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Americans embarking on a road trip around the U.K. may think that mastering driving on the “wrong” side of the road will be their biggest challenge.
Far from it.
They’ll also have to navigate Britain’s peculiar driving etiquette, which could prove far more bewildering. From the correct method to wave at other drivers to the accepted way to display frustration behind the wheel, there are deeply ingrained quirks to driving on foreign shores that are not common in the U.S.
To help Americans acclimate, Brits were asked in a survey by car-sharing firm Turo to name the most crucial aspects of the nation’s driving protocol, and TV personality and car enthusiast Freddie Browne has produced a short video outlining how to “drive British”.
Most crucial for visiting Americans is the British rule for “roundabouts,” with 74 percent of respondents explaining that these must be approached patiently, “like a queue in a supermarket.” At the junction, drivers should give way to the right like you would at an uncontrolled intersection.
Americans may be accustomed to wide highways, but they will find the U.K.’s narrow country lanes very different. Huge delays are common, but 57 percent of drivers are happy to “wait serenely” when stuck behind agricultural vehicles blocking up the road, viewing it as “rustic charm”.
These tiny lanes, explains Freddie, are also where Americans will take part in the “ballet of passing cars”.
He warns that you must “wave politely as you pass”.
This same subtle “royal wave” is expected as a thank you if you are allowed to merge, according to 58 percent of drivers. The key is to make sure the wave is just visible in the rear-view mirror.
The other option is the “double flash of the hazard lights,” which is a way to spell out “thank you” in the polite Morse code system preferred by 35 percent of Brits.
Frustrations are bound to arise, but it’s crucial, say 24 percent of respondents, that Americans “master the art of Zen-level patience” while exploring.
One accepted method of expressing annoyance, explains Freddie, is a “shake of the head,” with 34 percent of those polled saying it must be performed in the manner of a “disappointed” school principal.
Visitors are also permitted to “flash their lights, pip the horn or have a little mutter under their breath,” according to Freddie.
He adds: “If you do get flashed at, just glance in the mirror and turn up the radio.”
Rory Brimmer, UK Managing Director at Turo, commented: “British driving culture has many unwritten rules which could mystify visitors.
“Our research shows just how ingrained these behaviors are – from the ceremonial roundabout [traffic circle] dance to the elaborate thank-you protocols. For American visitors, understanding these nuances isn’t just about courtesy – it’s about avoiding the withering looks of disappointed British drivers.”
Freddie added: “Having dedicated many pots of tea to discussing driving etiquette with American visitors I have decided that there is a completely new nonverbal language installed in every driver in the UK.”
