• GENERAL ROAD CONDITIONS
• USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT DRIVING IN BRITAIN
• ROAD SIGNS. THE ENGLISH LOVE THESE!
• TRAFFIC CIRCLES (ROUNDABOUTS) AND HOW TO USE THEM.
  (includes an animation of how to correctly use a roundabout)

GENERAL ROAD CONDITIONS.

The road surfaces in Britain are excellent. You will rarely if ever see a pothole or even the markings of where the road has been repaired. Repairs are very seldom necessary as the surface never usually deteriorates. This is because all work is done to excellent quality and the contractor is usually required to guarantee his road surface for at least 5 years. If it deteriorates in that time he has to fix it free, so he does it right the first time.

It has nothing to do with the weather as many people in America have claimed (none of whom have ever been to Britain of course). True some parts of Britain get little snow but others do. The main problem we have is with ice and freeze thaw which happens all the time. Therefore a lot more salt is spread on the roads and the freeze thaw works longer hours but still the roads remain in good condition. When I was a child we used to take people up to see the ONE ROAD that was a mixture of patches so they could marvel at the bad road surface. It was a novelty. -This bad road was a private one and a dispute with a holiday camp built at the end had everyone refusing to pay for its upkeep, it only lasted a couple of years then they paved it properly.

You should have no fear therefore of anywhere you travel, there are few if any dirt roads left although there are a lot of one lane roads still in more rural areas of the countryside. Here one lane MEANS one lane, there is no way you could get another car down it. Usually these roads have small passing places at intervals along the roads. If you meet a car in a place that does not have one one of you has to back up until it is reached and the other can pass. It is customary for the driver to keep an eye open for these spots to know how far behind them the last one was and the closest car will back up. You can make enemies fast if you don’t abide by this rule.

Most country roads are narrow anyway but you can pass two cars. Take care to stay well on your side of the road as many of these roads will have no road markings. Corners can be very sharp so make sure you are well on your side and hug the corner to avoid traffic coming around the blind corner. Small villages will often have cars parked along side the roads so take care down the narrow center lane, it won’t be very wide and in most cases it will be two way. Traffic in small towns can be very dense so keep your wits about you, a couple of inches clearance is as much as a mile to British drivers in crowded cities, local towns, sometimes that is all there is so stay calm.

In some areas like Cornwall roads are bordered by stone walls which are usually on the top of high banks. You are therefore driving along a groove in the countryside where you cannot see past the next bend in the road (and oh there are LOTS of bends). These roads can be very unnerving to those not used to them, even people from outside the area and are best avoided by overseas drivers. One will probably be enough to convince you to stay on the major roads.

Britain is a very hilly country and many of the hills are steep. They also wind around corners at the same time so take care.

DRIVING IN BRITAIN

For those who wish to hire a car and explore on their own there are a few things you need to know.

1. Britain drives on the left. You probably knew that already, but it’s hard to get the hang of when you get there. The best tip I can offer is the driver should keep himself aligned with the white line in the center of the road (not on it of course) if you find you are near the hedge you are on the wrong side.
   
   
2. You will be driving a manual car since automatics are almost non existent in Britain - and after you have driven around the narrow roads and up the steep hills a bit you will understand why.

3. Britain has a lot of hills - unless you go to Lincon or Norfolk- and many of these can be very steep. Make sure that you don’t change down too late or the car will run out of power before you reach the top of the hill. Some of the hills there can be as much as 1:4 which is pretty steep. There is one in Robin Hoods Bay Yorkshire which is 1.2. However they don’t let traffic down it anymore except for deliveries to the village, you have to walk. A great village going down but coming UP!
   
   
4. Try not to underestimate the hill or you will find you might have to get out and push. Also these hills often go around corners especially on the way down so take care on the brakes.
   
   
5. Villages often have houses right on the street so make sure you give enough clearance or you could scrape the side of the car. Watch out for hidden driveway signs - the driveways really ARE hidden and often have mirrors set on poles so you can see if something is coming out and they can see you.
   
   
6. Most drivers in Britain are quite good. Tickets are given for bad driving not just speeding so the highway code is strictly adhered to. Don’t pass on the left. (inside) right its strictly enforced.
   
   
7. Watch out for narrow bridge signs, they mean it. You won’t get more than one car across at a time. In the heartland where there is a large canal system the bridges are narrow and steep. In many cases you won’t be able to see the other side of the bridge from where you are as the rise is so rapid. Sound your horn before proceeding and don’t go very fast. If you do you can’t stop for the traffic that suddenly appears on the other side that you could not see. Also without oncoming traffic if you are driving too fast you might literally take off, jumping the downslope on the other side of the bridge.
   
