[PGNarain]

I am leaving shortly for visiting family in the UK. Once there we have made rather elaborate plans to have a short driving holiday. Since I am the only person who knows driving, I will be driving for the entire stretch and also since this is the first time I will be driving abroad, I have been reading a lot over the net for things I need to keep in mind:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post2522570
... among other driving travelogues!

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g1....Visitors.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving...United_Kingdom

http://www.visitbritain.com/en/Trans...n-Britain.html

However, wanted to start a thread because I want to hear about your first hand experiences while driving in the UK and of course from veterans as well about the things I should keep take care of.

In addition, I have another question. For the driving trip we have hired a 7 seater which needs to accommodate 2 kids (1 year + 1 year 8 months) and 4 adults. What is the most recommended seating layout that we should follow in the car? I was thinking on the lines of:

1st Row: Driver + Passenger
2nd Row: Infant seat + Passenger + Infant Seat
3rd Row: Passenger

Do let me know!

[Rehaan]

This thread might have some pointers for you too : Link

[vnabhi]

I've driven a Ford S-max from London to Leeds and back. To be precise, I shared driving with my brother-in-law, who was staying there, and got good inputs. Your accommodation plan for kids in the middle row looks fine. They should never be in the front seat.

Driving was a cake walk, but you need to keep in mind lane discipline. The lane closest to the divider on highways is used only for overtaking. You need to get back to the middle or left lane gradually after overtaking, depending on your speed.

Keep a lookout for speed limit boards and display signs, and stick to it. Else you have to pay a heft fine when you give back the rental car. At that point of time, one could spot speed sensors on the road by a series of dots, and the speed at which your car crosses those dots triggers the alarm to the traffic cops. It was quite simple to slam the brakes near those, but I don't advise you to cross the speed limits.

The latest edtion of Top Gear India has an article by Jeremy Clarkson lamenting about the new-gen speed sensors laid on the M1 highway, and how it is difficult to trick them. Do read that article, it is very humorous.

Drive safe!

[GTO]

Personally, I don't recommend driving straight off the airport in a new country. If you've been there earlier, it's a different matter. But if visiting for the first time, take a cab, observe the driving and get familiar with the local traffic scene. Even 1 - 2 days of localisation can go a long way .

Be doubly sure to have insurance coverage, and that your driving licence is valid in the foreign country.

Originally Posted by PGNarain

I was thinking on the lines of:

1st Row: Driver + Passenger
2nd Row: Infant seat + Passenger + Infant Seat
3rd Row: Passenger

Yes, this is probably the best.

[sreedotk]

A few thoughts from my end.

The thingh i have found most of my friends have difficulty driving in a foreign land where they have good highways are.

1. Merging on to highway- especially as you have to accelerate hard to get from a 40 mile speed limit to a 60-70 mile speed limit and when there is a good amount of traffic at the merging end.
2. Changing lanes while maintaining speed
3. Remembering that Pedestrians have the right of the way
4. To stop at all stop signs irrespective of whether there is traffic or not
5. To know which traffic has the right of way at a roundabout
5. Also it would be a good idea to go on the net and check for all traffic signs as some of them may be unique to each country

[PGNarain]

Originally Posted by GTO

Personally, I don't recommend driving straight off the airport in a new country.

Been there several times before but this is the first time when I will driving. Also, we did explore driving straight out from the Airport, especially since there are far more and better options available from Heathrow, but dropped it for exactly the reason you have mentioned and also because it was turning out to be costlier!

Be doubly sure to have insurance coverage, and that your driving licence is valid in the foreign country.

Thanks and already done. Documentation wise, I am all covered.

Originally Posted by sreedotk

A few thoughts from my end.
...4. To stop at all stop signs irrespective of whether there is traffic or not
5. To know which traffic has the right of way at a roundabout

Thanks for your post and pointing that out. It is exactly these kind of things I am apprehensive I might overlook given how we tend to drive here!

[for_cars1]

Originally Posted by PGNarain

..... we have made rather elaborate plans to have a short driving holiday. .... this is the first time I will be driving abroad.

