Contrary to what the Highway Code says, flashing your headlights or sounding your horn can mean everything from "Thank you for reminding me of my transgression, kind sir" to "Fuck you, you cunt! I''ll kill you and your entire lineage!" and everything inbetween.
If you only tap your horn it lets out a friendly toot rather than the angry blare if you hold it down. This can be used to cheerfully greet other road users or pedestrians.
I will take no further comments on this.
And for those lucky enough to have a horn button sensitive enough to facilitate a rapid-fire of short toots, this can also be used to convey laughter if you see a pedestrian walk into a lamppost or slip on a banana peel, for example.
Not a rule, but if you're driving through Glencoe you should take a picnic and stop for a bit. It's the most beautiful place I've ever seen, and I've seen at least 6 places.
You left out the amusing bit. I'm sorry if this is dark but it makes me laugh that it's nothing to do with body disposal laws. The reason it needs to be hush hush is that it's technically littering or flytipping and you can get taken to court and fined for it.
I heartily second this statement. I drove my parents through here and we didn’t stop because of schedule. I kept trying to see the full view through the windscreen and i wish we could have enjoyed it more.
Glencoe is amazing but please stop in one of the car parks or in the parking layby _on your side of the road._
I nearly got taken out on my motorbike 3 times in short succession thanks to morons crossing the lane to park in the opposite layby or by reversing out of the layby because it was probably too busy for them to stop but they wanted to stop anyway.
Just a warning the backwards peace sign in the UK means fuck off. If you're doing a two finger wave thing make sure your palm is facing forward to avoid any misunderstanding. Just mentioning it because I know an American who did it without knowing and was confused about why the other guy was so angry. Best not to unintentionally insult people when possible lol.
I remember a girl in primary school comeback from America and said she got in serious trouble with her parents copying these American girls.
And she also swore down that just holding up your pinky is just as bad as a middle finger in America.
Lol. A few years ago my little brother started doing it in photos because he saw Americans on TV do it, mum made me wait a while to tell him because she thought a 5 year old unintentionally flipping people off was hilarious. Eventually I had to though so he wouldn't do it at school.
This two fingered insult comes from the French during the battle of agincourt, they would taunt the English bowmen that they would cut off there bow fingers if they caught them !!!
I experimented with a thumbs up for a while. Not recommended *at all* except maybe once out of curiosity. We're that accustomed to raising a finger or at most a little wave that a thumbs up actually makes you feel a bit weird and as if you're about to completely forget how to drive.
I'd be happier with that than the nauseating Gareth Bale type double handed love heart.
What I'd really like to get back as thanks is the "dick in vag" two handed gesture. Just 2 ins and Outs I think - no need to start flirting.
Failure to wave at motorist letting you pass is punishable under section 221b of the highway code, punishable by firing squad outside Buckingham Palace or a night with Prince Andrew...
Depends on the finger. The middle one is unlikely to be appreciated. In case of doubt, palm out. It will confuse the natives long enough for you to escape unharmed.
That was a hard one for me, always look for the lights! There are seperate ones for the left and right sides many times. Also, I had a hard time turning at first because muscle memory would want to turn into the right side of the lane- I would say aloud to myself "tight left, wide right" at every turn. It doesn't take long to get used to, thankfully.
There's a short stretch of road in front of the Savoy Hotel in London that drives on the right instead of the left. It's a relic of the way Hackney Carriages used to work:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savoy_Hotel#Savoy_Court
The zipper merge thing is an issue. A lot of people want you to merge as soon as the sign for lane ending appears, rather than when the lane is actually ending. Basically, follow the crowd on this.
Country roads are often too narrow for cars to pass each other. When you meet someone one car has to pause at a wide spot or possibly one car has to reverse if the nearest wide spot is just behind them. Its normal to mount the grass verge, get your wing mirror in a hedge or pull onto a nearby driveway to solve the issue.
People cross the road whereever they feel like if they think the gap in traffic is big enough. Be prepared for that. If it's raining they do it more often.
When overtaking lorries they will often flash you. This is to tell you you're OK to move back in front of them, not becaue you've done anything wrong.
Parking rules are complicated. Look for nearby signs and read them carefully. Also
https://www.britishparking.co.uk/News/know-your-parking-and-traffic-signs
People drive pretty fast. If you don't feel like driving fast and there's a queue building up, pull over into a lay-by or side road and let them past. It's infuriating when a timid tourist on a country road does 45 for half an hour without letting people past.
You don't need to really go round mini roundabouts. Treat them more like a cross road where you give way to your right.
There's no need to come to a complete halt at give way signs or junctions.
Green arrows take precedence over red lights. A simultaneous red light and green up arrow means you can drive across the junction (but can't turn left or right) for example.
I was just about to upvote this comment, I think it's a great summary, but I strongly disagree with your point on mini roundabout.
Please don't just drive over them (assuming you're not driving a bus or something that can't make the turn otherwise!) It can be confusing for others around you and can cause accidents. The vast majority of people, where I live, at least, follow the rules and go around them. It takes like a single extra second, if anything and makes everyone's lives easier.
Yeah, I don't really mean drive straight over them, but equally don't nealty try to drive right around the tiny ones. More of a curve. And of course signal!
Just to add, on mini roundabouts try and keep two wheels to the left of it even if turning right, amazing the amount of people who just straight up go the wrong around it where I live.
>Basically, follow the crowd on this.
Absolutely not. Use all of the lane as much as you can. You can either merge in 2 miles from the lane closure and sit in traffic like a sheep, or you can use the whole free lane that's still completely legal to use up until the pinch point, saving you time sitting around in traffic for no reason.
Thanks you for saying this, it drives me absolutely crazy that people don’t understand how to do this properly. DO NOT follow the crowd. And if you do, well, I guess more lane space for those of us who apply critical thinking
Yeah, got an annoyed beep from a chap last week when I forcefully merged in front of him. As we got to the merge point, I could see him pulling right up to the car in front every time we moved forward. He'd probably sat in that queue for 25 mins, I'd been in it for 5. Twat.
Red X's are for smart motorways when there is no hard shoulder, if a car has broken down they have to park in the "left lane" and they have to rely on the surveillance cameras to spot the stranded car and close off the lane. Of course you can probably guess how moronic this is as most people will ignore the X above the lane and then crash into the stranded car.
Lmao no it's because drivers who have queued up for miles get butthurt over people using the other lane trying to merge, so they bunch up close and stop the traffic flow. If everyone in the queuing lane was chill and gave space the pinch point would flow nicely.
100% this - if people could understand driving at a constant speed rather than hard accelerate / hard brake every 10s it would be much smoother, leave a gap for someone who needs to merge because they’re not trying to annoy you specifically, just following the instructions - don’t like them moving quicker? Head on out into that lane next time and quit being an arse
Just to piggy back on the OP comment here re. Lorries, and as you've mentioned Inverness (my home town 😀): sometimes, if you're stuck behind a lorry and there's no overtaking lane, lorries may put their left indicator on to let you know that it's clear to pass them (in case they think you might not be able to see round them). I find that quite common on the roads around Inverness. Ditto for people in Caravans and Motorhomes who want to be helpful.
Of course, do all of your normal observations and don't feel pressured to overtake just because they do this - and ensure they're not preparing to make a genuine left turn pr to pull into a layby! You'll normally notice them try to move over a bit if they can, but usually they'll maintain their speed so you don't mistake it for a turn.
Don’t follow the crowd on a zipper merge use them as intended and merge at the point the lanes merge. This actually creates more capacity on the road and reduces congestion elsewhere.
