kimilseung

Sounds like you were in London, what with the tube reference. I did not drive when I lived in London - no need, When I lived far away from London and drove down for exhibitions, I would park on the edge and tube it in. I would not want to drive in New York either.

It was a bit odd to drive in America to start with but now it is what I am used to.

Lord_GG_Byron

Na, it was a trip from Manchester up into Scotland, then down to Wales. The strange thing with UK driving is how everything is on the left. Have to drive on the left, and use your left hand to change gears. Most people are right handed, so since we're not swinging swords at each other, passing on the left would not be needed any more.

MarylandNed

Yeah but you could argue that it's more important to keep your right hand on the wheel while you use your left to changes gears!

I've driven a manual transmission in the UK and the US. It feels more natural to depress the clutch with my left foot while changing gears with my left hand (as in the UK). In the US, you still have to depress the clutch with your left foot but now you have to use your right hand to change gears at the same time - which always seemed much more unnatural to me. Of course, I learned to drive a manual in the UK so that's probably got something to do with it.

As for driving in the US, it's a piece of cake compared to driving in the UK where narrow roads, higher density of people and cars, tighter spaces and double parked cars were the norm.

N-B

On another aspect of driving in the UK whilst visiting;

Going back to the UK (from LA) for a week, and intending to borrow my mother's car to do a short run cross-country to attend a wedding (4-day round trip). She informed her insurer that I live abroad, they asked if I had a UK Licence.
I do, and it's in the same state it was when I left the UK 3 months ago. California DMV didn't take it off me, mark it or invalidate it in any way.
However, the address on both parts of my UK licence are for a rented flat in London that I no longer call home. I don't own any property in the UK either, so there isn't a legitimate change of address that I can undertake.

So, to be properly insured in the above situation, is my UK Licence still valid?

Bob

Ask the insurance company...they might accept your US licence.

You don't want to find out you need to make a claim and they've voided the policy because of a material fact.

Manc

your card gives collision damage waiver.

doesn't cover loss of use however.

If for instance you smash up a vehicle bad and takes 2 weeks to be repaired.
your card will pay for the collision damage.

It will not reimburse the rental car company for the loss of use / rental income of the vehicle. Cha-ching, they come looking at you for that.

SATX John

What eveyone said, I had a letter from my auto insurance company specifying coverage for rental vehicles, that may help also.

Have a back-up just in case they want to put an ammount on hold via CC, that many do.

yellowroom

As I understand it, strictly speaking - no. You are not resident in the UK, therefore your UK license is not valid for that purpose.

I tried to do something similar to you at Christmas and my parents tried to add me to their insurance policy for a long-distance trip to visit family. The moment you say you are not currently a UK resident then the shutters go down. I couldn't find anywhere that would insure me in the UK, even a short term temporary policy. Rental was the only way to go.

[that was complicated by my dad being over 75 and many rental places having an upper age limit - honestly I would not have thought it would be so difficult (and expensive!) to try and arrange for a car that both of us could drive!]

Poppy girl

I thought we were going to WIKI this reply that the DVLA sent me!!

Dear Miss Armstrong



Thank you for your email received on 9/9/11. Your email reference number is ******.



Whilst an individuals citizenship has no bearing on the validity of an individuals driving licence, I can confirm that providing the licence remains valid and you have not been issued with a licence from another country since leaving GB you may driving on the strength of your GB driving licence on return visits.



If you have been issued with a licence from another country since leaving GB you should use this on your return visit, as the most recently issued licence will be the valid licence.



Do not reply to this email. If you wish to contact us again about this response then please use our Reply Form or copy and paste the following URL in to your browser:



https://emaildvla.direct.gov.uk/emai...m_drivers.html



When filling in the form the email reference number ***** will be required.



Regards



L Evans