... want to hear about your first hand experiences while driving in the UK and of course from veterans as well about the things I should keep take care of.

Having driven in the UK earlier, I would suggest that you buy a copy of the UK Highway code. The Highway code covers the road rules and do's an don'ts in detail.

Although I had good driving experience in India, I didn't straightaway take to the roads in the UK, I went through the Highway code and familiarized with the rules thoroughly and observed the driving pattern for 3 to 4 months and then started driving there.

It is absolutely critical to go by the Highway code because the driving speeds are on the higher side and it can be risky to deviate from the rules (particularly the concept of "right of way" is followed everywhere, along with lane discipline).

[prashanthyr]

In addition to what others have said, my inputs are as below

City Driving - Likely tougher than Highway. Key things to keep in mind
a. Speed limit is usually 30 unless stated otherwise. Most roads will have boards announcing the limit. If there are no boards, watch for street lights. Street lights in a city means limit is automatically 30. Near Schools, it usually drops to 20.
b. Watch for roads with Yellow and Red lines. Yellow usually means you can stop to unload / pick up passengers / luggage, whereas Red usually means you cannot stop for that as well. Waiting is not allowed on roads with Red lines. Yellow line roads usually have signs telling you if you can wait.
c. Roundabouts - there are two types - Regular and Mini. Regular is like any circle in India. Mini has the same rules, but is just a painted circle on the junction.
The rule is fairly simple - Right has right of way. Which essentially means you have to stop behind the line before entering the roundabout and can enter it only if there is no one coming from the right / front side and cutting across you. You usually dont need to worry about the left. they'll be watching you.
d. Pedestrian Crossings. There are multiple types, most common of which are Zebra and Pelican. Pelican is simple since it will have lights. Zebra crossings are usually indicated by a set of poles with Yellow lights on them. You have to stop at Zebra if there are any pedestrians waiting to cross or crossing the road. No exceptions at any time of the day. And please wait for the pedestrian to cross the road before you proceed. Do not attempt to move as soon as they cross your vehicle
e. Stop signs and lines. A number of roads just have a line and no stop signs. That means you have to stop at the line before you enter the road
f. Give Way signs are taken seriously
g. Forget about honking. Horns are to be used only in an emergency and are usually seen as a sign of annoyance
h. FLASHING of lights. Its the exact opposite of India. If someone flashes you at an intersection, they are indicating that they'll wait and asking you to go. Same applies if you flash - it means you'll wait. This includes signs to pedestrians as well
i. The usual way of thanking someone on the road is to either raise your hand or switch on the emergency blinkers for one cycle.
j. Major and Minor Roads. If you are on a major road and entering a minor road, you will have right of way to enter. If you are entering a major road from a minor road, you have to wait for a suitable gap. Also, if you have to cut across a road (say turning right into a road), then you have to wait for a gap in the traffic in the appropriate lane
k. If a cop car starts following you and flashes his blue lights, pull over at a safe place and wait in the car. The cops are usually very courteous and willing to help
l. Carry change with you for parking meters. Most parkign meters accept coins only or you'll have to call and pay via credit card.

Misc: Mileage is quoted in MPG, but fuel is sold in litres, so be ready to calculate how much fuel you need for your journey

As others have suggested, good to study driving patterns for the first two days and also familiarize yourself with the highway code.

Trust me, you'll be a better driver after you drive a few hundred miles on UK roads.

[reverse_gear]

I will add a few more to the ones posted by @sreedotk:

1. Knowing how to use on-the-road parking (where you can park, what time you can park, how to pay the fee, displaying the receipt, etc.)
2. Restrictions on driving in city centres (congestion tax, tourist vs. resident cars, etc.) which may be applicable in some cities.
3. Bus lanes, taxi lanes, cycle lanes and trams - watch out for them in towns. Do not cross them under any circumstances.
4. Procedure for paying toll on the highways - which lane should you drive into, where to take ticket and where to pay by cash/ card

Enjoy yourself, don't be too stressed!