This is the correct way to do it, but be prepared for the idiots who think you're pushing in and jumping the queue. Just remember they're wrong and you're doing the traffic a favour by applying logic and common sense. If they wanted to wait for the last 200m in the left hand lane, that's on them.
https://youtu.be/cX0I8OdK7Tk
>If you don't feel like driving fast and there's a queue building up, pull over into a lay-by or side road and let them past.
Repeated for emphasis. This is also a good time to check the map, swig a drink, have a bite to eat, and appreciate the countryside.
Contrary to popular belief BMW front licences plates are actually as big as they appear in your rear view mirror, and the head lights are set to automatically flash at 3 feet from the vehicle in front at 80mph.
Not an unwritten rule but good to know… never buy fuel on the motorway it’s always the most expensive. Supermarkets are easy to find and generally cheapest.
'flash people out' is common practice - so if you are at a junction waiting for a gap in traffic, you might find someone 'flashing you out' - the polite thing to do is nod thanks and slip in ahead of them.
If you are renting a car, most rentals are manual (stickshift) - if you need an automatic make sure you check they have them (even if you have booked one) - a few folks have told me they booked automatics and found there were none.
Cars are usually smaller, but use less fuel. However fuel is much more expensive. A range rover is a massive car in the UK, but looks quite small on US roads. UK roads are narrower and usually single lane except for motorways and the occasional dual carriageway.
Stay to the left on motorways unless over taking. Don't ever overtake on the left (this is called 'under-taking' in the UK) - it is dangerous as people expect the left hand lanes to be slower.
Don't honk your horn unless it's important (eg to alert someone about a danger). I am from.UK but live in NY and the horn abuse here is just tedious beyond belief. I haven't found it as bad in the rest of the US, in the UK it's pretty rare to need to use the horn, and leaning on it when another car has the audacity to let a pedestrian cross the road (like in NY) is unheard of in the UK unless you have a complete road rage type incident.
Have fun driving in the UK - usually it is a lot of fun, especially wind-y country roads.
Definitely agree with the horn thing. I spent the first couple of days when I was visiting the US in a permanent state of anxiety because I instinctively associate the sound of a car horn with the the possibility of imminent danger of death. Turns out a load of people just had their cars set up to make the horn sound when they unlocked them (which would in fact be illegal in the UK)!
Technically this is a written rule, but it seems a lot of people out there are oblivious to it so I thought it’d be worth mentioning…
Unless you’re overtaking someone:
# KEEP LEFT
There seems to be an increase of people who think that the middle lane on the motorway is like a ‘neutral’ lane that they have free rein to drive at 65mph in.
A lot of people are posting very much written rules here but here’s a genuinely unwritten rule that is super important.
A lot of country lanes in the UK are not speed restricted meaning the speed limit on them is 60mph. They are also often only wide enough for 1 car and frequently have completely blind turns. Just because the speed limit is 60 down them absolutely does not mean you should go 60 down them.
Any big flashy 4x4s that have never seen a fleck of dirt in their lives, too. Especially if you can tell they have those awful headlights whose lowest brightness settings are set to compete with a lighthouse trying to peirce through a hurricane.
1st, and foremost, condolences on your loss.
Secondly, welcome to the UK, and thirdly, don’t panic and feel you need to rush! Take your time, drive safely, keep your eyes open… You’ll pick it up easily if you’re a half decent driver.
If you stick to the limit, don’t give a hoot about anyone else. But remember you don’t have to go *at* the limit, go as fast as you feel safe going. A lot of our country roads have 60mph limits, but you’d be an idiot to even go at half the speed on some of them. As well as fixed speed cameras, we have mobile camera vans that sit at the side of the road (particularly in Scotland). We also have average speed cameras here, which will measure your speed over a set distance. Often it’s very easy to creep up over, so cruise control is good in those cases.
Please keep an eye out for motorbikes, sometimes, if you can and only if it’s safe for them to get past you, a quick indicate left shows you’ve seen them in your mirror and they may pass if they want to.
If you miss a turning, don’t panic! Chances are there’ll be another way back to where you need to go, or a roundabout further up the road that you can turn round.
Don’t pull u-turns at traffic lights, chances are there is a filter active on another lane. Speaking of which, be aware of specific directional filters (lit arrows) at lights, some just turn straight to green when other traffic is still held on red. One of the shortest measurable times has been proven to be the one when a horn blows from the car behind you after your filter’s gone green.
Jaywalking isn’t a thing here, we can walk anywhere we want (within reason & excepting motorways). Be aware of Zebra crossings in town, the ones with a flashing yellow light and black & white stripes on the road by them. If you see a pedestrian standing at one, please stop. Pedestrians also have priority when crossing junctions, so you need to let them finish before completing your turn. TL:DL don’t hit people.
They’ve also recently given more protection to cyclists, so treat them as you would another car and give plenty of space when overtaking them.
Our drink driving laws are pretty simple, technically you can have something to drink and still be legally ok to drive. The reality is, nobody knows how drink affects them, so for complete peace of mind, stay on low/no alcohol drinks.
I know I’ve missed loads out, but lots have been covered by other Redditors… hope all goes well while you’re over here.
Flashing your headlights means
After you
Thank you
Get out of my way
In some run down towns/cities be wary of people Infront of you pulling out of a junction/onto a roundabout and then slamming on the breaks hoping you rear end them, it's an insurance compensation scam. haven't seen it myself but plenty of people complain about it.
People turning right at a roundabout will often not signal until they are about to exit. At that point they will simultaneously indicate right (remain in roundabout) and leave the roundabout.
As mentioned elsewhere, this is not a problem with Audis and BMWs.
Be aware that although it’s perfectly legal a lot of motorists here in the uk (mainly older generation) believe that if you use a merging/ zipper lane you are in effect “pushing in” and you will be honked at and/or be pushed into oncoming traffic
Inverness will be a good place to get used to driving on the wrong side of the road, (I'm assuming you're from Canada or the US) there will be more traffic as you head south. It's difficult to find somewhere to park in the center of Oxford. If you're staying in a hotel, check if they have parking, not all hotels in city centres do.
yes i've made sure when we booked reservations to ensure where we were staying there was parking included or easily accessed nearby.
and i will be dropping the car off in oxford and taking the train from then on so that sounds like a relief.
However if you talk to people in Inverness they will complain about the terrible traffic since they put the one way system jn the centre. Traffic here is generally considered to be other people on the road.
Not sure if your route coming down from Scotland but I'd recommend to drive west across the Highlands, past the old man of stoor, then south down past Loch lomond. Its one of the best drives in the UK, so beautiful yet stark in some places.
If you find some time to divert into the lake district on your way south thats recommended too.
Be careful on country roads, many are unlit and very narrow with high hedges, especially in Wales.
I hope you have a fantastic time :)
i'm going inverness down loch ness to glencoe, then through loch lomond to glengoyne distillery and east towards berwick upon tweed.
thank you for the advice!
Do you mean Old Man of Storr (on Skye) or Old Man of Stoer (in Lairg)?
While both are great (my preference is Old Man of Storr on Skye), they are quite out of the way if OP is driving south on any sort of schedule - close to 3 hours each way of driving on small-ish winding roads. Stoer is quite far north and Storr is off the mainland, over the bridge.
If OP is taking a leisurely trip though and has the time, I’m with you. Spectacular places to visit!
Practice roundabouts, there are lots of them in the UK, and not many here in the states. The person on the roundabout has the right of way.
No right(left) turn on red.
