American Couple Reacts: UK Driving! Tips For Americans! | SHOCKING DIFFERENCES! FIRST TIME REACTION!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- American Couple Reacts: UK Driving! Tips For Americans! | SHOCKING DIFFERENCES! FIRST TIME REACTION! Obviously when we come to the United Kingdom we're going to need to know the driving differences vs the USA. So this is our first video of learning to drive in the UK. Basic stuff is a good place to start! And yes, we can drive manual! There's a bit more to learn than we thought! Simple things like the differences at the petrol stations to our gas stations. What to do on very narrow roads when another car is coming? There's some hilarious moments in this episode along with some scary ones for us! A couple shocking things we certainly didn't know about. We hope you have fun with us on this one! Thanks to each of YOU for watching! If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our channel, it is the BEST way to support our channel and it's FREE! Also, please click the Like button. Thank you for your support! More Links below
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We had American friends over, and I took them down a country lane in my Landrover, we met a combine harvester coming the other way and we got passed each other without slowing at all. I didn't think anything of it, untill I looked in the rear view mirror and saw they were white as sheets and clutching each other!
Lol. Sorry but your comment made me laugh. I hope your American friends were swiftly taken to the nearest pub to recuperate!
We have regular visits form relatives who live in Kentucky. Last time we took them to Cornwall to do a peninsular tour. Road was closed at Grampound Road so took the lanes. Unfortunately, my cousins wife was sick. In her words "I couldn't breath for the last quarter mile!
I (an American) was walking down a tiny lane with high hedges in Kent and I've never been so alert and nervous in all my life! Haha!
I did the same in Guernsey, it even scares my UK friends how narrow it is here!
evan as someone from the UK i think slowing a bit would be advisable given our narrow country roads (and years of NI safe driving advertisers)
I think you might've misunderstood the conversions when you were looking at those petrol prices! Gas in the U.S. is DIRT CHEAP compared to the UK, and has been for decades.
There are almost 3.8 Litres in a U.S. gallon. So the prices shown in this video were actually about $6 per gallon! And it's now around $7 per gallon on average.
So...definitely not prices you'd wish you had lol. x
9:05 "How do you decide who goes in reverse?" - In theory, the one nearest to a convenient passing place. In practice, the one who is capable of actually reversing a car.
This is what we were thinking, thank you for the clarification!! ❤️
@@TheNatashaDebbieShow If its on an incline then the priority should also be for the person who can travel back down the hill to do so. It should rarely be for a driver to reverse up a hill in order to allow for passing at a passing place.
@@TheNatashaDebbieShow just to add to Alistairs excellent comment, if your in a car and you meet a van or lorry then it is you that needs to back up as their view is limited to mirrors. Sorry if I'm stating the obvious.
That last sentence applies to me. Decades of driving and I still find it problematic! 🤦🏽♀️😆😆
😂😂😂
Hi, thanks for watching us, I can barely remember when the petrol prices were that cheap. People have probably commented I was a bit wrong regarding the octane levels, you can blame the TV show Top Gear for that one. Cheers Marcus and Mel
Thanks so much for making such an informative and fun video!
You can't park on the squiggly white lines approaching a zebra crossing. They warn you of a change in road condition approaching. When we drive on the narrow country lanes we tend to note where the pull over points are and the person nearest reverses. The lanes like the one shown aren't everywhere and there are more often larger roads you can use.
Thank you!!!! We've been dying to know that!! Even British friends we asked didn't know!
I would also say that if your in a narrow road and there is an obstruction e.g. parked cars. Generally which ever side the obstruction is on is the side that gives way. But the drivers normally negotiate that on the road :)
The lines are there to allow pedestrians and drivers a clear view of the road.
To add to other comments, as a motorcyclist, I used to filter/lane-split all the time - because we can :P - but was taught never to filter on the zig-zag lines approaching a zebra crossing. Kind of an extra visual warning.
You must also not overtake the stationary vehicle, closest to the crossing.
My American wife passed her UK driving test first time. She took lessons on how to pass the test. She had lots of general experience after driving in LA for over 30 years. Another American friend of ours just passed her UK test yesterday. It’s not as bad as you might think.
We live in the depths of the country,and the road out aside our house is quite narrow (it's not a private drive)one lane wide, and is about half a mile from the main road in the village,two lanes wide.We know (from experience) where the "passing places" are,and the driver nearest that backs up,or forward,and we pass each other.When someone gives way,remember to give them a cheery wave as you pass each other.We are nothing if not polite.
Yes, a "cheery wave" can go a long way. Basically it's just a form of common courtesy and good manners, if someone gives way to you, slowed down, moved over or stopped to let you pass by, perhaps for a parked car or an obstacle on a narrow road, it would be rude not to acknowledge the driver for doing so. It doesn't necessarily even have to be cheery, any acknowledgement such as a nod or a tiny hand gesture will often suffice to let them know you appreciate their action. I know that if I have pulled in for someone, it kinda really annoys me if I don't get any acknowledgement from them🤬
The same thing would apply at a junction if someone is waiting to exit and you stopped to let them out before you enter. It would be your right of way to enter the junction but it is sometimes easier/safer to let the waiting vehicle out first.
I've never driven in the states but I have driven LHD on the wrong(right) side of the road in other european countries. It always feels a little weird at first but you soon get used to it and i've never had any major problems with it. I'm sure it will be the same for you.
@@Obi-J I agree,it's only common courtesy.There are some parts of the UK where this doesn't happen however.I am not saying where!
Squggly line cannot park on them
Yorkshire Peach is an American Lady that lives with her British Husband and British son in Yorkshire, she has the usual presence on social media, she publishes content about life in the uk from her perspective, her comments on obtaining a uk driving licence (the US licence becomes invalid in the uk after 12 months) are well worth watching. She noted the higher skill levels need to safely drive on the uk roads than in the US.
7:23 I assure you that is genuinely a two way road. At random intervals down the roadway you will encounter "Passing places" where a vehicle can pull over and get the extra room it needs to allow oncoming vehicles to pass. I have had to reverse to the nearest passing place more than once on some rural Cumbrian roads in the past.
I thoroughly enjoy watching tourists try to navigate Cumbrian roads, you can always tell who're the locals because they're doing 60 over a blind hill in the middle of the road. The Kirkstone pass (when it isn't being ruined by the council's "resurfacing" fiasco) is great to experience.
A dotted centre line means that you can overtake, when safe to do so. A solid centre line means that you cannot overtake at any point. You can also get roads with a solid and a dotted line in the centre, indicating that only those on the dotted side are allowed to overtake (as they will have better visibility).
