Driving in the UK: What Americans Can Learn from British Drivers

I just checked off a major bucket-list item: driving on the “wrong” side of the road in the U.K. Right-hand drive, manual transmission, roads barely wide enough for a bicycle, and more roundabouts than Starbucks in Seattle—it was glorious chaos.

🎥 Watch the adventure:

My U.K. Driving Adventure: mastering roundabouts and driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road.

Courteous Drivers? Imagine That.

What shocked me most about driving in the UK wasn’t the tiny cars or the medieval roads—it was how polite everyone was. British drivers actually use turn signals (and yes, they come free with the car there too). They take turns. They “give way” instead of “yield,” which somehow even sounds more civilized.

When two cars meet on a one-lane road—something that happens constantly—someone simply pulls aside and lets the other pass. No horn. No finger. No NASCAR-style battle for dominance. Just… courtesy.

In the U.S., we treat merging like a competitive sport. In Britain, it’s more like ballroom dancing—predictable, graceful, and nobody loses a bumper.

The Law of Lugnuts, British Edition

I have a long-standing rule: The car with the most (or the largest) lug nuts has the right of way. Turns out, the Brits obey the same unwritten law. Double-decker bus approaching? You give way, because those beasts sit firmly at the top of the lug-nut food chain.

But even with buses, trucks, and tractors on the road, everyone remains calm. There’s an unspoken trust that every driver knows their role and plays by the rules.

Roundabouts: Flow, Not Frustration

Let’s talk about the most misunderstood piece of traffic engineering genius: the roundabout. While Americans still cling to red lights and four-way stops, the British have mastered continuous motion. No endless waiting for the “protected left.” No gridlock. Just smooth, rhythmic traffic flow.

And they work—because people actually pay attention. Drivers know when to merge, when to signal, and when to exit. Multi-lane roundabouts look terrifying until you realize each lane is clearly marked for which exit you’re taking. Once you understand the system, it’s like joining a perfectly choreographed waltz.

Roundabouts are just bloody brilliant. I wish we’d replace every stoplight in Charlotte with one.

Tiny Cars, Big Common Sense

My rental-car saga deserves its own episode (and it has one). The short version: my dream Peugeot was unavailable, I ended up with a Volkswagen T-Roc whose clutch hated me, and finally scored a Škoda Scala that fit the roads—and my sanity—perfectly.

Here’s what struck me: British roads are designed for small cars because that’s what fits. No one needs a three-row SUV to pick up groceries. The smaller size keeps fuel costs down, parking feasible, and drivers spatially aware—something we could use a little more of in America.

No Billboards. No Bullsh*ttery.

Driving through the English countryside is like therapy for your eyes. No billboards. No neon signs. Just rolling green hills, stone fences, and the occasional sheep who looks like he owns the place.

Even highway service signs are refreshingly minimalist: Eat. Sleep. Petrol. That’s it. No screaming fast-food logos competing for attention. The result? You actually focus on driving—and maybe your blood pressure drops a few points.

Safety by Design (and by Courtesy)

The U.K. road system isn’t perfect, but it’s definitely smarter than ours in a lot of subtle—and surprisingly thoughtful—ways. Even the small details make driving feel calmer and more intuitive.

• Countdown markers before exits make it almost impossible to miss your turn. As you approach a junction, you’ll see three white diagonal lines, then two, then one, giving you a visual countdown to the exit just like braking zones on a racetrack. It’s simple, brilliant, and way more helpful than hearing “in 800 yards...” from a laggy GPS.

• "Zebra crossings" add an extra layer of safety for pedestrians. The zig-zag markings stretch several feet before and after the crosswalk, signaling drivers not to stop, park, or even pause in that zone. It creates a clear buffer that keeps pedestrians visible and protected—basically courtesy painted right onto the road.

• Red-amber-green traffic lights give drivers a polite “heads-up” before it’s time to go. Instead of jumping straight from red to green, the lights flash red and amber together first, almost like a “Start your engines!” cue at the Indy 500. It keeps traffic flowing smoothly and, let’s be honest, makes every intersection feel just a little more exciting.

Add in a culture of patience and attentiveness, and you’ve got roads that feel safer, calmer, and far less rage-inducing. In two days, I didn’t see a single fender-bender or hear a single horn. It's as if actual adults are behind the wheel. Imagine that.

How to Prepare for Driving Abroad

If you’re planning to rent a car and drive overseas, take a little time to prepare so your adventure doesn’t turn into an episode of International Road Rage.

1. Do your homework. Before you hop on the plane, study the local road signs and driving laws. Every country does things a little differently, and knowing what those strange symbols mean can save you a ticket—or worse.

2. Watch first-person driving videos. Spend some time on YouTube watching local drivers’ dashcam footage so your brain can adjust to seeing traffic from the “wrong” side of the road. It really helps you get comfortable with the perspective before you’re behind the wheel.

3. Practice patience. Driving in another country isn’t a race. Slow down, observe, and channel your inner Brit. They’ve mastered the art of calm courtesy, and you’ll need that same energy when the road suddenly narrows to one car width.

4. Rent the smallest car that fits your luggage—and your ego. Big vehicles may rule American highways, but they’re a nightmare on tiny European roads. Go small, save money on fuel, and you’ll look a lot smarter squeezing through medieval villages without losing a mirror.

What Americans Can (and Should) Learn

There’s a lot we could steal—er, borrow—from the British when it comes to better driving habits.

1. Courtesy reduces chaos. When everyone lets each other in, traffic actually moves faster and tempers stay in check. Shocking, right?

2. Roundabouts really work. Instead of endless red lights and four-way stops, traffic circles keep cars moving smoothly—if you know how to use them correctly.

3. Smaller cars make better drivers. Compact vehicles force you to be spatially aware and discourage the “I own the road” mentality that comes with oversized trucks and SUVs.

4. Advertising overload causes distracted driving. Fewer billboards mean fewer shiny things to steal your attention from what matters: the road ahead.

5. Driving is a shared responsibility, not a personal entitlement. We’re all just trying to get where we’re going in one piece. If we treated driving like a cooperative effort instead of a competition, our roads—and our insurance rates—would be a whole lot better.

In the end, driving in the U.K. reminded me that good road design only works when people actually understand the rules and use good manners. If we combined British courtesy with American confidence behind the wheel, we might just fix our traffic problems—and enjoy the ride a whole lot more.

Watch & Listen

Want to see and hear the adventure unfold?

🎥 Watch the full U.K. Driving Experience on Car Chick TV — complete with roundabouts, rental-car mishaps, and my husband’s mild panic attacks.

🎙️ For the full behind-the-wheel commentary, listen to the complete podcast episode of The Straight Shift here or on your favorite podcast platform.