KarenK

Is it legal to drive in UK with US driver's license?

Miguel Cruz

KarenK wrote:
    > Is it legal to drive in UK with US driver's license?

Yes, if you're just visiting.

miguel
--
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Guess Oh

On Mon, 07 Oct 2002 00:38:24 +0000, KarenK
wrote:

    >Is it legal to drive in UK with US driver's license?

Yes, if you're a visitor; if you come over to stay
as an ex-pat, you're probably going to have to get a
local driving licence eventually.

However, if it's your first time in London, it's not
advisable. London is big and confusing, the traffic
can be (and often is) chaotic, fuel's expensive, and
the public transport system is generally good enough
to get you where you have to go. Add to that the
usual first-timer's confusion with driving on the
"wrong" side of the road, and things have a potential
to get pretty nasty.
--
Nobody You Know

Richard Antisdel

In article ,
[email protected] says...
    > Is it legal to drive in UK with US driver's license?
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com
Do you actually need to drive around inside London, or will you be
staring in London and driving elsewhere in UK?

Richard Antisdel

Keeger

[email protected] (Oh, Guess) wrote:

    >>Is it legal to drive in UK with US driver's license?
    >However, if it's your first time in London, it's not
    >advisable. London is big and confusing, the traffic
    >can be (and often is) chaotic, fuel's expensive, and
    >the public transport system is generally good enough
    >to get you where you have to go. Add to that the
    >usual first-timer's confusion with driving on the
    >"wrong" side of the road, and things have a potential
    >to get pretty nasty.

I have to disagree, although the OP did say "UK" and not necessarily
London. The first time I drove in Britain (I have since driven there
5 or 6 times), I rented my car in London, near Marble Arch. I am a
very good driver, but was still surprised at how disorienting it is to
sit on the opposite side of the car with the shift at your left. I
thought I had made a big mistake, but when I go on the road, I
appreciated the slow, city traffic. It gave me time to get used to
the difference. I was concerned that I might forget to take tight
lefts and wide rights (where the weren't roundabouts), but in the
city, I was able to slowly acquire confidence and practice such
maneuvers following the car in front of me. And returning the car to
London was great because even though I got lost, the city was chocked
with traffic due to a ceremony for Nelson Mandella in Hyde Park. All
I had to do was ask the cabbie next to me. Not only did they give me
great directions, but allowed me to cut in front of them to change
lanes. London cabbies truly are the best!!

Paul

Rob S

Yes, presuming you have a full drivers lisense it will be valid in the UK for up to 12 months.(regardless of whether you are resident or a visitor)

You will need insurance (if you rent the rental firm will sort this) which is very expensive.

the real question is why?
London has excellent public transportation and awful traffic - most of the rest of the UK is covered by an extensive rail and bus network.
Also if you are unfamiliar with British traffic it can be very scarey (not to mention that they drive on the left). The roads are generally narrow and crowded by US standards, the speed limits significantly higher and widely ignored.

Oh and gas is $7 a gallon.

KarenK

Thanks for all the informative responses!! You guys are great!

Reason for that question is because we have a relative who lives in London and wondering whether we could drive out to Lake District or the countryside with US license.
However, no plans of taking the car into London city though. Will most likely jsut get an underground pass for a few days or so to get around London. Just wondering, do you guys know whether one needs to bring a photo along to get a 3 days travel card pass?

Thanks again!

Bill Wright

In article ,
KarenK wrote:

    > Thanks for all the informative responses!! You guys are great!
    > Reason for that question is because we have a relative who lives in
    > London and wondering whether we could drive out to Lake District or the
    > countryside with US license.
    > However, no plans of taking the car into London city though. Will most
    > likely jsut get an underground pass for a few days or so to get around
    > London. Just wondering, do you guys know whether one needs to bring a
    > photo along to get a 3 days travel card pass?
    > Thanks again!
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Karen,

Given that this is your situation, here's a possible way to do this:

Go into London, get 1 day Travelcards (or Weekend ones, if that is when
you are there) for the Tube and buses (no photo needed), then go back
out to the airport to get your car, or to a North London location, then
drive out to the Lake District. By the time you get there on the
motorways, you'll be more used to the rhd car. Also, unless you are
familiar with driving stick in the US, spend the extra to get an auto
hire car in the UK.

Good luck!

Bill

--
Bill Wright
Old Greenwich, CT USA
[email protected]

Buck

"Bill Wright" wrote in message
news:bwrightct-1D-
[email protected]...
    > In article ,
    > KarenK wrote:
    > > Thanks for all the informative responses!! You guys are great!
    > >
    > > Reason for that question is because we have a relative who lives in
    > > London and wondering whether we could drive out to Lake District or the
    > > countryside with US license.
    > > However, no plans of taking the car into London city though. Will most
    > > likely jsut get an underground pass for a few days or so to get around
    > > London. Just wondering, do you guys know whether one needs to bring a
    > > photo along to get a 3 days travel card pass?
    > >
    > > Thanks again!
    > >
    > > --
    > > Posted via http://britishexpats.com
    > >
    > Karen,
    > Given that this is your situation, here's a possible way to do this:
    > Go into London, get 1 day Travelcards (or Weekend ones, if that is when
    > you are there) for the Tube and buses (no photo needed), then go back
    > out to the airport to get your car, or to a North London location, then
    > drive out to the Lake District. By the time you get there on the
    > motorways, you'll be more used to the rhd car. Also, unless you are
    > familiar with driving stick in the US, spend the extra to get an auto
    > hire car in the UK.
    > Good luck!
    > Bill
    > --
    > Bill Wright
    > Old Greenwich, CT USA
    > [email protected]


If you're thinking of driving London to Lake district bear in mind it's
quite a long way, further than London to Paris. Although it may look more
direct on a map to use the M6 up the west side of England, avoid this
motorway if you can. Try the slightly longer distance, but probably shorter
time and nicer views of going right up the M1 and then across the Pennines.
I wouldn't dream of choosing either route on a Friday!

Regards

Derek

On Tue, 08 Oct 2002 03:17:36 +0000, KarenK
wrote:

    >Thanks for all the informative responses!! You guys are great!
    >Reason for that question is because we have a relative who lives in
    >London and wondering whether we could drive out to Lake District or the
    >countryside with US license.

Lake district *or* the countryside. Some flexibilty there then? If so
you've a lot more choices that involve less travelling, ask for
suggestions here again in that case.

I'd suggest you get the train from London (King's Cross) to York, It's a
good,125 mph service every half hour (get a cheap walk on ticket by
travelling outside the rush hours, costs about half the price of the
gasoline to say nothing of the car hire charges, even cheaper tickets
available by booking in advance with restrictions) takes 2 hrs +/- 7
mins. See a bit of York which is very well worth seeing in it's own
right, and then rent your car (maybe the next day, maybe the day after)
and drive across the pennines to the lakes. A quite pleasant drive
(about 2.5 hrs) along the A59 northerly route to Keswick or the A65 to
Windermere further south. Or whereever.

Reckon on 6 hrs ++ to drive from London to the Lakes, more if your trip
spans a rush hour. It will BTW because around London and on the trunk
Motorways the rush hours are at least 5 hours in duration :-(.

DG