You can get virtually anywhere without using narrow country lanes, except possibly to addresses, or the odd place of interest down narrow lanes. Mostly the narrow lanes will be used by locals familiar with the short cuts, or those sent that way by their GPS, who everyone else has to be wary of, particularly horse riders.
Obviously when we come to the United Kingdom we're going to need to know the driving differences vs the USA. So this is our first video of learning to drive in the UK. Basic stuff is a good place to start! And yes, we can drive manual! There's a bit more to learn than we thought! Simple things like the differences at the petrol stations to our gas stations. What to do on very narrow roads when another car is coming? There's some hilarious moments in this episode along with some scary ones for us! A couple shocking things we certainly didn't know about. We hope you have fun with us on this one! Thanks to each of YOU for watching! If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our channel, it is the BEST way to support our channel and it's FREE! Also, please click the Like button. Thank you for your support! ❤❤
I think those zig-zag lines before traffic lights (pedestrian crossing) are to indicate not to park or overtake in that area.
Hi ladies. To answer one of your questions, where I live in rural Lincolnshire most roads are like the narrow country roads shown in this video.
In the whole county I live in their is virtually no motorways at all and a main road is a road with a proper one lane in each direction.
If you drive from one rural village to another the tarmac or asphalt, whatever you want to call it, is only about six foot wide in most places and either edge is bordered by a grass verge you can pull up onto if you meet any oncoming traffic. Similar to in the video you you was watching.
These roads are almost always twisty, totally unlit with zero street lighting and they've no pavement or sidewalk for pedestrians to walk along.
So unlike such as London, if your British and live in a rural area like I do a personal car is totally essential as you might have to drive ten miles in one direction just to buy a bottle of milk.
Do a search and check out 'the magic roundabout' located in Swindon Wiltshire. Now that will blow your mind, but it works like a dream for people using it.
The problem with those country lanes is maintenance. Because land owners are supposed to keep the hedges cut back, but they don't and it's not policed.
@@neilgayleard3842 those you won't find here. They are an obstruction of vision.
A few years ago I was driving down a country lane near me, it was harvest time and I met 2 tractors both with loaded trailers, there was no way they were going to reverse and the normal passing spaces weren’t big enough, so I reversed what seemed like a mile, finally a field gate opened up and I pulled into that. The tractor driver grinned at me and indicated they wanted to go into that field so with a bit more manoeuvring I was able to go on my way. If you do come over here don’t be scared to use them, they take you to lovely places.
I'm scared and I live in the UK
I had to do a similar reversal in Cornwall approaching Mousehole village on a steep hill and an oncoming Sainsburys van would NOT reverse! Luckily I didn't have to go a mile!
On country lanes, if you meet a car coming towards you and you've just passed a 'passing place', you would normally hold up your hand (palm forward) to let the other driver know you're going to back up for them or if they've just passed a spot they can tuck into they'll let you know they're going to back up. That's the polite way but very occasionally the person coming towards you will just bully you into backing up anyway 🙂
this video is filmed about 20 minutes from my house and its so surreal to see you guys watching it 😂
I needed to rewind and pause because I thought I saw Port Talbot on a motorway sign, just to confirm it was real. I wasn't expecting to see the local motorway on the internet.
@@meroddaglenholm7924 ha ha we live in Porthcawl!
I'm currently learning to drive in Scotland and I have my Theory Test Booked for the 17th of April! Wish me luck! 🏴
Best of luck Ella!🤞
Good luck, leave a message how you get on .
Hey, Good luck!
congrats on actually finding a space
theres still so much back up in my region im lucky i was able to get my tests so close together
Good luck
In the UK, a single broken line down the middle of the road means overtaking is permitted. A solid line means that overtaking is prohibited (like your yellow line). Sometimes, you may see a solid line on your side of the road and a broken line fpr oncoming traffic. This usually ocurs on a corner or bend in the road (or even on the brow of a hill) where visibility is reduced. It means you can't overtake but the opposing traffic can (if safe to do so).
Good Morning Ladies. As a Brit who has driven in the U.K. and the US every year for the past 40 years (including last month) I can assure you it’s not as difficult as it seems. There are more similarities than you think aside from the abundance of roundabouts (traffic circles/rotaries) in the U.K. The roads are narrower in the U.K. generally but most of the cars are smaller so it evens itself out. Takes me about 2 hours to adjust to the US after I’ve landed so I think you’ll find the same. British drivers are also far more forgiving of mistakes than I find with US drivers and yes I still make mistakes after 40 years but none of them that serious. Come and enjoy your driving experience.
Thank you!!
@@TheNatashaDebbieShow Those lines also mean no overtaking the lead vehicle on approach which would include cyclists and horse riders. Narrow country lanes are very common all over the UK but often there are also alternative routes except to some villages. Country lanes can have a 60mph speed limit but be very careful about where you chose to pick up your speed or overtake on country roads. There should be 'passing places' every several hundred yards or so on 'single track' (two way) roads. Even in suburban areas, roads can get very narrow and still be two way. Roundabouts with multiple lanes are very common. You cannot accidentality put diesel into a petrol car as the gas pump nozzle will not fit. Fines would come to you for breaking speed limits via post as you would have to give your details to the car hire company. The average speed camera system is quite sophisticated but if you go over the speed limit slightly for a short distance just reduce your speed by the same amount for an equal distance before you reach the next camera. By a slight amount I mean two or three miles an hour. I am a retired driving instructor that has had no points on my licence ever and a pass rate of over 75%. Most full licence American drivers I have taught to pass the UK test have taken several months (one lessen a week) to get used to the differences. Their main problems have always been. Keeping pace on certain road types. Judging gaps and speeds of oncoming traffic and parked cars. Approach to roundabouts and lane discipline. Road sign recognition. Dealing with manual gears in hilly road situations. Most have adapted well and on average I found them more considerate but also more nervous. I have found the attitude of other drivers varies around the UK. The busier areas like the South East, drivers are less patient than parts of the Midlands for instance.
@@TheNatashaDebbieShow Simple rule of UK Single Passage Roads as to who has to back up? The smallest Guy:)
@@Isleofskye The ramblings of a nobhead.
@@jonathanmaybury5698 Many a true word spoken in jest, my son.
What would you do if the geezer staring at you to move, started to get out of the car? After you shat your knockers, you would retreat faster than the Italian Army, d..lol
I just wanted to leave you guys a little pro tip for buying petrol here in the UK. Many of our large supermarkets will have a petrol station as part of their complex, usually next to the car park and these are almost ALWAYS the cheapest places to buy petrol so look for a Tesco or Asda or Sainsbury's or Morrisons to fill up. The most EXPENSIVE way to buy petrol is either to use Motorway Service stations who simply rip off their almost captive motorway driving market or to buy from tiny stations in very rural areas. So, when you are here make sure your tank is sufficiently filled before leaving the main town or city you are in and as the supermarket stations are mostly on the edge of towns it's quite easy to do. 🙂
Lots of small private petrol stations in Scotland not many supermarket ones. Also lots of narrow roads but with plenty of passing places and wonderful views. Not so enclosed by the high hedges of Devon and Cornwall.
