Driving in the U.K.
 

Tips on Driving in the U.K. <BR> <BR>Last month I posted a message requesting help in locating driving maps for the U.K. Forum contributors were generous with their responses, once again demonstrating a lot of savvy. As a result, my perambulations by car throughout the U.K. were rather smoother than they might have been. Perhaps Forum readers will be interested in these Tips on Driving in the U.K. <BR> <BR>Tip #1 <BR>Stay Left <BR>One of the responses I received to my map request beat me to Tip #1 which is: "It is the job of the navigator to constantly mutter (yelling when needed), 'stay left!'" <BR>Corollary to Tip #1 <BR>The navigator must alternate "stay left!" chants, with regular agitated squeals of "Don't hit the curb/wall/hedge/parked car!!!" <BR> <BR>Tip #2 <BR>Avoid 'B' Roads <BR>'B' roads in U.K. are described charitably and with some overstatement as 'secondary roads.' Indeed. 'B' roads are VERY narrow. The first 150 times you meet a truck or bus bearing down on you at 70 miles an hour will cause cardiac paralysis; at the 151st time, you just close your eyes and grit your teeth. <BR> <BR>Tip #3 <BR>The Primacy of Automatic Transmission <BR>Do not fail to rent a car with automatic transmission. Natives usually drive a stick-shift and most rental firms require reservations well in advance for an automatic. And, you really do want an automatic. I drive a stick at home; I even drive a stick in San Francisco . . . and there's no way I could have managed driving a car with the stick-shift on the driver's LEFT side. All, mind you, at the same time one is trying to stay left, not hit the curb / wall / parked car and negotiate round'abouts, which leads to the next tip. <BR> <BR>Tip #4 <BR>Approach Round Abouts Slowly and Be Prepared to Stop Instantly <BR>Round Abouts are an interesting traffic control device invented (apparently) to save money on traffic lights and stop signs. In the U.K., it is believed Round Abouts keep traffic moving smartly because they obviate the need for a car to stop when making turns at an intersection. The first time you meet a Round About three things will happen: 1. You will be paralyzed. 2. when motion is recovered, you will go 'round and 'round the Round About a half dozen times before figuring out how to get off. 3. You then will get off on the wrong road. <BR> <BR>Tip #5 <BR>You must have a navigator. <BR>Although Jim and I never once got lost (a veritable miracle) it is abundantly clear I could not have managed the driving AND the navigating. A navigator also is needed to bolster driver morale. So, the dialog within the car sounds something like this: <BR> <BR>Navigator: "Stay left, DON'T hit the parked car, there's a Round About coming up, you're going to go three-quarters around and head off on the A273, DON'T hit that car, you're doing fine, you're doing great, STAY LEFT, you're great, doing fine, NOOOOOOO, don't hit the wall, doing fine." <BR> <BR>Driver: "oh geez, I AM LEFT, oh geez, I either hit the wall or that truck, oh geez, how can they drive this fast, please pass me another valium, oh geez.

I posted this but it didn't show up so I'll try again (sorry if it shows up twice). It is so much cheaper to rent a car with stick shift that my husband and I figured a way to conquer the problem of shifting. He does the driving while I do the shifting on command (gearshift is on my right. It works out great! <BR>

Re tip #4... You obviously didn't come across any of the roundabouts with traffic lights half way round them! These seem to negate the point of roundabouts and are illogical even to us Brits.

Re tip #4... You obviously didn't come across any of the roundabouts with traffic lights half way round them! These seem to negate the point of roundabouts and are illogical even to us Brits.

Kat, thanks for the tips. Am somewhat panic stricken for our driving tour of the UK coming up next week. Thankfully, booked an automatic although I too drive a stick here at home. I have some experience with roundabouts from my parents small home town in southern Ohio which has one right in the middle of town. Do they work the same way only just in the opposite direction? Kinda scary!

<BR>Robin, I am a resident of Edinburgh, Scotland, i hope you are coming this far up the UK , it's far better than most of England ( I've lived all over the UK ) Driving in the UK will take a while to get used to, especially as some of the road signs leave a lot to be desired on the lesser routes. As a roads engineer for our capital I know only too well that we have terrible traffic problems but they are not half as bad as South Eastern England - AVOID THE RUSH HOUR THERE AT ALL COSTS. Manual gearboxes are more economical that automatic transmission and this is important as fuel here can be up to 5 times the cost of the same stuff in the USA. Nevertheless enjoy your trip, dont hesitate to email me for details of stuff throughout Scotland. <BR>

Tony, we are heading for Edinburgh and the Highlands as ALL friends have raved about Scotland! Most have returned to spend more time in Scotland as they didn't get enough on their trip to the U.K. As for driving an automatic vs. a stick, the cost of gas may be much more expensive, but still probably cheaper than a funeral! Thanks for the information though. Any favorite places in Edinburgh you may recommend?

