In the last eight years, I’ve rented cars once in Scotland, twice in Ireland, and twice in Cyprus (also right-hand drive). I was always apprehensive as the rental (and driving) approached, but I had very few problems adapting. Here are a few comments:
I found that renting from a smaller agency was usually cheaper and I always got the type of car I wanted. In Cyprus, for example, I rented from Stevens.
I always take a recently-updated GPS with European maps. I have had zero problems with it. This was NOT true of Google Maps on my cell phone.
In one case, I reserved a car from a large agency and was told when I picked it up that I would have to purchase the extended insurance OR leave a VERY large deposit on the car. (The agency was H***z.) By large, I mean more than $8000 USD. They said this was standard for foreign visitors. (This was in Cyprus, but I’m afraid it will happen again somewhere.)
The last right-hand drive car I rented was a Toyota Yaris. It was just the right size, with plenty of baggage area but small enough to maneuver and park easily.
Get an automatic. Pay extra and ask for a guarantee when you reserve. Get it in writing. You won’t really get used to shifting with your left hand until you’ve driven quite a bit and it is just a headache during that period.
Contrary to an earlier statement, my cars usually have the turn signal on the left of the column. Also, check every function before you drive off so you know where it is. Fumbling for the lights is not something you want to do when you’re already tense about driving at night on the left-hand side.
I try to find a slow vehicle and stay behind it. I’d rather take my time and do 60 KPH on a 70 KPH multi-lane road than try to get there faster.
Be aware of pass-by courtesy.
I found that my CCs cover me adequately so I don’t normally get the additional insurance.
Be careful of the left shoulder. It’s easy to push over to close while you’re getting used to driving. A drop-off from the asphalt or a high curb can damage the wheel covers and then it’s insurance claim time.
X100 on this advice. Driving London to the Peak District is madness.
Get a high speed train from London to either Manchester or Sheffield and rent a car there. I know the locals complain about the trains, but for a non-Brit who’s been in the country 3 years, the train system is wonderful for getting around the place.
Virgin Trains (West Coast) for London-Manchester, East Midlands Trains for London-Sheffield. You can only book 3 months in advance, but book as far out as possible, and the fares are very reasonable, and the view from the train, which you can enjoy with no pressure is quite nice.
I don’t know if you have booked accommodation in The Peak District, but you might have a look at https://riverbankhouse.co.uk/ where we stayed a couple of years ago. It is handy for Chatsworth house if you fancy seeing how the aristocracy used to live. https://www.chatsworth.org/
Thanks for posting this…we will be there in late September/October. London, then Bath and then to Brighton, before back to Heathrow. I’d already determined to take the train to Bath, rent a car to drive from Bath to Brighton (hubby wants to see Avebury, and that isn’t an easy public transportation trip), then drop the car in Brighton. But I’d forgotten that automatics aren’t automatic in Europe.
(ETA - the Lakes are lovely, but you will find them very crowded at that time of year, so make sure to book accommodations in advance. Possibly more crowded than previously as they just got put on the U.N.'s World Heritage Sites listing.
If there’s one things Brits do well, it’s follow the rules of the road. Our extremely tough driving test and cultural habit of rule following means there’s certain things we take for granted, and which foreign drivers should take note.
It’s the law to stop at a zebra crossing if a pedestrian looks like they want to cross, and cars really do stop (so the OP must too)
Undertaking on motorways is a huuuuge no no - not just illegal, but very dangerous, as other drivers won’t be expecting it. Also don’t middle lane hog - if you do, you’ll find cars coming up fast behind you and flashing you furiously in disgust
Using a mobile phone, or eating with one hand on the wheel, will likely attract the attention of any passing police car. Don’t do it.
If you choose to exceed the 70mph speed limit on the motorway - and let’s face it, most of us do - just don’t go over 100mph. For UK drivers, that’s an instant driving ban, so I assume for visitors it would at least see you hauled off to a police station. Just be careful if you encounter roadworks on a motorway, where a 50mph restriction will be in place - there’s always speed cameras here, so you will get caught speeding (I have!)
Driving into London is the worst possible idea - for one thing, it will take you twice as long as public transport, whilst shortening your life through stress by several years. You also have to pay a congestion charge fee (online). Please leave the car at Heathrow, and take the Heathrow Express train back there to pick it up once you’re done with London. Even getting out of Heathrow is a nightmare, TBH.
Follow the speed limit in urban areas - there are many cameras. Most roads are 30mph, but some near residential homes and schools may be 20mph - if so, these will be signposted.
I would suggest getting an automatic - I drive manual in the UK, but hire an automatic when I go abroad - it’s one less thing to think about.
We have very few tolls in the UK, but one we do have is on the M6 near Birmingham - the M6 effectively splits into toll and non-toll options. I suggest you take the toll - it’s usually a lovely empty road, unlike the super congested non-toll option. You can pay by card or cash at the barrier.
I’ve never understand the American angst about roundabouts - much better for traffic flow than lights (of which we still have many). Simply remember that right of way is to the car on your right - ie, the cars already on the roundabout. So just look right. Much better than your cross junctions where no one knows who should go first.
Finally, drink driving (our term for your DUI). From my visits to the US, I do feel like drink driving is more common (may be due to lack of public transport), but it’s seriously frowned upon in the UK, not just by the police, but by everyone. One glass of wine, or one pint of beer, is your absolute limit. Better still, just don’t. Get a taxi to the pub instead.
