MarySue

We leave for our trip to Scotland next week and are very excited, but I am getting extremely nervous about driving over there. Does anyone have any advice or tips that will help? Thanks.

Matrio

Drive on the left.

John

In the words of the late, great Douglas Adams, Don't Panic! <BR> <BR>I bet you'll be surprised how easy it gets after a few times behind the wheel - in fact, many people discover that the most dangerous time is 3 or 4 days into the trip, when you start getting over-confident. <BR> <BR>First, I'd recommend NOT starting right at the airport. Ride a taxi or bus for a day or two if you can, just to get used to the idea of driver's side v. passenger side. Watch how the drivers drive, rules of the road, etc. Second, if you're going there, don't drive in London. Period. Third, the motorway is your friend. The speeds may be a little higher than you're used to, but keeping left and passing on the right becomes more comfortable after you've spent a little while on the freeway. Fourth, watch your mirrors - especially get used to looking to your left for the rear view mirror - it's not located there on the door post. Finally, don't chicken out at traffic circles ("roundabouts.") Be brave - they don't want to hit you, either. <BR> <BR>You'll be fine - enjoy motoring in Scotland - it's great.

James

1) Get an automatic car. Saves your nerves, and possibly an accident. <BR> <BR>2) The biggest mistake I've seen drivers new to the left side make is to go slow on the highways, but fast on winding, narrow country roads. I've never quite understood this. There are often people, animals or farm vehicles on the other side of that hill on a country lane. Take it easy. <BR> <BR>3) If you find yourself going slower than the flow of traffic, pull off to the side to let faster cars pass you. <BR> <BR>4) If you get spooked, pull over until you calm down. Remember, you're on vacation. <BR> <BR>5) Maybe this is just me, but at night, when I first start driving on the left, after mainly driving on the right, I get the impression that cars in the other lane are coming directly at me. Not sure what causes this, but I recognizes it, so it doesn't freak me out so much any more! <BR> <BR>6) If you do get a standard car, NEVER allow the car to roll backwards. In the UK, if you allow the car to roll, you are considered to have lost control of the car (which is the way it should be here). Use the hand brake, and ride the clutch. <BR> <BR>7) At roundabouts, the cars already on the circle have the right of way. Wait for an opening, and then go. Stay to the right, if possible. If you miss your turn, simply continue around the circle until you can make it. <BR> <BR>Have fun, and stay calm!

Lori

Always get an automatic car. <BR>Don't drive with jetlag - ever, even if you don't think you have it, you do. <BR>Make one person the designated driver, that person should do all the driving. It's easier and quicker to adapt if you drive all the time but if you keep switching off it takes a lot longer to get acliminated to driving on the left. <BR>Have a designated 'watcher' - one who reads the maps, watches the sign posts, etc. <BR>Try not to panic!! <BR>

xxx

Went through your panic earlier this year. You've been given very good advice by the previous posters. I can't stress enough, pay the extra money for an automatic. I found myself repeating "Look left, stay left" over and over. I know it sounds corny but it really helped me. "Give to the right" was another phrase--in other words, always yield to those coming from the right. I found roundabouts to be easier in England than in other countries driving on the right. Give yourself plenty of time to get from place to place. While distances are smaller, drive times are longer. We split our trip into a week with a car and a week without. While I was glad for the access to the smaller towns via a car, I was more than ready to get rid of it again.

elvira

As someone said, you are on vacation. <BR> <BR>1)The driver needs to know no one will yell if a wrong turn is taken; no recriminations "I said RIGHT, you idiot!". <BR>2)The driver rules; if s/he wants to stop, go slower, play the radio, whatever, no passenger can argue. Only exception is if driver doesn't want to stop, but a passenger needs to heed the call of nature. In this case, passenger wins. <BR>3) Navigator has goooood road map and any written directions in the front seat with him/her. All passengers are sighters "hey everybody we're looking for a restaurant shaped like a giant chicken" and may point out signs. This is done between navigator and passengers; passengers may not bother driver. Backseat driving is strictly prohibited. <BR>4) Just before arriving at a rotary/roundaboat, you'll see a sign showing the circle, and each exit labelled with direction/rte#, etc. Use the clock to tell the driver which exit (all rotaries are approached from the 6 o'clock position) to take "we want the exit at 3 o'clock". If you miss the exit, no big deal; just go around again. Ditto if you're not sure which exit; go around a couple of times until you figure it out. <BR>5)Driver never drinks alcohol, not even a beer; therefore, give everyone nights out together and take a taxi.

