Let me start off my saying thanks to all the incredibly courteous and selfless drivers I encountered while in the UK. My trip was made all the more pleasant by my driving experience.
Living in the Chicago area I'm treated to what seems to be third world roads on a daily basis designed around the ever boring grid system. While this may seem like a logical, useful system, it greatly reduces the opportunity for curves or other irregularities that one might find interesting. In fact, beyond a handful of roads around Chicago, you generally have to travel out of state (or downstate) to find some truly interesting motoring. What's worse driving can be considered a combative experience at times. For instance you don't dare signal that you need to change lanes as the second you do, someone typically speeds up to cut you off. And from my experience actions such as this are common in most large US cities.
To contrast this, while in England, I found a general courtesy and respect that I've never seen in the Chicago area let alone most other parts of the US. Further drivers actually move out of the fast lane religiously for faster traffic even if no one is behind them. This is especially useful on some of the bigger motorways where speeds in the fast lane are often in excess of 90mph.
But the real star of the show were the roads themselves. There seems to be a total lack of a true grid system throughout much of the country. While not great for finding your way around this is elemental for creating brilliant roads for motoring. Sweepers are often followed by tight downhill switch-backs and then more sweepers. It's a far cry from the straight and often broken Midwest roads that I'm most familiar with.
Another enjoyable aspect of English roads are the roundabouts. They not only keep traffic moving (generally) but they also offer an excellent opportunity for the MINI's dynamics to shine. The rural ones with little or no traffic offer an opportunity for the MINI to be put through it's paces like none other.
I also found the UK roads generally smooth and well cared for. The lack of any true harsh winter I would assume helps make it much easier to maintain the road surface compared to that of the upper Midwest US.
Speed seems to be dealt with a little differently as well. It would seem that the speed limits are only loosely followed on the A roads and Motorways. While I was cruising at 88-90 mph I was passed continuously by those going 5 to 10 mph faster. Yet on the smaller roads near or in towns there seems to be a constant threat of speed cameras and thus drivers tend to be very conscious of their speed. At first I was quite concerned about triggering a speed camera but later learned that only 1 in 10 are actually loaded. Strangely I didn't really see a many of them on the motorways. Looking at the placement of the cameras and judging from the speed of other drivers, it seemed as if they were much more concerned about keeping speed down in residential areas then on motorways or rural roads.
For those who are nervous about driving in the UK I'll say this. For one don't start in London. Renting from a place out of the city (MINI-Rentals in Winchester would be my recommendation) was a great thing in that it allowed me to get used to UK roads without all the traffic and general confusion. That being said If you get easily flustered and or don't read maps well I'd urge patience and careful planning. In fact sometimes it doesn't matter how great a map reader you are as roads names and maps don't always adhere to the standards we enjoy in the US. Names change often and signage isn't based on regional or national geography but, at times, is very local in nature. Again study your maps carefully!
Overall the experience was really almost like a vacation from US roads and gridlock. UK roads and the scenery I found isn't easily expressed in words and the limited pictures here really don't do either any justice. I can't recommend enough renting a MINI while in the UK for an experience that's simply hard to get in the US.
<p>great piece Gabe. Nice to hear some praise for our roads from an outside observer, reading your piece i guess we tend to take a lot for granted on our roads. The lack of a grid system stems from the fact that most (non-motorway) roads in the UK are hundreds of years old & have evolved from cart tracks. Also local planning means roads rarely go directly from A to B (which is great news when you're not in a hurry).</p>
<p>interesting to read your comments on road manners as well – the general feeling in the UK is that these have deteriorated in recent years as traffic levels have increased.</p>
<p>You are spot on about roundabouts too – great fun in a Mini!</p>
<p>If road manners have deteriorated in recent years either I was lucky enough to not see it or they've got a way to go until they reach US/big city standards.</p>
<p>Another thing I forgot to mention is the refreshing lack of 6000 pound trucks and SUVs and for that matter SUVs in general. </p>
<p>The amount of wagons over there is really amazing. For instance it would seem 1/3 of all BMW 3 series were of the wagon variety. Compare that to the US where the wagon must be less than 1% of all 3 series sold.</p>
<p>It also seemed like half of the newer cars on the road were diesels – especially the French or German cars.</p>
<p>Gabe,
I agree with you about the general “respect for the road” which is more prevalent back in England than here …
If you make a mistake in England, other drivers WILL tell you about it (flash headlights, hoot, whatever) so you quickly learn to get it right.