Motorway phones are not for personal use.They connect you to the police and highway services.
The cameras read your plate number and can tell if you are legit. And have driving licence,and insurance.
Right away I can tell it's in Wales as EVERY road sign in Wales is bilingual, even road markings ! Right near the beginning you can see painted on the road 'ARAF' Welsh for SLOW ! Duw Duw!
The petrol pumps normally have an option to “Pay at Pump” or “Pay at Kiosk”. If you use Pay at Pump you have to insert your card first so that it can be authorised before filling takes place, the other option means that you pay in the kiosk which are normally also small shops with drinks, sandwiches and newspapers etc. Out of hours stations may not be manned at nighttime so the Pay at Pump is the only option.
Including the 'Zebra' (with the distinctive black & white stripes plus flashing 'Belisha Beacons' on black & white striped poles, we actually have FIVE types of road crossings (for pedestrians, cyclists and even horse riders...). Thus, the other four are:
'Pelican'
'Puffin'
'Toucan'
and 'Pegasus' (also known as equestrian crossings)... Each works differently, but the animal / bird names DO have a connection (in some way) with how they appear or work! We love a good 'pun' in the UK 😄
The only one I remember is pelican - though really it should be pelicon - PEdestrian LIght CONtrolled crossing
I would challenge many brits yo know that..I was only thinking about it the other day. X
@@eviltwin2322 - Toucan Crossing (OR 'two can' cross!): For BOTH pedestrians and cyclists (with a cyclist separate section), to avoid dismounting and allow riding across the road. Often in conjunction with cycle lanes!
The Puffin Crossing (OR Pedestrian User-Friendly INtelligent crossing): With sensors (fitted to the top of the lights), which can detect if pedestrians are crossing slowly and can hold the red 'traffic light' longer if needed. Often installed in areas where the elderly or larger groups of people might be crossing!
EDIT: I meant to mention that you can tell it's a Pegasus Crossing, because you will see the display of an equestrian/horse on the control panel. There are also TWO control panels, one at normal (pedestrian) height, and another two metres above the ground for mounted equestrians (so the riders don't dismount).
@@stewedfishproductions7959 Nice, cheers!
@@tanyathomas4584 Yeah, I suspect very few people know they even HAVE meanings.
For the lines on the road. A broken white line in the centre means you can overtake. A solid white line in the centre means you cannot overtake. If there's a broken white line next to a solid white line, it means only the cars on the side of the broken line can overtake.
We have double yellow lines on the sides of the road, and that means "no stopping".
The zig zag lines (squiggly as you call them) are also outside schools, but normally in yellow. They basically mean "DON'T STOP OR PARK HERE!" and you would be probably completely unsurprised to know that people still do
And for the white ones, it also means no overtaking the leading vehicle on approach to the crossing
From what I can remember of my driving lessons, if it's not during the school term, or late at night, they can park, if there are no other local restrictions. (The law may have changed since, as it was about 15 years ago)
It's to keep the eye line clear, so that you can see pedestrians without obstruction.
Motorcycles may generally filter forward. However the squiggles warn of a crossing and prohibit filtering past the forward most vehicle.
Not only do the zigzag lines mean drivers shouldn't stop there, they also mean pedestrians shouldn't cross there. Basically, there's a road crossing in the immediate area, and everyone should act accordingly. Not that pedestrians can be counted on, either.
The “wiggly lines” near the zebra crossing are to warn you that you are approaching a pedestrian crossing. It is a further signal to the driver. We use road markings across the road network to provide additional information to signage, lights etc.
I would say that the roads in Cornwall are narrower with significantly higher hedges than on this video. The roads were not created for vehicles in the main, but were used by pack horses, heavy goods went via coastal vessels until the railways arrived.
The narrow roads rely on drivers being polite and considerate, it is rare to encounter anyone that is boorish or pushy.
I came to the comments just to find one on Cornwall. 😊 The "A" roads in Cornwall would often be "B" roads in other parts of the UK, and then the "B" roads would be "unclassified" - well, it used to feel like that. Haven't driven in Cornwall for some time but will be at Easter this year - it'll be both wonderful and slightly worrying, and I live in a rural area and drive a Fiat 500. 😆
@@ballroomdiva6856 Try driving in Shetland 😱🇬🇧
Isle of Man here, similar story lol
@@alimar0604 It's on my list of places to visit at some point but not sure about driving. 😆
Squiggly lines - No parking in that area. You will find them in areas which are vulnerable to accidents. So, in this case, if a car was parked at the squiggly line, you might not be able to see a pedestrian waiting to cross the zebra crossing. Etc
The most important thing to consider when driving not just in the UK, but indeed anywhere in Europe: When renting a car, keep in mind that the default configuration is stickshift. If you want an automatic transmission, you need to make sure that the booking details explicitly mention that.
Even if you are familiar with manual transmission generally speaking, keep in mind that British rental cars have the steering wheel on the right and, therefore, the gear selector is on the left. From my own experience, I can tell that this makes a difference. I've driven in the UK and Ireland both with my own car (I am German, so left hand driven) and with rental cars. Driving on the "wrong" side of the road was not a big deal and easy to get used to. Sitting on the wrong side of the car and shifting with the left hand - different story. I am normally perfectly used to stickshift, but shifiting with the left hand I would occasionally select the wrong gear (eg 3rd instead of 1st) and stall the engine as a result.
I like the reference to Hichhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I'm English and have lived in the US for 40 years, but I agree with an earlier poster that it takes around 2 hours and some careful driving to adjust.
@@malcolmsleight9334 true for the most part . but at least for me, shifting with the left hand is something completely different from shifting with the right hand and putting in the wrong gear can happen many days after first driving the car. I guess it's the lack of "muscle memory" that is at play here. Getting used to driving on the left and giving way to oncoming traffic when turning right instead of when turning left - not much of a challenge. But shifting with the "wrong" hand - different story.
In recent years I didn't fly to the UK and rent a car but take my own car there. That's SO much more convenient. OK, with the steering wheel on the left side you better avoid overtaking on country roads as you can't really observe oncoming traffic without first moving the car to the middle of the road. But that's not really a big deal - when on holidays, you usually have time and oatience enough not to overtake.
I agree completely. I made the mistake as a Brit who drives mostly automatic, of hiring a stick shift in Naples. That was "fun" - dealing with Italian driving culture and shifting with the wrong hand at the same time. Ouch.
