We have seen a bit of the narrow roads in the United Kingdom before but this video taught us how to actually drive them. AND totally freaked us out too! We do have narrow roads in America but not many where we live and certainly not this narrow! Whether you are a new driver or an experienced driver this video should help you to navigate these tiny, narrow and sometimes dangerous country roads. It will also make you laugh at us when we forget about driving on the other side and more! Watch along with us as we get to learn and increase our blood pressure too! Please share with us any tips that you have and also if you will just drive for us! Just kidding...Thank you SO much for watching! If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our channel, it is the BEST way to support our channel and it's FREE! Also, please click the Like button. Thank you for your support!
Dear ladies in sure you will be fine drivng. If you are going to drive, you can find your way to RAF scampton,( home of the red arrows ), Rag connigsby ,( home of the battle of Britain fflight),and East kirkby, ,ex raf airfield that has bomber command heritage museum, the home of Lancaster Just jane. I'm sure if you ask nicely they will let you go aboard and perhaps ride her in a taxi run
Most countryside side roads will look like these. You will see locals doing the speed limit, and then visitors will be noticeably slower. I've been a bus driver, and now drive a campervan. Those narrow country lanes will be essential to get to THE best places in the UK. Castles, beaches etc (unless they have a major town or city next to them). If you need assistance, I'm sure there's plenty of us around the UK who'd happily help you out. I'm based in Cardiff for instance, n I've been a bus driver for the city, but am obsessed with the visiting the 🏴 coast and country. Would happily play chauffer for the day.... as long as I can bring my doggo 🐶 😊
I’m so sorry I was laughing so much at this video reaction. I live in the countryside, my base for work covers the county, I end up on one track roads all the time that have grass growing in the middle with pot holes, no one around to ask for directions. You can set your sat nav for most journeys to main roads, inevitably you will have to drive some country roads. You will have fun, take your time, don’t be rushed, enjoy the scenery.
You may have to think about what time of year you’re coming t9 the uk, in summer it doesn’t get dark till late evening. In winter it gets dark mid afternoon.
Remember when someone is following you there is a two second rule, if they are too close they need to back off and give two seconds space, also 4 seconds in wet. only a fool breaks the two second rule. It'll be in your highway code. 👍
What he was trying to explain was if someone is driving very close behind, if you keep driving fast and need to brake suddenly on the narrow road, chances are the car behind hasn’t enough space to brake and crashes into the back of you. If you drive slower, they have to drive slower and means they need less room to brake and therefore reduce the risk of someone going into the back of the car. Nighttime is actually easier on narrow roads as you can see the lights ahead long before you see the car and therefore easier to anticipate and plenty of time to find a space to pull over or slow down. You’ll be fine! You’ll get used to it and just drive slowly if you need to. :)
It's also classed as tailgating in the UK and is frowned on. If you hit someone from behind in the UK it's classed as your fault because you are judged as driving too close.
I was looking for this comment. Perfect explanation. I grew up in Newcastle and although I was used to driving into the countryside during the day, I was not used to night driving. I was in the back of the car (in Northumberland) when my future sister-in-law and her friend were driving to a pub, the night before the wedding. I was in a panic about the speed he was going. a. He knew the road like the back of his hand. b. any oncoming traffic would be seen for miles. c. I was still panicking about the possibility of deer, sheep... One of many occasions I was laughed at for being 'such a Toonie!' (From The Town).
And as Debbie said, they will hopefully overtake and move on at their own speed. Also worth pointing out that on single track roads you are supposed to pull in to passing places to allow faster cars behind to overtake. Bad manners not to; and likely to provoke flashing lights and horns!
Spot on. The faster you travel, the more distance you cover in the reaction time before braking. If a following vehicle is too close to stop safely at your (and their) current speed, slow down. That is not to slam on the brakes ('brake check') but to ease off the accelerator and shed speed in a controlled manner. As another commenter posted, should you hit a vehicle in the rear the presumption of fault will be on you as drivers should maintain a gap sufficient to stop at all times--including where an emergency requires harsh braking. Many years ago, my car suffered a transmission failure meaning it stopped very suddenly and with no indication from me--the transmission actually locked up freezing the front (driving) wheels before I could even get to the clutch. The following vehicle, which was not actually terribly close, ran into me. I sympathised with the other driver (although, following insurance protocols, I didn't say so) but both the Police and the two insurance companies agreed it was the following driver's fault despite my mechanical failure. Happily there were no injuries (this was long before the recent plague of whiplash--or maybe I was just more resilient when younger) and the bonus for me was that the bodywork damage was so severe to my vehicle that it was written off so I didn't need to pay up for transmission repairs! Since then I've been far more cautious about maintaining separation even around town. In 40+ years of driving I've received four rear end collisions (two of which wrote off the cars) and I have once been the guilty party (don't drive with snow covered boots!). All were at relatively low speeds on urban roads.
I have an american daughter in law , we live in Cornwall, where there are NO motorways, so all our roads are pretty much like this . She kept screaming everytime another car came ,it was hilarious . We are used to it , we are a small country , theres not much room , and lots of cars !
The thing is as you know is that all the country lanes is this country were made hundreds of year's before car's were invented & were only used by horses & cart's. That what I had to tell an American friend.
I'm pleased you said about Cornwall. A few years ago we were driving from Cadgwith to Coverack, it was late and it was raining (of course). Going along the Cadgwith road from the pub, which is basically a flat bit between two steep hills, our friend said 'So this is one road out right?' 'No' I said, 'It's a two way road' ....'OH MY GOD!' Said in the way Americans do so well. My reply 'So white knuckles don't run in the family then?' I also suggested not to drive into a hedge, which seemed to be an idea put forward when something comes the other way, as there will probably be a stone wall behind it and a water filled ditch in front. 😂
I live in Caithness up near John O'Groats...and we have a route up here called the North Coast 500 - So many camper vans use the passing places as areas to pull over for a picnic or a photoshoot! They don't realise that these are national roads - not some trail through a safari park! They are public highways that people rely on for their day to day business.
Gawd. The lowest common denominator just jumped a step down for me. Almost as bad as the car I saw a few years back driving at about 50 mph into a completely blind 90° corner in a one lane, wall lined lane and skimming all over the road because of the stupid speed it was driving at. I was walking in the lanes at the time, and even then I still feel a bit lucky to have avoided injury. Another car on the road at the same time would have almost certainly resulted in serious injury or death. Why are people like that allowed to drive? In the case of people using passing places as stopping points, I'm old enough now to simply park up next to them and give them a piece of my mind. Can be a little scary; but it's also a bit of a rush, and I feel good about it afterwards!
I live in Devon, high hedges and narrow lanes. The amount of people that are 10 yards past a passing place and won’t reverse is ridiculous. Please look for them and remember them. Quite often see people manage to end up jammed in a bank and even across the road because they’ve never reversed more than 10 yards.
@@jamesreynolds4811 i was born and raised and learned to drive in Lake district. Same thing, and the !*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*! tourists who literally pootle about in 2nd and never pull over to let you get pass and go about your work!
I'm an American living in the UK and just got my full driving license earlier this year. The hardest thing I find is not these country roads, but two-way narrow streets in cities/towns where cars are parked on both sides of the streets and there is barely enough room for 1 car, in either direction, to go through. Recommend watching some videos on 'Meeting Traffic on Small Roads' or 'Meeting Traffic in Double Parked Streets'!
Narrow country roads are a steep learning curve. The first thing you can expect to hear from your friends, after passing your driving test... "Go on, you can get a tank through there!"
After I passed my test, I remembered some advice my instructor gave me. This was a very rural area. I practiced merely taking my foot off the accelerator going INTO a curve then stepping on it half way round to accelerate OUT of it. Worked a treat and my driving/control improved by a million miles. Looks like the ladies had pretty much the same advice in that respect.
I'm a Brit, the majority of roads where I live are at least as narrow as that. We had American visitors who had a total freak out when I didn't slow down when a combine harvester came the other way and I didn't slow down. They didn't think 3ft was plenty of room, I apologised for scaring them, but explained it's just the way it is over here.
Your visitors would be looking at the harvester while you were looking at the road. If you look at the harvester you'll automatically drive towards it. It's a hard lesson to learn though.
Lol... it's the slurry tankers that get me. As with the harvester, they're wider than the tractor to start off with, but as the roads here are bumpy, every time they bounce, the tyres seem to get 3 or 4 inches wider.
Remember that most vehicles in the UK are significantly narrower than most in the US, so they do fit better on the much smaller roads and lanes in the UK. Many of the country roads in the UK were actually walking and horse paths that are now paved, but they remain quite narrow, and in some cases they may really only be one vehicle wide. On these lanes it is important to drive more slowly and be ready to use any space on the side of the road that will allow the other vehicle to pass. You may even have to reverse to find that passing space. In general, the roads in the UK are much narrower, have many more bends and blind hills, and many have hedges or stone walls to the side which minimize visibility - so it does take some time to get comfortable. The KEY is to really only drive at a speed where you can easily STOP within the safe distance you can see. Watch for your middle line as many Americans do cut the center and go into the opposite lane, even when driving in the huge lanes in the USA. Doing this in the UK would undoubtedly increase the chances of a collision. His point about braking - our country roads wind much more than most American ones. Brake before the bend to enter the bend at a safe speed, and slowly accelerate out of the bend to maintain vehicle control. If you do drive in the countryside - I guarantee you will be braking much more than you expect to. Just take your time, and you will be fine !!
When he says "The closer they follow, the slower you need to go" he's not recommending break checking, or deliberately getting in the way or holding up the car behind. He's suggesting that you allow yourself more time to stop safely to avoid being hit by the car behind. If you need to stop for some reason (oncoming car perhaps) going slower allows you to slow down and stop over a longer distance so the car behind has more warning that you are stopping and will be less likely to run into the back of you.
You may annoy the driver behind you, but whatever, if there's a chance their impatience puts your safety at risk ... you put your safety first, drive slower, and if there is a opportunity to let them pass pull over and do so.
Loved the reactions. What he didn't mention is that there can be occasions when you meet another vehicle and there are no passing places between the two of you. In which case, one of you needs to reverse to a passing place. Driving in the centre of the road is also more important in spring if you're in an area with livestock. Lambs can fit through gaps in hedges and fences that other livestock can't fit through, and can appear on the road quite suddenly. Another consideration, which is thankfully quite rare, is what to do if an emergency vehicle is blue lighting in your rear view mirror on a narrow road. Don't stop near a bend or somewhere that they can't pass safely. Don't panic and drive faster than you know you should. If you crash, you've just created another problem for them.
Blue light drivers are trained to silence their sirens (and hold back if necessary) if there is no obvious SAFE passing opportunity, they WILL NOT push you into making an error. Drive as NORMAL whilst watching for an opportunity to SAFELY move out of the way. I live in a rural area and experience this regularly. Occasionally you will hear 2 short toots of the horn, this is not admonishment but a gesture of thanks.
@@darren25061965 This is something that seems to be forgotten in current driving, the amount of people i see just slamming on the anchors is rediculous. As you say, the drivers are trained to drive around you safely and you should carry on normally if there really is no space until there is one which includes situations where the traffic is oncoming on the other side. Soon enough a driveway, farm entrance, field entrance or wider clearer road will present itself and you havnt held up anyone or caused an issue at all.
Night time driving on narrow lanes is actually easier. You are less like to encounter horses and dog walkers. The headlights of other vehicles will give you advanced warning. You will have to use your breaks going round some bends unless you want drive at 15mph the whole time. Country lanes can have sharp bends with no visibility so breaking is essential. At some stage you may meet a vehicle away from a passing place, working out who is going to reverse is always fun. Sometimes there are grass verges you can pop on to but beware if the weather has been wet as you may get stuck. Other than that have fun😀. No really you will see the most fantastic sights from these lanes, take your time and don’t worry about a clean car, impossible when your following a farmer bringing his cows in for milking. Pause, breath stop frequently take a picnic and try out some footpaths.
Night time is definitely easier. With headlights on full beam you can see much better, just remember to dip your lights to avoid blinding oncoming drivers.
Yeah..easier…until Mr. Audi or Mrs BMW expensive series, comes beaming at you with those piercing max lumen blue white headlamps. Then you can’t see jack sh1t and there is just a narrow cone of blackness right at the edge of the road and you just have to hope no one is cycling or walking there! Oh and if it has been raining at night, the whole road surface and the edge, even if kerbed, are a uniform black and you can’t tell where the edge of the road is.
Devon has narrow lanes with steep hills and hedges on high banks on either side of the road. The lanes can be much narrower this time of year because the hedges grow in from either side. The video is sound - drive slow, keep to the left. Drive within your vision. Watch out for pedestrians. Learn how to reverse. Be courteous and always wave to everyone. A fast, close driver behind you is a fool, so slow down. There is said to be 8000 miles of country lanes in Devon and we are proud of our hedges(!). At night you can see vehicles coming around bend. Watch out for potholes. I live on one of these lanes, so walk and drive and sometimes maintain them. Worse case scenario... narrow lane, steep hill, tight bends, ice and 2 farm vehicles with trailers meet each other. Or sometimes a BIG truck from abroad will try using a sat nav and get stuck on a bend - takes days to get a crane to get them out.
Back in the 70s, we went on a family holiday to Dittisham. My father had just bought a car off a friend of the family who always had to have the biggest and best of everything, so this was a huge, top of the range automatic Peugeot. On several occasions, we found the ride height of the car going up and up. This was due to the width of the car being greater than the road, and we were riding up the verges on both sides. My father also had great "fun" having to reverse up the hill out of Dittisham as the cottage we'd rented was right down on the waterfront. He didn't keep that car for very long...
