Driving Around The UK
If you are a tourist or have recently shifted, and have never driven in the UK then you must follow the advices stated below to ensure you have an accident-free time here.
1. UK has left-hand drive: First, you need to bear in mind that UK traffic system is left-handed. This system has its roots when horse carriages were widely used for traveling. The drivers would often hit the pedestrians by chance while using their whips. This lead to the formation of a law that all traffic must be driven on the left side, and all drivers ought to sit on the right-hand to ensure safety to the pedestrians.
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: you can park anywhere on the road. It implies parking on the sides of the road, and there is no rule to park facing away from oncoming traffic. Cars are parked facing oncoming traffic, and you should at your toes to get hold of a spot open on your side. Yet, it is not recommended to do so as you might not be familiar with it and thus may involve in an accident. For this reason, it is advised to park, as you feel comfortable.
5. Be patient: If you are driving across the country, you will often get stuck behind trucks and tractors that are driving extremely slowly. While it may feel like torture, you can't make it better by honking endlessly, so take it easy and wait till you can overtake them easily 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 maximum speed you can have on the motorway is 70mph, while in the countryside it is 40mph and even lower in villages. If you over speed, a speed camera may trace you even in small villages, so be cautious in this regard.
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