   
8. Most of the above points will occur more on secondary and minor roads, but in Britain a major road can be quite narrow and have any or all of the above features, so take care.
   
   

ROAD SIGNS.

The British are VERY fond of road signs. Every junction is marked no matter what the road. There are large signs on the major roads and fingerposts on the minor ones. They come by color.

Motorways have large BLUE signs with white lettering.

A and most B roads (the next major roads ) have Green signs with white lettering. Each road junction will have a warning sign and where each road goes, at the junction there will be more signs and there will be confirmation signs when you take the junction with destination markers and miles to each at the beginning and along each major road.

It’s IMPOSSIBLE to get lost. (Unless you are in a city).

There is always a road sign. On minor roads there will be a finger post sign at the side of the road in each direction telling you what is in each direction and how far it is. The only problem comes in South Wales where everything is Llan-something then it gets confusing. If you are really lost stop at the local pub and ask for directions, you might get three different sets but you will also make new friends.

ROUNDABOUTS

The British LOVE traffic circles -Roundabouts they are called. They are the best invention to speed traffic flow that was ever invented as long as they are properly. Sadly in America each state has it’s own laws governing roundabouts so no one knows what to do.
If you are intending to hire a car while in England you need to know how to use roundabouts effectively. I doubt you will get even a mile from the car rental lot without encountering one.

1. Traffic on the roundabout has right of way.
   
   
2. Look Right, traffic comes from the Right. NOT the Left.
   
   
3. When the roundabout is clear enter the circle.
   
   
4. Before you reach the roundabout there will be a sign stating where each road off the roundabout goes. Check this and note which road you need then GET IN THE CORRECT LANE AT THE ROUNDABOUT.
   
   
   • If you are taking the first road off you get in the left hand lane as you have the least distance to travel. When entering the roundabout STAY TO THE LEFT, DON’T drift into the center of the circle that is for more distant traffic and you will cause accidents. Indicate and turn off at your first junction.
     
     
   • If you are taking the second road take the middle lane, or if there are only two lanes the left hand lane. If there are three STAY IN THE MIDDLE LANE. The outer lane if for the more distant traffic. When you enter the roundabout stay in the center, then indicate left and turn off (you will probably be going straight on if there was no roundabout, or at the second turning.) There will be nothing behind you as the inside traffic turned at the first junction but check the mirror anyway and ALWAYS INDICATE. It’s a must there and you can get a ticket if you don’t.
     
     
   • If you are taking the last turning take the outside lane as you approach the roundabout, hug the center of the roundabout as you curve around it keeping close to its edge, then as you approach your junction indicate left and glide over into your lane, you should be moving over at about the time the people who were going straight across are turning off taking their slot so you can move over to turn off at the next junction.
     
     
   • In this way there is no traffic snarl everyone moves position to where they want to go no one cuts anyone else off and traffic moves smoothly.
     
     

These large roundabouts are often show pieces, planted with glorious flower displays often with the name of the town spelt out in flowers.. At Christmas decorative lights festoon them in the Christmas spirit. They can be delightful. You will find the idea works so well that they also have MINI ROUNDABOUTS.

These are simply white spots about two to three feet across painted in the center of a junction. Where you would expect in America to find a four way stop you will find one of these spots. Again signs will tell you which road to take unless its a rural road to a housing estate, then you are supposed to know where you are going. Treat these spots as you would treat a large roundabout. Drive around it not over it, look right and give way to traffic from the right. In this case there is no lane procedure to follow but traffic moves smoothly and easily.

That’s the easy part.

Britain is very proud of its roundabout system which does work very well. However that was not enough for some people, they had to complicate it. In most areas that once had ‘cross roads’ they now have double roundabouts. This is one aroundabout joined to another, the same rules apply but you have to stop at the junction to the second which is half way across the first. These have been found to work better than mini roundabouts at these junctions and are now springing up all over the country like weeds. Unless you stay on the main roads you are quite likely to encounter one of these. They are not that difficult to cope with once you understand the principle of the single roundabout structure.

Then there are the multiple roundabouts. These are a large roundabout in the center with several satellite roundabouts around it. If you see one of these try and turn around and go back! NO one likes these complicated messes, I know of only one in existence at the present time but I am sure there are more. They are hideous and certainly something to write home about.