Driving own car in UK

3DataModem

I'm taking my car on the ferry to the UK for the first time.

> I've recently changed oil and passed NCT, so car is in pretty good nick.
> I'm bringing a satnav, so probably won't get too lost.
> Wife and I will both bring our (full) licences.

Any tips?
- do I need to tell insurance co. in advance?
- insurance covers me over there, right?
- any unusual driving rules over there?
- my licence does not have current address - is that a problem?
- anything else? what do I do if I break down?

Cheers,

Dave

PS to mods - motors forum seemed closest (there's no forum on "driving" per se) but move if you see fit.

Eoin

For questions one and two, check your policy and maybe ring them if you're not 100% sure.

The AA might do European wide cover, or at least cover you in the UK.

2 Espressi

The entry level AA membership covers the UK, but not continental Europe.

Cionád

3DataModem wrote: »

- any unusual driving rules over there?

They enforce their rules

Alun

Cionád wrote: »

They enforce their rules

True, but if you do the legal limit of 70mph on most motorways there you'll be the slowest driver on the road.

The only real difference signage wise is that they have a 'proper' No Entry sign like the rest of Europe does rather than that useless thing we have over here.

Eoin

I have to say, I've seen as many idiots driving in the UK as I've seen here. Motorway lane discipline is about the only difference I noticed.

maggy_thatcher

Another difference is that (in general) British drivers don't signal at all if going straight ahead on a roundabout (rather than signalling left after the first exit).

Also - remember distances are in miles and yards, and speed limits are still in mph.

Other than that the differences are pretty minor - the hard shoulder is marked with a solid white line rather than a dotted yellow line, and they make much more use of cats eyes on the major roads (lots of different colours come into play then too)

getz

3DataModem wrote: »

I'm taking my car on the ferry to the UK for the first time.

> I've recently changed oil and passed NCT, so car is in pretty good nick.
> I'm bringing a satnav, so probably won't get too lost.
> Wife and I will both bring our (full) licences.

Any tips?
- do I need to tell insurance co. in advance?
- insurance covers me over there, right?
- any unusual driving rules over there?
- my licence does not have current address - is that a problem?
- anything else? what do I do if I break down?

Cheers,

Dave

PS to mods - motors forum seemed closest (there's no forum on "driving" per se) but move if you see fit.

most good insurances cover all of the EU, with AA,RAC, or blue flag brakedown ,mine dose[ zurich ],the roads are a lot better but far more traffic.as long as you have a currant,legal licence and insurance then there will not be a problem,if you get pulled over by the police you will find that they [like i find with the irish police] will tell you what you did wrong and wish you a good holliday,chances are one of them has irish relatives, one tip, all UK towns and cities are like dublin, traffic is bad ,your satnav should help you avoid them. yorkshire dales and the lake district are nice this year,enjoy

mdu

try and buy your petrol in the towns/cities and not in the motorway service stations which we found to be 4/5 p more expensive.

oh and if possible, turn off the beeping noise on your sat nav that tells you where the next speed camera is. there are so many speed cameras around that you'll be sick of the beeping...

biko

From Quinn Direct:

Foreign use
Your policy provides the minimum cover you need by law to use the vehicle in any country which is a member of the European Union

maggy_thatcher

Magnus wrote: »

From Quinn Direct:

Foreign use
Your policy provides the minimum cover you need by law to use the vehicle in any country which is a member of the European Union

Quinn Direct actually go further than that for UK travel -- according to http://www.quinn-direct.com/ireland/documents/motor_policy_roi.pdf:
(emphasis mine)

QuinnDirect wrote:

We, QUINN-direct Insurance, agree to provide insurance to you, the insured named in the policy schedule, for events which happen in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland or Great Britain (including the Isle of Man and Channel Islands) during any period of insurance that you have paid, or have agreed to pay, the premium. If more than one person is named as the insured, the insurance will apply to each of you.

Richard

mdu wrote: »

try and buy your petrol in the towns/cities and not in the motorway service stations which we found to be 4/5 p more expensive.

Asda is usually the cheapest, so fill up there if poss. Current price is 100.9p/litre. That's 117.2cents/litre, although your cc company won't give you as good a rate.