JLR roadtrip

[PFGMG]

Hello everyone,

In two weeks we will be making a small road trip from the Netherlands to the United Kingdom to do a factory tour at the Solihull manufacturing plant, and to visit Classic works for a tour. Of course we will travel by XE.

This is the second time visiting the UK, but I have never driven on the left side before.

Does anyone have any tips or recommendations for driving in the UK? (roundabouts, M1, etc.) And visiting the UK in general?

Thanks in advance,

PFGMG

[XES Owner]

Hi PFGMG - Hope you enjoy your trip to the UK driving on our roads, some of which could and should be in a better condition.
To get to know the foibles of UK roads I suggest reading the UK Highway Code - Every road user is supposed to be fully familiar with it.
I offer a link:

https://thehighway-code.co.uk/highway/code/uk/uk.html

I trust this will help.

[KevinInSuffolkUK]

Hi PFGMG - are you coming via the Hook - Harwich route ?
If so watch out for the first roundabout as you leave the port at Harwich - seen a few Dutch drivers go round that one the wrong way

[BevC]

Depending on your route, there are currently lots of roadworks on the A14 (which leads from the east coast to the west) and the M6 (one of the motorways near the Solihull plant). It might be worthwhile temporarily changing your units from kph to mph to ensure you don’t accidentally exceed the speed limit, as all these works have average speed cameras. The other thing I find invaluable on our sat nav is the way they show junctions on the motorways, including the lanes.

I hope you have a lovely journey and enjoy your visit.

[Langesliert]

Goedemorgen!

I have driven with my dutch car two times in the UK now. First time to the Highlands en second time Snowdonia and Lake district.
Only not with my XE unfortunately
What helps for me was reminding me and my co-pilot (wife) constantly of "LEFT and short bend, long bend" (LINKS en korte bocht, lange bocht als soort mantra). Further on just follow all the other people, mostly english by the way, when driving.
I didn't find it hard to adjust. Made one little mistake in my 2 vacations there and the english gentleman just passed me on his wrong side. No harm done.
Roundabouts are funny, specially first few times. It's a strange idea going on it "the wrong side".
BevC's idea of changing to miles can be smart too. I had a little post-it with the speed limits from mile to kilometer first few days.
Also Flitsmeister helps a lot.

Enjoy GB!

[PFGMG]

Hi PFGMG - Hope you enjoy your trip to the UK driving on our roads, some of which could and should be in a better condition.
To get to know the foibles of UK roads I suggest reading the UK Highway Code - Every road user is supposed to be fully familiar with it.
I offer a link:

https://thehighway-code.co.uk/highway/code/uk/uk.html

I trust this will help.

I just read the Highway Code, luckaly a lot of the rules are the same as in the Netherlands. Made the Mock theory test as well, but it wasn't a "succes".

Hi PFGMG - are you coming via the Hook - Harwich route ?
If so watch out for the first roundabout as you leave the port at Harwich - seen a few Dutch drivers go round that one the wrong way

We will actually be traveling from Calais to Folkestone with the Eurotunnel, I will keep note of trying to take roundabouts correctly XD. Seems like UK roundabouts always have multiple lanes, so fingers crossed.

Depending on your route, there are currently lots of roadworks on the A14 (which leads from the east coast to the west) and the M6 (one of the motorways near the Solihull plant). It might be worthwhile temporarily changing your units from kph to mph to ensure you don’t accidentally exceed the speed limit, as all these works have average speed cameras. The other thing I find invaluable on our sat nav is the way they show junctions on the motorways, including the lanes.

I hope you have a lovely journey and enjoy your visit.

We will be taking the shortest route from Folkestone to Coventry (since we will first visit Classic Works). So the M20 (from Folkestone to Maidstone) followed by the A2/ M2 (to Dartford), then the M25 (all the way up to Watford), and then connect to the M1 (up to Kilsby), and finally the M45 to Coventry/ Classic Works. Is this a good route? Or would you advice a different one? We will be taking two days to drive the route, and do an overnight in Milton Keynes.

Thanks for the tip on changing from kph to mph! didn't think of this yet. Certainly even better is the tip on average speed cameras! Thanks!

Goedemorgen!

I have driven with my dutch car two times in the UK now. First time to the Highlands en second time Snowdonia and Lake district.
Only not with my XE unfortunately
What helps for me was reminding me and my co-pilot (wife) constantly of "LEFT and short bend, long bend" (LINKS en korte bocht, lange bocht als soort mantra). Further on just follow all the other people, mostly english by the way, when driving.
I didn't find it hard to adjust. Made one little mistake in my 2 vacations there and the english gentleman just passed me on his wrong side. No harm done.
Roundabouts are funny, specially first few times. It's a strange idea going on it "the wrong side".
BevC's idea of changing to miles can be smart too. I had a little post-it with the speed limits from mile to kilometer first few days.
Also Flitsmeister helps a lot.

Enjoy GB!

Thanks for the info! luckily with modern technology and the tip from BevC it will be much easier to adjust to driving on the left. Didn't know Flitsmeister was available in GB!!! will certainly use it, since I use it a lot in the Netherlands!

Thank you everyone for the replies!

[bob_mcn]

Another tip is to make an Arrow and put it where you can always see it on the dashboard, i used to do this on my motorcycle when going 'abroad', then reversing it when coming home in the UK, just as a reminder of which side to drive/ride on. Only once did i make the mistake, pulling out of a fuel station, and that was pre- arrow.

[ms1012]

Another vote for the arrow, I've seen people put a small post-it with the arrow either in a discreet place on the dashboard, or even behind the steering wheel or in front of the dashboard displays...

[Jagxesmn]

I live in the UK so drive on the left of course! Having driven on the right in Europe and US I found the only time I made a mistake was when I returned to the UK and set off down the wrong side of an empty road! Probably I was concentrating fully when abroad because it was unfamiliar so made no mistakes then relaxed into "autopilot" when back on home territory.
So, take care when you get back to Holland too. (Or maybe I'm just odd!!!!)

Rgds
Steve