@@xorsyst1 Naples is a horror show for driving. We nearly got t-boned by a Police car when we were turning left onto a minor road. They overtook us into oncoming traffic. No blues and twos. Just common tactic.
We regularly got undertaken when turning, as I made the mistake of waiting for the oncoming lane to clear! The Neapolitan tactic is to just force everyone else out of the way.
@@arthur_p_dent It can be a chore using a stick on the 'wrong' side of the driver. The problem I found was I kept bashing my left hand against the door when I went to change gear ... Muscle memory. I hire automatics now.
There's a famous Top Gear story of when the comedian Ross Noble who bought himself a Tank. Yes, a big sod off tank for play on his farm. Driving the 'ahead car' up his small lane, a little old man wouldn't reverse his car to let them through. Ross waved him to go backwards and the old boy shook his head to say No. 2 seconds later a f*cking great tank turret and tracks came around the corner. Never, in the history of driving, have you seen a car go backwards so fast. 🤣
Where I live is surrounded by countryside and we have a few single lane roads. When me and the family go shopping on the way home I ask “shall we take the boring main roads of the pretty way home. As long as you take it easy and not bomb it along that can be fun to drive, at certain points of the lane there are lay-bys (passing points) and the rule of thumb is which ever car is closer to one is the one to back up.
That private driveway is technically a 60 miles per hour two lane road. Obviously we don’t drive that fast down them and there are passing point if you come across someone going the other way but yes there are countless country lanes like that in the uk.
Best 3 tips for any driver who is unsure (in my opinion) are
1, go to any petrol (gas) station, ask for a set of "P" plates (white square with a large letter P on them), stick one on the front and rear of the car - - these denote a new or inexperienced driver and the rest of us will give you plenty of room, not harass you, and forgive any sudden moves you make
2, take your time - - speed limits are LIMITS, not the TARGET speed
3, enjoy the experience, not everyone on the roads here are idiots - - - bus drivers are (they think they own the roads)
Motorways: emergency phones are every mile. Every 100 yards you will find marker posts with numbers that are used to locate you. Also, each post has an arrow pointing to the nearest phone. This means you're never more than half a mile from a phone and can always get to the nearest.
P plates?
i only know of L and R plates
that makes sence as they denote learner and restricted drivers
maybe thats an NI htink though
That's a really good tip on the P plates. I'd never have thought of advising anyone do that.
@@jmurray1110e don't have R plates in England, Wales or Scotland. 'P' means 'Passed' - as in, I just passed my test and I'm still nervous.
@@PhilipWorthington so same thing except R plates are mandatory and restricts your top speed
Zig Zag lines found at crossing points, you are not allowed to park in that zone on either side of the line, same outside school entrances.
One other key thing to note is that the licence plate is linked to the car for life (unless you get a vanity plate but that will still be logged) not to the driver, so there’s no such thing as paper plates. That means you can readily find out the car’s history. And of course plates have to be front and rear everywhere, I think that’s the same across Europe - I’m only aware of North America having the variation where sometimes it’s rear plates only.
Although front and rear doesn't apply to motorcycles, which only require a rear number plate.
@@BedsitBob That was the big mistake in 'Call the midwife'. The scooter in the tv show, set in the 1960s, only had a rear number plate. That would have been illegal up until the 1970s when front number plates were no longer required (as they were deemed dangerous to pedestrians).
@@nevillemason6791 I've never seen Call The Midwife.
In Belgium, the licence plate relates to the driver, in Germany it's a bit complicated - it's related to the district where you live (in other words, move to a different town and if it's a different registration area you have to re-register the vehicle).
@@keithparker2206 ah interesting
There are loads of narrow country lanes in Britain...Well worth exploring as will take you to some of the best places!!!
Worth a mention and bearing in mind the gentleman was mainly driving in the central lane of the motorway even when the left lane was clear . The police will pull you over for doing this as you are meant to drive in the left lane unless for over taking
Squiggly lines mean that you are not allowed to stop for any reason and it shows that it’s an approach to a crossing to give you more notice
Single track roads are pretty common once you’re out in the countryside, if you come off the main roads. There are loads of them around here; they usually have passing space dotted along them, so while you may have to back up, it will only be to the passing place.
He could pass that tractor, if there was the visibility to do it. The problem with country roads is that, even when they’re two lanes, you often can’t see past large vehicles or round corners. The road markings are similar too, a solid centre line would mean no passing. It’s usually doubled up as well, because sometimes you get a solid line on one side, but a dashed line on the other, I.e. traffic on side can overtake but not traffic on the other.
The zig-zag lines near the zebra crossing are the control zone for the crossing.
You also get different types of crossing: zebra, toucan, and pelican/puffin. Someone decided to run with animal naming scheme…
Zebra crossings are the ones with black and white stripes.
Toucan crossings are controlled by traffic and crossing lights.
Pelican/puffin crossings are the same as Toucan ones, but are staggered double crossing, i.e. you’re crossing two roads. You find them on dual carriageways.
The orange flashing lights of zebra and toucan crossings are called Belisha beacons. And not “be lesbian”, as my phone kept wanting to change it to…
In the UK, double yellow lines indicate no waiting at any time and they apply to the road, pavement (sidewalk) and verge. You may, however, load and unload goods or set down and pick up passengers, unless the signs or road markings indicate you cannot. If you see double red lines that means no parking or waiting at all.
We use the term "carriageway" to refer to one half of a road, usually a main road where the two sides are separated by a barrier. It is a carry over from the days of using carriages, just like our left-side driving.