<BR>Kat, <BR> <BR>Loved your driving tips in the UK. I just returned from two weeks in Scotland (driving about 10 days of the trip). Unfortunately I went with my mother who refused to navigate so it was a bit sticky driving, reading the map, remembering to stay left, and watching for signs. But I managed. <BR> <BR>I would like to add that I rented a car with a manual transmission and I found I needed the ability to down shift as well as using my brakes when I had to stop quickly for sheep running into the road. Those devils can be quick when they want to be. Also, I drove on a lot of single track roads what were windy and hilly and often I couldn't see a car approaching until the last minute. I'd go into my down-shift, break, pull way left mode when this happened. Fortunately the Scots are excellent drivers and my only accident involved a "men working" sign and my left side mirror. <BR> <BR>I found the drivers in Scotland to be very courteous (although very fast). What amazed me is that I didn't see one stop sign the entire time. There were a few "give way" signs but apparantly people know when to stop without being told. Of course, there isn't a lot of traffic compared to what I'm used to in New Jersey. <BR> <BR>The round abouts are great once you get used to them. They really help the flow of traffic. It gets to be an art to approach the round about a cruising speed, look right quickly and determine if you need to stop or keep going. If you need to stop that stick shift comes in handy again. <BR> <BR>To Robin - the round abouts work exactly as they do in the US but you drive toward the left rather than toward the right. The cars already in the circle have the right of way. Just follow the flow of traffic and you'll do fine. <BR> <BR>One more driving tip - watch your gas gauge. Small, hilly roads really eat up the gas. I went from 1/2 tank to fumes while I was watching the scenery. <BR> <BR>

Robin !! It would be best if you leave your car at your hotel in Edinburgh and view the city and its sights by bus or, as its fairly compact, on foot.The head of our council is very anti-car and it's almost not worth the bother driving in the city (it's going to be the first city in the UK to have road pricing installed some time in the next 2 years).The red and white buses are great but i would recommend a tour of edinburgh using one of the special tour buses which sit outside the main train station,Waverley, situated right in the heart of the city centre(downtown). Each bus has a guide with microphone showing you the best bits of edinburgh. As a start you should aim to go on the Royal Mile.This is a street ( not quite a mile ) which has the Royal Palace of Holyrood at the bottom, where Mary Queen of Scots lived for a while and also the site of the new Scottish Parliament.The road climbs up to the top of the hill with the Castle situated at the top.This is also worth a look but costs money to get in (as does Holyrood - and most things).Calton hill is also worth seeing.Situated at the east end of Princes street it has an 'acropolis' on top of the hill,leading people to call Edinburgh the Athens of the North ( although I have yet to hear of Athens called the Edinburgh of the South!!)It will be damn cold so wrap up, all of you. Getting out of Edinburgh can be quite tricky so be careful, if you have time email me and i will give you my number/address in case you need anything whilst in Scotland ( the road system is forever changing - roads change number/designation, dissapear, re-appear etc.Again, anything else you need to know just ask.Oh one thing you could do for me - go to the USA forum and look at my question regarding my trip to all 48 lower states next year. I need all the help I can get.Thanks

<BR>Kat, <BR>Enjoyed your driving tips so much, since <BR>my daughter and I just returned from two <BR>weeks of driving in the UK and you hit <BR>all of the challenges right on the number....I would advise anyone who is <BR>middle aged to be sure to have a navigator....my daughter was too young to be of help, and I returned home more <BR>stressed out, than relaxed...as beautiful as the countryside was, next <BR>time I will either take the train, or go <BR>on a tour of some sort....!! Mary

Back to the top, for Jill. Enjoy! <BR>

Back to the top again, this time for Lori.

I got a good laugh from the driving tips! I just have one more to add. NEVER try to give directions quickly to even a slightly dyslexic person under those conditions. I sent my husband and oldest stepson north from London to visit the where the son's had been born. They came back three days later, looking pretty wobbly and reporting that Chris' most frequent exclamation was "Dad LEFT! No Dad the OTHER left!" The car was in better shape than they were!