Turning into my road, with its steep, narrow, blind corner approach, added to the triple aggressive camber and the steep, slippery entrance is an art in itself. Fast 2nd up the hill, keep tight left round the bend, then hang wide to get a decent entry, then change to first to get you up the hill again, without stopping. Too fast and you’ll ground your car, too slow and you’ll spin your wheels it’s that slippery and steep even on a dry day .
The roads in the video were fairly normal country roads. If you really want to be freaked out, take a look at Hardknott and Wrynose pass in the Lake District. That one is FUN!
I drove those passes this week when I was up there, great views & luckily I didn't have many cars to get around, most were actually quite good drivers & would pull into passing places well before you got to them especially good at the steep parts. Even better as it was my first time going up really steep hills in an automatic & didn't want to do hill starts in one.
If I’m honest I prefer driving on the small roads. When I visit my son in Lincolnshire I drive all the way avoiding the motorways. Takes me an extra 45 mins but I don’t have to stress over the traffic on the motorway and as a bonus get to see more of the countryside.
Same here only use motorways if absolutely necessary nowadays but I'm retired so in no rush but usually motorway isn't any faster anyway because of the jams or accidents . Setting satnav to quickest route is fun , that does give you some very small lanes or "c roads "across country which can be scary.
I used to love the drive from Barton-upon-Humber over the Lincolnshire Wolds to King's Lynn in Norfolk. 95 miles and I only went through one town (Horncastle) the whole way. Have to admit it was, a bit scary in the snow with a seven week old baby.
I agree that it’s better to ease off the accelerator; there’s nothing more annoying than a driver in front of you who keeps hitting the brakes. However, you’ll realise when you drive here that some of our bends are crazy sharp (like 90 degrees or more), in which case braking is unavoidable.
Also, brake pads are easy and cheap to replace but using gears a lot instead of breaking can be more expensive to replace the clutch, or even worse the gearbox. In a manual I do use gears myself to slow down a bit but you do have to be wary. Unless it is a hire car, then not your problem 😅
@@lorrainelee597 Sorry, but I completely disagree. Braking may activate the rear lights, but when it’s done erratically, unnecessarily and continuously without warning, then the lights don’t make a lot of difference in terms of preparing drivers behind and is more likely to cause an accident - that’s how pileups happen on motorways. Easing off the accelerator poses almost no risk to drivers behind because it’s impossible to slow down suddenly. It’s a very gradual slowing of the vehicle, which in most situations is perfectly adequate - so long as the driver is being vigilant, paying attention to the road ahead and anticipating potential risks before they become a threat while maintaining a suitable distance from the vehicle in front will avert any need for the sudden slamming on of brakes, which is by far the most common cause of accidents. Most people don’t maintain anything like a suitable distance from the vehicle in front, which is the usual reason for sharp and dangerous braking.
The braking and accellerating on the straight is good advice - as he said its for the balance of the car. Braking (or accellerating) hard in a corner will make the car unsettled (lurch) and you could lose traction. Put another way, you could have more weight on two tyres than on all four tyres while braking hard in a corner, therefore have less tyre contact patch with the road to help you slow down. That's not going to apply so much/at all to gentle bends / steady speeds, but sudden sharp bends when carrying too much speed, it might be a problem. Therefore the idea of getting the braking done beforehand. Changing gear to slow down is also commonly used here, but usually only for gentle (not sudden) changes of speed.
I learned to drive in Australia, with wide, modern roads. When i cam to the UK, the road that your man was driving looked very similar to mine which was within Greater London, i.e. the M25 (surprised?). You get used to it very quickly. Now living in the Higlands of Scotland, I'm used to tractors causing queues half a mile long and everyone waiting patiently for them to pull into a passing place, or overtaking safely. Well, the locals do but you soon learn who the tourists are as they don't follow the safety etiquette. A lot of roads around our villages are only the width of a tractor, are used by cyclists, horses on hacks, pedestrians (including school children commuting), dog walkers, and livestock in general (the Hebrides will see sheep and cows snoozing in the middle of roads at times). You really have to pay attention even if you are familiar with the roads, because anything can occur.
"If you can't brake hard, don't drive fast" makes perfect sense. It stands to reason if you are travelling fast you need to brake harder to slow down. And don't forget that driving a manual transmission is a different exercise than driving an auto. You brake prior to the corner and drop a gear if necessary to negotiate it safely, in an auto the gear change is taken out of your hands so you can concentrate on just negotiating the corner. Unlike America there are two types of licence in the UK, full and automatic. If you pass a full test you can drive both manual and auto, an automatic licence as it's name suggests only allows you to drive an auto vehicle.
As far as know a good reason for braking instead of coasting is it more feel and control of the car while judging when you think you might need to stop instead of jumping hard on the breaks if you are coasting saving on reaction time
If you're visiting at our harvest time remember it'll be tractors with hay trailer trailers/ baling machines etc using these country roads more than cars. This is when you have to breath in as they're passing..
Yes country roads are different to drive on in the UK. Some roads are only a single track and locals never go slow .I have been on single track roads at night with with 8' hedges on either side. The only way you knew some was coming the other way was their light over the hedge. Country roads are fun .I had a horse jump through a hedge onto the road in front of my car once. There was no one riding .Have fun driving in the country. Great video's as always so entertaining .Keep up the good work.
A really quiet road is one which has grass growing down the middle ! The quieter the road ,the more you need to watch out for oncoming traffic, which is the locals driving fast who don`t expect strangers to be coming along .
Natasha, you wondered at the start about the lamb so close to the road. On country roads (and I mean really the "back of beyond") livestock sometimes wander freely, and sheep are basically escape artists anyway. You'll see road signs with a sheep / cow etc in such places. Some years back I was hiking in N. Yorkshire and got to play the good shepherd, a lamb was marooned on one side of the road scared of cars while its mum was 'calling' it from the other. I got down and put my hiking pole in front of the lamb and when it was all clear gave the little guy a few taps on the bum. He got the idea, scampered across, mum and child happily reunited and me with a warm glow ❤
Absolutely hilarious seeing your reaction to our normal roads (for us), especially Natasha having a mini heart attack every 10 seconds. I love Debbie's gung-ho attitude, I'm sure she'll be fine driving in the UK, it's just a case of getting used to it. Maybe you now realise why our driving lessons and tests are so much more involved than yours have to be. I've heard so many Americans say you have to be NASCAR trained to drive in the UK haha.
The best advice I got when I passed my test was " you've passed your test, now you learn to drive. " Rather than get an American flag can I suggest "P" plates. They're like "L" plates but denote a new (passed) driver. Drivers give you more lee-way. Hope you enjoy your trip to our great country. 🖖🇬🇧🇺🇸💜
Oh you two!! I love your reaction videos, but that was such a wide road!! I’d love to see you react when faced with a single track road with passing places. That’s normal for me. Anyway, love your videos and it’s your relationship that makes them special ❤❤❤
We have the kind of driving tests to learn how to do this safely. Also our cars tend to be smaller for this very reason. I used to get a double decker bus through villages in Kent where sitting on the top deck at the front I had a great view over the hedges. Even I used to unconsciously breath in when we passed the bus going in the other direction on a road so narrow that one bus had to pull into the hedgerow and stop to let the other bus scrape past.
Where I grew up in Devon (rural farming area), we also had grass growing in the middle of the road. It was a road just big enough for a bus to travel through it and had tall hedges.
One thing to bear in mind is SOFT VERGES. If your wheels slip off the tarmac you may not get your wheels back on. Make sure you are going slowly if it happens, it may be the start of a slippery slope into a ditch and maybe a rollover. In the lanes around here it is quite possible to round a corner and be faced with a combine harvester hiding amongst the trees travelling at speed, like they own the road. Trees mean damp leaves, mud, slurry and gravel mean much the same, an invitation to an accident. There are also roads with ditches either side which may be 3 or 4 feet deep. Single track roads can often flood due to run-off from the fields.Meeting a big wagon or tractor may mean reversing for some distance to find a passing spot. One reason for being tentative in moving into passing places is that the puddle you see may turn out to be much deeper than it looks. Having your car come to rest on its floor pan can ruin a trip. Fences may have barbed wire, and brambles have been know to scratch paint (and even decapitate motorcyclists). If the hedges have been cut, it has been known for thorn bush spikes to puncture wagon tyres, never mind push-bike tyres. And hitting potholes at speed can cause damaged wheels and blow outs. Always go around a blind corner as if it was blocked on the exit. Be patient with livestock. A cow will leave a huge dent in your bonnet if it leans on you, and the farmer will be after compensation. At night the like of Badgers can make a mess of your car. Also at night, it can be difficult to sort out where the road is, never mind where it goes. Enjoy your drive in the countryside.
In large parts of East Anglia, it's not soft verges, it's a deep ditch or drainage channel, so you *really* want to be careful about where the edge of the road is
Watching Debbie and Natasha winces at this video is hilarious. I’m a articulated truck driver and have had issues in the past where car drivers haven’t pulled into a passing place and have expected me to reverse my truck for them. My reaction to that is I’ll apply my handbrake and turn off my vehicle engine until they reverse to a passing place where I can safely slowly pull past their car.
TOP TIP - book an automatic car when you arrange your rental car. Most rentals (hire cars) in the UK are manual (stick shift). You need to specify an automatic at time of booking. We live in the UK, but my wife is from California. She has a full British driving license now, it’s easier than it looks to drive in the UK. Also, when driving in many smaller towns there are cars parked on bath sides of the road. My wife coined the phrase: “weave, wait, wave” - you have to constantly pull in and wait for oncoming traffic, then when you go, it is considered polite to wave your thanks to the other drivers that have pulled over to allow you to pass.
That's good advice, even if you can drive a manual and are from the US. The difference in our roads is huge but with an automatic you can just concentrate on the steering and speed without needing to consider gear changes.
One bit of advice I would give you is: while still in USA get into the habit of looking extra carefully BOTH ways when pulling onto another road at a junction. There is a tendency for foreign drivers to prioritise attention to oncoming traffic in the wrong direction. The same obviously applies to stepping into the road as a pedestrian. If you have to be constantly afraid of getting it wrong you can't enjoy your driving and there's always the chance of a lapse or distraction, so rather make it natural behaviour beforehand.
Narrow roads are commonplace in the more remote parts of Scotland, many of them single track with passing places. I find the secret is to take your time and try to look well ahead if possible so you will see any oncoming cars before you finally meet them. That way you (or they) can pull into a passing place rather than you both suddenly meeting on a blind bend.
My old band mate was a Kiwi. Our band played a lot of country pubs. It always made me chuckle watching him tense up on country lanes when I drove. Great video!
11.10 UK time. Hi ladies, great content once again, and definitely necessary for UK driving. As an HGV (semi trailer) driver, I often have deliveries at farms that have been repurposed as industrial sites. You should watch two of us passing on these roads, it's almost like ballet. Don't let the video put you off driving, you WILL survive, not too sure about the car though. 😊 Catch you on the next reaction.
If a car comes up behind you, find the next passing place, pull in on the left and let them pass. You need to use your mirrors as much as on a motorway. Never pull in on the right. And look well ahead for other traffic , animals, cycles, etc. If you are in Scotland you may well meet a 44 ton timber lorry, they are bigger than you so you give way and/or get into a passing place early. This may also mean you need to reverse. Use your mirrors again don't turn round in the seat. There may also be a drop on one or other side of the road. Give way to traffic going uphill. And you don't need to drive fast. You are not in a hurry. And when passing give a friendly wave. Its courteous.
Just for the record, yes some of us do walk our dogs down country roads. My dogs love all the smells. Some people even walk down these roads without dogs. I'm off now to get in the first dog walk of the day.
Since a lot of farmland is connected to these roads you can see why we have to use smaller farm equipment than in the US (the exception is Lincolnshire to an extent), it's amazing how they navigate roads and get through gates with equipment attached. There's a game called Farming Simulator where lots of North Americans complain that British farms on there are too narrow and difficult, and we have to them that's what they're really like
Great reaction. If you want to see a video showing the correct way to accelerate and brake Ayrton Senna driving a Honda NSX at Suzuka is well worth a watch. Natasha would be very anxious at the amount of braking and accelerating ! Also it has a fab view of his feet on the pedals in some very 80's loafers.....
This was so fun to see you both react to those roads. To be honest we do have even narrower roads. I have driven a van down a country lane (two way) and had my wing mirrors (on both sides) touching the hedges. And if you still wish to hire a driver then I would be happy to do so around my neck of the woods. Looking forward to Magic Monday (at work so will watch after). Love, hugs and prayers from Sussex, UK
Loved this! I’m British. Be prepared that none of our road tax money over here ever gets spent on the roads. Most of them are FULL of potholes and in disrepair. Also, will be impossible to avoid narrow roads altogether and some are way narrower than in this vid! 🤣 Good luck! 😂
I have been working in rural Kent today, doing home delivery in a truck. The truck is really clean now because I was touching the hedge on both sides. Meet another vehicle and one has to back up until the is enough space to pass. 😂😂
The patch of dirt was made by vehicles pulling into the hedge over time. The point he was making about breaking on the straight was to say never break in the corner as that's dangerous.
