Well hello and welcome to another driving video, our tips for Americans
driving in the UK for the first time let's go.
Look at this sunny weather or will it cloud over soon anyway in our previous
videos, tips for Americans driving in the UK for the first time, in the feedback
apart from the obvious about driving on the left, a lot of people are concerned
about driving on some of the narrow country roads we've got. So in this video
we're gonna concentrate purely on driving on these country roads and some
tips, anything useful, we'll see what we come across so before some of the usual
comments saying don't take or don't use Google Maps, they take you on these roads.
That's not the case because if you want to visit some towns and areas in Devon
and Cornwall and West Wales you've got no choice but to take these roads so
before the clouds come, let's go.
OKy the road surface itself, these are country roads and they are used by
farmers so they get covered with mud, cow manure and all that stuff so they
can become very slippery.
Also in the winter months, when we've got ice they're not really treated so they do
freeze and if you do skid here you've got nowhere else to go apart from in a ditch
or into a tree. Another thing to be careful of, some of these narrow country
lanes have got very soft verges and actual ditches. This countryside is quite
noisy today, well anyway what we said about soft verges, this looks like grass so if
you're coming down at any speed and stray onto the grass,
and your wheel gets caught in, that you'll be in trouble and also regarding the road
surface this road is quite good but many aren't as good as this and do have
potholes so be careful of those as well. That sign there means the speed limit on
this stretch of road is 60 miles an hour. If you do try and go that speed you will
end up in a ditch or in a tree so just remember the speed limit may be 60 miles
an hour but it's a limit not a target.
Well according to BRAKE the road safety charity 51 percent of fatal crashes in
the UK occur on country roads. These roads here are often used by horse
riders so be careful especially on blind bends. On the weekend you do get a lot of
cyclists, as the road sign says the actual speed limit on this road is 60
miles an hour but it's not safe to do that speed limit.
And that this is a two-lane road. (two way!)
So there's a dog walker.
There are places to pull over.
Cyclists
Potholes Bridges
So that road isn't that bad. This one's a bit narrower.
So use your common sense, anticipate what's coming around the
corner, so make sure you can stop.
See the farmer's working.
There's a blind bend ahead so anticipate what could be coming around.
Take it easy
There's another pedestrian on the footpath.
As you can see the roads got moss on it here as well.
Adjust your speed as I mentioned speed isn't a target.
Another pedestrian coming down and now we're entering a small village.
So this lane is called Zig Zag Lane so that's a big clue of what we're gonna
encounter as we drive down it. At the entrance to Lane
it's got obviously warning signs horse riders, pedestrians as I've mentioned
already but if you come and have a look at this
that sign actually means the speed limit is 60 miles an hour which is ridiculous
but the local people have put like the farmers have put up an unofficial sign to
say actually 20 miles an hour's fast enough down here.
As I've mentioned the road surface can be a bit patchy and on this leg because
of all the rain we've have been having we've got a bit of a flood.
I hope this video hasn't put you off renting a car and exploring the
beautiful scenery stuck behind a Tractor
So I hope this video hasn't put you off renting a car and exploring the
beautiful countryside of the UK and by the way if you live in the country and have
got some more tips about driving in the UK, pop them in the comments below but on
the other hand, if you're gonna pick me up because I've left out some
obscure 1940s driving regulation you can keep that to yourself. Anyway that's a
bye for now and I hope you enjoy your visit, bye!