I'm sure that others are answering your questions - and they're good questions. I'm going to address a couple so apologies for any repetition:
1. Single track roads (as we call them) are actually very common in some parts of the country. For example, probably a majority of roads in places like the Scottish Highlands will be single track. Many of those types of road have frequent 'passing places' (look the sign for these up in your road signs book), especially if it's likely to be a busier road. Many of those roads also ban larger vehicles such as lorries (trucks) and buses. This is usually becasue the roads are too narrow, may twist and turn and the passing places won't be big enough to accommodate them. The etiquette of a single track road is pretty easy to understand. If you're in a situation like in the video and you meet another vehicle coming towards you, there's no hard and fast rule as to who reverses. Someone will usually and quickly take the initiative. It may be that you know you passed a passing place a short time ago, so reversing to it makes sense. It may be that there are several vehicles coming the other way so if you're the only vehicle travelling in your direction, in this instance it would be expected for you to reverse and make way. In regards to passing places themselves the etiquette is that if the passing place is on your left, you pull into it and leave the road free. It it's on your right, you stop in the carriageway (road) and the other vehicle(s) use the passing place to manoeuvre around you. This will all likely be explained in diagramatic form in one of your books. Many of the single track roads in the Highlands are very different to the one in the video in that they don't have hedgerows (hedges) along the side of them and are very open. You'll often encounter cattle grids across the road, meaning you're entering/exiting an area where animals roam freely and the cattle grid is obviously to stop them leaving that area. You'll usually find a road sign (triangular, pointing upwards with a red border and a picture of an animal in the centre) indicating you should expect these animals in the road. On a single track road in the Highlands, for example, you'll often find sheep or cows in the road. Elsewhere you'll see signs with deer, badgers and even ducks sometimes . In the Highlands, animals can be stubborn and take a little time to move out of your way so be prepared for that! I'm not saying you should watch it but if your stomachs can take it, watch this - th-cam.com/video/Ki69v2Koh5k/w-d-xo.html. It's a video of someone driving the Bealach na Bà (Pass of the Cattle in English) which is a very famous road in Wester Ross. With the increase in popularity of the NC500 (think of the popularity of Route 66 but transpose it to travelling around the far north of Scotland), the Bealach na Bà has also become very busy with tourists. I don't think it's officially part of the NC500 but it's close by so many people go to drive it to say they have done! Final fun fact. As with bilingual signs in Wales, many in Scotland are starting to be written bilingually with Gaelic/English, especially in areas such as the Highlands. Even where I live in Argyll and Bute, as signs need to be replaced, bilingual signs are becoming more common. Which I love!
2. Petrol pumps. Since this video, it's now extremely common to find pumps where you can choose to pay at the pump or go inside to pay. If you pay at the pump, you still don't fully pay for the fuel beforehand. The pumpable limit using your card at the pump is often £120. But be warned. The way it works is that a check is made that you have sufficient funds for your fuel. The system can 'charge' your card the full limit and although usually your card is only charged for the amount of fuel you pump, I had a situation recently where the full £120 was 'reserved' and even though I only actually took £11 of fuel, there was a 'pending' transaction for £109 on my account for about 10 days. So the difference between what I took (and was correctly charged for) and the £120 was in my account but I couldn't access or use it! Super frustrating and made me reconsider paying at the pump!
With regard to the zig-zag lines you mention towards the beginning. As a rule of thumb, whether straight or zig-zag, the more white paint on the road, the greater the potential hazard. For example a solid line in the middle of road tells the driver not to cross it because it is dangerous. If you had a line broken by short spaces, you may cross with extreme caution. As the gaps get bigger, the hazard decreases.
Some of our roads have been there a very long time - much of the A2 and A5 follow the route of the Roman Watling Street from nearly 2000 years ago, and it wouldn’t surprise me if some of those country lanes were tracks back in the Bronze Age!
They were. Most of our roads were originally commonly accepted footpaths, bridleways and droves long before the Romans arrived. The Romans built their own network of new roads and since then all routes, Roman and prehistoric, have been widened, paved and straightened to suit the population's needs.
Got to say I used to love the trip on the A5 between Shrewsbury and Bangor. Lovely stretch of road, very picturesque.
The main difference you will see when driving in the UK is that'jaywalking' is not illegal here. You will see people crossing less than 50 yards from a pedestrian crossing. Also pedestrians have a legal right of way at road junctions - not on the main road but on the joining road itself, and only at the junction.
The different octane ratings are due to a different way of calculating them (think of it like a U.S. ton vs a metric ton). North America uses the Anti Knock Index (AKI) and Europe the Research Octane Number (RON). 91 AKI corresponds to 95 RON.
When it comes to buying fuel, you can either pay at the pump, or pay in the garage. Some of the garages only have the pay at pump, and the older ones only have pay inside after pumping the petrol in.
Cruise control is very handy for when you're driving through average speed camera areas. I just set it to the speed limit and cruise along. There's no way I can get caught for going over the average then 🙂
We do that on long road trips
I use the speed limiter function when in town, and set your sat nav system to avoid B roads where possible. B roads are the narrower roads including single roads with “passing places”.
@@juliankaye8143 I live in Devon, and regularly drive into Cornwall. NEVER follow the sat nav in the summer - caravans EVERYWHERE on the single-lane roads 🙂
In fact, just don't drive anywhere down here in the summer ...
@@neilonaniet I have family in Cornwall and I concur. The A30 is hell on a bank holiday.
@@StormhavenGaming Don't ... just don't. Bloody Grockles ...
If you want to explore the Cotswolds, the country lanes are pretty ubiquitous. (Here 'yellow lines' refer purely to street parking, where a double yellow line by the pavement indicates no parking at any time, while a single line may indicate there is restricted parking.)
Hi Natasha and Debbie.
I have just found your channel and I absolutely love it. The content and presentation is always and your reactions are humble and amazing. I am looking forward to watching all videos past and present. Many thanks to you both
I believe octane is measured differently. Premium fuel can give better mileage, so it's not necessarily more expensive, a lot depends on what the car's intended to run on.
Emergency phones aren't for making calls😄 It' s just a handset that connects to the highway agency when you pick it up. He didn't mention that there are posts between the phones that indicate the distance & direction to the nearest - they are probably more useful, now we have mobiles, as you can use them to give your position on the road.
All our road markings are white, yellow is for parking restrictions & they also use red in London.
You can't cross a solid white line, only dashed ones. You'll often see a solid & dashed line side by side in the middle of the road, you follow the instruction of the one nearest to you. For example if you're entering a bend that obscures your view, the solid line will be nearest you. When you exit the end the lines swap over as you can now see ahead, but traffic from the other direction can't.
We do have "training simulators" it's part of the test. Others can explain 😛
The footage shown where he was driving down a narrow country lane and then had to reverse back to the nearest passing place when he encountered oncoming traffic, surprised me greatly. He was driving an Audi, and my experience has always been that Audis have the right of way in ALL situations - at least that's what Audi drivers seem to think.
🤣🤣
A small correction on the petrol grades, UK uses RON the US uses Octane and they are slightly different, so our 95 RON is the same as US 91 octane. it does mean you wont find anything below equivalent to your 91 here
I've worked in tourism and so have heard many an American talk about driving here. The top two comments by far, are about how narrow the roads are and roundabouts. Very narrow roads have passing places which means you don't normally have to reverse so don't worry about that. Narrow roads are common but you will find that you'll think all our roads are narrow; even our bigger ones, until you get used to it after a day or two.
I have every confidence that Debbie will be an excellent driver here. Natasha I think you will have many people who will volunteer to drive for you too (Including me!).