Did you know that pothole was named because back in time, people would dig clay from the side of a path or road to make a pot to cook in, hence pothole 👍🏴
I used to drive a bus/coach on country roads like these, picking up kids from farms and villages for school, i can almost garuntee you'll end up on these types of roads if you are driving yourselves around in the uk, sat-navs/gps are notorious for sending you on a mystery tour lol
@ 13:10 if you're not braking before the bends on rural roads, it probably means you're not going fast enough on the straights to pass the driving test in Great Britain.
And this is why we start learning to drive slightly later than in the US and our testing is so comprehensive! But we are also used to seeing tiny roads….that doesn’t shock us! 😂😂😂🧡💚🧡💚
I wish I could show you the roads I drive down everyday for work,the roads are so narrow I have to pull the wing mirrors in on my Transit van just to traverse the roads 👊👍great video
Some roads, particularly in the Scottish highlands, are single track with regularly spaced passing places. Always leave a space between your car and the car in front that is equal to or greater than the distance between the passing places, which are usually for one car only. By the way slowing down because a car behind you is too close is not brake checking, it is having regard to braking distances.
Skye is fun for that. I remember my first trip back in 2005. I'd only just passed my driving test and I fancied a road trip. I'm used to narrow roads as I live near the country but even the main A road that rings the island is single track.
I designed some single track roads, and even a single track bridge, in North Argyll in the 1960s. We made sure that two or more passing places were in view at all times, and made these long enough so that converging cars with experienced (usually local) drivers can contrive to pass at them without slowing down too much, or sometimes even at all.
On these "single track with passing places" roads, the passing places are often indicated with a white diamond on top of a post, so you can see where the next safe place is.
When I was a child, my dad was banned from driving for a year so my mum had to drive for our holiday. My mum could drive but she only learned so she could drive to work because she hated driving and only did it in the city. I remember on one of these country roads, after a series of blind turns, she has to pull over to a safe area to cry for a few minutes because of how stressful she found it. As for the walking on these roads, I have walked on similar roads in the countryside around Chester. Never got longer than I absolutely have to but sometimes there's no other path.
Talk about patronising 😂, put hand at 1/4 to 3. I'm on these roads often. I had an American g/f yrs ago, i was hilarious watching her freak out, the screams and shreeks had me in tears of laughter.
Earlier in the year I took our lass up Hardknott Pass in Cumbria. Where the road is only a cars width, very steep and winding. If you see another vehicle coming, you may need to reverse the nearerst passing point. Our lass said it was beautiful but she was glad when we got out of there lol. Her satnav settings has, "avoid unpaved roads" selected. Whenever we are driving anywhere, and I'm driving, she closes her eyes on the country lanes. There are some with very high hedges, so you feel even more closed in. One thing to remember, not only are our roads smaller than those in the US, but so are most of our cars.
When you visit the UK, depending on your schedule you might like this. It's not that well know but it is amazing. Chislehurst Caves. It's 30 min train ride from central London so you could do a morning or afternoon visit there from London. There are not many places where you can get Druid shrines, Saxon mining, World War underground shelters and cities, and a music venue for the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix all in one place. If you like history, this place has a whole lot of history.
That was hilarious! I was laughing every time there was a vehicle coming in the opposite direction and you both went "Arrgh". I could feel the tension coming through the screen. I am sure you will be OK and get used to the narrow roads. I don't know if you intend driving everywhere, but I would recommend doing some train journeys as well. That way you can sit back and relax whilst taking in the views of the countryside.
It's amazing how quickly you adjust to driving on different sides of the road. I live in the UK and when I go motorcycle touring in France or Holland, the adjustment doesn't take long.
It's easy because the car having a right hand layout is actually easier for the left handers and vice versa its far easier to have your strong hand on gears and your weaker hand on the wheel plus if you ask someone to look behind them they will always turn to what side you use so when your in a right hand drive as a right handed person which most people are your looking over the wrong shoulder and you have your weaker hand on gears , when your driving look at what hand is dominant on the wheel I bet if your right handed its your left hand but you also use that hand for gears
Yorkshire Dales: some incredible rollercoaster, winding, single track roads with passing places. Was up there last weekend and it’s the most fun I’ve had in years.
You are correct in what you say, it's not just people or oncoming cars to be aware of. Most of the roads around where I live you are more likely to turn a bend and see a deer in the road than a human or even another vehicle. A pheasant or hare will often run across the road infront of your car so you always have to be ready to stop or slow down without doing an emergency brake. 30mph on these roads is like doing 70mph on a motorway. My advice after driving roads like this for 28 years is to not be in any rush to get anywhere. Enjoy the scenery your driving through and go slow enough to be safe even if that means crawling along at 10mph. It's just common sense.
But be aware that locals who drive the roads regularly will drive faster than you because they are familiar with the road layout. These are the sort of idiots who will tailgate you at night.
@@davidsartin1016 ... Yes I have also had wild deer dart out in front of my car a couple of times at night, and once in the day, but luckily I managed to avoid them, our neighbours who used to live a few doors up from us in our village here in Lincolnshire were not so lucky, whilst returning from visiting their daughter at night they hit a deer head on just a couple of minutes from home just outside the village, it came out of the woodland straight in front of the car and they were both killed instantly along with the deer.
Same with Australia. I'm not keen on driving at dusk in rural areas. Prime time for kangaroos. Luckily I've never had an accident with one, but I've seen plenty, as well as wallabies, an echidna and a wombat at one point.
That was hilarious! I laughed when you were freaking out over a nice two way road with a white line, not even a single track road. We drive on these roads a lot here in Yorkshire and when we are on holiday too. If you don't have a space on your side to stop, you can stop opposite a space that they can go into. There are not always official passing places, sometimes they are pretty informal! A good idea on passing place roads is to constantly notice where the last passing place or other bit of space was, because if you suddenly meet another vehicle coming around a corner on a twisty road where neither of you have a suitable passing place, you'll need to reverse to the last passing place/driveway you saw - or if you're lucky they might reverse instead :) By the way, we always reckon we are really in the countryside when you see grass growing up the middle of a single track road! And you always put your hand up to thank someone if they stop for you, which isn't easy if you're going through a narrow gap!!
👋 girls. Just returned to Australia from visiting our UK family and our greatest joy upon returning home was a return to much lower speed limits on suburban streets, suburbs built around a wider street and road system that provides off street parking and roads that are not the equivalent of “laneways”. When you are trying to navigate a two way thoroughfare with vehicles parked on both sides of a road that only has room for three vehicles, we decided to just cede right of way to everyone who didn’t offer us that courtesy, much to the annoyance of drivers behind us … there was a lot of horn honking. Now, the motorways are brilliant. Trucks restricted to the outside lane of a four lane freeway with the allowance to merge into the second outermost lane to overtake and then back into the outermost lane. Your panic may give full vent to cursing and a possible stroke when it comes to the gyratories/roundabouts. They can be up to four lanes wide with a different route painted on each lane road surface and have multiple exits and entries and if you are not au fait with roundabouts then an in car navigation system in the car is absolutely a must but … heck … ours never gave an instruction without first saying “Please” and saying route numbers eg “A6524” was spoken in full “A six thousand, five hundred and twenty four”. I swear by the time the instructor had completed the instruction we had traversed the intersection and because the street signs are not (as in Australia) on a pole about 10-15 ft off the ground on every corner, but possibly on a building wall or on a fence, garden wall or just ??? 🤷♀️ you will need that navigation system. Used single lane roads in Scotland and we didn’t have a problem with the pull over and cede to oncoming traffic if the lay-bys is on your side of the road. But, be prepared, they are confident, fast drivers who use every mile of their speed limit allowance.
speed limits are fine in uk, you drive to conditions so if it get very narrow, lots people walking about guess what not safe to do 30 limit so you do what safe at he time, but 4am in the morning it could be safe to do 30mph. drive to the conditions you see
I drive a 44-ton truck around Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset and often travel on narrow lanes. It's great fun , believe me!! Mind you I have been doing it for 30+ years now !!
I've recently got back to the UK from driving in the US. One key difference is speed limits. In the US, even a big truck can do the posted speed limit easily and everybody seem to exceed them by quite a bit (driving 55 in a 40 seemed commonplace). In the UK, they tend to be higher but people don't tend to exceed them that much - and they are much more designed to be an actual limit, not a target, it's entirely reasonable to drive slower on some roads.
I found driving in the US on freeways that the fact that the trucks go faster than 50mph meant my judgement of speed was affected, and I had to be more careful.
I’ve driven on narrow lanes over many years (50+) in different parts of the U.K. without ever having an accident. This guy is a driving instructor I believe, but I could feel my neck muscles tense just watching him hurtle along at what looked like a risky 40/50 mph. The National Speed Limit might be 60 but a steady 30 or thereabouts will enable you to remain alert to what’s ahead of you. And safe! Don’t be afraid to indicate left and pull into a passing space if you’ve got someone up your exhaust pipe so they can get past you. Keep your foot on the brake too to show you’re not going to pull out again unexpectedly. The chances are they do the journey several times a day and feel a darn sight more secure than you do. Wildlife can be more of a problem than other vehicles - pheasants in Norfolk and Suffolk, deer just about anywhere with woods that edge the roads, badgers, hedgehogs and even the occasional mother duck with her ducklings. Kinda cute, but unpredictable. Cattle and sheep are usually pretty well fenced in, but it only takes one to show the others the way through a gap. You’ll love it! 😱🫣😂
Totally agree with you and I can well believe this man is a driving instructor. Over the last 5 years I have been the main "instructor" for my children learning to drive. Four of them. Constantly I have to tell them to slow down but on their lessons with the driving school, in the town, they are told to drive faster all the time. The reason they give is to "keep up with the traffic". It's caused a lot of arguments. We are rural, many roads round here vary between single or narrow double track. And without experience, obviously they simply cannot judge distances that well. So at the speeds he was going, for a learner, it's an accident waiting to happen.
He seemed to be driving pretty slow to me. Much of the time the speedometer (top left hand corner of the screen) was showing him doing 20 or 30mph on straight roads, where I'd do 40 or 50mph.
30?? 😂 Yeah, I’d be going round you. There’s cautious but then there’s too cautious (30) these roads are quiet! There’s no need to be doing 30 and if you did 30 on your test you’d fail.
in Scotland it is an unwritten rule, and an act of courtesy, if another car comes up behind you on a narrow single track road to slow down, put your left indicator on to signal to the driver behind that you are going to pull over, then pull in to the next passing place to allow the car behind to safely overtake you
@@mydogeatspuke because it sucks going at 30mph behind a nervous driver if you want to go 60. And it sucks even more being a nervous driver going 30 with someone behind you wanting to go faster. on a lot of small scottish roads you have a mix of tourists in rented campers they are not used to driving, people in fast cars looking for twisty roads and locals who drive that road every day. Letting faster drivers pass is the safest and least stressful for everyone
@@mydogeatspuke what I am saying is last time I was on these roads I was in a small camper and it was way safer for me to *obey the road signage* and pull over than have a BMW up my jacksie looking for a chance to overtake.
There’s narrower roads in Cornwall, you know it’s narrow when there is grass growing in middle of road and the bushes/grass banks are touching your car on both sides 😂. The B roads between Fowey, Penryn and Polperro are extremely narrow.
My wife and I went back to The UK after 40 years away. The narrow roads especially in Devon scared me shitless. I found driving in general was rather uncomfortable with the increase in the volume of traffic and the speeding maniacs on the motorway. Not enjoyable at all. I have driven on Long Island and LA which was OK. Driving in Western Australia is a doddle wide road with wide shoulders, low traffic conditions and generally polite drivers. Good luck with your trip.
We had a street in Nottingham called Drury Hill. If you stretched your arms out you could touch the walls both sides of the street. It was demolished when they built Broad Marsh Shopping Centre in the 70's. The remains of it could be seen in the basement which was part of the Caves Tour under the shopping centre. It was open to road traffic until it was demolished. I used to walk up it everyday working day to the post office at the top.
I remember many years ago when I was a Policeman, I was chasing a car pulling a stolen trailer down a narrow country lane, the thieves unhitched the trailer, blocking the road, and then drove off leaving me stuck behind it!
Your'e right, I have many funny anecdotes from my time in the Police, we needed them sometimes to get over sometimes stressful incidents! @@aleisterlavey9716
That road at the 7:00 mark when Natasha says "That's not a road. that's a bike path!" - I would have you know that I have frequently turned my car (a 1982 Cadillac, IN the UK . . . and LEFT-hand drive) around on roads narrower than that.
Driving on the left you'll find easier than you think because your steering wheel will be on the right, so the only difference is you keep the lane marker (white line) on your right instead of your left, and you give way (yield) to your right instead of the left. Country lanes ... just drive at a speed you are comfortable with, if someone gets to close behind (up your arse, we call it) just pull in and wave them through (use your American flag to do it for a laugh).
Exactly - when I drive in europe in a hire car I simply remember that it is a mirror image of my normal practice. Driving a British car on the right hand side of the road can be fun!!?
Love your reactions to these normal (for us) country roads. Would love to see your reaction to the A537 Macclesfield to Buxton 'Cat and Fiddle' road in Debyshire - now that's hair-raising in places! Excellent,especially on a motorcycle.
I smile when Americans panic about driving on the 'wrong' side of the road. As Brits, we only have to hop across the channel to experience the same. It's easy when you're constantly reminded by the side the gearshift is on. As to narrow roads, as with most things, it's a lot easier when you do it, and in the main, oncoming drivers are as courteous (or scared) as you are! 😊
Although you will probably find it easier if you hire an automatic so that you will not have the additional concern of changing gear with your left hand rather than your right hand as you will be used to doing. However, note that automatic hire cars are not so readily available.
