes requiring you to reverse to it, and someone pulls aside to let you pass, make sure you acknowledge it with a smile.
7. Hedgerows: Hedgerows are found everywhere in UK countryside, which are used in place of fences.
8. Speed: The speed limit is 70mph on the motor way while you can drive at 40mph in the countryside and even lesser than in villages. If you do not follow this, you may end up being caught by a speed camera even in small villages, so be vigilant when it comes to the speed limit.
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