I feel that pedestrians in the US get a better run than those in the UK, so as a pedestrian be aware.
No cell phones while driving, not just coz texting and driving is dumb!
wave/nod when people let you in or by, be wary of the fact that on lovely narrow roads where you are tempted to drive slow and take in the idyllic surrounds there will be loads of frustrated locals who are familiar with the area hurtling by at terrifying speeds. So just park as often as you can to take it all in, rather than piss off all the locals.
Look at the road markings when approaching a roundabout, they don’t all follow the same rules. If it’s different the markings should tell you. There’s one in my town, once a dude behind me followed usual rules which then resulted in him cutting me up and then start beeping and verbally abusing me 🤦🏻♀️ I was like yeah good morning to you too sir! 🙄
It’s written, but if you see a red ❌ overhead on the motorway, get out of that lane immediately. There’s a big campaign cracking down on this recently for people who keep going in said lane until they see a reason to get out of it.
Oh also, fuel stations here don’t have the option to let the car fuel itself with a switch on the nozzle, you have to stand and hold it.
On A roads, in and around villages, you may find oncoming traffic will flash their lights at you… This is usually a warning of something up ahead.
Examples could be letting you know there’s a police van with speed camera parked up, there’s been an accident, could be debris or escaped farm animals on the road etc.
•if your single and looking for a partner, tow a shopping trolley with several bottles of WKD in it this will signal a hormonal response from appropriate suiters. N.b. This only generally works in Norfolk and if your a bloke driving a costa
•on a motorway, drive at 60mph in the middle lane, the other motorists will give you vigorous gestures of encouragement to signal their gratitude
•when visiting either Scotland or north Wales, be at one with the nation by adorning your car with a simple white fabric square and a Red Cross that’s held up with a plastic pole on the door frame, these can be generally purchased from any Halfords or petrol station, coincidentally enough when a major European or international football competition is on, you will be amazed at how many people will give you a special wave! And remember “wanker” and “cunt” are terms of endearment!
•concerned about the rules and regulations of driving on British roads? fear not, most of these can be circumvented by driving a bmw or Audi, to be free of anything written in the Highway Code, get yourself a ford transit.
•be at one with the beautiful countryside as you drive through it, it is quite normal, almost expected, to leave an offering for a safe journey on the verge in the form of Maccies packaging, if your only visiting cities then an alternative is to deposit nitrous oxide canisters in a car park.
Generally....
In the UK they use the signal (indicator) before they move the car.
People will leave you space to merge and expect you to merge, followed by a wave in the rear view mirror.
If you adopt the mindset "after you" then you'll be fine.
My experience in the US is that generally people don't leave you space to merge, they never use their indicators and f\*\*k you if you think I'm not going first.
Clearly there are exceptions but as someone that's driven in both countries for 10+ years I have a reasonable level of experience in comparing and contrasting.
As someone who has lived and driven in both left and right side driving countries, I would advise that you should approach roundabouts with as much caution as possible, especially ones that aren't full of traffic. It's the thing that always breaks my brain for a second.
we have quite a few in the area i live and i've been logging hours into euro truck simulator to get the feel of it.
thank you for your advice as a seasoned driver.
Not an unwritten rule, but if you are going south from Inverness on the A9 remember *only some bits are dual carriageway* and foreigners die on it every year because they get confused, and they also kill locals.
If you are taking a more scenic western route: *look up how to navigate single track roads.* https://www.scotlandinfo.eu/driving-single-track-roads-in-scotland/?utm_content=cmp-true
Top up with fuel pretty regularly, it can be quite a distance between petrol stations in rural areas and quite stressful if it’s getting low. Some places you fuel then pay in the kiosk, others you can pay at the pump by entering your card first.
Parking charges can be paid via app a lot of the time, may be worth researching ahead where you plan to stop and see if they have info about which app to use. Make sure you have data on your phone to download this if you’re caught unawares, as some places won’t take cash at all any more. Have some change in the car for the places that do (£1 coins, 50, 20 and 10p coins, to the value of around £10).
Go online and check out the postcodes of places you want to visit, then use Google maps to find out nearby petrol stations, supermarkets and parking places and their postcodes. This is just overall useful, as having these to hand helps when planning your journeys.
Roads in urban areas can be visually quite cluttered, lots of signs, bollards, junctions, lights, crossings, humps, traffic calming measures, road markings etc. Just take it steady, pull over if you get overwhelmed. Keep to the speed limit at all times as there are cameras and speed traps everywhere, and honestly in built up areas there is so much going on around you that you need the reaction time.
Never, NEVER as a tourist try the M40/M25 junction. It’s around eight lanes of redesigned confusion…even the lorries opt out.
Also most hire cars are manual, so request an automatic. It will make your life easier.
Oxford is busy and confusing to most. Prepare for cyclists. 🚴♀️
Use the Park and Ride system. Peartree is usually okay.
I can't see this having been mentioned, but bikes filter!
So if you are in slow moving traffic make sure you are always looking in your wing mirrors to see any bikes that may be going past.
North American?
That kind of milage will be double the effort you might be expecting.
Roads here are busy. You have to pay attention.
I found driving in the USA infinitely less effort than motorway driving in the UK.
I believe article 4 of the highway code states that any person/s travelling on the roads or highways in a non/motorised vehicle must always be aware of the f*ck Ronnie Pickering is
driving on the right, hitting a motorcycle, claiming diplomatic immunity and flying back to america is generally considered taboo.
our lights have an extra stage i don't think america does.
red > red+amber > green >amber >red
red means stop. red and amber means get ready to go, green means go, amber means GOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO!
don't flip the v sign either. only 1 way round is an insult, but when driving it's hard to tell.
On the motorway a speed limit on the over head signs with flashing dots is advice, if the dots are fully lit, it’s the law.
Dip your headlights if anyone comes towards you in the opposite direction.
The default speed limit is 30mph unless you are on dual carriageways or motorways.
For any other speed you'll see regular speed limit reminders (red circles with a number inside). If you're using Google maps or a GPS (sat nav in UK terms) then that will usually display the speed limit as well but the devices won't _announce_ it, so have a glance and check every so often.
But, if in doubt, 30.
Two things come to mind. If you get stuck behind a slow moving hearse or funeral procession, don't overtake it. They usually have a second hearse waiting ahead with empty caskets for this reason. They will block the road bundle you and your fellow occupants into the empty caskets and then join the original procession following which you either be placed in the ground under the departed' coffin or they'll burn you alive at the crematorium. The other is, to use your handbrake at STOP signs.
It used to be an unwritten rule, but now it's bee written
Except on the motorway, you have the lowest priority of any road user
Pedestrians, cyclists, polluters in that order
Give way to people who aren't in cars
Everyone doing the same speed makes life easy and wonderfully simple on the motorways. Lorries overtaking people doing 50 is a pain, middle lane hoggers doing 65 makes me want to commit genocide
It is customary to stop when you come across large alternate white and black markings across the road, get out of vehicle and shake hands and introduce yourself to any pedestrians crossing the road there. Cars behind you will sound their horns as a way of appreciation of this normal curtesy.
Don’t block entrances, junctions, etc. (although driveways are fine). If traffic is queued back and you would be blocking it if you stopped, hold a little short. You’ll only lose about a car length and can move when traffic moves, but anyone turning in and out can cut through the gap.
I don’t know what it’s like where you’re from, but here in BC, people don’t care and when they drive they’re in a little bubble and fuck everyone else. Absolutely infuriating because back in Britain, people will let you out most of the time, whereas here you just get stuck because of someone who’s going nowhere.
