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Driving in the UK
Posted on 5/26/22 at 8:57 am
Posted on 5/26/22 at 8:57 am
I'll be in the UK for business for 3 weeks in September. I'll definitely have some time to venture out on the weekends and am also thinking about extending my stay for a week or maybe more. Has anyone tried renting a car and driving over there? Is it practical for an American to do. It seems like I'd forget the rules of the road and turn the wrong way. Thoughts?
19
Posted on 5/26/22 at 9:23 am to RonLaFlamme
You can take trains almost anywhere in Europe so its not specifically necessary most of the time. UK has a good train system and you should be able to get almost anywhere on them.
I couldn't do it.
My wife and her friend went to Ireland. Her friend is a smart girl, lived in London for a few years, was 100% convinced she would be fine.
Hit a curb within the first hour of getting the rental car and blew out the tire.
When I was in London I almost got creamed 2-3 times looking the wrong way before crossing the street.
I couldn't do it.
My wife and her friend went to Ireland. Her friend is a smart girl, lived in London for a few years, was 100% convinced she would be fine.
Hit a curb within the first hour of getting the rental car and blew out the tire.
When I was in London I almost got creamed 2-3 times looking the wrong way before crossing the street.
Posted on 5/26/22 at 10:44 am to Fun Bunch
Ya it's difficult to not forget. I wouldn't do it without someone to remind me. That's what I did for my friend while he drove in South Africa. Navigate and alert/remind him of the difference.
Posted on 5/26/22 at 11:06 am to RonLaFlamme
Maybe if you get out of London. Go to the Cotswolds for a weekend and rent there. But even in those small towns there are roundabouts that will frick with your mind.
Posted on 5/26/22 at 11:12 am to RonLaFlamme
Absolutely doable, but certainly takes some getting used to. It also helps if you have someone with you to help navigate.
I would NEVER drive on the day of your arrival though. Probably the most dangerous day of driving I've ever done was renting a car the day of our arrival to go to a vacation home in Kent, southeast of London after a short layover in Dublin. Probably with the layover was we didn't get into the rental car until 1-2pm so we were extra tired. Then driving the other side of the road tired and jet lagged was dumb and dangerous.
Trains are great for city center to city center, but tons of stuff are not in city centers. I'd absolutely rent a car wherever you go. Take your time, its really not that bad. A gps/ phone app helps a lot also to remind you
ETA: The hardest part is a left hand turn not at an intersection like a round a bout, round a bouts are easy because there's usually someone else there and signs. When you pull up to a road its hard not to look left for traffic when you should be looking right at the first lane.
I would NEVER drive on the day of your arrival though. Probably the most dangerous day of driving I've ever done was renting a car the day of our arrival to go to a vacation home in Kent, southeast of London after a short layover in Dublin. Probably with the layover was we didn't get into the rental car until 1-2pm so we were extra tired. Then driving the other side of the road tired and jet lagged was dumb and dangerous.
Trains are great for city center to city center, but tons of stuff are not in city centers. I'd absolutely rent a car wherever you go. Take your time, its really not that bad. A gps/ phone app helps a lot also to remind you
ETA: The hardest part is a left hand turn not at an intersection like a round a bout, round a bouts are easy because there's usually someone else there and signs. When you pull up to a road its hard not to look left for traffic when you should be looking right at the first lane.
This post was edited on 5/26/22 at 11:15 am
Posted on 5/26/22 at 11:17 am to RonLaFlamme
I drove in Scotland. I was fine, but it scared my wife shitless to sit in the passenger seat. Constantly freaking out and screaming at me. I'll never do it again if she is along for the ride.
Posted on 5/26/22 at 11:20 am to RonLaFlamme
I have gotten rental cars in France and Italy several times but not in England. I don’t want to have to deal with driving on the wrong side of the street.
Posted on 5/26/22 at 11:21 am to RonLaFlamme
I have trouble just crossing a street in the UK with all the damn cars coming at me from the wrong direction.