On those narrow country lanes there will be little pull in areas that just allow 2 cars to squeeze passed each one, so just take note when you pass each and if your passing area wasnt too far back you reverse. or if you meet a bigger van or truck or tractor its normally good manners that the car will reverse as its a lot easier for you do do so rather than a big truck. There are usually other routes you can take to avoid those lanes but not always sometimes you just need to go that way
Single lane roads are very common in country areas. I live close to the New Forest here in Hampshire UK and many of the roads in the forest are single lane like the ones shown in the video. It's even more difficult with ponies straying on to the roads
The good thing about the New Forest roads is the clear sightlines for much of it. I used to love driving around there when I lived in Hampshire.
you get the opposite problem in my part of the UK, instead of hedges you have ditches on either side with no barriers, sometimes 10-15 feet deep.
In the Netherlands we also used to have emergency phones along the highways, but those were removed a couple of years ago. Because almost everyone has a mobile phone nowadays and maintaining those phone poles was considered to be too costly for the very few times people actually used them.
When he speaks about outside and inside with reference to lanes it means the opposite to the way it does in the states. The inside (nearside) of the road refers to the edge and the outside (offside) refers to being near the centre of the road.
The "Highway Code" has been updated recently. A significant update was to road user hierarchy - the more vulnerable you are, the more other road users have to make llowances for you. For example, you commented on the "zebra" crossing, where traffic has to give way to pedestrians. A new rule means that if you are turning left and pedestrians are waiting to cross, the road you are turning into, you are meant to stop to give them priority even if there is no marked crossing; there is no jaywalking law in the UK. If you overtake a bicycle, you are meant to keep a distance of 1.5 metres (5 feet) away from it as you pass. On many roads, this means passing in the oncoming traffic lane, so if it's not safe to pass you have to stay behind the cyclist. The hierarchy is pedestrian - cyclist-motorcyclist-car-van-lorry (truck) or bus; articulated lorry (tractor-trailer). Pedestrians and cyclists aren't allowed on motorways (highways) and some other roads. You also need to look out for footpaths that are shared with cyclists and bus-only lanes that can also be used by cyclists and taxis - you get fined if you enter these.
Those "wiggly" lines at zebra crossings are places you're not allowed to park, to keep the crossing clear and visible to drivers.
Those narrow roads usually have passing places. Whoever passed one most recently reverses to it.
All petrol stations in the UK are self-service and at many pumps, you can pay at the pump with a credit or bank card.
Those roadside emergency phones have been there since before mobile (cell) phones existed. They will connect either to the police or the Highways Agency. (not law enforcement, a government agency that looks after the main routes).
Average speed cameras read your licence plate and time how long it takes you to travel between 2 cameras. Fines are sent to the home address of whoever the car is registered to.
The best comment so far.
The GB highway code was updated, the NI HC remained unchanged, Jaywalking is a criminal offence in Northern Ireland UK.
The zig-zag means you can’t stop or park on them under any circumstances.The reason for that, is that it would prevent you from seeing pedestrians about to cross until it’s too late. You’ll also see them outside schools etc.
They are called Zebra crossings,because they are black and white stripes,just like a zebra.The flashing orange ball lights(on top of most pedestrian zebra crossings) were started by a minister,in 1934,called Mr Hore Belisha,and are referred to by most people as Belisha Beacons! The squiggly white lines are also to tell you "Don't park here" if you do you will get a ticket,or worse still yowed away.
We call them simply, crosswalks here
@@TheNatashaDebbieShow Yes, but we have different types, with a zebra crossing being the only one where there are no red or green lights. That’s why the guy making the video made a point of saying that you still have to stop. We also have pelican and puffin crossings, both of which have proper traffic lights, but each with a slightly different set of rules. Our generic equivalent of “crosswalk” is “pedestrian crossing”.
The Zig-Zag lines.
'White zigzags are commonly found on either side of pedestrian crossings. They are designed to indicate that parking and overtaking in these zones is strictly prohibited.'
In Sweden I assume the road markings are a bit similar. We have no yellow lines, only white. A two-way street or road is marked just as in this video, but the length and distance between of the lines will tell you if it's safer to pass, and usually give an indication on speed as well. Short lines with short spacing means lower speed, longer lines and further spacing means higher speeds. When the lines get longer they indicate they can turn in to whole lines, or a hill or curve is up ahead, where it's more dangerous to pass. There are also whole lines along with shorter lines indicating that cars in the "short lines lane" can pass or overtake a slow moving vehicles. The cars in the whole line lane are not allowed to pass or overtake traffic.
Two whole lines indicate neither lanes can pass.
Similar to here in the UK
Of course you guts switched sides in 1967.
If I recall from my driving lessons ,,,if there is a double white line along the middle of the road - no Overtaking - if one of the lines is broken and its on your side you can overtake with care..
You’ll be fine.. it’s amazing how quickly your brain adapts. It’s always useful to put a post it note or something within your driving view to remind you to drive on the left. Sometimes your brain can get befuddled.
I had similar anxiety’s driving in the US from Miami to Kissimmee a few years back.. but I got so used to it that by the time I got home, I had to re-train my brain again 😄👍🏼🇬🇧
Double yellow lines in the UK are usually at the side of the road mean that you cannot park there at any time. Single yellow lines mean that you can only park there at certain times, a red line means that you cannot park on the lines and you will be towed away
Those narrow roads are more common here, or rather you’re more likely to encounter them because how dense everything is. But they’re not the norm. Even some of our larger two lane roads are smaller than single lanes on American roads - and the speed limit on country roads is usually 60mph
But honestly it’s not as bad as you think.
Yellow lines are used at the side of the road and inform of parking restrictions. A solid white lines in middle of the road means no overtaking - broken line means you can overtake
Morning ladies
The zigzag lines on either side of the pedestrian crossing mean no overtaking as well as no parking
The narrow country lanes are in most parts of the uk especially in the countryside. From experience I think Devon and Cornwall have the most but be prepared to find them in most rural areas. Most do have passing places. Don’t be afraid of driving down these roads because you will often find beautiful countryside and/or picturesque villages with usually a decent pub
The road markings are shown in the Highway Code but basically if there is a broken line down the centre it means you can over take if nothing is coming towards you, if there are 2 solid lines you can’t overtake there may also be a road sign that says no overtaking
One more thing “roundabouts” there are two in the UK called “the magic roundabout” one in Swindon one in Hemel Hempstead (personally I wouldn’t go within 10 miles of them) there are videos on TH-cam showing what they are like Natasha you will need to take a Valium before watching them
@ 7:10 - Yes, thats a road, and its probably not one way either. Rural areas all over the UK are littered with these lanes. There are usually small recesses every few hundred yards on either side for cars to pass each other.