I have to remember at all times, especially at turns, to keep to the left side! Also, on narrow roads with old stone walls lining them, nothing is quite like seeing a huge tour bus coming straight at you. Oh ... and be sure to understand their roundabouts system too. It all makes for exciting driving with occasional heart-stopping moments.
We have high beam headlights you can switch on when you’re driving on poorly lit or unlit country roads. Always dip them when you see another car approaching as they’re blinding.
There's a rule about walking along a road with no pavement (sidewalk) - always walk on the OPPOSITE side to where you'd be if you were driving, so here that would be on the right. That way you can see traffic heading towards you, rather than be unaware of traffic heading in the same direction as you are and coming up from behind. Going slow on an unfamiliar road is annoying to the "locals" and they will often get far too close behind you. There are two reasons to slow down. The first, as Debbie said, is so that they can get past you. They don't always wait until it's safe though and if you're going slow, you have a better chance of avoiding the accident they cause!. The 2nd is that if you do need to brake hard, they might crash into you, but the slower you are, the less damage there'll be to the cars and the people in them. There's another trick that I picked up and it's to do with perspective. If the sides of the road appear to be closing in ahead of you, you're going too fast. If they seem to be opening out, you may be going too slow, If they appear to be keeping the same distance apart, you're probably doing the optimum speed for that stretch of road. And honestly, those narrow roads aren't as bad as they look. Sometimes you even have as much as 3 or 4 inches between you and the vehicle on the opposite side!
I'll second the comment about walking up the 'wrong'side of the road. If a car's going to hit you, it'll probably be one on your half of the road, so facing the oncoming traffic means you aren't making a leap of faith that the driver will see you.
I am not sure about other countries, but yes always walk toward oncoming traffic i.e. the wrong side of the road. Human brains are quick to spot eyes and faces; not so good at distinguishing the backs of heads when driving. The only time I switch is when there is a bend where I know the oncoming traffic cannot see you - then I will switch briefly to walk on the other side of the bend in the narrow road. Also, wear some colour to make yourself stand out.
I grew up where the only access was lots of narrow lanes, where the bushes touch on both sides. My mum knew the road so well, she turned her headlights off, when she had just picked up friends from the station, and drove along a short stretch with no lights. Our friends nearly wet themselves. You get used to the roads where you live and know where to slow and where the passing places are. It gets frustrating during emmit season because loads of visitors can’t reverse so will force the local to back round three bends for half a mile rather than reverse their own car two foot into the space they just passed.
I grew up in Torbay, Devon and my Mum and Dad were almost fanatical about walking on Dartmoor. (If you want to check out Devon in a video, you _have_ to include a decent section on this national park, BTW.) This meant a _lot_ of narrow lane driving at times. Many years/decades later, I'm still slightly in awe of the routes and drives my parents made with two sometimes annoying kids in the back seats to get to different places on the moors. I guess the main thing (which seems to be somewhat lost in modern times, esp in this video) is simply; DON'T BE IN A HURRY. Take care, don't take risks, and anticipate that other traffic will probably be more used to the roads than you (tractors, locals and the like) or less cautious and more stupid than you (drivers with no imagination who think they exclusively own the road) and you'll be fine. I now live in Somerset, and some of the lanes are equally narrow and 'cautious'. And I've seen a few idiots who still seem to treat them like rally tracks who frankly ought to be locked up or banned from driving. But this is basically the same on any roads. But 99% of the time, it's fine, and here's the thing. The prettiest, most peaceful, quaint and interesting places are very often on these roads/lanes. That's kind of the point, and logically follows from them being a little harder to get to. Everyone can get to the more touristy places; but you need a bit more grit to get to the quieter, more rural places, and they are often all the better for it, imo. I've seen the way you ladies react to places in the Cotswolds. Imagine that, but with less traffic, a stronger community, and even more quaintness. As for backing up, the general rule is that if you've just driven by a passing place, then you back up. After that, it becomes a kind of stare-it-out contest, lol! There's a great anectote by Ross Nobel about when he drove ahead of a tank/armoured vehicle and couldn't get a guy to back up. Until the AV hove into view. Then the other guy quickly changed his stance. And another when he made a limo carrying the members of One Direction back up. Making "One Direction go in the _other_ _direction_ !" If you do get here (and I hope you do) the country lanes shouldn't put you off. They do lead, IMO to the best bits of what makes the UK what it is. I'm sure you'd have no end of offers for drivers on your trip if you asked. (Even me, if I didn't have a job I currently want to keep!) But that wouldn't really be fair. It'd be a big shortcut to a part of UK life if you just bypassed the driving. Just take your time and drive at a speed you feel is safe. I almost reprimand the video for its concept of driving fast on narrow road. But I guess it's not really aimed at people unfamiliar to UK roads/lanes. He does point out that the speed _limit_ is just that; not a goal. Drive comfortably, and within your limits of safety and you'll be fine and gradually adjust and be come more confident. And see some truely wonderful places.
Lots of good points! Especially about the tiny, narrow country lanes being the best way to get off the beaten track and experience the atmosphere and sights of the real countryside. The other way is, of course, on foot. I hope Debbie and Natasha will be able to find some more information on the footpath system in the UK. They watched one but it didn't really explain anything and only seemed to show one very wide path through a field of crops. The point is, wherever you go you should find out where the local footpaths (and bridleways, etc) are (from the internet and/or local sources) and start to explore the hidden byways of Britain.
@papercup2517 Yeah that was a pretty bad video about footpaths. There are tens of thousands of footpaths better then that. And yes, over genuine owned land. Not just a flat, boring field.
@@Varksterable Yes, I agree. I did actually do a bit of a search through YT to see if I could find a better introduction to the walking tracks of the UK for the ladies but there really wasn't much out there. I thought it could be a really fun project, to make such a video for people new to the UK. You know, start off by explaining the different types, their origins, and what they mean in practice, rules to observe in the countryside, managing different types of styles and gates, animals and so on, and then show a selection of different sorts of paths - preferably from all around the country - to illustrate it all, and give a real feel of the variety of things you can see, what makes them great, etc. If I were there currently, and not in Australia, and in good health, and had some clue as to how to make a YT video, I'd do it in a heartbeat...! 🙂
I'm sure there are loads of your fans who would be very happy to drive you around if you are going to be in their area of the country.😅 They would know all the best places to show you and you could relax and look out of the window. Once you know your itinerary you should let people know and I bet you get loads of offers of drivers and accommodation to keep the costs down.
I was going to say as much myself Carole, and maybe it would ease you both in (especially Natasha!) as you could get the idea of our roads 'for real' without having to drive them well straight off the bat. Another idea, maybe get some green 'L' plates to put on your car (anyone, would this be allowed?) as these are used when someone has recently passed their test, it tells drivers you're new and may need extra understanding.
Hi Ladies, This video shows what the roads and lanes around my village are like. I was riding my motorcycle home today on one of the 6' wide lanes. A pick-up truck pulled out of a side lane and followed just a few feet behind my back wheel. I gradually slowed to a stop and turned my head to look disapprovingly behind me at the young girl driving it. She then kept her distance for the rest of the journey on the lane. If you do what this man in the video says, it works. The vehicle behind will know that if they want to go faster, they will need to follow at a greater distance. I do wish you the best of luck when you drive over here. You have plenty of fans in the UK so if one offers to drive you until you feel confident, take them up on the offer.
Please don't move into the middle of the lines/road on a country road!!!! If you don't know the road you have NO IDEA what is coming up in front of you. Just don't drive as fast. It's not a race, just a respectable speed is enough. Don't let him scare you girls. ALSO a BIG TIP for country roads...PLEASE PLEASE look out for motorbikes, so many riders are knocked off or killed on these small roads due to cars driving like this!
These country roads are everywhere, especially around the picturesque places you've been looking at. I live in North Yorkshire and you can sometimes take longer, wider routes, but will you never avoid them altogether. We had a week in Devon recently and most of it felt like single track with wing mirrors brushing both sides. Always take it slowly and keep your eyes peeled for those passing places.
@@GBURGE55 The people behind you have the advantage of seeing you fit in the path in front of them and as such need to be less ready for obstacles or oncoming traffic, I will just drive at whatever speed is comfortable and those following can seethe with fury all they want.
The main roads in the north Scotland are that narrow. They tend to be straight with clearly marked passing places. You can easily drive at 60 mph, and adjust your speed to ensure you both hit a passing at the spot without slowing down.
It takes patience, care & confidence. The thing is don't panic! Good luck girls. In the Moors & uplands sheep, & sometimes horses,often have freedom to roam, so you must be aware & careful. Go a little slower if you are not sure what's ahead. Always be ready to stop or slow down. You would rarely go faster than 50 mpg on these country roads, even though the limit is 60. Only go as fast as you feel safe. It's not safe to overtake on these roads, patience is the key. You may encounter farm traffic, horses & pedestrians, especially near villages, so go careful in these areas. Good luck girls. Don't be fearful, it's not as bad as you think, as most other drivers you may meet will know the rules & be driving sensibly too.
Hi Natasha/Debbie was so funny watching this video of the reaction on your faces 😅 yes are roads in the countryside are very narrow I'm sure you'll both love the experience! Our countryside is rather beautiful take your time enjoy the views ,love you both take care from Dawn in the UK xx
I think you ladies would be fine on the roads but main areas like in London and other city areas with the tourism don't have tiny roads such as this :) fun video though and great reactions
Your Cincy Brit follower, some times I drive through Melbourne KY and Camp springs at speed (bad) so I remember, what driving is like in the UK. ( there are lots of windy roads out that way) My X wife excellent driver, had a bad habit of pulling left on British narrow roads. I think you did a show on ston walls and that's my left!!
I was born and lived all my life in rural Lincolnshire which is almost all tiny villages and hamlets linked by very narrow roads. There's no "sidewalks" as you call them in the US and there is rarely any street lighting. They're so narrow that if you meet an oncoming car then you have to either, along with the incoming car, put your outter wheels on the grass verges or one of you has to reverse up to a layby or entrance to a field. Some around where I live that are one lane in each direction only have a tarmac width of around 5ft. They are bad enough in summer but in winter when there's been snow, it is understandable how people who live in areas like where I live, still easily get cut off for days. People like my parents face a 9.5 mile drive each direction just to get to the nearest supermarket to buy food. People who have lived all their lives in cities really don't know anything about what it's like out here in the sticks. Many lononders have retired out to villages around here but not many stay for long because the change of lifestyle is so different they struggle to adapt and eventually move on. There's no wine bars, fancy restraunts or night clubs. Often all there will be in a village around here is a post box and if your lucky, a phone box. There's often no shops or even a local pub.
I ive in rural Lincolnshire, too. Most times I leave the village, I meet no other traffic for several miles. I think some drivers are so used to this they drive as if they never will meet something. Also, very busy with harvest currently. Some of the tractors and combined harvesters, especially those in tracks, f ill the road with their tracks/wheels on each of the verges. Then there are cars towing caravans. A tip I read from the 1950's: drive as if everyone else on the road is an idiot!
Some of our roads are so narrow, you actually need to reverse when you encounter another car 😂😂 There are roads in Cornwall where it can take forever to cover a distance that should take five minutes because you repeatedly come across car after car in the opposite direction. And it’s especially ‘fun’ when there are multiple cars in both directions and everyone’s trying to move over without scratching their car on the hedge - or if you’re really unlucky the wall hidden inside it! 😂
I have homes in London and North Wales. The last bit of the drive to and from the Welsh house - 70 miles - is on the sort of roads this guy is talking about. His advice is really good. One point, if you have good rear mirrors, allowing you to see how near the rear of your car is to the roadside and/or the centre, it makes driving on narrow, winding roads a less a lot less frightening. My 20 years old Volvo V 70 is superb in that respect.
Don't be put off! Maybe try to plan your route and keep to main roads. The video was rather 'low-key' in showing you some of the back lanes that you could come across, IMO. Also I'd rather be driving i the country than in cities where people are more 'unpredictable'. Also I think that driving on the wrong side of the road can be a challenge. @@TheNatashaDebbieShow
We have seen a bit of the narrow roads in the United Kingdom before but this video taught us how to actually drive them. AND totally freaked us out too! We do have narrow roads in America but not many where we live and certainly not this narrow! Whether you are a new driver or an experienced driver this video should help you to navigate these tiny, narrow and sometimes dangerous country roads. It will also make you laugh at us when we forget about driving on the other side and more! Watch along with us as we get to learn and increase our blood pressure too! Please share with us any tips that you have and also if you will just drive for us! Just kidding...Thank you SO much for watching! If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our channel, it is the BEST way to support our channel and it's FREE! Also, please click the Like button. Thank you for your support!
Dear ladies in sure you will be fine drivng.
If you are going to drive, you can find your way to RAF scampton,( home of the red arrows ), Rag connigsby ,( home of the battle of Britain fflight),and East kirkby, ,ex raf airfield that has bomber command heritage museum, the home of Lancaster Just jane. I'm sure if you ask nicely they will let you go aboard and perhaps ride her in a taxi run
Most countryside side roads will look like these.
You will see locals doing the speed limit, and then visitors will be noticeably slower.
I've been a bus driver, and now drive a campervan.
Those narrow country lanes will be essential to get to THE best places in the UK. Castles, beaches etc (unless they have a major town or city next to them).