The British are insanely aggressive about using the middle lane. They think it’s as dangerous as juggling chainsaws and believe the entire planet is also terrified of the middle lane.
Flashed lights mean you can go; not that you're about to be squashed. Also indicators tend to signal that the person is about to turn in a few seconds not two miles later.
Quite the itinerary.. Country roads are very narrow but there is always a way of letting an oncoming vehicle pass and vice versa (even though it sometimes looks impossible). There are normally little dirt laybys where you can budge over. If the vehicle is bigger than yours it's common courtesy for you to move out of the way, which means you may have to reverse to a layby if it's particularly tight.
going with a nissan qashqai specficially because its higher off the ground and its closer to what i drive here across the pond. i've lived rurally before and know how bad potholes can get both on gravel and asphault. thank you for your advice, i'll keep an eye out for any woomfs.
Most roads outside of towns are 60 mph. Most towns at 30 mph. There’s not a lot of signs telling you what the speed limits are. I had a couple friends from Canada visit the uk recently and they were very confused about speed limits. In the US and Canada speed signs are posted much much more frequently.
Taxi's are exempt from all rules and have ultimate right of way. If a taxi hits you, you are at fault, if a taxi suddenly pulls out on you, it's your fault. If you do get into an argument with a taxi driver, you will not win, as even though they don't have to follow the rules of the road, they are experts on the matter and you will lose said argument.
Do you have Roundabouts in Canada? We go round them in a clockwise direction over here, it's probably best not to go round them the other way but if you're feeling adventurous..
A couple of things to add: in towns be very wary of cyclists passing on the inside (left) and motorcyclists filtering on the outside (right). Both are legal so use side mirrors alot.
Also give HGVs loads of space, they can use tighter A and B roads, so they may take both lanes on the approach to a tight roundabout for instance. They're not being annoying, just need more space to compensate for the length of the vehicle. Don't be tempted to squeeze past on the left, that's asking for trouble.
On the whole, most UK motorists are well mannered.
On motorways as you get further north than Manchester you need to pull over to the left side! The middle and outer lanes are for overtaking slower vehicles
There is a strange tension that exists between all British drivers, with a conflict to obey the road rules and extreme desire to be overly polite.
For example If you are waiting to turn onto a quiet road and there is a single car driving down said road, there is a high likelihood that they will slow down/stop, give you the "off you go" headlight flash and I presume, continue their day smug in the knowledge they were polite to another road user.
This is all despite the fact it would probably be quicker and more efficient for both drivers if they maintained a steady speed and you turned into the road behind them, you know like expected by the road rules.
At OP, make sure you ask for an automatic transmission/gearbox, manual shift is common, or it was, in the Uk, I’m assuming you’re an American and will be unable to drive a real car ?
This is very much a written rule that a lot of drivers ignore because they’re fucking awful. Unless the situation prevents it (steep road, multiple turnings etc) you should *always* indicate before changing speed or direction. It is to alert other drivers of your intention, not to tell people what you’re already doing.
Please indicate.
Also some drivers seem to get overly worried on country roads. Braking every time someone passes you when they’re merely driving past you is very distracting for drivers behind you. Brake lights of the car in front are essentially an early warning signal. Additionally, if you’re going slowly drivers will probably be very close behind you. This is for two reasons:
1) you’re slow and therefore annoying
2) they need to be close to exploit any opportunity to overtake you
If you are hiring a BMW, then you rule the road and are entitled to drive as close as possible to any car that dares to try and share the same lane as you.
Also, when in Oxford I would recommend using one of the Park and Rides rather than using a city-centre car park (unless you are Jeff Bezos).
Treat cyclists like shit at every opportunity. They're only trying to use less petrol/take a car off the road/improve their health and they love to get soaked in the rain, and risk their lives every time they cycle
For this you should drive as close behind them as possible, try to squeeze past them in narrow spots, rev your engine, beep your horn and shout out the window and just generally make them terrified for their safety for causing you a minor inconvenience
People that stop to give way on main road so others can pull out.
Massive no no and if you're 1 of these you will get rear ended at some point.
Never stop flow of main road traffic
Contrary to what the Highway Code says, flashing your headlights or sounding your horn can mean everything from "Thank you for reminding me of my transgression, kind sir" to "Fuck you, you cunt! I''ll kill you and your entire lineage!" and everything inbetween.
If you only tap your horn it lets out a friendly toot rather than the angry blare if you hold it down. This can be used to cheerfully greet other road users or pedestrians. I will take no further comments on this.
Two short blasts is an indication that the driver may be forklift certified
7 short blasts followed by one long blast indicates we're all gonna die so abandon ship
A low then high tone means there’s train spotters nearby
Especially if they are driving away from colleagues or friends.
Or through a gate or blind corner
And for those lucky enough to have a horn button sensitive enough to facilitate a rapid-fire of short toots, this can also be used to convey laughter if you see a pedestrian walk into a lamppost or slip on a banana peel, for example.
Multiple short bursts can also indicate support if you're driving past a strike picket.
Or there's a big footie game with the national team playing.
Or "police speed trap ahead"...
Yup, the double headlight flash means this a lot of the time
Never forget the moment when a driver gave my mum a middle finger out of the window just to end up getting caught by the trap.
I once had an old lady cut me up on a roundabout and give me the finger while she did it Cars can turn the nicest people into monsters
Not a rule, but if you're driving through Glencoe you should take a picnic and stop for a bit. It's the most beautiful place I've ever seen, and I've seen at least 6 places.
>I've seen at least 6 places. My bedroom, my bathroom, my kitchen, my hallway, my cupboard and Glencoe.
it's the 2nd day of the trip and part of the reason we're going is to scatter some ashes of a loved one. going to be beautiful.
Im partly joking but if you haven't asked for permission to do that.. do it quickly and without ceremony. Don't do it up wind of anyone.
You left out the amusing bit. I'm sorry if this is dark but it makes me laugh that it's nothing to do with body disposal laws. The reason it needs to be hush hush is that it's technically littering or flytipping and you can get taken to court and fined for it.
Sure you might get a slap on the wrist for it but when I try to dispose of a body I get a full life sentence 🙄 not very fair is it.
Thoughts are with you all! Take care
Not to be pedantic but totally am but it’s Glen Coe for the valley and Glencoe for the little village. Personally the Glen is nicer than the village
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Also, FUN FACT: Jimmy Saville had one of the only houses in Glen Coe. Anyway, very beautiful area
Got all graffitied up with nonce and vile beast didn't it?
That valley is stunning for sure
I heartily second this statement. I drove my parents through here and we didn’t stop because of schedule. I kept trying to see the full view through the windscreen and i wish we could have enjoyed it more.
Not sure about this time of year but we used midge watch before we went to Glencoe just in case
Glencoe is amazing but please stop in one of the car parks or in the parking layby _on your side of the road._ I nearly got taken out on my motorbike 3 times in short succession thanks to morons crossing the lane to park in the opposite layby or by reversing out of the layby because it was probably too busy for them to stop but they wanted to stop anyway.
If you read “The Highway Code” and actually learn the written rules, you’ll already be doing better than many road users.
If someone stops to let you pass you must raise minimum 1 finger, maximum a whole hand, yo thank them. Small nod optional.
oh yeah that'll get you a passive wave n' nod any day. that's in my wheelhouse. prepare to be passively waved and nodded at.
Just a warning the backwards peace sign in the UK means fuck off. If you're doing a two finger wave thing make sure your palm is facing forward to avoid any misunderstanding. Just mentioning it because I know an American who did it without knowing and was confused about why the other guy was so angry. Best not to unintentionally insult people when possible lol.