Bringing this thread back to the top in response to several recent postings requesting info on driving in the U.K.

Loved the driving tips, I think?! My wife, my twentysomething daughter and myself will be in UK for 2 weeks this spring. First week will be based in London. Second week, we will be renting a car and heading north. WE plan to head to York and then to Scotland and back to London. Is this a reasonable itinerary? We have a seven day car rental. It's my first time in UK so any information would be appreciated.

It's fairly reasonable. My wife and I did similar a few years back with some friends (two cars -- still friends). However, you would be best off dropping the car in Scotland and taking the train back. You'll be real tired by that time. Get "Rules of the Road" and a good set of maps during the first week, and be careful your first few times into a round-about.

<BR>Kat <BR>You really made my day! Reading your post brought back so many memories of my first few times driving in Britain. I'm sitting here killing myself laughing! Many of my trips have been with my elderly mother who can't navigate, so I had to drive and navigate. It took a few trips before I wisened up and got an automatic. Thanks for sharing. <BR>Lee <BR>

Kat--I hope I can see through my tears to post this message. My husband and I have laughed so hard at your "spot on" description of driving in the UK, we are exhausted! <BR> <BR>We spent a week in London last April and then picked up our rental car for a 2 week driving tour of northern England, Scotland & Wales. Our original plans were to go directly to York, then Edinburgh, up into the Highlands, the Isle of Skye, Wales, and end up in the Cotswolds before returning to London for the flight home. In the beginning, however, we were unable to negotiate the round abouts successfully; so instead of that nice straight shot to York, we staggered diagonally toward the Cotswolds because that seemed to be the direction of most of our wrong exits from the traffic circles. It is VERY funny now to look back on those experiences;we howled at Kat's descriptions as we remembered ours. <BR> <BR>May I offer one or two additional suggestions to anyone planning to drive in the UK? <BR> <BR>#1. As you approach a round about, chant to yourself "Look to the right...look to the right..." as those coming from that direction have full right of way privileges. Once you are in the whirling dervish of traffic, others attempting to enter the circle must give you the right of way as you approach them. <BR> <BR>#2. I disagree with Kat on only one thing: Don't avoid all "B" roads. Some of the most gorgeous scenery on the entire trip were the B (and worse) roads of the upper Highlands in Scotland and the Isle of Skye. Just plan on going very slowly (more time to look at the bays and firths) and be ready to back up if you and a large vehicle cannot negotiate enough room to creep past one another. There are pull outs designated for just such occurrences. <BR> <BR>All in all, we are glad we rented a standard shift car;the downshifting did come in handy on many occasions. And we were quite proud to return the car in one piece: all mirrors still attached, doors still on, etc. <BR> <BR>Best piece of advice? Don't try to rush through any of the UK in a car. There is just too much to see to speed by it. Slow down and take it all in...you will have a fantastic time. <BR> <BR>So this year, we are going back to London for another week and then driving through Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley in France. We would welcome any hints, tips or suggestions for driving in that part of the world. Thanks in advance...CS

Boy, can I relate to this: <BR>Last summer my Mom, Aunt and Uncle came over to visit me in London for two weeks. They decided they wanted to go to Ireland and see the town where one side of our family is from...well, they insisted on renting a car, and they figured since I lived in London that I could drive in England...wrong, I live here, I don't drive here. Well, anyway they are all in their 70's... I figured I would have a better chance of surviving if I drove. <BR>Well, I survived...but, one word of advice...LIMIT YOUR NUMBER OF NAVIGATORS TO ONE PERSON - ALL THREE WERE TRYING TO NAVIGATE AT THE SAME TIME, AND THEN THEY WOULD START TO ARGUE WITH EACH OTHER WHEN I NEEDED ADVICE WHICH WAY TO PROCEED!!! <BR>Mamma Mia, I love them but, it was NOT relaxing in the least.

Kat, This is about 'saving face'. When you approach the car, open the door and "THERE'S NO STEERING WHEEL", act gallant, usher the passenger into the seat, close the door and slink to the "right" side of the car.