If you need assistance, I'm sure there's plenty of us around the UK who'd happily help you out.
I'm based in Cardiff for instance, n I've been a bus driver for the city, but am obsessed with the visiting the 🏴 coast and country.
Would happily play chauffer for the day.... as long as I can bring my doggo 🐶 😊
I’m so sorry I was laughing so much at this video reaction. I live in the countryside, my base for work covers the county, I end up on one track roads all the time that have grass growing in the middle with pot holes, no one around to ask for directions. You can set your sat nav for most journeys to main roads, inevitably you will have to drive some country roads. You will have fun, take your time, don’t be rushed, enjoy the scenery.
You may have to think about what time of year you’re coming t9 the uk, in summer it doesn’t get dark till late evening. In winter it gets dark mid afternoon.
Remember when someone is following you there is a two second rule, if they are too close they need to back off and give two seconds space, also 4 seconds in wet. only a fool breaks the two second rule.
It'll be in your highway code.
👍
What he was trying to explain was if someone is driving very close behind, if you keep driving fast and need to brake suddenly on the narrow road, chances are the car behind hasn’t enough space to brake and crashes into the back of you. If you drive slower, they have to drive slower and means they need less room to brake and therefore reduce the risk of someone going into the back of the car.
Nighttime is actually easier on narrow roads as you can see the lights ahead long before you see the car and therefore easier to anticipate and plenty of time to find a space to pull over or slow down.
You’ll be fine! You’ll get used to it and just drive slowly if you need to. :)
It's also classed as tailgating in the UK and is frowned on. If you hit someone from behind in the UK it's classed as your fault because you are judged as driving too close.
I was looking for this comment. Perfect explanation.
I grew up in Newcastle and although I was used to driving into the countryside during the day, I was not used to night driving.
I was in the back of the car (in Northumberland) when my future sister-in-law and her friend were driving to a pub, the night before the wedding. I was in a panic about the speed he was going.
a. He knew the road like the back of his hand.
b. any oncoming traffic would be seen for miles.
c. I was still panicking about the possibility of deer, sheep...
One of many occasions I was laughed at for being 'such a Toonie!' (From The Town).
What utter tosh
And as Debbie said, they will hopefully overtake and move on at their own speed. Also worth pointing out that on single track roads you are supposed to pull in to passing places to allow faster cars behind to overtake. Bad manners not to; and likely to provoke flashing lights and horns!
Spot on. The faster you travel, the more distance you cover in the reaction time before braking. If a following vehicle is too close to stop safely at your (and their) current speed, slow down. That is not to slam on the brakes ('brake check') but to ease off the accelerator and shed speed in a controlled manner. As another commenter posted, should you hit a vehicle in the rear the presumption of fault will be on you as drivers should maintain a gap sufficient to stop at all times--including where an emergency requires harsh braking.
Many years ago, my car suffered a transmission failure meaning it stopped very suddenly and with no indication from me--the transmission actually locked up freezing the front (driving) wheels before I could even get to the clutch. The following vehicle, which was not actually terribly close, ran into me. I sympathised with the other driver (although, following insurance protocols, I didn't say so) but both the Police and the two insurance companies agreed it was the following driver's fault despite my mechanical failure. Happily there were no injuries (this was long before the recent plague of whiplash--or maybe I was just more resilient when younger) and the bonus for me was that the bodywork damage was so severe to my vehicle that it was written off so I didn't need to pay up for transmission repairs! Since then I've been far more cautious about maintaining separation even around town.
In 40+ years of driving I've received four rear end collisions (two of which wrote off the cars) and I have once been the guilty party (don't drive with snow covered boots!). All were at relatively low speeds on urban roads.
I have an american daughter in law , we live in Cornwall, where there are NO motorways, so all our roads are pretty much like this . She kept screaming everytime another car came ,it was hilarious . We are used to it , we are a small country , theres not much room , and lots of cars !
The thing is as you know is that all the country lanes is this country were made hundreds of year's before car's were invented & were only used by horses & cart's. That what I had to tell an American friend.
Cornwall had some seriously narrow roads!! 🙈
No motorways south of Exeter, it has its pro's and con's. [you're allowed to drive on a provisional up until the M5, con's; tourists].
😂
I'm pleased you said about Cornwall. A few years ago we were driving from Cadgwith to Coverack, it was late and it was raining (of course). Going along the Cadgwith road from the pub, which is basically a flat bit between two steep hills, our friend said 'So this is one road out right?' 'No' I said, 'It's a two way road' ....'OH MY GOD!' Said in the way Americans do so well. My reply 'So white knuckles don't run in the family then?' I also suggested not to drive into a hedge, which seemed to be an idea put forward when something comes the other way, as there will probably be a stone wall behind it and a water filled ditch in front. 😂
One thing to remember about driving on narrow roads with passing places, is that they are passing places NOT parking places or picnic places.
I live in Caithness up near John O'Groats...and we have a route up here called the North Coast 500 - So many camper vans use the passing places as areas to pull over for a picnic or a photoshoot! They don't realise that these are national roads - not some trail through a safari park! They are public highways that people rely on for their day to day business.
Yeah I live in Snowdonia and during the height of summer most of the passing places in the busier areas have cars parked in them.
Gawd. The lowest common denominator just jumped a step down for me.
Almost as bad as the car I saw a few years back driving at about 50 mph into a completely blind 90° corner in a one lane, wall lined lane and skimming all over the road because of the stupid speed it was driving at. I was walking in the lanes at the time, and even then I still feel a bit lucky to have avoided injury. Another car on the road at the same time would have almost certainly resulted in serious injury or death.
Why are people like that allowed to drive?
In the case of people using passing places as stopping points, I'm old enough now to simply park up next to them and give them a piece of my mind.
Can be a little scary; but it's also a bit of a rush, and I feel good about it afterwards!
I live in Devon, high hedges and narrow lanes. The amount of people that are 10 yards past a passing place and won’t reverse is ridiculous. Please look for them and remember them. Quite often see people manage to end up jammed in a bank and even across the road because they’ve never reversed more than 10 yards.
@@jamesreynolds4811 i was born and raised and learned to drive in Lake district. Same thing, and the !*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*! tourists who literally pootle about in 2nd and never pull over to let you get pass and go about your work!
I'm an American living in the UK and just got my full driving license earlier this year. The hardest thing I find is not these country roads, but two-way narrow streets in cities/towns where cars are parked on both sides of the streets and there is barely enough room for 1 car, in either direction, to go through. Recommend watching some videos on 'Meeting Traffic on Small Roads' or 'Meeting Traffic in Double Parked Streets'!
Narrow country roads are a steep learning curve.
The first thing you can expect to hear from your friends, after passing your driving test...
"Go on, you can get a tank through there!"
After I passed my test, I remembered some advice my instructor gave me. This was a very rural area. I practiced merely taking my foot off the accelerator going INTO a curve then stepping on it half way round to accelerate OUT of it. Worked a treat and my driving/control improved by a million miles.
Looks like the ladies had pretty much the same advice in that respect.
I don't want to scare you, but the roads he was showing are much better than many of the roads I frequently have to go on.
I'm a Brit, the majority of roads where I live are at least as narrow as that. We had American visitors who had a total freak out when I didn't slow down when a combine harvester came the other way and I didn't slow down. They didn't think 3ft was plenty of room, I apologised for scaring them, but explained it's just the way it is over here.
Your visitors would be looking at the harvester while you were looking at the road. If you look at the harvester you'll automatically drive towards it. It's a hard lesson to learn though.
You got your car through a 3 foot gap?
@@everTriumph ... It must have been a Hot Wheels ... 🤣
Lol... it's the slurry tankers that get me. As with the harvester, they're wider than the tractor to start off with, but as the roads here are bumpy, every time they bounce, the tyres seem to get 3 or 4 inches wider.
One of the most helpful documents to aid a driver new to the UK is the Police Driver's Manual.
Remember that most vehicles in the UK are significantly narrower than most in the US, so they do fit better on the much smaller roads and lanes in the UK. Many of the country roads in the UK were actually walking and horse paths that are now paved, but they remain quite narrow, and in some cases they may really only be one vehicle wide. On these lanes it is important to drive more slowly and be ready to use any space on the side of the road that will allow the other vehicle to pass. You may even have to reverse to find that passing space. In general, the roads in the UK are much narrower, have many more bends and blind hills, and many have hedges or stone walls to the side which minimize visibility - so it does take some time to get comfortable. The KEY is to really only drive at a speed where you can easily STOP within the safe distance you can see. Watch for your middle line as many Americans do cut the center and go into the opposite lane, even when driving in the huge lanes in the USA. Doing this in the UK would undoubtedly increase the chances of a collision. His point about braking - our country roads wind much more than most American ones. Brake before the bend to enter the bend at a safe speed, and slowly accelerate out of the bend to maintain vehicle control. If you do drive in the countryside - I guarantee you will be braking much more than you expect to. Just take your time, and you will be fine !!
When he says "The closer they follow, the slower you need to go" he's not recommending break checking, or deliberately getting in the way or holding up the car behind. He's suggesting that you allow yourself more time to stop safely to avoid being hit by the car behind. If you need to stop for some reason (oncoming car perhaps) going slower allows you to slow down and stop over a longer distance so the car behind has more warning that you are stopping and will be less likely to run into the back of you.
Spot on, the natural temptation is to speed up because you feel you are in someone's way and holding them up.
You may annoy the driver behind you, but whatever, if there's a chance their impatience puts your safety at risk ... you put your safety first, drive slower, and if there is a opportunity to let them pass pull over and do so.
Loved the reactions.
What he didn't mention is that there can be occasions when you meet another vehicle and there are no passing places between the two of you. In which case, one of you needs to reverse to a passing place.
Driving in the centre of the road is also more important in spring if you're in an area with livestock. Lambs can fit through gaps in hedges and fences that other livestock can't fit through, and can appear on the road quite suddenly.
Another consideration, which is thankfully quite rare, is what to do if an emergency vehicle is blue lighting in your rear view mirror on a narrow road. Don't stop near a bend or somewhere that they can't pass safely. Don't panic and drive faster than you know you should. If you crash, you've just created another problem for them.
Blue light drivers are trained to silence their sirens (and hold back if necessary) if there is no obvious SAFE passing opportunity, they WILL NOT push you into making an error. Drive as NORMAL whilst watching for an opportunity to SAFELY move out of the way. I live in a rural area and experience this regularly. Occasionally you will hear 2 short toots of the horn, this is not admonishment but a gesture of thanks.
@@darren25061965 This is something that seems to be forgotten in current driving, the amount of people i see just slamming on the anchors is rediculous. As you say, the drivers are trained to drive around you safely and you should carry on normally if there really is no space until there is one which includes situations where the traffic is oncoming on the other side. Soon enough a driveway, farm entrance, field entrance or wider clearer road will present itself and you havnt held up anyone or caused an issue at all.
Night time driving on narrow lanes is actually easier. You are less like to encounter horses and dog walkers. The headlights of other vehicles will give you advanced warning. You will have to use your breaks going round some bends unless you want drive at 15mph the whole time. Country lanes can have sharp bends with no visibility so breaking is essential. At some stage you may meet a vehicle away from a passing place, working out who is going to reverse is always fun. Sometimes there are grass verges you can pop on to but beware if the weather has been wet as you may get stuck. Other than that have fun😀. No really you will see the most fantastic sights from these lanes, take your time and don’t worry about a clean car, impossible when your following a farmer bringing his cows in for milking. Pause, breath stop frequently take a picnic and try out some footpaths.
I live on one of these roads, never go over 30mph during the day. Night time, upto 50mph without a worry.
Night time is easier… you normally see lights coming long before you see the car
Yeah, don’t try that in Oz 😂
Night time is definitely easier. With headlights on full beam you can see much better, just remember to dip your lights to avoid blinding oncoming drivers.
Yeah..easier…until Mr. Audi or Mrs BMW expensive series, comes beaming at you with those piercing max lumen blue white headlamps. Then you can’t see jack sh1t and there is just a narrow cone of blackness right at the edge of the road and you just have to hope no one is cycling or walking there! Oh and if it has been raining at night, the whole road surface and the edge, even if kerbed, are a uniform black and you can’t tell where the edge of the road is.
I find using the brake pedal a massive help in reducing speed and even coming to a halt sometimes.
Devon has narrow lanes with steep hills and hedges on high banks on either side of the road. The lanes can be much narrower this time of year because the hedges grow in from either side. The video is sound - drive slow, keep to the left. Drive within your vision. Watch out for pedestrians. Learn how to reverse. Be courteous and always wave to everyone. A fast, close driver behind you is a fool, so slow down. There is said to be 8000 miles of country lanes in Devon and we are proud of our hedges(!). At night you can see vehicles coming around bend. Watch out for potholes. I live on one of these lanes, so walk and drive and sometimes maintain them. Worse case scenario... narrow lane, steep hill, tight bends, ice and 2 farm vehicles with trailers meet each other. Or sometimes a BIG truck from abroad will try using a sat nav and get stuck on a bend - takes days to get a crane to get them out.
As a fellow Devonian, I so relate to your comments...... 👍
Back in the 70s, we went on a family holiday to Dittisham. My father had just bought a car off a friend of the family who always had to have the biggest and best of everything, so this was a huge, top of the range automatic Peugeot. On several occasions, we found the ride height of the car going up and up. This was due to the width of the car being greater than the road, and we were riding up the verges on both sides.
