Nervous American needs guidance!

Hello Everyone; 

After flying into Heathrow, my sisters and I will be traveling to Long Buckby in October for a geneology related meeting.  We will attend the meeting over a weekend then hope to

travel to Matlock and around England then we will return the hired car and visit London for the last two days.  Our immediate concern is a nice place to stay near Long Buckby

for our first three nights.  My second concern (the reason I am nervous) is driving on the left side of the road.  Anyone have any pointers to make it a bit easier for three middle aged American ladies not

to terroirze the locals once we are behind the wheel? 

Many thanks, Peg

Hi Peggy, well first of all go to the following link where you will be able to book your accommodation through Pictures Of England.com thus helping to support the site and you get your accommodation cheaper than by going direct to the hotels. Save £££££'s believe me. Here is the link:

http://www.picturesofengland.com/England/Northamptonshire/Long_Buckby/hotels .    

There are lots to choose from!!

As for driving, just keep it nice and slow and the locals will recognize you as visitors. As for our roundabouts, treat them as a clock face as you approach ie quarter to twelve, twelve o'clock and quarter past twelve. Want to turn left (quarter to twelve) stay in the left lane, want to go straight over (Twelve o'clock) stay in the middle lane, want to turn right (quarter past twelve) get into the right hand lane. If there are only two lanes as you approach stay in the left lane for quarter to twelve and twelve o'clock. Want to turn right get in the right hand lane (quarter past twelve). There, simple!! Good luck anyway.

Ron,

Thank you for the driving hints.  I will be sure to pass the information on to my driving companions.

We are also continuing to peruse the web site for possible accommodations.

Not so nervous now,

Peg 

all good advice peg! just remember to keep you left hand passenger close to the left pavement (sidewalk) it comes easy but pay attention to motorway slip roads. There have been a number of fatalities lately of foriegn drivers, (usualy East Europeans) driving the wrong way along the motorway (Freeway).

Take care and enjoy your visit, I note you will visit in October, It is the start of our winter season, daylight will start to fail about 4pm (1600 hours) and wet fallen leaves will be around. if you are still here at the start of November, the weekend of the 11th, lots going on in london with ref to our 'poppy-day', Rememberance Sunday, good chance to see royalty in Whitehall.

Hello again and thank you for all of the thoughtful responses.

I have also googled  "Driving in England" which has resulted in quite a bit of  information also.

I am looking forward to visiting in October.  I don't want to gush, but I am a bit of an anglophile.

And be careful when crossing the road on foot. In London it will tell you which way to look in BIG LETTERS, but I've not seen that elsewhere. 

Hi Peggy:  It takes a bit of concentration, but after a while you feel like you're getting used to driving over there.  The only thing is - you need to continue to concentrate.  If you don't, you may find yourself just doing what you normally do, automatically.  For instance, if you're pulling out of somewhere to get on the road and you'r turning right,  look both ways and make sure you get to the correct side of the road.  It was pulling out onto a road that I had to stop and think for a minute.  Good luck!