Narrow roads are very common, the size, is often dictated by history. Roads bordered by ancient field boundaries, following the routes of original cart tracks. Some major roads for example follow the old Roman constructions, such as Watling Street en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watling_Street & Ermine Street en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ermine_Street
Carriageways (Undivided Highway to you) is quite literally a carry over from when they were roads used by Carriages.
I used to drive what you would call an eighteen wheeler on those kind of narrow roads in rural Scotland
My American daughter in law was terrified when we collected her and my son from new quay airport , on how narrow cornish roads are ! And we have no motorways in Cornwall either !
Also worth noting that in Cornwall (and other parts of the country) rather than hedges there are stone walls or high grass verges (intimidating in a different way) but you soon get used to it.
The zig-zag lines, at a Zebra crossing, mark an area that's against the Law for you to park. As your car would block the view, of those crossing, of any oncoming cars. And the road you put a red arrow on, IS a road, but we refer to those as country lanes. And they usually have pull-in spots, every hundred yards, or so, that you can pull into or reverse into.
Petrol/Gasoline octane ratings are calculated differently in Europe (RON) and the USA (AKI), so the numbers are not equivalent.
Oooh!! Well that makes sense, however why???
@@TheNatashaDebbieShow fuel in Europe is generally a mixture of petrol and Ethanol, E5 fuel has 5% ethanol and the more common E10 has 10% ethanol
@@TheNatashaDebbieShow There are YT videos explaining the differences, but they are probably due to the oil corporations, politics and the farming lobby (bio ethanol).
@@georgebarnes8163 I believe that most gasoline in the US is 10% Ethanol, but their are also higher and lower blends.
@@RoyCousins I use E5 only in my car and 102 Ron Avgas in my motorcycles
Re the lines in the centre of the road - the US "yellow lines" you refer to - if there is a solid white line in the centre of the road, you must not cross it, but if it's a dashed / broken line, you can. Usually, they are where the road contains a lot of bends or is coming to the top of a hill.
In some places there might be a solid line on one side of the centre of the road but a dashed line on the other side, which means that drivers on the dashed side are OK to cross the centre to overtake, but not on the solid line side. That's usually on steep hills (to pass slow-moving vehicles) or around wide corners.
Hey ladies. Country lanes that are literally one narrow lane and passing points are far and few between. You can avoid such by sticking to 'A' roads (normal everyday roads) or 'M' roads (which are like your interstate roads - 3/4 lanes). These fall under 'B' roads.
The emergency phone mentioned call free through to the motorway operations who will organise help for you and give you advise like stay behind the barrier! They may also send a motorway operations car to you. Each phone has exact location on it as well.
Speed camera's are a worry here. They warn you they are there but the first thing you know you've broken the limit is a nice penalty notice in the post with a time, date and a photo of your license plate. My sister in law got one recently for doing 51 in a 40 zone. You can challenge it but they can increase the fine and may award points if you lose.
You haven't driven around rural Hampshire much I take it? They are all over the place there, and in many , many places in the South of England.
I wouldn't say country lanes fall under B roads. B roads in my experience are quite nice roads that are wide enough for two cars to pass easily. Country lanes to me are the uncategorised roads that don't have a label and usually don't even get salted or snow ploughed.
Country lanes aren't B roads, B roads are normal width roads. Narrow lanes are unclassified, or U. They would struggle getting around avoiding B roads on the map. A roads are main thoroughfares, usually connecting places.
Those narrow lanes are pretty common in the countryside. Once in Cornwall I was following the Sat Nav and it sent down one of this, there was a sign "Not Suitable for HGVs" (big trucks), it wasn't really suitable for cars! I was brushing against the hedge on both sides! Sat Nav is only a tool and it must be used correctly.
We have lots of those narrow roads here in Devon and they are great to drive on. When deciding who backs up there are no set rules but there are a few considerations. If there is a passing place in view, the nearest should back up into that. If there is no passing place in view but you have passed one recently then you back up. If the other vehicle is large (such as a tractor) or pulling a trailer you back up as it will be much more difficult for the other vehicle to do so. If you have a line of traffic approaching you but you are the only one travelling in your direction then you back up. Basically assume that you will be the one backing up unless the other vehicle moves back first. Also it might be tempting to drive slowly down these lanes, dont. Drive at a normal speed where you can stop in the distance you can see. If you drive slowly firstly you will cover less distance before encountering another vehicle coming the other way (so it will end up happening more often) and also you will probably end up with other vehicles catching up behind you and then you will start feeling pressured.
Hi, I also live in Devon and would add that my average speed on those close hedged roads is 28mpg, as I drive I keep in my head when I pass a passing place or any place wide enough to pass. When someone lets you pass, you are expected to acknowledge this with the lift of a hand or normally four fingers off the wheel. Single lane roads with high hedges are often safer at night, as you can see the lights of oncoming cars long before you see them and so stop at the closest passing place - of course occasionally you are both waiting and wondering where the other is!
On any road with thick vegetation or a hedge right up against the road, always assume there is ditch under that green stuff.
Rent the smallest car you can for your needs, but look for one with reasonable road clearance.
Get Sat Nav (GPS) if it’s offered, they often don’t offer real time updates but are less likely to lose signal in remote areas.
The lines are explained in the highway code and mostly the same as in the US, just not yellow.
On a lot of stations, there are cameras. When you get to the pump the pump is controlled by the cashier. They authorise the pump after your registration plate is recorded. If you use a card that also can authorise the pump.
Petrol at today's price we are paying 1.49 per litre which equals $6.79 per US gallon. My car does about 40 MPG which equates to US 33 MPG
Within the zigzag line you can only stop to allow someone to cross nor can you over or (undertake 😀). This is to ensure clear lines of sight for both pedestrians and drivers.
In narrow country lanes, there are often passing points of which you should be aware and take note, so you know how far you will need to reverse.
Hi from the UK. As an advanced driver trainer there was some detail that was light on content. When you do visit the UK, give me a "heads up" and I'll take Debbie through some of the basics of safe driving on UK roads. It's not that difficult as long as you are aware of the basics and are hazard aware. Stay safe.
That's nice of you to offer that.
@@juliankaye8143 Thanks. I'm heavily involved in road safety initiatives so thought it was an appropriate gesture!
Could you educate this Vlogger on the actual rules surrounding use of Zebra Crossings.
@@williambelford9661 Dont park on the zig zags approaching the crossing. They are there to allow drivers and pedestrians a clear view.
@@juliankaye8143 tell me something I don't know 😏
Some petrol stations do require pre-payment, usually only the 24hr ones and motorway services though.
