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-   -   Driving in the U.K. (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/driving-in-the-u-k-32245/)

McTavish Jun 8th, 2001 01:33 AM

The '70' sign on Scottish motorways is actually the milligrams of alcohol you are allowed in your bloodstream !

Ben Jun 8th, 2001 09:08 AM

From another thread: <BR> <BR>In the UK, most roads widen as they approach a roundabout, with two or more distinct lanes on to the roundabout. Remembering to give way to traffic already on the roundabout, if you want to take the first exit to the left, indicate as you approach the roundabout and stay in the left lane. If you want to go straight on, stay in the left lane and don't indicate until you've passed the exit before the one you wnat. Only get in the right hand lane if you are going round the rounabout to take the furthest exits and indicate right as you go round it.

Tony Hughes Jun 8th, 2001 10:58 AM

They wouldnt dare, Sheila

Stoney Jun 10th, 2001 02:34 AM

I recently heard a conversation bewteen a rather loud American woman and her English friend. Part of it went like this: <BR> <BR>Englishman: "Has your furniture arrived yet?" <BR> <BR>American woman: "Yeah, but I had to sell my dining set. The table wouldn't fit in the tiny apartments you have over here!" <BR> <BR>I guess she couldn't afford a decent sized flat!

Stoney Jun 10th, 2001 02:40 AM

<BR> <BR>Sorry - wrong thread!

Micki Jun 10th, 2001 09:24 AM

I read this post again once we returned home to the US after spending two wonderful weeks in Scotland. As Sheila mentioned above we returned our car on day two of attempting to drive. The driver/navigator conversation was hilarious reading it for the second time after we had the actual experience of driving in Scotland. It's almost word for word the conversation between my mother and I. I think for me the hardest part of driving was the narrow curvy roads. I did fine on the round-abouts and the bypass around Edinburgh. Just wasn't used to other cars and curbs/walls/etc. being so close to me once we left the bypass. I had trouble judging distances from the opposite side of the car and road and couldn't shake the feeling that I was inches away from side swiping something. My mother couldn't shake the feeling either and let me know frequently by shouting out "Look out!". It made me so nervous I was getting sick to my stomach. Ugh, just thinking about it makes me sick. We spoke with another American couple that had been driving for three days and they said they had the same experience and that each day become much easier. The only difference was that they were able to switch drivers every so often which gave the driver a break. I knew this was not an option so decided to take the car back. Only wish I had prepared a backup plan in case this happened. Instead we were forced to come up with plans for the remaining ten days of our trip. Turned out okay though and still managed to have an absolutely wonderful time there.

dick Jun 10th, 2001 01:24 PM

drive on the left

Joel Jun 13th, 2001 03:22 AM

<BR> <BR>One book they use in the U.K. to prepare for their written test is "Know Your Traffic Signs", published by HMSO (Her Majesty's Stationery Office); ISBN: 0115516123. <BR> <BR>If you buy the Highway Code, this book might be superfluous, but it has bigger, color pictures of the road signs used in the U.K. and tells what they mean. You can buy it on Amazon's U.S. site for about $9: <BR>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...944135-9508915 <BR> <BR>or their U.K. site: <BR>http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...882843-0398223 <BR>


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