My father also had great "fun" having to reverse up the hill out of Dittisham as the cottage we'd rented was right down on the waterfront.
He didn't keep that car for very long...
Turning into my road, with its steep, narrow, blind corner approach, added to the triple aggressive camber and the steep, slippery entrance is an art in itself. Fast 2nd up the hill, keep tight left round the bend, then hang wide to get a decent entry, then change to first to get you up the hill again, without stopping. Too fast and you’ll ground your car, too slow and you’ll spin your wheels it’s that slippery and steep even on a dry day .
Same here in west dorset we got most our roads r the borrow country lanes. I'm from near lymre Regis so very close to Devon boarder.
Blessings to friends in Dorsetshire. We love the 'Jurassic Coast'.@@christinecrockford1654
The roads in the video were fairly normal country roads. If you really want to be freaked out, take a look at Hardknott and Wrynose pass in the Lake District. That one is FUN!
Dave, you are right! Mad scary drive 🇬🇧
Or the road named "rest and be thankful" on the Scottish Highlands.
Haha Isle of Mull is interesting in places too.
I love Wrynose and Hardknott passes, I don't drive, but have been a passenger in a VW van a few times, lovely drive, scenery is spectacular
I drove those passes this week when I was up there, great views & luckily I didn't have many cars to get around, most were actually quite good drivers & would pull into passing places well before you got to them especially good at the steep parts.
Even better as it was my first time going up really steep hills in an automatic & didn't want to do hill starts in one.
If I’m honest I prefer driving on the small roads. When I visit my son in Lincolnshire I drive all the way avoiding the motorways. Takes me an extra 45 mins but I don’t have to stress over the traffic on the motorway and as a bonus get to see more of the countryside.
Same here only use motorways if absolutely necessary nowadays but I'm retired so in no rush but usually motorway isn't any faster anyway because of the jams or accidents . Setting satnav to quickest route is fun , that does give you some very small lanes or "c roads "across country which can be scary.
The Lincolnshire roads are horrendous! I know because I live in Lincolnshire 🙈🤣
@@Ruthy-F ... Very true, especially in the night, a nightmare in the winter time.
I used to love the drive from Barton-upon-Humber over the Lincolnshire Wolds to King's Lynn in Norfolk. 95 miles and I only went through one town (Horncastle) the whole way. Have to admit it was, a bit scary in the snow with a seven week old baby.
It's not difficult to avoid motorways in Lincolnshire - there aren't any!
I agree that it’s better to ease off the accelerator; there’s nothing more annoying than a driver in front of you who keeps hitting the brakes. However, you’ll realise when you drive here that some of our bends are crazy sharp (like 90 degrees or more), in which case braking is unavoidable.
Also, brake pads are easy and cheap to replace but using gears a lot instead of breaking can be more expensive to replace the clutch, or even worse the gearbox. In a manual I do use gears myself to slow down a bit but you do have to be wary. Unless it is a hire car, then not your problem 😅
@@lorrainelee597 Sorry, but I completely disagree. Braking may activate the rear lights, but when it’s done erratically, unnecessarily and continuously without warning, then the lights don’t make a lot of difference in terms of preparing drivers behind and is more likely to cause an accident - that’s how pileups happen on motorways. Easing off the accelerator poses almost no risk to drivers behind because it’s impossible to slow down suddenly. It’s a very gradual slowing of the vehicle, which in most situations is perfectly adequate - so long as the driver is being vigilant, paying attention to the road ahead and anticipating potential risks before they become a threat while maintaining a suitable distance from the vehicle in front will avert any need for the sudden slamming on of brakes, which is by far the most common cause of accidents. Most people don’t maintain anything like a suitable distance from the vehicle in front, which is the usual reason for sharp and dangerous braking.
@@penname5766 Braking going into a sharp bend on a country road is not erratic, it's to be expected.
@@simhedgesrex7097 I didn’t say it wasn’t. I don’t recall saying there was never a time when brakes weren’t necessary. That would be ridiculous.
@@penname5766Apologies - my comment was in response to lorrainelee597's comment about erratic braking.
The braking and accellerating on the straight is good advice - as he said its for the balance of the car. Braking (or accellerating) hard in a corner will make the car unsettled (lurch) and you could lose traction. Put another way, you could have more weight on two tyres than on all four tyres while braking hard in a corner, therefore have less tyre contact patch with the road to help you slow down.
That's not going to apply so much/at all to gentle bends / steady speeds, but sudden sharp bends when carrying too much speed, it might be a problem.
Therefore the idea of getting the braking done beforehand.
Changing gear to slow down is also commonly used here, but usually only for gentle (not sudden) changes of speed.
I learned to drive in Australia, with wide, modern roads. When i cam to the UK, the road that your man was driving looked very similar to mine which was within Greater London, i.e. the M25 (surprised?). You get used to it very quickly.
Now living in the Higlands of Scotland, I'm used to tractors causing queues half a mile long and everyone waiting patiently for them to pull into a passing place, or overtaking safely. Well, the locals do but you soon learn who the tourists are as they don't follow the safety etiquette. A lot of roads around our villages are only the width of a tractor, are used by cyclists, horses on hacks, pedestrians (including school children commuting), dog walkers, and livestock in general (the Hebrides will see sheep and cows snoozing in the middle of roads at times). You really have to pay attention even if you are familiar with the roads, because anything can occur.
"If you can't brake hard, don't drive fast" makes perfect sense. It stands to reason if you are travelling fast you need to brake harder to slow down. And don't forget that driving a manual transmission is a different exercise than driving an auto. You brake prior to the corner and drop a gear if necessary to negotiate it safely, in an auto the gear change is taken out of your hands so you can concentrate on just negotiating the corner. Unlike America there are two types of licence in the UK, full and automatic. If you pass a full test you can drive both manual and auto, an automatic licence as it's name suggests only allows you to drive an auto vehicle.
I agree, my driving instructor told me it is easier to add speed than reduce it if you have to.
As far as know a good reason for braking instead of coasting is it more feel and control of the car while judging when you think you might need to stop instead of jumping hard on the breaks if you are coasting saving on reaction time
🤣🤣Am in Cornwall & when I saw his 'narrow roads' my reaction to his 'narrow road' was 'that's huge, that's a flipping motorway in Cornwall'😮🤣🤣
If you're visiting at our harvest time remember it'll be tractors with hay trailer trailers/ baling machines etc using these country roads more than cars. This is when you have to breath in as they're passing..
You gave me a stitch because I was laughing so much at your reactions 😂😂
Yes country roads are different to drive on in the UK. Some roads are only a single track and locals never go slow .I have been on single track roads at night with with 8' hedges on either side. The only way you knew some was coming the other way was their light over the hedge. Country roads are fun .I had a horse jump through a hedge onto the road in front of my car once. There was no one riding .Have fun driving in the country. Great video's as always so entertaining .Keep up the good work.
Now we're WAY more scared!
Not forgetting that sometimes it is not high roadside hedges, but hidden roadside ditches.
Stop with the scare tactics, they will be fine. If you get a chance, try narrow roads at night: far less scary.
A really quiet road is one which has grass growing down the middle !
The quieter the road ,the more you need to watch out for oncoming traffic, which is the locals driving fast who don`t expect strangers to be coming along .
Natasha, you wondered at the start about the lamb so close to the road. On country roads (and I mean really the "back of beyond") livestock sometimes wander freely, and sheep are basically escape artists anyway. You'll see road signs with a sheep / cow etc in such places.
Some years back I was hiking in N. Yorkshire and got to play the good shepherd, a lamb was marooned on one side of the road scared of cars while its mum was 'calling' it from the other. I got down and put my hiking pole in front of the lamb and when it was all clear gave the little guy a few taps on the bum. He got the idea, scampered across, mum and child happily reunited and me with a warm glow ❤
Absolutely hilarious seeing your reaction to our normal roads (for us), especially Natasha having a mini heart attack every 10 seconds. I love Debbie's gung-ho attitude, I'm sure she'll be fine driving in the UK, it's just a case of getting used to it. Maybe you now realise why our driving lessons and tests are so much more involved than yours have to be. I've heard so many Americans say you have to be NASCAR trained to drive in the UK haha.
My dad always said they bought the roads from Australia and crammed them in.
The brake thing is only for these narrow roads!
The best advice I got when I passed my test was " you've passed your test, now you learn to drive. "
Rather than get an American flag can I suggest "P" plates. They're like "L" plates but denote a new (passed) driver. Drivers give you more lee-way.
Hope you enjoy your trip to our great country. 🖖🇬🇧🇺🇸💜
Oh you two!! I love your reaction videos, but that was such a wide road!! I’d love to see you react when faced with a single track road with passing places. That’s normal for me. Anyway, love your videos and it’s your relationship that makes them special ❤❤❤
We have the kind of driving tests to learn how to do this safely. Also our cars tend to be smaller for this very reason. I used to get a double decker bus through villages in Kent where sitting on the top deck at the front I had a great view over the hedges. Even I used to unconsciously breath in when we passed the bus going in the other direction on a road so narrow that one bus had to pull into the hedgerow and stop to let the other bus scrape past.
I love it when a bus driver goes "Breathe in everyone" Then you know it's narrow!
it can be very scary in devon driving down lanes, with 10 foot hedges on each side
Where I grew up in Devon (rural farming area), we also had grass growing in the middle of the road. It was a road just big enough for a bus to travel through it and had tall hedges.
One thing to bear in mind is SOFT VERGES. If your wheels slip off the tarmac you may not get your wheels back on. Make sure you are going slowly if it happens, it may be the start of a slippery slope into a ditch and maybe a rollover. In the lanes around here it is quite possible to round a corner and be faced with a combine harvester hiding amongst the trees travelling at speed, like they own the road. Trees mean damp leaves, mud, slurry and gravel mean much the same, an invitation to an accident. There are also roads with ditches either side which may be 3 or 4 feet deep. Single track roads can often flood due to run-off from the fields.Meeting a big wagon or tractor may mean reversing for some distance to find a passing spot. One reason for being tentative in moving into passing places is that the puddle you see may turn out to be much deeper than it looks. Having your car come to rest on its floor pan can ruin a trip. Fences may have barbed wire, and brambles have been know to scratch paint (and even decapitate motorcyclists). If the hedges have been cut, it has been known for thorn bush spikes to puncture wagon tyres, never mind push-bike tyres. And hitting potholes at speed can cause damaged wheels and blow outs. Always go around a blind corner as if it was blocked on the exit. Be patient with livestock. A cow will leave a huge dent in your bonnet if it leans on you, and the farmer will be after compensation. At night the like of Badgers can make a mess of your car. Also at night, it can be difficult to sort out where the road is, never mind where it goes. Enjoy your drive in the countryside.
In large parts of East Anglia, it's not soft verges, it's a deep ditch or drainage channel, so you *really* want to be careful about where the edge of the road is
Watching Debbie and Natasha winces at this video is hilarious.
I’m a articulated truck driver and have had issues in the past where car drivers haven’t pulled into a passing place and have expected me to reverse my truck for them.
My reaction to that is I’ll apply my handbrake and turn off my vehicle engine until they reverse to a passing place where I can safely slowly pull past their car.
TOP TIP - book an automatic car when you arrange your rental car. Most rentals (hire cars) in the UK are manual (stick shift). You need to specify an automatic at time of booking.
We live in the UK, but my wife is from California. She has a full British driving license now, it’s easier than it looks to drive in the UK.
Also, when driving in many smaller towns there are cars parked on bath sides of the road. My wife coined the phrase: “weave, wait, wave” - you have to constantly pull in and wait for oncoming traffic, then when you go, it is considered polite to wave your thanks to the other drivers that have pulled over to allow you to pass.
When I was teaching my friend to drive I made sure to include the thank you wave. It's basic courtesy!
That's good advice, even if you can drive a manual and are from the US. The difference in our roads is huge but with an automatic you can just concentrate on the steering and speed without needing to consider gear changes.
I can’t believe you’re both so scared 😂 this is a totally normal road… isn’t it? 🤔
It’s brilliant seeing your reaction to our narrow roads 😂😂😂
Not scared. Surprised!!
Not even West Country narrow,those are just wide enough for a car ,usually with grass growing up the middle.
@@amandavokins5958 I’m from the westcountry Devon to be precise and yes they’re extremely narrow.
One bit of advice I would give you is: while still in USA get into the habit of looking extra carefully BOTH ways when pulling onto another road at a junction. There is a tendency for foreign drivers to prioritise attention to oncoming traffic in the wrong direction. The same obviously applies to stepping into the road as a pedestrian. If you have to be constantly afraid of getting it wrong you can't enjoy your driving and there's always the chance of a lapse or distraction, so rather make it natural behaviour beforehand.
It's always a good idea to look both ways incase someone is on the wrong side of the road
Narrow roads are commonplace in the more remote parts of Scotland, many of them single track with passing places. I find the secret is to take your time and try to look well ahead if possible so you will see any oncoming cars before you finally meet them. That way you (or they) can pull into a passing place rather than you both suddenly meeting on a blind bend.
You two need to definitely set up a camera looking in so we can react to you whilst driving. That'll be an hilariously funny clip.
My old band mate was a Kiwi. Our band played a lot of country pubs. It always made me chuckle watching him tense up on country lanes when I drove. Great video!