I received a speeding ticket in the post. My car registration was picked up and I was identified by that. I had a choice of 3 points on my licence or to attend a driver awareness course. I chose the latter. It would be most unusual for a policeman to make a stop for a speeding violation unless it's a high speed chase! 🇬🇧
if a pedestrian is approaching it is not illegal to not stop at a zebra crossing... it is just courtesy. if a pedestrian is ON the zebra crossing... it is illegal to not stop.
Sorry to bother you guys again, I drove in France for 6 weeks, having never driven on the right side before. I didn't find it difficult but certainly needed to concentrate!!! Debbie you will be fine 🙂.
When driving on the "wrong" side of the road, for the first time, don't drive when the roads are very busy, but also don't drive when they're completely empty.
No many stations here have a clip on the handle so you don't have to hold it, noted this is more common in the bigger stations where trucks, busses etc will stop but some small stations also have this. Depending on time of day you can pay after refueling or are asked to pay first and the person in the office has the ability to switch your pump off without effecting anyone else's pumps if he/she see's you going over your prepaid amount and thinks your a risk factor for driving off without paying for the extra fuel.
Didn't know that the US has the sames rules as us at zebra crossings, that the pedestrian has the right of way! Once I was on a french exchange (back in the nineties) and the french students when in England were perplexed every time the traffic stopped! (FYI if you want to see traffic madness, go to the arc de triomphe...mad as bat s**t). love the posts 😁
There are timers on the crosswalks (your zebra crossing) so the cars have to stop and the pedestrians can walk. Of course, if people are walking a crosswalk, it's frowned upon to keep driving 😆
@@TheNatashaDebbieShow FYI this is the Arc De Triomphe 'en France' if you ever travel there😄th-cam.com/video/-2RCPpdmSVg/w-d-xo.html
Key difference there: in the UK the "Zebra" paint is only used at crossings without traffic lights, so it's a clear indication that if pedestrians want to cross, drivers must stop. Other distinguishing features of a Zebra Crossing include at least 2 flashing orange lights either side of the crossing, on a black-and-white striped pole, which you can see from a distance.
In many other countries (including parts of the USA as well as much of Europe) "Zebra" stripes are used at traffic-light controlled crossings.
There is no right of way on British roads.
In regards to the Petrol Stations, most of them are pay at pumps. Some you have to go inside and just give them the pump number and confirm the amount and pay and the pumps where someone comes out and does it for you tend to be in villages or in the country.
Overtaking on country roads in the UK can be extremely difficult, not just because of the narrowness of the roads, but because there are often so many bends, twists and turns, hill crests, hedges, trees, high walls and dwellings in the way, making it difficult to see enough of the road ahead to spot imminent oncoming traffic.
Even on some major roads it can be difficult as they are often by no means straight (except a few which follow ancient roman roads).
and the maniacs that actually actually go the naitonal speed limit on them
Those high hedges are a thing in Devon and Cornwall making it difficult to see round bends. Just pomp your horn as you approach a bend is my advice. You'll find country road hedges are only half the size in the rest of the country and in the north you'll find more dry stone walls lining these roads than hedges.
Hi Natasha and Debbie! At UK petrol/Gas stations there is another colour that isn't seen often as its only in rural locations that you see it and that is red. This dispenses red diesel which is diesel that isn't taxed and is strictly for non-road usage in things such as farm/construction machinery, boat engines and diesel heaters and generators. It has a red dye added to it to show that it is untaxed and if you put it in your car or truck it will stain the engine and fuel system red so when you take it to be MOTd (the annual road-worthiness test) the mechanic carrying it out will know that red diesel has been put in it and you'll be arrested for tax evasion!
Indeed. Though at ESSO stations on mainland Britain the red nozzle turns out to be the much more mundane Synergy Supreme+ 99-octane petrol. :)
The rear view mirrors are articulated. Going through towns or cities with narrow roads it's a good idea to fold them in so you don't smash the mirrors of the parked cars on the side of the road. Some roads are so narrow that if you rest your elbow on the rolled down window you'll get brush burns from hedges or stone walls. If you forget and pull out into the wrong lane you'll soon find out that the other cars are in the proper lane and you are not. Also many rental cars have manual transmissions and I think many Americans can't drive them. The shifter is to your left.
I'm from Oz and went to UK with my wife last year and what he was saying is correct google took us down the narrowest of 2way roads which freaked out my wife but was also charming. Driving in the US is also interesting for us left hand drivers and how you pay and fill up at gas stations is a unnerving till you get used to it, by the way the rudest people we came across were gas station attendants so bad.
Gas station attendants have such terrible jobs. They work long shifts and usually deal with very obnoxious people all day and night. If you're nice to them, they'll usually be just as nice back. Of course there's always a few bad apples
Not true. There are no rude gas station attendants.
That is because there are no gas stations in the UK.
We only have petrol stations. As we have no gas stations, this has cut down the number of balloonists in the sky.
Wizard comment 😂
There'll be a welcome in the hillside, there'll be a welcome in the vale, when you come back home to Wales. Shout out to sunny Porthcawl!
If you drive on B roads in rural areas you will encounter these single track roads. In the Scottish Highlands there are passing places at regular intervals. The B roads in Cornwall are a nightmare and I learnt to drive in the single track roads in the Highlands.
Hi, the phones at the side of the road connect you to the highways agency. If you break down in a dangerous place, they can send someone out to help keep you safe whilst you wait for your break service. I've used them twice, once to report debris blocking a lane and once to report sheep on the road.
Ross Noble talking about taking his small tank with small gun down one of these lanes was hilarious
One thing that's not mentioned: on those narrow lanes and in any other place where there's only room for 1 vehicle the highway code says that "downhill has the right of way". This means the vehicle driving up the hill should reverse to give way to the vehicle coming down. Obviously if you meet just below a passing place an experienced driver may just reverse up to let you by but you shouldn't rely on it.
FYI diesel in my area is currently 1.69 per litre so in US gallons (UK gallon is bigger than US) that costs $6.397. Around 70p of this is TAX (Fuel duty + VAT @ 20%)
The narrow road at about 7.50 into the video is a public road. You'll often find narrow roads like that in rural areas, particularly in the rural counties.
Approach these with care. In most cases (not all), they are subject to the National Speed Limit - for a single carriageway road, that's 60mph. But it would be very unwise to drive at that speed.
It's worth pointing out that branches sometimes stick out, and can damage the car of unwary drivers!
Private driveways will often be less well maintained, and may well have grass growing in the centre of the actual road.
a comment about passing the tractor, in the UK we do have solid lines in the centre but they are Solid white that means NO overtaking, the centre broken lines also have meaning the length of which denotes how much potential hazards in the area for an overtaking move.
On motorways we drive on the left , NoT THE MIDDLE of the road, so only use the outside lanes when overtaking