Oh lordy you had me in stitches, Kat! 3 years ago we did Northern Ireland (right after the truce was broken, I might add) in a car with a manual stick; 4 women (only two drove). The navigator is VITAL...especially in Northern Ireland where signs were more suggestions than actual directions. One of our drivers is from New England (rotaries are commonplace) but our Midwesterner was in awe. They actually do work well for tourists, because you can go around several times before you make your final decision (we found using a clock face worked well "the exit is at 3:00.. gerries at twelve o'clock!" oh no wait that was a different navigator's job). <BR>and thanks, Adrienne, I forgot about those fleet-footed woolies (maybe it was because I waved a bottle of mint jelly out the window every time we saw one). Too bad the donkey carts weren't as fast. As one of the drivers said "you know, I felt like I did when I first learned to drive...nothing is habit, nothing can be taken for granted...made me aware of how nonchalant I've become about driving!" <BR>I will say, though, that Dick (we name every car we rent) was a hardy beast; other than a good-sized gouge out of a front tire (yup, hit the kerb/curb) that car ran fine (do they make them with humvee bodies?). <BR>As for driving in France 1) FARM EQUIPMENT. Tractors in the middle of the road, going about 3/4mph 2) French driver neck: this is created by the driver facing square on to the steering wheel, then shifting one's neck to the left so that one can see around the vehicle in front for a tiny smidgeon of space to pass...the French LOVE to pass. It's some source of pride and honor, I think. Learn to do it, too...

Richard -- I certainly could have used your 'face saving' device because I must have approached the wrong side of the car 100 times. Naturally, the half-dozen times I approached the correct, driver's side of the car, no one was watching. <BR> <BR>CS -- you're 'spot on' viz. the scenery on B roads, often magnificent. You probably have better nerves than I however because I didn't dare look at anything besides the road . . . every once in a while we'd stop just so I could get a look around without having a heart attachk.

I honestly think most of you are really making a meal of this 'driving on the wrong side' nonsense. Where's the problem? I mean I have done/ do both and there is no hassle. Sure it takes a few minutes to get accustomed to things but then it's fine. We don't have 4-way unsignalised intersections here (unless its with a major/very minor intersection with low general traffic flows) but I didn't find them a problem when I first drove in America.

Tony -- I agree we're having a lot of fun with this topic although none of it is meant to offend. My personal experience informs my opinions -- driving in the UK was nerve-wracking for me and I'd do it all over again in a second! We had such a good trip and being able to ferry ourselves around in a car ensured a lively trip.

I can only say this; I would never hesitate to rent a car (automatic) in England. <BR> <BR>We rented a car a few years back and traveled around England and Scotland. It took about a half a day to get used to driving on the left side. The best roads we found were the ones off the beaten track, especially on the way to the Lake District. It give you such an opportunity to see the beautiful countryside, wonderful pubs/restaurants, places to just stop for awhile, and to meet the local people. <BR> <BR>I did finally figure out that the reasons the import cars have fold in side view mirrors (even in the US-not just for car washes). It came in handy when we were on the small narrow roads with perfectly manicured hedges/walls and you saw a car coming. Just have the passenger open the window fold it in, no scratching mirror or getting it torn off. <BR>

To the top.

SHEILA, thank you! This helps, too. <BR>It's still not the one I was looking for, the right thread thatis, but it is very helpful, and I couldn't get this pulledup yesterday either.

topping for Charles

I had a phonecall this evening from a Fodorite who left the cocoon of Edinburgh today and is going back tomroow to hand in her rental car. So, whilst I'm topping for MarySue, this is for you, Micki

Hope this isn't a duplicate! <BR> <BR>I had a phonecall this evening from a Fodorite who left the cocoon of Edinburgh today and is going back tomroow to hand in her rental car. So, whilst I'm topping for MarySue, this is for you, Micki <BR> <BR>

Tony-it's much easier for someone from the UK to drive in the US than vice versa. Our roads are much larger, and most rental cars are automatics. Except that my wife has this nasty habit of driving WAY over to the right. <BR> <BR>"unsignalised"? What are you, a consultant?

James <BR> <BR>pay attention; he SAID he's a Roads Engineer. You don't expect normal behaviour from such people. <BR> <BR>

I'm a consultant roads engineer. Sorry.

Consultant? Did they sack you then?

