If you are still considering whether or not to drive on-the-left, we suggest a quick read of the comments on the 'independent travel' page.  (Use your browser's back button to return here.)

If you have decided that you will be driving in Great Britain, read on....

Before You Leave

• The first and best suggestion we can make is to get a copy of Robert Lockhart's book, 'Driving in Britain'.  We came across it years ago and have reread it - as a refresher - before each subsequent driving holiday in Britain.

• The book is - as they say - a jolly good read.  Do not underestimate the contents because they are presented in a very readable style.  Lockhart explains to us colonists the very things we need to know... the important details of managing those mysterious roundabouts, driving on motorways [expressways], exercising caution at zebra crossings [pedestrian crossings], understanding the cryptic yellow lines on the kerbs ['curbs'] and more.  After reading it, not only will you be aware of the important details of driving on the left, you may also have gained an insight into the way a British driver thinks - and, therefore - will tend to behave on the road with you.  That is called 'defensive driving'.

• And, no.  We do not get a commission for recommending the book.  We do get the personal satisfaction of passing along a good piece of advice that someday could possibly save a life... yours! ...or, even ours.

The Highway Code & Road Signs

• Two other books that we reread before each holiday are 'The Highway Code' and 'Know Your Traffic Signs'  Both are available from http://www.amazon.co.uk/.

• The Highway Code (another link) is the equivalent of our 'Rules of the Road'.

• Do you know the meaning of this road sign?  (Hint... put your mouse on the road sign.)  Being international in nature,  the meaning of many British road signs will be obvious.  While the meanings of others will not.  We have found that some of the meanings can be counter-intuitive!  'Know Your Traffic Signs' can help solve that little problem.  Those already familiar with the subject will enjoy a humourous ['humorous'] page of 'Alternative Traffic Signs'.

• For more information on these three books, see the 'Driving Section' in our web site's Favourite Books.

Route Planning and Maps

• Before you leave, be sure to have the driving directions all sorted out. It used to take us the better part of an hour to sort out [evaluate] the route options, mileage and travel times for a single trip using the Ordinance Survey's (OS) Landranger maps, an opisometre [handy gadget for measuring distances on maps], and a calculator.  Microsoft's® AutoRoute Express™ - Great Britain (another link) does the same in seconds... along with detailed, turn-by-turn driving directions and maps.  The latest version includes a day trip planner.  Start with your location and maximum desired driving time and the software offers venues within your planned driving range.

• Although their price is a bit dear, 'OS Landranger Maps' (another link) (and another) are particularly valuable when driving in rural areas.

• Both the software and maps are available by post ['mail'] with a credit card and a trunk ['long distance'] call from the Colonies ['North America'].  Both Elstead and the National Map Centre do mail order.

• In recent years, the MOT ['Ministry of Transport'] has embarked on an extensive renaming of the roadways.  (If the USA Congress had enacted it, it would be called the 'Cartographers Right-To-Work Act'.)  For example, an 'A' road with two digits ('Ann') may be changed to three digits ('Annn'), another 'A' road ('Annn') may be downgraded to a secondary road, 'B' status, with a corresponding change in both the alpha and numeric designation ('Bnnnn').  In virtually all cases, the geography of the road has not changed, only its designation.  But that can be a bit off-putting ['discouraging'] when you are in a race against time trying to visit that must see stately home before they close for the day.

• Therefore, even if you have a collection of maps from previous holidays ['vacations'] in Britain, we suggest getting a copy of the most recent road atlas.  It is virtually a 'given' that it also will be out-of-date even as it is printed.  But, it will have less errors than older versions.  And, that should reduce the likelihood of getting lost at an inconvenient moment.

The Hired Car

• Manual, stick-shift transmissions are the norm for hired ['rental'] cars.  If you want an automatic, be sure to reserve one.  After all, you will have enough to do 'driving on the left' without simultaneously relearning how to manage a stick-shift.

• Be sure to look into the size of your hired car's boot ['trunk'.]  Will it accommodate all of the luggage that you are bringing along?  We always request a particular make/model vehicle.  One rental agency - who shall go nameless - substituted a much smaller sized vehicle.  We ended up putting the spare tyre ['tire'] on the back seat (!) with a large note on the tyre saying 'Gone flat. Fix' ...offering the causal passer-by a plausible reason to why it was there.

And, One Last Bit Before You Leave

• Be sure to have pre-booked your hotels.  For some suggestions, see our 'Advice page on Hotels'.

Copyright © 1999 - 2005  J. C. Nash. All worldwide rights reserved.
Last modified: Thursday, 27 October 2005.

Car animation courtesy of the Animation Factory.