Posted on 5/26/22 at 11:33 am to RonLaFlamme
I’ve done it all throughout Ireland. Going straight from the airport to driving in Dublin was baptism by fire. Made some mistakes, luckily nothing bad happened. Once we got out to the country side it was a breeze. By the time we got to Belfast I had it down, so that city was no problem. You just have to really slow down and think before you do anything.
This post was edited on 5/26/22 at 4:59 pm
Posted on 5/26/22 at 4:25 pm to RonLaFlamme
Went with a friend who drove all over England for a few days. He had experience and had no issues, but I never felt like I could have taken the wheel with confidence.
Went back for several weeks, and spent a lot of time as a passenger in cars driven by locals. Even at the end, I would try to get in the wrong door of the car at least once a day.
When crossing the street, I look both ways 3 times, just to make sure. That shite just will not click in my brain.
Went back for several weeks, and spent a lot of time as a passenger in cars driven by locals. Even at the end, I would try to get in the wrong door of the car at least once a day.
When crossing the street, I look both ways 3 times, just to make sure. That shite just will not click in my brain.
Posted on 5/26/22 at 5:48 pm to Twenty 49
I'll tell you one of the weirdest things to me, is that their gears are in the same place even though its a different hand. You would think that first gear would always be top and closest to the driver, right? But first in England is still top left. So first gear is furthest away from you, and reverse is generally still bottom right.
Posted on 5/27/22 at 7:45 am to RonLaFlamme
I drove there for nearly a decade. Definitely takes getting used to.
Side note, in all that time I never got a licence.
Side note, in all that time I never got a licence.
Posted on 5/27/22 at 10:26 am to RonLaFlamme
Do not do it, it will make you feel dumb and small. And yes good note a lot of the rental cars are manual.
Posted on 5/27/22 at 10:35 am to RonLaFlamme
I feel like it’s definitely doable but you just would have to stay extremely focused. I get freaked out just riding around in a taxi in places that drive like that
Posted on 5/27/22 at 10:36 am to greenwave
Posted on 5/27/22 at 11:01 am to RonLaFlamme
Just try it for a day and see how you do.
My husband and I drove in Ireland - we rented a manual - it was actually no big deal - once you get out of the bigger cities there’s not much traffic
My husband and I drove in Ireland - we rented a manual - it was actually no big deal - once you get out of the bigger cities there’s not much traffic
Posted on 5/27/22 at 11:21 am to RonLaFlamme
Pay extra for an automatic transmission. You will scrub the curb a time or two at first. I wouldn’t do it in London for sure (for several reasons) but it is definitely doable. If you do remember that they have “average speed” cameras which time you between 2 points. If you get to point B too quickly you will get a ticket. Thankfully it didn’t happen to me, but it easily could have.
Posted on 5/28/22 at 9:23 am to RonLaFlamme
I rented a car and drove for two days in England. I consider myself a good driver and it was definitely difficult. We rented a car because we went into the countryside and no trains were available. Staying on the correct side of the road was pretty easy. For me it was knowing how far (or not far) to be over. I may have clipped a thing or two with my mirror.
Absolutely, positively no way in the world I’d drive in a city like London!
Absolutely, positively no way in the world I’d drive in a city like London!
Posted on 5/28/22 at 2:47 pm to RonLaFlamme
It takes some getting use to.
Just remember that you are supposed to use turn signals in round-abouts and there is, for the most part, no turn on red.. which would be a left turn there.
Also, rent a small car, some roads are ridiculously tiny.
I drove in England and Ireland.. both took a day to adjust.
Just remember that you are supposed to use turn signals in round-abouts and there is, for the most part, no turn on red.. which would be a left turn there.
Also, rent a small car, some roads are ridiculously tiny.
I drove in England and Ireland.. both took a day to adjust.
Posted on 5/30/22 at 4:05 am to RonLaFlamme
quote:
Has anyone tried renting a car and driving over there? Is it practical for an American to do.
I flew in to Dublin and drove around Ireland. It’s weird driving on the “wrong” side of the road but it was not difficult. I do recommend looking into what signs mean. They are different in Europe than in the U.S.
I will also add, you need to be confident in your driving skills. If you are not just stick to public transportation.
This post was edited on 5/30/22 at 4:09 am
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