I remember a girl in primary school comeback from America and said she got in serious trouble with her parents copying these American girls. And she also swore down that just holding up your pinky is just as bad as a middle finger in America.
Lol. A few years ago my little brother started doing it in photos because he saw Americans on TV do it, mum made me wait a while to tell him because she thought a 5 year old unintentionally flipping people off was hilarious. Eventually I had to though so he wouldn't do it at school.
This two fingered insult comes from the French during the battle of agincourt, they would taunt the English bowmen that they would cut off there bow fingers if they caught them !!!
I experimented with a thumbs up for a while. Not recommended *at all* except maybe once out of curiosity. We're that accustomed to raising a finger or at most a little wave that a thumbs up actually makes you feel a bit weird and as if you're about to completely forget how to drive.
I do thumbs up. I also do thumbs down for bad driving
> I also do thumbs down for bad driving ... And have your Praetorian Guard run them through?
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Surely you'd need two to get the right impression across? One finger gun isn't quite the same message, and two isn't convenient when you're driving.
I'd be happier with that than the nauseating Gareth Bale type double handed love heart. What I'd really like to get back as thanks is the "dick in vag" two handed gesture. Just 2 ins and Outs I think - no need to start flirting.
Failure to wave at motorist letting you pass is punishable under section 221b of the highway code, punishable by firing squad outside Buckingham Palace or a night with Prince Andrew...
Depends on the finger. The middle one is unlikely to be appreciated. In case of doubt, palm out. It will confuse the natives long enough for you to escape unharmed.
If you put your hazards on, you can do anything
It’s often used to signal “WATCH OUT I AM BEING A HAZARD”
more commonly known as the "park anywhere lights"
I laughed 😂. Fr
if you’re coming from the states, no right on red lights!
How about left?
Not usually unless there's a green left arrow below the normal green signal.
Make sense. Right on red over here does cause some avoidable accidents when people aren’t paying attention.
That was a hard one for me, always look for the lights! There are seperate ones for the left and right sides many times. Also, I had a hard time turning at first because muscle memory would want to turn into the right side of the lane- I would say aloud to myself "tight left, wide right" at every turn. It doesn't take long to get used to, thankfully.
Why do they allow this in the USA? Seems dangerous...
Definitely drive on the left
Unless you're at the savoy.
Explain?
There's a short stretch of road in front of the Savoy Hotel in London that drives on the right instead of the left. It's a relic of the way Hackney Carriages used to work: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savoy_Hotel#Savoy_Court
Huh, I didn't know that - good knowledge.
There's a car park in Leeds where you do the same. I used to use the Savoy as an example but I don't think it's actually that special.
The zipper merge thing is an issue. A lot of people want you to merge as soon as the sign for lane ending appears, rather than when the lane is actually ending. Basically, follow the crowd on this. Country roads are often too narrow for cars to pass each other. When you meet someone one car has to pause at a wide spot or possibly one car has to reverse if the nearest wide spot is just behind them. Its normal to mount the grass verge, get your wing mirror in a hedge or pull onto a nearby driveway to solve the issue. People cross the road whereever they feel like if they think the gap in traffic is big enough. Be prepared for that. If it's raining they do it more often. When overtaking lorries they will often flash you. This is to tell you you're OK to move back in front of them, not becaue you've done anything wrong. Parking rules are complicated. Look for nearby signs and read them carefully. Also https://www.britishparking.co.uk/News/know-your-parking-and-traffic-signs People drive pretty fast. If you don't feel like driving fast and there's a queue building up, pull over into a lay-by or side road and let them past. It's infuriating when a timid tourist on a country road does 45 for half an hour without letting people past. You don't need to really go round mini roundabouts. Treat them more like a cross road where you give way to your right. There's no need to come to a complete halt at give way signs or junctions. Green arrows take precedence over red lights. A simultaneous red light and green up arrow means you can drive across the junction (but can't turn left or right) for example.
I was just about to upvote this comment, I think it's a great summary, but I strongly disagree with your point on mini roundabout. Please don't just drive over them (assuming you're not driving a bus or something that can't make the turn otherwise!) It can be confusing for others around you and can cause accidents. The vast majority of people, where I live, at least, follow the rules and go around them. It takes like a single extra second, if anything and makes everyone's lives easier.
Yeah, I don't really mean drive straight over them, but equally don't nealty try to drive right around the tiny ones. More of a curve. And of course signal!
Just to add, on mini roundabouts try and keep two wheels to the left of it even if turning right, amazing the amount of people who just straight up go the wrong around it where I live.
I prefer going around where possible, some I do have to drive onto the white part because the curb sticks out too much
>Basically, follow the crowd on this. Absolutely not. Use all of the lane as much as you can. You can either merge in 2 miles from the lane closure and sit in traffic like a sheep, or you can use the whole free lane that's still completely legal to use up until the pinch point, saving you time sitting around in traffic for no reason.
Thanks you for saying this, it drives me absolutely crazy that people don’t understand how to do this properly. DO NOT follow the crowd. And if you do, well, I guess more lane space for those of us who apply critical thinking
Yeah, got an annoyed beep from a chap last week when I forcefully merged in front of him. As we got to the merge point, I could see him pulling right up to the car in front every time we moved forward. He'd probably sat in that queue for 25 mins, I'd been in it for 5. Twat.
Literally my daily experience when I lived in Birmingham. I genuinely don't understand the logic behind this act.
Watch out for red X's though, I've noticed lately the X on the gantry WELL in advance of where the cones start the lane closure.
Red X's are for smart motorways when there is no hard shoulder, if a car has broken down they have to park in the "left lane" and they have to rely on the surveillance cameras to spot the stranded car and close off the lane. Of course you can probably guess how moronic this is as most people will ignore the X above the lane and then crash into the stranded car.
One of the reasons the queue is slow to proceed is precisely because drivers, like you, are pushing in at the pinch point and slowing down the flow.
Lmao no it's because drivers who have queued up for miles get butthurt over people using the other lane trying to merge, so they bunch up close and stop the traffic flow. If everyone in the queuing lane was chill and gave space the pinch point would flow nicely.
100% this - if people could understand driving at a constant speed rather than hard accelerate / hard brake every 10s it would be much smoother, leave a gap for someone who needs to merge because they’re not trying to annoy you specifically, just following the instructions - don’t like them moving quicker? Head on out into that lane next time and quit being an arse
thank you thank you thank you.
Just to piggy back on the OP comment here re. Lorries, and as you've mentioned Inverness (my home town 😀): sometimes, if you're stuck behind a lorry and there's no overtaking lane, lorries may put their left indicator on to let you know that it's clear to pass them (in case they think you might not be able to see round them). I find that quite common on the roads around Inverness. Ditto for people in Caravans and Motorhomes who want to be helpful. Of course, do all of your normal observations and don't feel pressured to overtake just because they do this - and ensure they're not preparing to make a genuine left turn pr to pull into a layby! You'll normally notice them try to move over a bit if they can, but usually they'll maintain their speed so you don't mistake it for a turn.
Don’t follow the crowd on a zipper merge use them as intended and merge at the point the lanes merge. This actually creates more capacity on the road and reduces congestion elsewhere.