[viper_711]

Most points are covered so I will share where I felt I had to focus during my London-Scotland-London drive:
Roundabouts - In India we have a tendency to slow down and enter the roundabout but the correct way is to stop and enter only when no one from the right is approaching
Parking signs - Interpreting the parking sign variations and sub-text
Speed limits - Needless to say everywhere but especially in urban areas
Road signs - There will be many unlike India and need to stay alert so as we don't miss one.
Traffic jams - When crossing large junctions/plazas we need to ensure that the road we are taking is clear. If it is blocked do not cross even if you have a green light

Your seating arrangement is spot on. Most cars do not have child seat fixing points on last row (just experienced it in Australia)

Most gas stations will sell you a copy of highway code.

Wish you a safe drive!

[itwasntme]

Please read through the online Highway Code. I find it to be very lucid and readable.
https://www.gov.uk/highway-code

If possible, use a UK GPS - can really prevent 'last minute' panic changes if direction.

Do not let yourself get distracted by your passengers - make that a rule and appoint the front passenger as the intermediary between other passengers and kids!

Ensure everyone is belted up as per UK law - god forbid if anything happens, you as the driver will be held legally responsible for kids especially.

[SS-Traveller]

This thread would be a good primer for driving in any country that strictly enforces road rules. Also, this one.

There are a few hundred things to remember when driving in UK, which we don't care for in India, if you want to avoid being penalized - and the penalties are really heavy by our standards. Indians tend to forget that there are cameras watching you, even if there's no cop physically present.

Good luck, and drive safe.

[ghodlur]

Man, I had a tough time when I had driven in UK. The traffic sense and discipline is immense in the country with of course a few exceptions but people generally follow good lane discipline. The signs are everywhere so directions shouldn't be a problem. In any case you can opt for a vehicle with a TomTom installed. The highways are not an issue, but the town roads may be narrow. As known roads in London specifically are congested and better to opt for public transportation.

I usually got distracted by the german beauties, they are a plenty in the country. How long is the stay in UK?

[PGNarain]

Originally Posted by viper_711

....Your seating arrangement is spot on. Most cars do not have child seat fixing points on last row....

Thanks for all the pointers and confirming the seating arrangement as well, GTO is his previous post also said the same thing.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Please read through the online Highway Code. I find it to be very lucid and readable.

Most gas stations will sell you a copy of highway code.

Thanks, though I have gone through the highway code online - this is a good suggestion. I will surely get a copy once we land.

If possible, use a UK GPS - can really prevent 'last minute' panic changes if direction.

Originally Posted by ghodlur

In any case you can opt for a vehicle with a TomTom installed. The highways are not an issue, but the town roads may be narrow. As known roads in London specifically are congested and better to opt for public transportation.

We have not opted for a hired GPS simply because the couple travelling with us have UK phones / tablets which are GPS enabled. Also, because an additional GPS was turning out to be rather expensive.

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Man, I had a tough time when I had driven in UK. The traffic sense and discipline is immense in the country with of course a few exceptions.....

well that's not comforting, but I will surely update my experience once I am back!

Originally Posted by ghodlur

I usually got distracted by the german beauties, they are a plenty in the country. How long is the stay in UK?

Well, I will try to keep myself under control. It was one of the reasons that I never really noticed traffic on my earlier trips. Was always using public transport and looking at cars!!

Perhaps I should have mentioned it - we will be there for about 2 weeks of which almost 10 days are driving. Also, we are not going anywhere near London - or for that matter any major city, with the exception of Bath!

[jinojohnt]

Originally Posted by sreedotk

3. Remembering that Pedestrians have the right of the way

This is the most difficult thing for us to master, whether driving on footpaths or roads

Originally Posted by sreedotk

5. To know which traffic has the right of way at a roundabout

In roundabouts in 'most' countries, if you see an approaching car from your (driver side) window, the approaching car has the right of way. The logic is simple - you can see the other car from the driver window, but the other driver can see you only through a (limited visibility) passenger window.

Originally Posted by viper_711

Traffic jams - When crossing large junctions/plazas we need to ensure that the road we are taking is clear. If it is blocked do not cross even if you have a green light

Most of the traffic jams in the town where I reside are due to drivers going ahead and blocking the junction, even when they see that they cannot move ahead.