London Driving

London Driving

Driving in London is less daunting than you may imagine. Roads are engineered for driving on the left so the chances of you entering a traffic circle or intersection from the wrong side are pretty slim. Thousands of visitors enjoy driving here, happily and safely, every year. Here are some driving tips and pointers that should help ease your London driving days.

1) Start slow - If you've never driven in the UK before, don't plan to pick up a car at the airport and dive straight onto a motorway heading for London. Take a train to your first, out of town, destination and adjust to driving on the left along quieter roads first. Build up your confidence on country and secondary roads, before trying high speed motorways and the centre of London.

2) Ask for an automatic - When renting a car in the UK, make sure to ask for an automatic transmission if you are more comfortable driving one. UK drivers usually learn to drive a standard transmission (called a manual transmission) first and most rental cars are manual. Unless you ask for an automatic when you book your car, you may end up with a stick shift you can't drive.

3) Watch out for U-turners - Drivers are allowed to execute a U-turn or 3-point-turn on any UK road where it can be safely done and it is not expressly forbidden. Don't be surprised if you see a driver hold up four lanes of traffic to make a U-turn. Taxi drivers are expecially fearless about this.

4) Go with the flow - You'll often see cars parked on what looks like the wrong side of the street, facing oncoming traffic. In the UK that's legal and drivers will often cross the road to grab a space. Don't be tempted to emulate them. If you aren't used to driving on the left, you may forget later and pull out into oncoming traffic.

5) Remember the conjestion charge - In a large part of London you will have to pay to drive. The charge is currently £8 per day if the charge is paid on the day. If you pay a day late it is £10. It is not possible to pay after this and you will be fined. There are cameras everywhere!

6) Back off - Even in the city there are some very narrow roads. When driving on such roads, watch out for areas, perhaps between parked cars, where you can pull over to let an oncoming car pass you. Sometimes the other driver will pull over to let you pass, sometimes whoever is nearest to a suitable place to pass may have to back up into it. If a driver pulls aside to let you pass, make sure you acknowledge the courtesy with a wave of thanks.

7) Mind the Hedgerows - If you leave the city you may see hedgerows. These are used instead of fences to divide fields. They are tall, dense combinations of shrubs, vines and small trees, all twisted together and impenetrable. On narrow roads, they can prevent you from seeing what's immediately ahead. I once came face to face with eight cows who had escaped from a field! If the hedgerow blocks your view on a tight curve, take it slow and sound your horn. At night, flash your high beams so any oncoming car is aware of you.

8) Watch your speed - On motorways, the speed limit is usually 70mph, but on some roads it slows down to 30 or 40 mph. In some areas, like near a school, it can be as low as 20mph. Be careful about this because all over the UK, speed cameras can catch the unwary. If you see a yellow sign with a picture of a camera on it, a digital speed camera will be watching you within about 200 yards.

9) Pay and Display - Many parts of London have Pay and Display parking lots. The cost may be as low as 40 to 50 pence an hour or as high as £1 for 10 minutes. Make sure to check! You will get a paper parking slip to display on your dashboard. You can park on streets with single yellow lines after parking restrictions are lifted -- usually after 6 p.m., but double yellow lines are always a no-no.

10) Look out for Zebras - A Zebra is a pedestrian crossing. Once a pedestrian steps off the curb onto a Zebra crossing, you must stop and remain stopped until the pedestrian has finished crossing and has stepped back onto the sidewalk. Zebras (the "e" is pronounced like the first "e" in ever) consist of white stripes painted on the road. They are further marked by striped poles, on each end, topped with ball-shaped yellow lights. Usually, they also have spotlights aimed at the stripes on the road. Most settled areas will have one or more Zebra crossings, near shops, schools, businesses and churches.