Driving In England

I considered it once and was told by an English friend "Just keep the driver in the middle of the road. On second thought take the train."

What are you used to in terms of driving? I haven't been to Louisville, KY but a quick look on Google Maps shows it to be your usual downtown grid system with a much less congested outer area which, for me, is easy driving. What's your experience of European driving? I'll happily drive in France (Paris excluded), Spain, Germany, Poland etc but I will not drive in Rome, Bucharest or many of the former Soviet Bloc capital cities. The Greek Islands can also be a bit sketchy (once nearly drove off a cliff in Kos due to poor signage and lack of a barrier). All of which are countries that drive on the right and invariably I'm in a manual car unless I find a good deal for an automatic. I can leave an airport in the US and get straight in a car and have no problems adapting immediately to driving on the right (although without exception every car has been an automatic).

I don't find driving on the other side of what you're used to difficult. I find the transition very quick, an automatic makes it much easier although with a manual it's often a case of frequent grasping at the door rather than the gear stick until your mind fully adapts which takes a little bit longer.

Roundabouts will be your biggest challenge, they can take some getting used to however once you get the hang of them you'll appreciate how more efficient they are than light controlled crossroads. Just remember that the traffic to your right has priority, so if you find yourself at a roundabout with four roads leading into it, the car waiting at the entrance to the roundabout on the road immediately to your right has priority over you.

One thing that gets me every time when I drive in the US is the ability to turn right on a red if the road is clear. Don't try this in the UK.

Learn your speed limits (and signs). The 20mph, 30mph, 40mph etc are obvious, less so is the sign for the national speed limit. This is a white circle with a black diagonal line. When you see this sign it means the speed limit is 60mph for a single carriage road and 70mph for a dual carriageway and motorway.

Watch out for variable speed cameras. These are sets of cameras that record your average speed over a set distance and prevents the 'slow down and immediately speed up' aspect of fixed cameras. The M1 and M25 motorways have recently gone live with variable speed cameras (not that you'll ever be able to exceed the speed limit on the M25). If you incur a penalty it will be sent to your car rental company and forwarded to you along with their administration fee.

British drivers are more polite than other nationalities, particularly those in Southern Europe. Whilst you may experience tailgating and aggressive driving it's not particularly common and has a tendency to be favoured by drivers of particular makes of car. If you're intending to make a turn and you're indicating to do so an oncoming car may flash their headlights, this is an indication that they are allowing you to make the turn in front of them (as long as you do so quickly and without faffing about and impeding them). A reciprocal flash of your lights or raising a hand is a signal of thanks.

The beeping of horns is pretty rare in the UK apart from London and other areas of significant immigrant population where horn honking is part and parcel of driving in their country of origin. Honking your horn is reserved for when someone really pisses you off.

Avoid driving in major cities, most will have a park and ride scheme where you can park in a designated car park on the city outskirts and take a bus into the city. I don't know about Leeds but I'll be surprised if they didn't have one, likewise York. Outside of the cities driving is a pleasure. You'll get used to driving on the left in no time, particularly if you hire an automatic, albeit much more expensive than a manual. Try not to be reticent and certainly don't allow yourself to be talked out of it, you'll regret it and miss out on so much opportunity.

Hi John -

Greetings from the fair city of Leeds! Well, just outside.

I too would recommend the train from Leeds to York for a day trip. The public car parks in York are breathtakingly expensive, the nearer the centre you get, the dearer they are. We have friends in York and drive over fairly frequently, but I'm always disgusted at the outrageous parking charges.

Leeds has frequent and quick trains to York and once there the central, interesting part of York is very walkable. The Minster is within an easy ten minute/quarter of an hour stroll from the station. There are plenty of interesting pubs and eating places in York too so not driving will allow you to visit them with impunity.

If determined to drive from Leeds (where you are staying in Leeds may be a deciding factor in this) the A64 is the direct link to York. The route is fairly straightforward, turning off the A64 into the centre, passing the Knavesmire race course on your right. Eventually you will arrive at traffic lights in front of the mediaeval Micklegate Bar (Bar in this instance means Gate) which is part of the walls surrounding the city. There are traffic lights here, so filter into the right hand lane and turn right (sorry about that!) into Nunnery Lane where there is a large car park. You can usually get a spot here but be prepared to be separated from your money to the tune of around £15.00 for an all day stay. Unsurprisingly, the payment machines take credit cards. Walk back the short distance to Micklegate and turn right through the gate and into the centre, towards the river. Cross the bridge over the river and bear left for the Minster.

Hope this is of some help. Hope you have a great trip. Leeds is not exactly tourist central, but is a great jumping off point for other more reknowned sites.

Ian

I should add that it is rumoured that the one way system/link road in Leeds was designed by somebody on mind altering drugs. Driving it will only make you an additional subscriber to this theory!

Ian

Some info on driving in the UK:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hMQtO6qhkIo

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g186338-i17-k6722631-Driving_in_the_UK_for_Americans-London_England.html

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Diu1k_5H45k

http://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/uploads/3/2/9/2/3292309/the-official-highway-code-with-annexes-uk-en-12-04.pdf

We rented a car for 28 days and drove all over South Wales and England. Be sure to get an automatic and one with a nav system or GPS.

To go from Leeds to York, use the train. The rail station is close to the city center. Also, try to see the National Rail Museum if you can. The Minster is awesome and will take 3 hours to see thoroughly. Also, walk the walls and see some of the ancient city with it narrow streets. Also, some great museums there.

driving on the left: just keep a local in front of you and after about 10 minutes you won't even realize you're doing it. easy.

roundabouts with traffic are where it can get a little tricky. once you're in, if you're not sure of your exit, just go around again.

and if you happen to offend a local? meh. it's not like you'll ever see them again.

Driving in the UK isn't bad once you get used to it but it's completely unnecessary for where you are going. For one thing you can't easily drive/park in York. They do have a park-n-ride scheme with lots for visitors just outside the center of the city and shuttle buses that take you in. It's not difficult but why bother when the train will deliver you there with zero stress and far less cost!