11.10 UK time. Hi ladies, great content once again, and definitely necessary for UK driving. As an HGV (semi trailer) driver, I often have deliveries at farms that have been repurposed as industrial sites. You should watch two of us passing on these roads, it's almost like ballet. Don't let the video put you off driving, you WILL survive, not too sure about the car though. 😊 Catch you on the next reaction.
If a car comes up behind you, find the next passing place, pull in on the left and let them pass.
You need to use your mirrors as much as on a motorway.
Never pull in on the right.
And look well ahead for other traffic , animals, cycles, etc.
If you are in Scotland you may well meet a 44 ton timber lorry, they are bigger than you so you give way and/or get into a passing place early.
This may also mean you need to reverse. Use your mirrors again don't turn round in the seat.
There may also be a drop on one or other side of the road.
Give way to traffic going uphill.
And you don't need to drive fast. You are not in a hurry.
And when passing give a friendly wave. Its courteous.
Just for the record, yes some of us do walk our dogs down country roads. My dogs love all the smells. Some people even walk down these roads without dogs. I'm off now to get in the first dog walk of the day.
Be safe!
@MoJo-dj8qb ... I beat you to it, 6.00am this morning ... 😁
Since a lot of farmland is connected to these roads you can see why we have to use smaller farm equipment than in the US (the exception is Lincolnshire to an extent), it's amazing how they navigate roads and get through gates with equipment attached. There's a game called Farming Simulator where lots of North Americans complain that British farms on there are too narrow and difficult, and we have to them that's what they're really like
Great reaction. If you want to see a video showing the correct way to accelerate and brake Ayrton Senna driving a Honda NSX at Suzuka is well worth a watch. Natasha would be very anxious at the amount of braking and accelerating ! Also it has a fab view of his feet on the pedals in some very 80's loafers.....
This was so fun to see you both react to those roads. To be honest we do have even narrower roads. I have driven a van down a country lane (two way) and had my wing mirrors (on both sides) touching the hedges. And if you still wish to hire a driver then I would be happy to do so around my neck of the woods. Looking forward to Magic Monday (at work so will watch after). Love, hugs and prayers from Sussex, UK
Loved this! I’m British. Be prepared that none of our road tax money over here ever gets spent on the roads. Most of them are FULL of potholes and in disrepair. Also, will be impossible to avoid narrow roads altogether and some are way narrower than in this vid! 🤣 Good luck! 😂
I have been working in rural Kent today, doing home delivery in a truck. The truck is really clean now because I was touching the hedge on both sides. Meet another vehicle and one has to back up until the is enough space to pass. 😂😂
The patch of dirt was made by vehicles pulling into the hedge over time. The point he was making about breaking on the straight was to say never break in the corner as that's dangerous.
Did you know that pothole was named because back in time, people would dig clay from the side of a path or road to make a pot to cook in, hence pothole 👍🏴
I used to drive a bus/coach on country roads like these, picking up kids from farms and villages for school, i can almost garuntee you'll end up on these types of roads if you are driving yourselves around in the uk, sat-navs/gps are notorious for sending you on a mystery tour lol
@ 13:10 if you're not braking before the bends on rural roads, it probably means you're not going fast enough on the straights to pass the driving test in Great Britain.
And this is why we start learning to drive slightly later than in the US and our testing is so comprehensive! But we are also used to seeing tiny roads….that doesn’t shock us! 😂😂😂🧡💚🧡💚
I wish I could show you the roads I drive down everyday for work,the roads are so narrow I have to pull the wing mirrors in on my Transit van just to traverse the roads 👊👍great video
Some roads, particularly in the Scottish highlands, are single track with regularly spaced passing places. Always leave a space between your car and the car in front that is equal to or greater than the distance between the passing places, which are usually for one car only. By the way slowing down because a car behind you is too close is not brake checking, it is having regard to braking distances.
Skye is fun for that. I remember my first trip back in 2005. I'd only just passed my driving test and I fancied a road trip. I'm used to narrow roads as I live near the country but even the main A road that rings the island is single track.
I designed some single track roads, and even a single track bridge, in North Argyll in the 1960s. We made sure that two or more passing places were in view at all times, and made these long enough so that converging cars with experienced (usually local) drivers can contrive to pass at them without slowing down too much, or sometimes even at all.
On these "single track with passing places" roads, the passing places are often indicated with a white diamond on top of a post, so you can see where the next safe place is.
When I was a child, my dad was banned from driving for a year so my mum had to drive for our holiday.
My mum could drive but she only learned so she could drive to work because she hated driving and only did it in the city.
I remember on one of these country roads, after a series of blind turns, she has to pull over to a safe area to cry for a few minutes because of how stressful she found it.
As for the walking on these roads, I have walked on similar roads in the countryside around Chester. Never got longer than I absolutely have to but sometimes there's no other path.
Talk about patronising 😂, put hand at 1/4 to 3. I'm on these roads often. I had an American g/f yrs ago, i was hilarious watching her freak out, the screams and shreeks had me in tears of laughter.
Earlier in the year I took our lass up Hardknott Pass in Cumbria.
Where the road is only a cars width, very steep and winding. If you see another vehicle coming, you may need to reverse the nearerst passing point.
Our lass said it was beautiful but she was glad when we got out of there lol.
Her satnav settings has, "avoid unpaved roads" selected.
Whenever we are driving anywhere, and I'm driving, she closes her eyes on the country lanes.
There are some with very high hedges, so you feel even more closed in.
One thing to remember, not only are our roads smaller than those in the US, but so are most of our cars.
When you visit the UK, depending on your schedule you might like this. It's not that well know but it is amazing. Chislehurst Caves. It's 30 min train ride from central London so you could do a morning or afternoon visit there from London. There are not many places where you can get Druid shrines, Saxon mining, World War underground shelters and cities, and a music venue for the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix all in one place. If you like history, this place has a whole lot of history.
That was hilarious! I was laughing every time there was a vehicle coming in the opposite direction and you both went "Arrgh". I could feel the tension coming through the screen. I am sure you will be OK and get used to the narrow roads. I don't know if you intend driving everywhere, but I would recommend doing some train journeys as well. That way you can sit back and relax whilst taking in the views of the countryside.
It's amazing how quickly you adjust to driving on different sides of the road. I live in the UK and when I go motorcycle touring in France or Holland, the adjustment doesn't take long.
It's easy because the car having a right hand layout is actually easier for the left handers and vice versa its far easier to have your strong hand on gears and your weaker hand on the wheel plus if you ask someone to look behind them they will always turn to what side you use so when your in a right hand drive as a right handed person which most people are your looking over the wrong shoulder and you have your weaker hand on gears , when your driving look at what hand is dominant on the wheel I bet if your right handed its your left hand but you also use that hand for gears
Yorkshire Dales: some incredible rollercoaster, winding, single track roads with passing places. Was up there last weekend and it’s the most fun I’ve had in years.
You are correct in what you say, it's not just people or oncoming cars to be aware of. Most of the roads around where I live you are more likely to turn a bend and see a deer in the road than a human or even another vehicle. A pheasant or hare will often run across the road infront of your car so you always have to be ready to stop or slow down without doing an emergency brake.
30mph on these roads is like doing 70mph on a motorway.
My advice after driving roads like this for 28 years is to not be in any rush to get anywhere. Enjoy the scenery your driving through and go slow enough to be safe even if that means crawling along at 10mph. It's just common sense.
But be aware that locals who drive the roads regularly will drive faster than you because they are familiar with the road layout. These are the sort of idiots who will tailgate you at night.
@@davidsartin1016 ... Yes I have also had wild deer dart out in front of my car a couple of times at night, and once in the day, but luckily I managed to avoid them, our neighbours who used to live a few doors up from us in our village here in Lincolnshire were not so lucky, whilst returning from visiting their daughter at night they hit a deer head on just a couple of minutes from home just outside the village, it came out of the woodland straight in front of the car and they were both killed instantly along with the deer.
@@andrewlawyou're spot on with that statement. Exactly my thoughts. You ALWAYS now when someone knows the road layout better than you.
Same with Australia. I'm not keen on driving at dusk in rural areas. Prime time for kangaroos. Luckily I've never had an accident with one, but I've seen plenty, as well as wallabies, an echidna and a wombat at one point.
Who the heck does 30? I was going maybe 15 🤣
That was hilarious! I laughed when you were freaking out over a nice two way road with a white line, not even a single track road. We drive on these roads a lot here in Yorkshire and when we are on holiday too. If you don't have a space on your side to stop, you can stop opposite a space that they can go into. There are not always official passing places, sometimes they are pretty informal! A good idea on passing place roads is to constantly notice where the last passing place or other bit of space was, because if you suddenly meet another vehicle coming around a corner on a twisty road where neither of you have a suitable passing place, you'll need to reverse to the last passing place/driveway you saw - or if you're lucky they might reverse instead :) By the way, we always reckon we are really in the countryside when you see grass growing up the middle of a single track road! And you always put your hand up to thank someone if they stop for you, which isn't easy if you're going through a narrow gap!!
In the UK,the country lanes appear to get narrower(because the hedges etc are not cut back) and the vehicles get wider!
The hedges are not cut back until around September because of nesting birds and animals.
Having spent a day travelling to, around and from London, I’ll take the teeny country roads around my home any day. You two are hilarious.
👋 girls. Just returned to Australia from visiting our UK family and our greatest joy upon returning home was a return to much lower speed limits on suburban streets, suburbs built around a wider street and road system that provides off street parking and roads that are not the equivalent of “laneways”. When you are trying to navigate a two way thoroughfare with vehicles parked on both sides of a road that only has room for three vehicles, we decided to just cede right of way to everyone who didn’t offer us that courtesy, much to the annoyance of drivers behind us … there was a lot of horn honking. Now, the motorways are brilliant. Trucks restricted to the outside lane of a four lane freeway with the allowance to merge into the second outermost lane to overtake and then back into the outermost lane. Your panic may give full vent to cursing and a possible stroke when it comes to the gyratories/roundabouts. They can be up to four lanes wide with a different route painted on each lane road surface and have multiple exits and entries and if you are not au fait with roundabouts then an in car navigation system in the car is absolutely a must but … heck … ours never gave an instruction without first saying “Please” and saying route numbers eg “A6524” was spoken in full “A six thousand, five hundred and twenty four”. I swear by the time the instructor had completed the instruction we had traversed the intersection and because the street signs are not (as in Australia) on a pole about 10-15 ft off the ground on every corner, but possibly on a building wall or on a fence, garden wall or just ??? 🤷♀️ you will need that navigation system. Used single lane roads in Scotland and we didn’t have a problem with the pull over and cede to oncoming traffic if the lay-bys is on your side of the road. But, be prepared, they are confident, fast drivers who use every mile of their speed limit allowance.
speed limits are fine in uk, you drive to conditions so if it get very narrow, lots people walking about guess what not safe to do 30 limit so you do what safe at he time, but 4am in the morning it could be safe to do 30mph. drive to the conditions you see
I drive a 44-ton truck around Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset and often travel on narrow lanes. It's great fun , believe me!! Mind you I have been doing it for 30+ years now !!
I've recently got back to the UK from driving in the US. One key difference is speed limits. In the US, even a big truck can do the posted speed limit easily and everybody seem to exceed them by quite a bit (driving 55 in a 40 seemed commonplace). In the UK, they tend to be higher but people don't tend to exceed them that much - and they are much more designed to be an actual limit, not a target, it's entirely reasonable to drive slower on some roads.
I found driving in the US on freeways that the fact that the trucks go faster than 50mph meant my judgement of speed was affected, and I had to be more careful.
Lies. Everyone speeds in the UK.
I’ve driven on narrow lanes over many years (50+) in different parts of the U.K. without ever having an accident. This guy is a driving instructor I believe, but I could feel my neck muscles tense just watching him hurtle along at what looked like a risky 40/50 mph. The National Speed Limit might be 60 but a steady 30 or thereabouts will enable you to remain alert to what’s ahead of you. And safe!
Don’t be afraid to indicate left and pull into a passing space if you’ve got someone up your exhaust pipe so they can get past you. Keep your foot on the brake too to show you’re not going to pull out again unexpectedly. The chances are they do the journey several times a day and feel a darn sight more secure than you do.
Wildlife can be more of a problem than other vehicles - pheasants in Norfolk and Suffolk, deer just about anywhere with woods that edge the roads, badgers, hedgehogs and even the occasional mother duck with her ducklings. Kinda cute, but unpredictable. Cattle and sheep are usually pretty well fenced in, but it only takes one to show the others the way through a gap.
You’ll love it! 😱🫣😂
Ireland regional roads are 80km/h and some can be hairy
Totally agree with you and I can well believe this man is a driving instructor. Over the last 5 years I have been the main "instructor" for my children learning to drive. Four of them.
Constantly I have to tell them to slow down but on their lessons with the driving school, in the town, they are told to drive faster all the time. The reason they give is to "keep up with the traffic".
It's caused a lot of arguments.
We are rural, many roads round here vary between single or narrow double track. And without experience, obviously they simply cannot judge distances that well. So at the speeds he was going, for a learner, it's an accident waiting to happen.
He seemed to be driving pretty slow to me. Much of the time the speedometer (top left hand corner of the screen) was showing him doing 20 or 30mph on straight roads, where I'd do 40 or 50mph.
30?? 😂 Yeah, I’d be going round you. There’s cautious but then there’s too cautious (30) these roads are quiet! There’s no need to be doing 30 and if you did 30 on your test you’d fail.