This is the correct way to do it, but be prepared for the idiots who think you're pushing in and jumping the queue. Just remember they're wrong and you're doing the traffic a favour by applying logic and common sense. If they wanted to wait for the last 200m in the left hand lane, that's on them. https://youtu.be/cX0I8OdK7Tk
>If you don't feel like driving fast and there's a queue building up, pull over into a lay-by or side road and let them past. Repeated for emphasis. This is also a good time to check the map, swig a drink, have a bite to eat, and appreciate the countryside.
BMWs and Audis do not have working indicators.
As a BMW owner, this is true it was listed as an extra feature, i didn’t select
I appreciate your honesty in this regard.
As a second hand BMW owner, my indicators do work. But I don’t use them, as I don’t want to seem posh for having unnecessary options.
Nor do white vans of any make.
They do, however, have a dedicated lane on the motorway. Other road users may only use it after obtaining permission from said Audi/BMW drivers.
Contrary to popular belief BMW front licences plates are actually as big as they appear in your rear view mirror, and the head lights are set to automatically flash at 3 feet from the vehicle in front at 80mph.
Not an unwritten rule but good to know… never buy fuel on the motorway it’s always the most expensive. Supermarkets are easy to find and generally cheapest.
Except tesco at lesmahgow who have the price set at motorway prices. Usually 6/7p more expensive than other tescos.
'flash people out' is common practice - so if you are at a junction waiting for a gap in traffic, you might find someone 'flashing you out' - the polite thing to do is nod thanks and slip in ahead of them. If you are renting a car, most rentals are manual (stickshift) - if you need an automatic make sure you check they have them (even if you have booked one) - a few folks have told me they booked automatics and found there were none. Cars are usually smaller, but use less fuel. However fuel is much more expensive. A range rover is a massive car in the UK, but looks quite small on US roads. UK roads are narrower and usually single lane except for motorways and the occasional dual carriageway. Stay to the left on motorways unless over taking. Don't ever overtake on the left (this is called 'under-taking' in the UK) - it is dangerous as people expect the left hand lanes to be slower. Don't honk your horn unless it's important (eg to alert someone about a danger). I am from.UK but live in NY and the horn abuse here is just tedious beyond belief. I haven't found it as bad in the rest of the US, in the UK it's pretty rare to need to use the horn, and leaning on it when another car has the audacity to let a pedestrian cross the road (like in NY) is unheard of in the UK unless you have a complete road rage type incident. Have fun driving in the UK - usually it is a lot of fun, especially wind-y country roads.
Definitely agree with the horn thing. I spent the first couple of days when I was visiting the US in a permanent state of anxiety because I instinctively associate the sound of a car horn with the the possibility of imminent danger of death. Turns out a load of people just had their cars set up to make the horn sound when they unlocked them (which would in fact be illegal in the UK)!
Technically this is a written rule, but it seems a lot of people out there are oblivious to it so I thought it’d be worth mentioning… Unless you’re overtaking someone: # KEEP LEFT
Just been on the motorway, and it's a huge problem.
There seems to be an increase of people who think that the middle lane on the motorway is like a ‘neutral’ lane that they have free rein to drive at 65mph in.
We need constant PSAs about how stupid and dangerous this is, absolutely maddening how often people do it.
We need enforcement.
I was on the m25 yesterday, there were times lane 1 and 2 were empty with someone doing less than 70 in lane 3.
The perfect solution is to over take in the fast lane, and immediately go back to the slow lane, they usually get the hint
it's a massive problem here as well. always good to know, thank you.
Right!
NO, LEFT /s
This also goes for walking on pavements.
Best to try and not fall asleep on the pavement in the first place, if possible
A lot of people are posting very much written rules here but here’s a genuinely unwritten rule that is super important. A lot of country lanes in the UK are not speed restricted meaning the speed limit on them is 60mph. They are also often only wide enough for 1 car and frequently have completely blind turns. Just because the speed limit is 60 down them absolutely does not mean you should go 60 down them.
Yep, 60 is sort of the default speed limit, so 60 on a country road means "we couldn't be bothered to figure out what the speed limit should be here."
Do not let BMW drivers out of junctions, they don't deserve it.
Any big flashy 4x4s that have never seen a fleck of dirt in their lives, too. Especially if you can tell they have those awful headlights whose lowest brightness settings are set to compete with a lighthouse trying to peirce through a hurricane.
1st, and foremost, condolences on your loss. Secondly, welcome to the UK, and thirdly, don’t panic and feel you need to rush! Take your time, drive safely, keep your eyes open… You’ll pick it up easily if you’re a half decent driver. If you stick to the limit, don’t give a hoot about anyone else. But remember you don’t have to go *at* the limit, go as fast as you feel safe going. A lot of our country roads have 60mph limits, but you’d be an idiot to even go at half the speed on some of them. As well as fixed speed cameras, we have mobile camera vans that sit at the side of the road (particularly in Scotland). We also have average speed cameras here, which will measure your speed over a set distance. Often it’s very easy to creep up over, so cruise control is good in those cases. Please keep an eye out for motorbikes, sometimes, if you can and only if it’s safe for them to get past you, a quick indicate left shows you’ve seen them in your mirror and they may pass if they want to. If you miss a turning, don’t panic! Chances are there’ll be another way back to where you need to go, or a roundabout further up the road that you can turn round. Don’t pull u-turns at traffic lights, chances are there is a filter active on another lane. Speaking of which, be aware of specific directional filters (lit arrows) at lights, some just turn straight to green when other traffic is still held on red. One of the shortest measurable times has been proven to be the one when a horn blows from the car behind you after your filter’s gone green. Jaywalking isn’t a thing here, we can walk anywhere we want (within reason & excepting motorways). Be aware of Zebra crossings in town, the ones with a flashing yellow light and black & white stripes on the road by them. If you see a pedestrian standing at one, please stop. Pedestrians also have priority when crossing junctions, so you need to let them finish before completing your turn. TL:DL don’t hit people. They’ve also recently given more protection to cyclists, so treat them as you would another car and give plenty of space when overtaking them. Our drink driving laws are pretty simple, technically you can have something to drink and still be legally ok to drive. The reality is, nobody knows how drink affects them, so for complete peace of mind, stay on low/no alcohol drinks. I know I’ve missed loads out, but lots have been covered by other Redditors… hope all goes well while you’re over here.
Flashing your headlights means After you Thank you Get out of my way In some run down towns/cities be wary of people Infront of you pulling out of a junction/onto a roundabout and then slamming on the breaks hoping you rear end them, it's an insurance compensation scam. haven't seen it myself but plenty of people complain about it.
i'll be wary of this, thank you.
People turning right at a roundabout will often not signal until they are about to exit. At that point they will simultaneously indicate right (remain in roundabout) and leave the roundabout. As mentioned elsewhere, this is not a problem with Audis and BMWs.
Be aware that although it’s perfectly legal a lot of motorists here in the uk (mainly older generation) believe that if you use a merging/ zipper lane you are in effect “pushing in” and you will be honked at and/or be pushed into oncoming traffic
Inverness will be a good place to get used to driving on the wrong side of the road, (I'm assuming you're from Canada or the US) there will be more traffic as you head south. It's difficult to find somewhere to park in the center of Oxford. If you're staying in a hotel, check if they have parking, not all hotels in city centres do.
yes i've made sure when we booked reservations to ensure where we were staying there was parking included or easily accessed nearby. and i will be dropping the car off in oxford and taking the train from then on so that sounds like a relief.
However if you talk to people in Inverness they will complain about the terrible traffic since they put the one way system jn the centre. Traffic here is generally considered to be other people on the road.
