Road Travel Tips And Information For Driving In The Uk
For many people, a trip to the UK is not complete without seeing the country side and all of the wonderful cities this country has to offer. While in the UK, you might find yourself wishing to lease a car to be pleased your trip to the fullest. However, there are a few things that the traveller needs to remember about road proceed within the UK before setting out on that road trip of a lifetime.
Travelling By Road In The UK
It is important to remember that if you are going to lease a car for the duration of your visit that there are different rules of the road that are applicable in the UK.
Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, we drive on the left hand side of the road throughout the UK, so that can be confusing at times (as a Brit driving in the US, I often have to remember to drive on the right!). Also, the driver’s side of the car is on the right in British cars.
Additionally, the majority of cars on the road in the UK are manual transmission, with automatics costing a lot more for rental. If you do not feel comfortable driving stick, book an automatic car in advance of travelling to insure you have a car you are able to drive as soon as you enter the country.
One very major point to remember when driving in the UK is that a red light means cessation without inquire of. The UK does not allow drivers to turn on red lights, as is the custom in the US. A number of accidents occur and tickets are given to tourists each year because they are not aware of this. In short, never ever turn when a light is showing red. You could be putting your life and the lives of other in danger if you do.
If you plan to drive in London, be aware that the city charges a Congestion Fee for all road travel through out the city centre. The fees for this charge might be included in your rental fees when picking up the car for the duration of your visit. If not, it is your responsibility to pay the congestion charge fees if you wish to drive in London. The congestion charge is in accomplish between 7 am and 6 pm daily throughout the city, as these are the times when the city streets are most busy. The fee is currently £8 per day if you pay in advance and rises to £10 per day if you drive around the city without the advanced payment in place. You have up to 24 hours to pay the fee of £10 after a day driving around town. Failure to pay within this time frame, or to register your car for the congestion fee will result in a fine of £125. Please check with your car rental company prior to leasing a car to seek whether your registration and congestion charge fees are covered in your rental costs. If they are not, and you are unaware of the charges, you might well find yourself paying a lot more than you bargained for in the long run.
If you do plan to stay in London for the duration of your trip, then renting a car is probably not the best idea due to all the charges and difficulties you will face travelling around the city. It is best to rent a car if you plan to visit other parts of the UK and don’t wish to pay extreme amounts for external public transport.
Travelling outside London to other destinations in the UK can be very respectable, especially if you are driving yourself. The city is surrounded by a number of motorways that will grasp you to other cities and areas in the UK. If you do plan to drive outside London, make sure you either purchase an atlas of the UK, or have one provided by your car rental company. Unlike the US, you can travel for many miles down the motorways without seeing a town or building anywhere. Most of the motorways are surrounded by dense countryside and more scenic views than yet another strip-mall. However, at every 25 mile interval of the motorway, you will find a fully equipped service region. These offer dining facilities, wash room areas, stores and motels which are ideal for small breaks in travel. Be sure to take advantage of these facilities when travelling.
Also, if you do find yourself on the road in the UK, make sure your rental car is covered by a breakdown service such as the AA or RAC. If you run into trouble on the road, you can always call these services to help you out. All motorways are equipped with orange telephone boxes that are one mile apart which offer direct lines to emergency breakdown companies. The nearest phone box can be located by following the arrow markers on the posts which line the hard shoulder (breakdown lane). For safety reasons, insure the male of the party walks to the phone box to perform the call. Unfortunately, there have been a number of incidents where females make the walk and end up in trouble. Note your location by recording the number of the junction you have just pasts, the direction in which you are heading and your vehicle information as to make finding you easier and quicker for the mechanic to find you. If you do break down, remember to get out of the car and to stand unhurried the barrier for safety reasons.
As within the US, different road types in the UK have different run limits. Be sure to behold for speed limit signs on your travels to insure you don’t run into trouble. Motorway limits are 70 miles per hour, unless stated otherwise, and in town travel is often restricted to 30 m.p.h, or 20 m.p.h if you are passing a school. Again, there should be signs when nearing a different type of road to inform you of the urge limit. It is vital that you adhere to rush limits within the UK as there are numerous traffic cameras and police offices hiding about to catch all the speeders out there and punish them with tickets. Remember that if you are caught speeding, you will not only have to pay a fine, but also enter into a police station within 10 days of the offence to demonstrate your drivers license and insurance information.
Renting a car and travelling around the UK is an fantastic experience for any visitor to the country. Many people tend to forget that there is life outside London, so a road trip to some of the other beautiful locations can be extremely engrossing. Just remember to be safe and take a break from driving if you feel tired. Who knows what adventures you will rep on your capable and informed road trip.
Happy driving!
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Filed under Js Car Breakdown Insurance by on Jan 27th, 2012. 
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