On the flip side, despite the traffic density, UK roads are amongst the safest in the world, mainly because we do follow the rules! (Well, most of us).
One more thing, we don’t have to US equivalent of turning right on red at traffic lights. Red means stop, no exceptions (well, unless there’s a green arrow filter for your lane).
If there’s one things Brits do well, it’s follow the rules of the road. Our extremely tough driving test and cultural habit of rule following means there’s certain things we take for granted, and which foreign drivers should take note.
Either side of a crossing you will see zigzag white lines - these mean no parking or stopping.
Also be aware that on multi lane motorways, lorries (which are limited to 56mph) are not allowed in the outside lane.
Not just attention - a lecture on the dangers and a £200 fine for even touching a mobile.
The general rule is that the limit plus 10% is okay, but more than that risks trouble.
Agreed wholeheartedly
If there are street lamps, the limit is 30 unless signs say otherwise.
It is a dilemma as auto’s are more expensive and harder to find.
Busy roundabouts sometimes have traffic lights as well - watch out for the signs and be prepared to go around again if you miss your exit.
Blow over the limit and you get arrested and may end up with an uncomfortable night in a police station cell. Fines are draconian and it is as antisocial as smoking - so as said above - don’t do it.
Apparently, the USA has nearly three times the number of road-related deaths than the UK.
Well, I will throw in something additional that no one has mentioned: Be very careful when you drive when you first get back home. You are now used to driving on the wrong side of the road, but relax because you are back in familiar territory, and do not concentrate as much to stay on the proper side.
I’ve driven there once, about 5 years ago, and I did not get the Visitor Oyster card. I used Navigon GPS on my iPhone and that worked very well.
I rented an MT (manual transmission), and a diesel. The diesel’s high MPGs were appreciated. The MT was fine after a few minutes of rewiring my brain. But when I left Heathrow I was immediately on very small (narrow) roads as I made my way to the Motorway. A bit of a challenge initially, before I got used to the roads and being on the wrong side.
After a few miles it was fine but most of the week I was driving there, at intersections I kept repeating this mantra that helped me, “Left is right and right is left.” Meaning, a left turn in the GBR is like a right turn in the USA, a relatively simple affair, while a right turn in the GBR is like a left turn in the USA — you’re crossing oncoming traffic, and you have to go deep into the intersection before making your turn. You do not want to turn into the right lane, into oncoming traffic!
And as others have said, mind the speed limits. The cameras there, they will get you! After teturning home you do not want to be receiving citations in the mail. Not fun.
Nope, avoid the visitor Oyster. Buy one at Heathrow. It’s a £5 refundable deposit and then you can load pay as you go money on it or add a travel card, depending on how long you’re there and how much TFL travel you’ll be doing. You can also use Apple/Android pay or a contactless bank card if you have one.
The visitor Oyster cost £5 non refundable fee plus postage.
And you will each need an Oyster card. And can a more knowledgeable Doper confirm that the Heathrow Express line is still a bit of a rip-off because the normal London Underground line is cheaper and almost as quick?
I can easily confirm this. The Piccadilly Line makes more sense for 99% of people arriving at Heathrow and staying somewhere in central London. Even if you need to transfer, it’s often easy to find an easy station to do so. For example, you can transfer from the Piccadilly Line to the District Line at Barons Court by just walking across the platform.
The Heathrow Express is far more expensive and only gets you to Paddington, which is not a particularly great base for the average tourist. The only reason I could see for the HEX is for someone flying into Heathrow and then needing to catch an onward train from Paddington Station.
When are you coming? I note you mentioned that you’re hiring the smallest car – just be aware that we’re in the middle of a heat wave, and small economy cars here often don’t have air conditioning. Might be worth upgrading it if you’re coming in the next few weeks.
Heatwave meaning high 20s C, so, in the 80s f. In some of the country. Up in the Lakes it’s barely expected to hit 70°F in the next week.
We think it’s hot, you may not
Thanks to the advice here, we won’t be picking up the car until later, when the heat wave is forecast to be over. Also, we changed where we are getting the car: we will pick it up in Manchester. Good to know about air conditioning; we desert residents just assume all cars have it.
Regular roundabouts aren’t a problem, they’re getting more common in the US (at least in the Phoenix area). I even got used to the correct usage of the turn signal (I think, I just copied what everyone else was doing).
However, the mini roundabouts (the ones with just the dot in the middle of the intersection) are easy to miss if you aren’t used to watching for them. The compound roundabouts (two dots) really threw me for a loop (fortunately there was no traffic the couple of times I drove into one). And when I drove through Swindon I made damned certain the GPS did not take me through the Magic Roundabout. If it had, I’d probably still be in there…
I’m sooooo glad we took the advice given here. London was great by tube, cab, and foot. It would have been nerve wracking in a rental car. The trip has been great. Everyone has been nice, and every meal has been a good one. We picked up a car in Manchester yesterday. Getting out of Manchester was a real treat; a plot of our route would look like spaghetti, due to all my missed turns. I figured out the left hand shifting pretty quickly. I’m still learning right turns. Currently in Buxton, nestled in the Peaks District. It is beautiful here.