Here, it seems no matter what mistake you do no-one takes any notice so there is no after-test ongoing education …</p>
<p>Nice pics of England too, with all that green; I guess it will eventually come back here too :(</p>
<p>Aaaah yes, driving on the other side. Shifting takes some getting used to, but it's really all relative. Everything is reversed when moving down the road, but the pedals/stalks are the same as the U.S. </p>
<p>One thing to be aware of is fuel prices, we moan in the U.S. about $2/gallon. Try about $6 (last I remember in 2002, probably more like $8 or $10/gallon with the GBP to USD exchange rate). Just something to be aware of… </p>
<p>London is tricky to drive in, traffic ain't the neatest-
<a href="http://www.dolch.net/Europe2002/London/m25traffic.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.dolch.net/Europe2002/London/m25traffic.jpg</a></p>
<p>Just remember, folks there drive a bit differently- remember 🙂
<a href="http://www.dolch.net/Europe2002/changedpriorities.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.dolch.net/Europe2002/changedpriorities.jpg</a></p>
<p>If you have a chance, tho, DO check out the north and some of it's side roads, quite beautiful…
<a href="http://www.dolch.net/Europe2002/UK/countryroad.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.dolch.net/Europe2002/UK/countryroad.jpg</a>
Note the chicken about to “cross the road” :-)</p>
<p>The thing I always thought was “keep left” when driving :-)</p>
<p>I'm off to Scotland next month; it's nice to see that sort of post as a bit of a “primer” for what to expect.</p>
<p>Wholeheartedly agree w/ you Gabe, was there in March tooling around (tho' not in a MINI) and found it refreshing compared to Boston drivers…especially the roundabouts. How unique for entering drivers to actually <em>stop</em>, and wait! Unlike Boston where drivers enter w/ no drop in speed and go where they wanna go.</p>
<p>I think I heard one of the Motorways is due to get speed cameras shortly. I also like the little police “ramps” for their cars, sort of a downward incline on the side of the road to get them some momentum to catch up to the speeders ;-)</p>
<p>Another nice thing is that the traffic lights show a yellow just before the red turns green — my theory is that helps the driver get their car in gear since they shouldn't be sitting there w/ the clutch in, eh?</p>
<p>The only 'oddity' I've observed is that drivers consistently signal when they're about to overtake a car, but rarely signal when they're going to cut back in the lane. Perhaps it's because as you noted, that drivers get to the right, er, left (travel lane) so judiciously that it's expected that an overtaking car will move back into the lane so you don't have to signal?</p>
<p>Try Italian roads sometime. If you don't speak the language, I do not, it's a real hoot. The wayfinding is nearly non existant when you can find it and when you get to a roundabout all directions vanish. My wife and I went around Siena 3 times before we found our way in, and Firenza forgetaboutit..I have found German roads to be the best…..nice piece Gabe……..R</p>
<p>I've been living in Canada for the past 6 years and one of the first things I noticed driving here is the fact that general courtesy and respect from drives in North America is greatly lacking.</p>
<p>Little things make a huge difference, such as stopping to let a car or two come down a small road in England you will get waves, smiles, nods and flashes all to say thanks for the gesture. Here people drive blankly on like they DESERVED to go before you.</p>
<p>There are countless other little and big things I've noticed since moving here to do with road etiquette, but none are really for the better. I know its not that people are generally much nicer back in the UK, I think it's basic driving instruction: As well as seeing how drivers interact in England before I started driving, my instructor was sure to point out when to think of other drivers and say thanks to others who gave way for me, so its 'built in' to most drivers there.</p>
<p>Maybe if there was more respect and thankfulness to others we'd have less angry people in pickup trucks roaring around in North America.</p>
<p>James</p>
<p>I agree with Gabe, my wife is from the UK and when we go to visit I love to do the driving. We travel to Summerset and some of the roads there are one lane with a pull over area if you meet other cars. I have never seen more courteous drivers. The roads there are a ball to drive. Just right of a MINI. I would hate to think how drivers in the States would treat if it was like that here.