You forgot to mention the thrilling feat of downshifting -in- the roundabouts! The first time I tried to negotiate roundabouts in serious traffic I killed the engine once or twice when I had to slow too much for the gear I was in. At least the roundabouts with the stoplights eliminate that part of the problem. Now that I've gotten enough practice, I can even laugh at the dreaded double roundabouts (if you've never seen one, imagine a figure eight with perfectly round loops and a little open dot in the center so that you can pivot and go left again.) These pretty much -require- downshifting, I've found. <BR> <BR>Here is the crux of what I find makes navigating whilst driving nearly impossible for us Americans ... the British do not have the concept of blocks. There will never be a way to get back to where you came from by going around the block, so if you do get off on the wrong spoke of the roundabout, look for a place to turn the car around and go exactly back the way you came, to the same roundabout. Do NOT try to find an alternate route to the road you should have taken; it's almost guaranteed to be impossible without going further out of your way.

And remember that face-saving device when you get back home. You will just have trained your body that the steering wheel is on the right and you have to fall back into one on the left. The change back doesn't take as long to get used to, but I'll bet you make an error at least once!

Pasted from another thread: <BR> <BR>The road signing system is somewhat cryptic here. The speed limits aren't always posted, either. If you can get it in time, buy the U.K.'s official driving manual, "The Highway Code." You can get it on Amazon's U.K. site at: <BR>http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...886543-1904442 <BR> <BR>or you might be able to get a copy quicker from their U.S. site. <BR> <BR>The Highway Code will tell you all the rules of the road, including parking regulations, and will decipher all the road signs for you. <BR> <BR>The best advice you'll get, apart from renting an automatic, is DRIVE DEFENSIVELY. Always expect people to cut in front of you, overtake you on the left, etc. and expect motorcycles to overtake you on either side. <BR> <BR>Also, watch out for pedestrians. There are lots of them here and they _always_ have right of way, even when legally _you_ do. (If you hit one here, _you'll_ be the one found guilty in court!) Expect children to run out in front of you, too. <BR> <BR>Pedestrian crossings sometimes have traffic lights (these are called "Pelican crossings") but sometimes they just have white stripes running through them and flashing yellow globes each side (called "Zebra crossings"). If someone is approaching or waiting at a Zebra crossing on foot, you must stop and wait for them to cross. <BR> <BR>Signs directing you where to turn are usually right _at_ the entrance to the road you turn into, not 100+ yards _before_ the turning point. <BR> <BR>In addition to the lack of city blocks in most of Britain, there aren't street signs at every intersection ("junction") - but only at the beginning and end of most streets. Sometimes these are up high, on the side of buildings, sometimes on walls or fences, and sometimes they're down near the ground, but they're almost never on poles. <BR> <BR>And in case you don't realize it, you're supposed to go _clockwise_ around traffic circles ("roundabouts") here! <BR> <BR>And never pull over and stop or park on a roundabout. <BR> <BR>There are 4 types of road here: <BR>1) Motorways -- 6 lanes+ equivalent of Interstates, e.g. M25 -- London's ring road or "Orbital". Speed limit is 70 mph. <BR>2) A roads -- usually 4 lanes, but not always. Some A roads change from 4-lane ("dual carriageways") to two-lane, then back again, but these are the widest, straightest, and best maintained roads after motorways, e.g. A4021, A30, etc. Speed limits are 70 mph on 4-lane roads and 60 mph on 2-lane roads. <BR>3) B roads -- two-lanes, curvy but well maintained, e.g. B2456, B3177, etc. <BR>4) Unnamed roads - usually black-topped but not always, and not always wide enough for two cars (i.e., "single-track" roads). <BR> <BR>On motorways, the left lane is the slow lane. The middle and right lanes are technically just for passing ("overtaking"). The only time it's allowed is when a 4-lane (or more) road is really full of cars. USE ALL YOUR MIRRORS A LOT! People _will_ overtake you on the left, even when they shouldn't. <BR> <BR>If you see a road sign with a road name in parentheses - (A3003) - it means "leading to" the A3003. <BR> <BR>If you see a wide, short black sign in front of you with white chevrons on it, a sharp bend in the road is up ahead. Slow _way_ down. They're, like, serious curves - 90 degrees, give or take a few degrees.

