Driving in UK

Driving in the United Kingdom can be a wonderfully rewarding experience. Unlike the frequently stark and barren heartlands of the United States and Australia (the two major road trip destinations), the British Isles offers a fast evolving landscape that can instantly switch from busy metropolitans to idyllic country roads. Drive a little further, you may experience the rustic English countryside, jagged coastal cliffs of Wales, or majestic highlands of Scotland.

U.K has the eighth highest number of registered vehicles in the world. In 2016, 37.3 million cars travelled along the 246,500 miles of motorways and trunk road across the country - and the number of vehicles on the road is projected to grow by about 680,000 annually. However, in terms of vehicle ownership density, U.K is ranked way down the list at number 34, with 519 vehicles per one thousand people.

As you can imagine then, driving in Britain is relatively stress-free - certainly many levels below the heart attack-inducing traffic of Bangkok, Hanoi or Mexico City. However, there is an exception - a charge of £11.50 (£10.50 by Auto Pay) is levied on vehicles entering the Congestion Charge Zone in Central London between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Mondays to Fridays to manage the traffic inside the city. Aside from that, there are only two things you need to adapt to in order to have a fabulous time driving in the UK - drive on the left hand side of the road, and roundabouts (traffic circles). In addition, the steering wheels of cars in the U.K are located on the right, and gear knobs (and sometimes, blinkers) will have to be manipulated with your left hand.

If you want to take things down a notch further, consider buying a probationary driving license sticker and pasting it on your car's rear window - other drivers will likely be more accommodating to your initial indecisions on the road.

Now that we've covered the basics, please continue reading to better equip yourself with driving in the United Kingdom.