Larry</p>
<p>BTW it was almost $60 to fill up the Cooper I had. More than double what I pay in the states.</p>
<p>Matt – what does <a href="http://www.dolch.net/Europe2002/changedpriorities.jpg">this</a> mean? Any ideas? We saw a couple of those signs and thought they were hilarious. Unfortunately it was at night both times and I didn't have anything but my camera phone on me.</p>
<p>I know you asked another Matt, but I did some quick research. It seems to be an indicator that you need to yield to traffic coming from the right, such as in a roundabout.</p>
<p>the other Matt beat me to it 🙂 You also see these in industrial parks for large trucks (ie. lorries) coming that cannot easily stop. I had a close call the first time, then figured it out…</p>
<p>This is a scream! I am an ex-pat Brit, living in Texas. been in the US for the last 15 years.</p>
<p>The 'changed priorities' sign is an indication that anyone driving down that road needs to get a new life…</p>
<p>I assume you took all of the pictures on the same day? The sky is blue in all of them – very rare to get two cluodless days in a row in the UK. Clouds = rain = why everything is so nice and green!</p>
<p>Finally, for anyone going to UK on vacation/holiday, I would recommend picking up a few back issues of CAR Magazine and EVO before the trip. All of the car mags test their cars in Wales, Northern England and Scotland and they tell you which roads they drove. There are some GREAT driving roads up there with no traffic, just a few sheep. Well worth taking a few extra days just to 'sightsee'…</p>
<p>And even though gas prices are rising in the US, we are nowhere near the levels of Europe and especially the UK. We have a long way to go in that regard.</p>
<p>Gabe–
After living in Pittsburgh for 3 years, I can definitely say that having a grid system for your city streets is a huge and underrated asset.</p>
<p>I have driven a lot throughout most of Europe. Here are a few of my observations. </p>
<p>The drivers seem to be much nicer in England, but this isn't true for all of Europe. This I feel is due to the more stringent licensing requirements. I believe it takes drivers an average of 5 tries to get a license. England is one of the hardest countries to get a license in. Last time I was there, I read someone in London had committed suicide because he had failed his tenth time at getting a license.</p>
<p>The speeds are largely ignored except 100mph. At that speed you get you licenses revoked for a year, so you rarely see anyone going past that speed. We hit 110 mph in my friends Porsche outside of Liverpool, but he backed off quickly. Didn't want to loose his license.</p>
<p>I find the roads in Wales are even more fun, especially in a Mini. The roads are much more curvy, great number of hills, and some really, really tight roads.</p>
<p>The Mini is also a blast to take on the Autobahn. Going around 130mph for almost 30 minutes is fun. The Mini is extremely stable at that speed and feels quite safe at that speed.</p>
<p>As a side note, while most of the drivers are good in England, riding behind a bunch of United Machester hooligans after a game can be a real eye opener.</p>
<p>Gabe,</p>
<p>I suggest you take a little road trip to Vermont. All the courtesy you think doesn't exist in the US?.. it's here. Yielding, signaling, staying out of the left lane (what few there are), looking out for fellow motorists… respectful and courteous. The only drivers not abiding have white liscense plates (out of staters).</p>
<p>Glad you had fun driving in the UK, though. I don't think I could do it… my brain just wouldn't be able to switch road sides!</p>
<p>I tried not to lump all of the US in with the bad drivers. I think it's mostly larger cities where it's really bad. Growing up in Indiana is one of the reasons I was so appalled at how bad drivers are in Chicago. Indiana drivers by and large are very courteous. And I have no doubt there are other places in the US that are similar. </p>
<p>That being said I've never seen the level of courtesy combined and skillful driving that I saw in the UK. It was like taking the best 10% of US drivers and only giving them lisences. </p>
<p>From my understanding the yellow light before the red is meant for getting your car in gear. What a great idea! I've been admiring it for years ever since I went to school in the UK and wasn't driving at all. </p>
<p>In the US I've had people honk at me for not starting to roll the second the light changes to green. Well sometimes it's hard to do when you have no idea when it will be changing. The UK system eliminates that issue. </p>
<p>Of course in the US it would never fly because of how many people run yellows and red here. There would be lawsuits and God knows what else. That and 95% of our cars are automatics.</p>
<p>There an't no curtesy in LA! PERIOD! MINI drivers aren't singled out it's everyone for themselves!…..As far as the light issue, GET OFF YOUR MOBILE!…..R</p>
<p>Poor road manners aren't limited to the big cities here in Murica, sadly. The back roads are filled with oblivious SUV and pickup floggers, clueless to the fact that you might not know exactly where they live, so a turn-signal becomes superfluous. Signaling is becoming a lost art, and hands-free or no, cell phones distract ALWAYS. San Diego is becoming notorious for poor driving habits, something which used to be seen pretty much only on “out-of-towners” or “pacific rim” drivers. </p>
<p>Funny how many places I visit always regard the next municipality, or state, over as the home of bad drivers. Zonies and LALA drivers were the scapegoats here B4, but I can't in all conscience leave the natives of SDiego off the list. It's infectious, too – I used to ride with a young woman who was careful, conscientious, and fairly good; then she changed literally overnite into a road menace after she began to hang with a different local crowd – now her brand new car looks like something the Wez drove from “The Road Warrior”, with all the front end damage self-inflicted. She cuts off people in a hurry and speeds up when someone else signals, something all too common anymore hereabouts. </p>