Triple-A has a UK equivalent called The AA (rhymes with "gray day" - not called "Double-A"). And you don't have to be a member of The AA to get "trip tick"-style driving directions from their website: <BR>http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.jsp <BR> <BR>However, I find these directions a tad too detailed for convenient use while driving. The best thing to do is to use them to plot your route on a map, then make yourself a list of the roads you're going to take, which way you're turning at intersections, and the main towns along the way, and just follow the list. You will need to follow roads by town names because the roads here aren't labeled "north," "east," etc. like American roads are. <BR> <BR>Traffic jams are a problem in lots of countries, but in the UK they're especially bad in Summer because of road repairs going on. When you're driving in the UK, you can get up-to-date reports on traffic problems from The AA by calling 09003 401 100. This is really useful if you have a cellphone with you because you can change your route "on the fly" if traffic accidents happen and block roads along your way.

The on-ramps here (called "slip roads") are usually on your _left_ as you drive along, so watch out for this. Even though drivers are supposed to yield ("give way") to traffic already on a freeway, people will usually expect you to move over (to the right) a lane to make room for them to come on. They often have little regard for whether there is enough space in the lane on your right for you to move into, so be on your toes. In this case - and others - signalling means "Move over, mate!" not "I'm going to turn when it's safe to." <BR> <BR>Also, a lot of people here tend to pull out in front of you and then drive slower than you. This is especially bad in Wales, for some reason. Just expect it and keep your cool. <BR> <BR>You might be slowed down by cows or sheep being herded along or across roads, by horse-drawn vehicles, by people riding horses - and by bike riders. Bike riders aren't supposed to ride on the sidewalks here, so (annoyingly) you have to drive slowly _behind_ them - not next to them - until you can pass them safely. Bike riders can be hazardous in other ways, too - like when they weave all over the road, turn acroos in front of you without signalling, etc. Keep your distance from 'em. <BR> <BR>I once ran across a stop-light here where there was no intersection. I stopped, wondering why, when suddenly a low-flying airplane zoomed across in front of my car! The stop light was for a landing path near a small air strip! <BR> <BR>There are sometimes crucial markings (arrows, words, speed limits) actually painted on the road surface - and nowhere else. These sometimes indicate which lane you should be in for turning or going straight, but often they're painted so close to the intersection they don't really give you enough time to change lanes! And sometimes the paint is worn pretty thin. <BR> <BR>Signs that direct you to towns, places of interest, etc. are plentiful here, but they seem to assume you only need directions for where to _turn_. You can be following signs to a place and come to an intersection or roundabout where suddenly there is no sign for your destination. If this happens, it means you should just go straight through the intersection or straight over the roundabout; you don't turn. <BR> <BR>Directional signs are usually not overhead, but are on the left side of the road and sitting lower down than in the U.S. If a van or semi ("lorry") is in the left lane and you're to the right of it, it can block your view of a crucial directional sign, so try to stay in the left lane, even though it's the slow lane, or at least keep your eyes peeled. <BR> <BR>These signs are also covered by branches sometimes, making them unreadable (which I find unforgivable). <BR> <BR>You can take an online test of UK driving knowledge at: http://www.dsa.gov.uk <BR> <BR>Click the "Mock Theory Test" link in the navigation frame on the left. <BR> <BR>This site belongs to the UK's Driving Standards Agency which tests and licenses all drivers here. <BR> <BR>Their online mock theory test generates questions at random from the actual written test you have to take to get a UK driver's license. If you do it enough times you'll cover the whole test. Doing this might help you familiarize yourself with the rules of the road, the signing system, speed lmits, parking regulations etc. <BR> <BR>One last thing: don't eat food or drink beverages while driving in the UK. You might get fined for failing to give "due care and attention" to your driving. This law is also being used to prosecute people who use their cellphones while driving.

Speed limits - (pasted from another thread, as the above two also were) <BR> <BR>There are two speed limits in the UK, for dual carriageways (4-lane roads with a median or barrier) it is 70mph and on a single carriageway (2-lane road, no median) it is 60mph. <BR> <BR>You will however sometimes find speed restrictions on both of these road types. <BR> <BR>As you enter an area with a speed restriction on it there should be a large round sign on each side of the road telling you the new speed. Each sign is white, about 24 inch diameter, and has a red band aroung the black number, which is the speed limit - until you pass another pair of signs. <BR> <BR>Wherever there are street lights the speed limit is 30mph. <BR> <BR>When you return to the 'unrestricted' speed, instead of seeing a 60 or 70 in the sign, there will be a round, white sign with a black band across it diagonally. This means you may now do 60 or 70 depending on whether there is a median or not. <BR> <BR>The exception to this is on Scottish motorways where you will see a sign with '70' on it as you enter the motorway.