David White

MarySue, <BR> <BR>I've logged thousands of miles driving in the UK as a tourist and I agree with what others have posted here: don't panic, rent an automatic, don't drink and drive, drive on the left (duh!), have a navigator with good maps, etc. <BR> <BR>Most of those have to do with safety, which is your primary concern. I'd also add a little advice about time and distance. It is time, not distance, that matters most while driving in the UK. The distance in miles may be small, but the driving time involved on rural roads may be longer than you are expecting. It only takes being stuck once behind a gypsie caravan (no kidding) or a farm wagon on a winding country road to realize this fact. <BR> <BR>Hope you enjoy Scotland...and, be sure to KEEP LEFT! <BR> <BR>David White <BR>[email protected] <BR>http://www.KidsToLondon.com

sylvia

Take special care when you have parked somewhere and are going out onto the road. Some places e.g. Glencoe have notices warning you to keep to the left. <BR>I'd agree about starting off on the motorway where there are several lanes. Be very careful on the more minor roads if a dual carriageway becomes two way. <BR>DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE. Penalties are severe. Also if you are the driver, do not eat and drive. You are supposed to be in full control of the car and the police might pull you up. <BR>You'll soon get used to it. After all, British people have to adjust every time they go abroad.

vicki

So far the advise here is right on target. The only thing I should add is be extra careful at intersections and when pulling onto the roadway. You will need to look for oncoming traffic exactly the opposite of what you are used to. It is so automatic to just glance and go so just be sure to look both ways for traffic before proceeding just to be safe. Scotland is not as hard to drive in as around London because there is not as much traffic. and the people in the UK seem to be safe and courteous drivers. At first we would flinch everytime we went around a bend in the road and a car was coming at us in the "wrong lane" but that went away after a couple of days. Scotland is so great you will love it. Have fun!

kam

Just as you sit on the left side of an American car and point your left front fender at the centerline, you sit on the right of a UK car and point your right front fender on the centerline. Keep repeating that whenever you make a turn or pull out into traffic for the first couple days. Always yield to those cars in the roundabout and realize that you can continue to circle the roundabout several times until you find your correct destination. There's no hurry to get off quickly. When making a turn, always think that the left turn is the easier to do and the right turn requires crossing two lanes of traffic. Always look left first! I drive standard transmissions all over Europe except in the UK where I have to have an automatic. I can't concentrate on the driving as well as the shifting with my left hand. We've also found that renting the very smallest car that will fit you and your luggage will help with parking and narrow roads. Use common sense--and as someone above said, it's several days into the trip when you're feeling pretty cocky that you are the most dangerous!

Nigel Doran

Don't drink and drive and stay calm are good pieces of advice. <BR>Also, check the parking restrictions and be aware that it might not be as easy to park on the street as it is where you come from. <BR>Finally, do not leave anything in the car. Lock it all in the boot and even leave open the glove compartment to show you have nothing in there. Car crime is very common, so don't even leave a paper or coat etc. in case thieves think there is something under it. <BR>Oh, and petrol is £££ so stock up at supermarket garages which tend to be cheaper and drive sensibly so as to conserve it.

Steve

Is there left on red, like right on red here in the US?

Jane F

No, there is no left on red. <BR> <BR>

Barbara

Also, watch your speed. There are speed cameras on several of the busier roads. The A68 comes to mind, but they are elsewhere too.

Shelley

We have been to England twice and my husband has driven both times. He says the best advice he received, and it helped him so much, is "Put the passenger in the ditch!" He repeated it often, and there were times when I did fear I would end up in the ditch! (Narrow roads!) <BR> <BR>I agree with others: get the smallest car which will hold you and your luggage (in three weeks six of us are travelling and we have reserved a 7-seater people mover ---- not small by any means!) and ALWAYS get an automatic! <BR> <BR>Good luck!

steve

It is much easier than you think it will be. Relax

Daniel MC

One - Don't.

JP

If you have a choice, don't get a Japanese car. The reversed controls (turn signal and windshield wiper) caused me more problems than anything else when driving in Britain. <BR> <BR>Look out when driving on a one-way street; it's easy to forget about driving on the left, and then you want to turn the corner onto the right side of a two-way street.

Alec

For UK motorists, there are two bugbears which make driving a dispiriting experience. Parking and speed traps. In major cities, parking is increasingly difficult and enforcement draconian. Do check very carefully before you park anywhere. There should be a little sign on a pole which tells you what restriction there is. Ignore that, and your car may be ticketed (fine from GBP30-£80), wheelclamped (can be over GBP100 including fine) or towed away (around GBP110 plus fine). Many roads have speed cameras (usually Gatso) that take a photo of your numberplate and send a ticket to the registered owner. You are likely to see them on approaches to city centres, in villages, and often on wide, straight roads where speeding is rife. Fine is GBP60 and 3 points on license. Don't think you will get away because you are driving a rental car. When the rental company receives the ticket long after you've left the country, they will simply charge it to your card, plus administration fee. Also it will be your responsibility to have the wheel-clamp removed and retrieve the car from the pound. <BR>So my advice is, take care where you park, watch your speed and obey the traffic lights (they often have cameras to catch those who jump lights).