Driving from Gatwick
 

How hard is it to drive out of Gatwick for a US driver who has never driven in England?
We are headed to Devon (Buckfastleigh). We have been advised not to, but the cost of the train for 3 plus renting a car when we get there is very high. Thanks for any words of wisdom.

The first day you drive on the left is a little scary, but after that it's really easy and you'll enjoy the flexibility that having a car offers. I have done this in both the UK and Ireland and once I got past thinking I was on the wrong side of the road, I found driving around the countryside to be a pleasure. I wouldn't drive in London, but it looks like you won't be doing that anyway. Have a great trip.

Gatwick is very easy to get out of because the area is not as build up as for example Heathrow. You can take the M23, M25 the the M3 West or go South to the A27 and then head West.

this may sound silly, but strongly suggest you spend 10 or 15 minutes tooling around the parking lot before you head out on the highway - the first few minutes are the trickiest: rental car, different controls, gas/brake response etc plus wrong side of the road.

Can't help you on how difficult driving is.

But you seemed happy about driving from Exeter to Buckfast. The M23/M25/M4/M5 route to Exeter is a LOT easier (divided highway all the way), I'd have thought, than the route on Devon lanes from Exeter to Buckfast. Just remember to stay in the left-hand lane unless you really are overtaking, and that "undertaking" is illegal.

nytraveler is quite right. I've always made Americans who work for me drive round the car park till they're comfortable. It's also a good, stress-free opportunity to work out the controls that may be less common in the US. And to find out where Radio 4 is on the dial, so you can listen to Britain's single most impressive cultural institution all the way down to Devon.

There is a (rarely busy) 100-200 yard stretch of non-divided hghway from the car hire places to the (divided) M23 approach road. Delay going out onto this till you're all comfortable with the car.

In England, the fast roads are actually a lot more civilized. The fast folks all stay in the far right lane, and if you stay on the left you're fine. There is a law again "overtaking" on the left, so people don't change lanes like the idiots here in the US.