Not sure if your route coming down from Scotland but I'd recommend to drive west across the Highlands, past the old man of stoor, then south down past Loch lomond. Its one of the best drives in the UK, so beautiful yet stark in some places. If you find some time to divert into the lake district on your way south thats recommended too. Be careful on country roads, many are unlit and very narrow with high hedges, especially in Wales. I hope you have a fantastic time :)
i'm going inverness down loch ness to glencoe, then through loch lomond to glengoyne distillery and east towards berwick upon tweed. thank you for the advice!
Do you mean Old Man of Storr (on Skye) or Old Man of Stoer (in Lairg)? While both are great (my preference is Old Man of Storr on Skye), they are quite out of the way if OP is driving south on any sort of schedule - close to 3 hours each way of driving on small-ish winding roads. Stoer is quite far north and Storr is off the mainland, over the bridge. If OP is taking a leisurely trip though and has the time, I’m with you. Spectacular places to visit!
A82 is also one of the most annoying and dangerous roads
you’ll probably have to go inside to pay for gas after you have filled up and stand in a line.
Practice roundabouts, there are lots of them in the UK, and not many here in the states. The person on the roundabout has the right of way. No right(left) turn on red. I feel that pedestrians in the US get a better run than those in the UK, so as a pedestrian be aware. No cell phones while driving, not just coz texting and driving is dumb!
wave/nod when people let you in or by, be wary of the fact that on lovely narrow roads where you are tempted to drive slow and take in the idyllic surrounds there will be loads of frustrated locals who are familiar with the area hurtling by at terrifying speeds. So just park as often as you can to take it all in, rather than piss off all the locals.
Look at the road markings when approaching a roundabout, they don’t all follow the same rules. If it’s different the markings should tell you. There’s one in my town, once a dude behind me followed usual rules which then resulted in him cutting me up and then start beeping and verbally abusing me 🤦🏻♀️ I was like yeah good morning to you too sir! 🙄
It’s written, but if you see a red ❌ overhead on the motorway, get out of that lane immediately. There’s a big campaign cracking down on this recently for people who keep going in said lane until they see a reason to get out of it. Oh also, fuel stations here don’t have the option to let the car fuel itself with a switch on the nozzle, you have to stand and hold it.
You pay for fuel AFTER you've filled up, rather than going inside and taking a random fucking guess first.
On A roads, in and around villages, you may find oncoming traffic will flash their lights at you… This is usually a warning of something up ahead. Examples could be letting you know there’s a police van with speed camera parked up, there’s been an accident, could be debris or escaped farm animals on the road etc.
No matter the situation, the cyclist is always at fault
•if your single and looking for a partner, tow a shopping trolley with several bottles of WKD in it this will signal a hormonal response from appropriate suiters. N.b. This only generally works in Norfolk and if your a bloke driving a costa •on a motorway, drive at 60mph in the middle lane, the other motorists will give you vigorous gestures of encouragement to signal their gratitude •when visiting either Scotland or north Wales, be at one with the nation by adorning your car with a simple white fabric square and a Red Cross that’s held up with a plastic pole on the door frame, these can be generally purchased from any Halfords or petrol station, coincidentally enough when a major European or international football competition is on, you will be amazed at how many people will give you a special wave! And remember “wanker” and “cunt” are terms of endearment! •concerned about the rules and regulations of driving on British roads? fear not, most of these can be circumvented by driving a bmw or Audi, to be free of anything written in the Highway Code, get yourself a ford transit. •be at one with the beautiful countryside as you drive through it, it is quite normal, almost expected, to leave an offering for a safe journey on the verge in the form of Maccies packaging, if your only visiting cities then an alternative is to deposit nitrous oxide canisters in a car park.
Honk the horn to clear all traffic
Where are you coming from?
the states.
Generally.... In the UK they use the signal (indicator) before they move the car. People will leave you space to merge and expect you to merge, followed by a wave in the rear view mirror. If you adopt the mindset "after you" then you'll be fine. My experience in the US is that generally people don't leave you space to merge, they never use their indicators and f\*\*k you if you think I'm not going first. Clearly there are exceptions but as someone that's driven in both countries for 10+ years I have a reasonable level of experience in comparing and contrasting.
As someone who has lived and driven in both left and right side driving countries, I would advise that you should approach roundabouts with as much caution as possible, especially ones that aren't full of traffic. It's the thing that always breaks my brain for a second.
we have quite a few in the area i live and i've been logging hours into euro truck simulator to get the feel of it. thank you for your advice as a seasoned driver.
Not an unwritten rule, but if you are going south from Inverness on the A9 remember *only some bits are dual carriageway* and foreigners die on it every year because they get confused, and they also kill locals. If you are taking a more scenic western route: *look up how to navigate single track roads.* https://www.scotlandinfo.eu/driving-single-track-roads-in-scotland/?utm_content=cmp-true
Fuel Carriageway aka Divided Highway in the US
No middle lane hogging!
Top up with fuel pretty regularly, it can be quite a distance between petrol stations in rural areas and quite stressful if it’s getting low. Some places you fuel then pay in the kiosk, others you can pay at the pump by entering your card first. Parking charges can be paid via app a lot of the time, may be worth researching ahead where you plan to stop and see if they have info about which app to use. Make sure you have data on your phone to download this if you’re caught unawares, as some places won’t take cash at all any more. Have some change in the car for the places that do (£1 coins, 50, 20 and 10p coins, to the value of around £10). Go online and check out the postcodes of places you want to visit, then use Google maps to find out nearby petrol stations, supermarkets and parking places and their postcodes. This is just overall useful, as having these to hand helps when planning your journeys. Roads in urban areas can be visually quite cluttered, lots of signs, bollards, junctions, lights, crossings, humps, traffic calming measures, road markings etc. Just take it steady, pull over if you get overwhelmed. Keep to the speed limit at all times as there are cameras and speed traps everywhere, and honestly in built up areas there is so much going on around you that you need the reaction time.
Failure to acknowledge a kindness with a flash of the lights or a finger wave is punishable by placement t on the sex offenders register.
Never, NEVER as a tourist try the M40/M25 junction. It’s around eight lanes of redesigned confusion…even the lorries opt out. Also most hire cars are manual, so request an automatic. It will make your life easier. Oxford is busy and confusing to most. Prepare for cyclists. 🚴♀️ Use the Park and Ride system. Peartree is usually okay.
I can't see this having been mentioned, but bikes filter! So if you are in slow moving traffic make sure you are always looking in your wing mirrors to see any bikes that may be going past.
North American? That kind of milage will be double the effort you might be expecting. Roads here are busy. You have to pay attention. I found driving in the USA infinitely less effort than motorway driving in the UK.
Don't go to Rotherham
There are no unwritten rules of the road. They are all written down.
And yet rarely read
It’s illegal to undertake on motorways, always overtake on the right. Edit: overtake on the right 🤦🏻♂️ I’ve lived in the US for too long
I believe article 4 of the highway code states that any person/s travelling on the roads or highways in a non/motorised vehicle must always be aware of the f*ck Ronnie Pickering is
driving on the right, hitting a motorcycle, claiming diplomatic immunity and flying back to america is generally considered taboo. our lights have an extra stage i don't think america does. red > red+amber > green >amber >red red means stop. red and amber means get ready to go, green means go, amber means GOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO! don't flip the v sign either. only 1 way round is an insult, but when driving it's hard to tell.
yes
Periodically, open your window, stick your hand out & call random other drivers a wanker while looking at them enraged
Don’t be a cunt… simple really…
On the motorway a speed limit on the over head signs with flashing dots is advice, if the dots are fully lit, it’s the law. Dip your headlights if anyone comes towards you in the opposite direction.