<p>England was a unique driving experience for me – when I got back to the States, it was like day into night – back to the BAAAD drivers and grids for me, as well. 😉 Sorry you couldn't bring back some of that courtesy with you Gabe, and inject it into the locals who need it. HeHe!</p>
<pre><code> BCNU,
Rob in Dago
</code></pre>
<p>Too bad we don't show the same kind of road courtesy as the Brits.</p>
<p>But, as David S. writes in his thread, if you get behind some rowdy Moan U. fans in a car, watch out. I can imagine it would be worse with Leeds fans.</p>
<p>Gabe, how to contact the MINI rental in Winchester? I'm thinking of doing the same thing you did. Also, costs, please?</p>
<p>GOT IT! I saw your link to Winchester MINI rentals. Gabe, you have a great web site.</p>
<p>Your CHANGED PRIORITIES theories have been a scream. In the UK there is no sign you should worry about less than this one! It means a 'give way' or similar from one direction has now changed to be something else. In other words, if you use this road regularly watch out because something has changed. If you've never driven before, you'll notice b<strong>*</strong> all difference so don't worry about it ;-)</p>
<p>Gabe,
It is bueatiful out there, now you see the defference between the roads in UK and USA, much more how they built the building for many years</p>
<p>the defference between USA and UK are:
In uk they built roads and building seriosly, In USA they down sized it to keep the CEO in position all the time. (what a politics are)</p>
<p>I am from the UK, but have driven in California several times. </p>
<p>In California, the road name of the road you're crossing is clearly written and illuminated on a large sign hanging from the overhead traffic light. This way, it's very easy to see the names of streets you're approaching, giving you plenty of time to switch lanes and turn if necessary. In residential areas without traffic lights, the names are displayed on sign posts at the corner — again very easy to see. However in the UK, this is not the case. Here, the name of the street will be on a sign mounted to a building or wall. It will be smaller and usually not illuminated. You will often drive past and miss it. This is why directions here often have to be given as “turn right at the third set of lights” rather than giving the road name as would be done in the US. Absoutely rediculous compared to the American way.</p>
<p>There is one difference no one has mentioned so far: pedestrians. In the USA, cars will tend to give way (yield) to pedestrians in many situations where drivers in the UK would not. In the UK, it's very much a case of pedestrians having to look out for cars and dive out of their way. In the USA, pedestrians have right of way at street corners and cars will stop. In the UK, cars only have to give way to pedestrians already crossing the road at corners, but even then everyone seems to act like the pedestrian shouldn't be there — the pedestrian will often rush out of the way. </p>
<p>I would say that <em>drivers</em> would be happier in the UK, as other drivers and pedestrians seem to be very polite and let them go. But <em>pedestrians</em> from the USA might feel hard done to in the UK, as cars won't stop for them nearly as often as in the US (from my Californian experience).</p>
<p>Oh, and another thing. On Californian freeways, drivers are expected to only switch lanes when the lane they want to move into is clear — it's treated like any other yield situation is. People aren't being rude as such – they have right of way and they are following their custom of adhering to it! Now the law in the UK is exactly the same – the driver must wait for a gap. However, in practice, drivers in the UK will normally take action to allow the signaling car to pull in to the lane, either by switching lanes themselves or by speeding up / slowing down as appropriate. This is where Brits and Americans could get each other's meaning easily confused. An American driving on a UK motorway could easily think “Oh f<em>*</em>ing hell!!! Everyone is signalling and then cutting in right into my lane!” this would be because the driver wanting to pull in is expecting the driver in that lane to let them in. But an American might think that British drivers are really cheeky and presumptious by just signalling and then pulling in forcing them to brake like it's a forgone conclusion that the other drivers will let them in. Whereas switching lanes on a Californian freeway is treated like any other yield situation e.g. a stop sign etc., just like it says in the British “Highway Code” or the Californian “Driver's Handbook.”</p>
<p>Another thing: if traffic lights fail in the US, drivers treat it like a four-way stop (i.e. come to a complete halt, everyone goes in order of arrival) whereas in the UK there is no such thing as a 4-way stop, so when the lights fail, there is much confusion and it's a free for all.</p>
<p>In summary, I think I would much rather drive on UK Motorways than American Freeways. The driving is more organized on the UK motorways — people generally pass on the right and slower traffic generally stays left. People let you in, but you must do the same to others. American freeways, however, are less organized with people passing in any lane, with slower traffic in any lane (rather than keeping right) and people not moving back to the right after passing. </p>
<p>However, other than motorways / freeways, I think driving in California is better than in the UK. Bigger roads, more standardized intersections, people seem to treat it less like as race-track, stopping for pedestrians etc.</p>