The default speed limit is 30mph unless you are on dual carriageways or motorways. For any other speed you'll see regular speed limit reminders (red circles with a number inside). If you're using Google maps or a GPS (sat nav in UK terms) then that will usually display the speed limit as well but the devices won't _announce_ it, so have a glance and check every so often. But, if in doubt, 30.
Two things come to mind. If you get stuck behind a slow moving hearse or funeral procession, don't overtake it. They usually have a second hearse waiting ahead with empty caskets for this reason. They will block the road bundle you and your fellow occupants into the empty caskets and then join the original procession following which you either be placed in the ground under the departed' coffin or they'll burn you alive at the crematorium. The other is, to use your handbrake at STOP signs.
It used to be an unwritten rule, but now it's bee written Except on the motorway, you have the lowest priority of any road user Pedestrians, cyclists, polluters in that order Give way to people who aren't in cars
Don’t crash.
Drive 70 on the motorway and stay out of the fucking middle lane if you don't want to drive at 70
70 is the limit sir not a target, you can use the middle lane or the right hand lane regardless of what speed your doing so long as your overtaking
Yes but a lot of people sit in the middle lane doing less than 70 and only speed up if you try and overtake.
Everyone doing the same speed makes life easy and wonderfully simple on the motorways. Lorries overtaking people doing 50 is a pain, middle lane hoggers doing 65 makes me want to commit genocide
It is customary to stop when you come across large alternate white and black markings across the road, get out of vehicle and shake hands and introduce yourself to any pedestrians crossing the road there. Cars behind you will sound their horns as a way of appreciation of this normal curtesy.
Don’t block entrances, junctions, etc. (although driveways are fine). If traffic is queued back and you would be blocking it if you stopped, hold a little short. You’ll only lose about a car length and can move when traffic moves, but anyone turning in and out can cut through the gap. I don’t know what it’s like where you’re from, but here in BC, people don’t care and when they drive they’re in a little bubble and fuck everyone else. Absolutely infuriating because back in Britain, people will let you out most of the time, whereas here you just get stuck because of someone who’s going nowhere.
A middle finger salute is seen as an act of friendship and should be used in all occasions.
The British are insanely aggressive about using the middle lane. They think it’s as dangerous as juggling chainsaws and believe the entire planet is also terrified of the middle lane.
If you are a woman. Don’t let someone out of a junction. Other drivers are pigs
They don’t stop at zebras !!
Hijacking this post to ask: is it safe to bike in London?
Flashed lights mean you can go; not that you're about to be squashed. Also indicators tend to signal that the person is about to turn in a few seconds not two miles later.
Quite the itinerary.. Country roads are very narrow but there is always a way of letting an oncoming vehicle pass and vice versa (even though it sometimes looks impossible). There are normally little dirt laybys where you can budge over. If the vehicle is bigger than yours it's common courtesy for you to move out of the way, which means you may have to reverse to a layby if it's particularly tight.
Tooting your horn can get you punched so use it sparingly
Watch out for potholes, they’re everywhere, particularly Oxford area. And bumpy parts of the road that bottom out your suspension. We call them woomfs
going with a nissan qashqai specficially because its higher off the ground and its closer to what i drive here across the pond. i've lived rurally before and know how bad potholes can get both on gravel and asphault. thank you for your advice, i'll keep an eye out for any woomfs.
Most roads outside of towns are 60 mph. Most towns at 30 mph. There’s not a lot of signs telling you what the speed limits are. I had a couple friends from Canada visit the uk recently and they were very confused about speed limits. In the US and Canada speed signs are posted much much more frequently.
Leave ample space between you and the car in front. Makes it easier to swerve the vehicle destroying pot holes.
Since you are going past, visit Chester and Liverpool, both pretty close to each other and both worth a visit!
Taxi's are exempt from all rules and have ultimate right of way. If a taxi hits you, you are at fault, if a taxi suddenly pulls out on you, it's your fault. If you do get into an argument with a taxi driver, you will not win, as even though they don't have to follow the rules of the road, they are experts on the matter and you will lose said argument.
As is tradition, you must stop at every Blue Boar.
Do you have Roundabouts in Canada? We go round them in a clockwise direction over here, it's probably best not to go round them the other way but if you're feeling adventurous..
Use you hazard warning indicators briefly to say thank you if someone lets you in. Wave thank you if someone stops to let you pass on a narrow lane.
There's plenty of written rules. Check all those first
Please keep out of the middle lane of a motorway as soon as it’s clear on the left. Oh and please use your indicators
Understand the national speed limit sign and what it looks like. Those country roads are mostly 60...
Apparently according to a lot of dickheads I see, if you put your hazard lights on that means you can park literally anywhere you like.
You must turn and THEN indicate.
A couple of things to add: in towns be very wary of cyclists passing on the inside (left) and motorcyclists filtering on the outside (right). Both are legal so use side mirrors alot. Also give HGVs loads of space, they can use tighter A and B roads, so they may take both lanes on the approach to a tight roundabout for instance. They're not being annoying, just need more space to compensate for the length of the vehicle. Don't be tempted to squeeze past on the left, that's asking for trouble. On the whole, most UK motorists are well mannered.
On motorways as you get further north than Manchester you need to pull over to the left side! The middle and outer lanes are for overtaking slower vehicles
There is a strange tension that exists between all British drivers, with a conflict to obey the road rules and extreme desire to be overly polite. For example If you are waiting to turn onto a quiet road and there is a single car driving down said road, there is a high likelihood that they will slow down/stop, give you the "off you go" headlight flash and I presume, continue their day smug in the knowledge they were polite to another road user. This is all despite the fact it would probably be quicker and more efficient for both drivers if they maintained a steady speed and you turned into the road behind them, you know like expected by the road rules.
BMWs don’t have indicators. Always assume they could be turning, usually last minute, at any moment
At OP, make sure you ask for an automatic transmission/gearbox, manual shift is common, or it was, in the Uk, I’m assuming you’re an American and will be unable to drive a real car ?
This is very much a written rule that a lot of drivers ignore because they’re fucking awful. Unless the situation prevents it (steep road, multiple turnings etc) you should *always* indicate before changing speed or direction. It is to alert other drivers of your intention, not to tell people what you’re already doing. Please indicate. Also some drivers seem to get overly worried on country roads. Braking every time someone passes you when they’re merely driving past you is very distracting for drivers behind you. Brake lights of the car in front are essentially an early warning signal. Additionally, if you’re going slowly drivers will probably be very close behind you. This is for two reasons: 1) you’re slow and therefore annoying 2) they need to be close to exploit any opportunity to overtake you
If you are hiring a BMW, then you rule the road and are entitled to drive as close as possible to any car that dares to try and share the same lane as you. Also, when in Oxford I would recommend using one of the Park and Rides rather than using a city-centre car park (unless you are Jeff Bezos).
If you have a BMW you don't have to indicate. I don't think BMWs actually have indicators, but if they do don't use them.
Treat cyclists like shit at every opportunity. They're only trying to use less petrol/take a car off the road/improve their health and they love to get soaked in the rain, and risk their lives every time they cycle For this you should drive as close behind them as possible, try to squeeze past them in narrow spots, rev your engine, beep your horn and shout out the window and just generally make them terrified for their safety for causing you a minor inconvenience
“Beautiful Country”
People that stop to give way on main road so others can pull out. Massive no no and if you're 1 of these you will get rear ended at some point. Never stop flow of main road traffic
If a padestrian is crossing the road, speed up