@@excession3076his RUclips channel is conqueror driving. He's really good.
in Scotland it is an unwritten rule, and an act of courtesy, if another car comes up behind you on a narrow single track road to slow down, put your left indicator on to signal to the driver behind that you are going to pull over, then pull in to the next passing place to allow the car behind to safely overtake you
I'd go so far as to say it's a written rule as there is a lot of signage on the NC500 that tells drivers they must do this.
That makes absolutely no sense. Why would you pull over to allow someone to go ahead when you're both going in the same direction on the same road?
@@mydogeatspuke because it sucks going at 30mph behind a nervous driver if you want to go 60. And it sucks even more being a nervous driver going 30 with someone behind you wanting to go faster. on a lot of small scottish roads you have a mix of tourists in rented campers they are not used to driving, people in fast cars looking for twisty roads and locals who drive that road every day. Letting faster drivers pass is the safest and least stressful for everyone
@@misterthegeoff9767 30 is a completely acceptable speed for many of these roads. So you don't like having to drive safely, is what you're saying
@@mydogeatspuke what I am saying is last time I was on these roads I was in a small camper and it was way safer for me to *obey the road signage* and pull over than have a BMW up my jacksie looking for a chance to overtake.
There’s narrower roads in Cornwall, you know it’s narrow when there is grass growing in middle of road and the bushes/grass banks are touching your car on both sides 😂. The B roads between Fowey, Penryn and Polperro are extremely narrow.
My wife and I went back to The UK after 40 years away. The narrow roads especially in Devon scared me shitless. I found driving in general was rather uncomfortable with the increase in the volume of traffic and the speeding maniacs on the motorway. Not enjoyable at all. I have driven on Long Island and LA which was OK. Driving in Western Australia is a doddle wide road with wide shoulders, low traffic conditions and generally polite drivers. Good luck with your trip.
We had a street in Nottingham called Drury Hill. If you stretched your arms out you could touch the walls both sides of the street. It was demolished when they built Broad Marsh Shopping Centre in the 70's. The remains of it could be seen in the basement which was part of the Caves Tour under the shopping centre. It was open to road traffic until it was demolished. I used to walk up it everyday working day to the post office at the top.
I remember many years ago when I was a Policeman, I was chasing a car pulling a stolen trailer down a narrow country lane, the thieves unhitched the trailer, blocking the road, and then drove off leaving me stuck behind it!
He may stole a trailer, but he paid you with a funny story to tell 😅
Your'e right, I have many funny anecdotes from my time in the Police, we needed them sometimes to get over sometimes stressful incidents!
@@aleisterlavey9716
The one that got away
That story sounds eerily similar to the situation that poor young police lad that was murdered was in. PC Harper
@@stevebeever2442 Yes, and the trailer was actually a caravan, I rephrased it as I wasn’t sure if the name would be recognised in USA.
That road at the 7:00 mark when Natasha says "That's not a road. that's a bike path!" - I would have you know that I have frequently turned my car (a 1982 Cadillac, IN the UK . . . and LEFT-hand drive) around on roads narrower than that.
Driving on the left you'll find easier than you think because your steering wheel will be on the right, so the only difference is you keep the lane marker (white line) on your right instead of your left, and you give way (yield) to your right instead of the left.
Country lanes ... just drive at a speed you are comfortable with, if someone gets to close behind (up your arse, we call it) just pull in and wave them through (use your American flag to do it for a laugh).
Oh I'm waving the 🇺🇸
Exactly - when I drive in europe in a hire car I simply remember that it is a mirror image of my normal practice. Driving a British car on the right hand side of the road can be fun!!?
Love your reactions to these normal (for us) country roads. Would love to see your reaction to the A537 Macclesfield to Buxton 'Cat and Fiddle' road in Debyshire - now that's hair-raising in places! Excellent,especially on a motorcycle.
I smile when Americans panic about driving on the 'wrong' side of the road. As Brits, we only have to hop across the channel to experience the same.
It's easy when you're constantly reminded by the side the gearshift is on.
As to narrow roads, as with most things, it's a lot easier when you do it, and in the main, oncoming drivers are as courteous (or scared) as you are! 😊
Although you will probably find it easier if you hire an automatic so that you will not have the additional concern of changing gear with your left hand rather than your right hand as you will be used to doing. However, note that automatic hire cars are not so readily available.
I have to remember at all times, especially at turns, to keep to the left side! Also, on narrow roads with old stone walls lining them, nothing is quite like seeing a huge tour bus coming straight at you. Oh ... and be sure to understand their roundabouts system too. It all makes for exciting driving with occasional heart-stopping moments.
Once you are on the road driving it’s really not as scary as it looks on film.
We have high beam headlights you can switch on when you’re driving on poorly lit or unlit country roads. Always dip them when you see another car approaching as they’re blinding.
There's a rule about walking along a road with no pavement (sidewalk) - always walk on the OPPOSITE side to where you'd be if you were driving, so here that would be on the right. That way you can see traffic heading towards you, rather than be unaware of traffic heading in the same direction as you are and coming up from behind.
Going slow on an unfamiliar road is annoying to the "locals" and they will often get far too close behind you. There are two reasons to slow down. The first, as Debbie said, is so that they can get past you. They don't always wait until it's safe though and if you're going slow, you have a better chance of avoiding the accident they cause!. The 2nd is that if you do need to brake hard, they might crash into you, but the slower you are, the less damage there'll be to the cars and the people in them.
There's another trick that I picked up and it's to do with perspective. If the sides of the road appear to be closing in ahead of you, you're going too fast. If they seem to be opening out, you may be going too slow, If they appear to be keeping the same distance apart, you're probably doing the optimum speed for that stretch of road.
And honestly, those narrow roads aren't as bad as they look. Sometimes you even have as much as 3 or 4 inches between you and the vehicle on the opposite side!
I'll second the comment about walking up the 'wrong'side of the road. If a car's going to hit you, it'll probably be one on your half of the road, so facing the oncoming traffic means you aren't making a leap of faith that the driver will see you.
I am not sure about other countries, but yes always walk toward oncoming traffic i.e. the wrong side of the road. Human brains are quick to spot eyes and faces; not so good at distinguishing the backs of heads when driving. The only time I switch is when there is a bend where I know the oncoming traffic cannot see you - then I will switch briefly to walk on the other side of the bend in the narrow road. Also, wear some colour to make yourself stand out.
I grew up where the only access was lots of narrow lanes, where the bushes touch on both sides. My mum knew the road so well, she turned her headlights off, when she had just picked up friends from the station, and drove along a short stretch with no lights. Our friends nearly wet themselves. You get used to the roads where you live and know where to slow and where the passing places are. It gets frustrating during emmit season because loads of visitors can’t reverse so will force the local to back round three bends for half a mile rather than reverse their own car two foot into the space they just passed.
I grew up in Torbay, Devon and my Mum and Dad were almost fanatical about walking on Dartmoor. (If you want to check out Devon in a video, you _have_ to include a decent section on this national park, BTW.)
This meant a _lot_ of narrow lane driving at times.
Many years/decades later, I'm still slightly in awe of the routes and drives my parents made with two sometimes annoying kids in the back seats to get to different places on the moors.
I guess the main thing (which seems to be somewhat lost in modern times, esp in this video) is simply; DON'T BE IN A HURRY.
Take care, don't take risks, and anticipate that other traffic will probably be more used to the roads than you (tractors, locals and the like) or less cautious and more stupid than you (drivers with no imagination who think they exclusively own the road) and you'll be fine.
I now live in Somerset, and some of the lanes are equally narrow and 'cautious'. And I've seen a few idiots who still seem to treat them like rally tracks who frankly ought to be locked up or banned from driving. But this is basically the same on any roads.
But 99% of the time, it's fine, and here's the thing. The prettiest, most peaceful, quaint and interesting places are very often on these roads/lanes. That's kind of the point, and logically follows from them being a little harder to get to. Everyone can get to the more touristy places; but you need a bit more grit to get to the quieter, more rural places, and they are often all the better for it, imo.
I've seen the way you ladies react to places in the Cotswolds. Imagine that, but with less traffic, a stronger community, and even more quaintness.
As for backing up, the general rule is that if you've just driven by a passing place, then you back up. After that, it becomes a kind of stare-it-out contest, lol!
There's a great anectote by Ross Nobel about when he drove ahead of a tank/armoured vehicle and couldn't get a guy to back up. Until the AV hove into view. Then the other guy quickly changed his stance.
And another when he made a limo carrying the members of One Direction back up. Making "One Direction go in the _other_ _direction_ !"
If you do get here (and I hope you do) the country lanes shouldn't put you off. They do lead, IMO to the best bits of what makes the UK what it is.
I'm sure you'd have no end of offers for drivers on your trip if you asked. (Even me, if I didn't have a job I currently want to keep!) But that wouldn't really be fair. It'd be a big shortcut to a part of UK life if you just bypassed the driving.
Just take your time and drive at a speed you feel is safe. I almost reprimand the video for its concept of driving fast on narrow road. But I guess it's not really aimed at people unfamiliar to UK roads/lanes.
He does point out that the speed _limit_ is just that; not a goal. Drive comfortably, and within your limits of safety and you'll be fine and gradually adjust and be come more confident. And see some truely wonderful places.
Lots of good points!
Especially about the tiny, narrow country lanes being the best way to get off the beaten track and experience the atmosphere and sights of the real countryside.
The other way is, of course, on foot.
I hope Debbie and Natasha will be able to find some more information on the footpath system in the UK. They watched one but it didn't really explain anything and only seemed to show one very wide path through a field of crops. The point is, wherever you go you should find out where the local footpaths (and bridleways, etc) are (from the internet and/or local sources) and start to explore the hidden byways of Britain.
@papercup2517 Yeah that was a pretty bad video about footpaths.
There are tens of thousands of footpaths better then that.
And yes, over genuine owned land. Not just a flat, boring field.
@@Varksterable Yes, I agree. I did actually do a bit of a search through YT to see if I could find a better introduction to the walking tracks of the UK for the ladies but there really wasn't much out there.
I thought it could be a really fun project, to make such a video for people new to the UK. You know, start off by explaining the different types, their origins, and what they mean in practice, rules to observe in the countryside, managing different types of styles and gates, animals and so on, and then show a selection of different sorts of paths - preferably from all around the country - to illustrate it all, and give a real feel of the variety of things you can see, what makes them great, etc.
If I were there currently, and not in Australia, and in good health, and had some clue as to how to make a YT video, I'd do it in a heartbeat...! 🙂
Love watching him dice the sneeky blip on the ttottle on the downshift is second nature
I'm sure there are loads of your fans who would be very happy to drive you around if you are going to be in their area of the country.😅 They would know all the best places to show you and you could relax and look out of the window. Once you know your itinerary you should let people know and I bet you get loads of offers of drivers and accommodation to keep the costs down.
I was going to say as much myself Carole, and maybe it would ease you both in (especially Natasha!) as you could get the idea of our roads 'for real' without having to drive them well straight off the bat. Another idea, maybe get some green 'L' plates to put on your car (anyone, would this be allowed?) as these are used when someone has recently passed their test, it tells drivers you're new and may need extra understanding.
My thoughts exactly. Fans would be delighted to drive you round and show you the best places and you’d get to meet more people.
Hi Ladies, This video shows what the roads and lanes around my village are like.
I was riding my motorcycle home today on one of the 6' wide lanes.
A pick-up truck pulled out of a side lane and followed just a few feet behind my back wheel. I gradually slowed to a stop and turned my head to look disapprovingly behind me at the young girl driving it.
She then kept her distance for the rest of the journey on the lane.
If you do what this man in the video says, it works.
The vehicle behind will know that if they want to go faster, they will need to follow at a greater distance.
I do wish you the best of luck when you drive over here. You have plenty of fans in the UK so if one offers to drive you until you feel confident, take them up on the offer.
Please don't move into the middle of the lines/road on a country road!!!! If you don't know the road you have NO IDEA what is coming up in front of you. Just don't drive as fast. It's not a race, just a respectable speed is enough. Don't let him scare you girls. ALSO a BIG TIP for country roads...PLEASE PLEASE look out for motorbikes, so many riders are knocked off or killed on these small roads due to cars driving like this!
This is so funny, your reactions 😂 Where I live in Kent these aren't even that narrow haha love it
It's a bit off Topic but can we give a big shout out to the LIONESSES for Sunday in the World Cup Final C.mon LADIES .
Congrats! 🎉❤
These country roads are everywhere, especially around the picturesque places you've been looking at. I live in North Yorkshire and you can sometimes take longer, wider routes, but will you never avoid them altogether. We had a week in Devon recently and most of it felt like single track with wing mirrors brushing both sides. Always take it slowly and keep your eyes peeled for those passing places.
This guy is a driving instructor, just drive the way you feel most comfortable with 😂😂😂😂
Perhaps a few lessons with a driving instructor in the UK is a good idea if you're going to be doing a lot of driving whilst on holiday.
Me personally I wouldn't feel the need to brake quite as much. Seriously annoys people behind you.
@@GBURGE55 The people behind you have the advantage of seeing you fit in the path in front of them and as such need to be less ready for obstacles or oncoming traffic, I will just drive at whatever speed is comfortable and those following can seethe with fury all they want.
The main roads in the north Scotland are that narrow. They tend to be straight with clearly marked passing places. You can easily drive at 60 mph, and adjust your speed to ensure you both hit a passing at the spot without slowing down.
It takes patience, care & confidence. The thing is don't panic! Good luck girls. In the Moors & uplands sheep, & sometimes horses,often have freedom to roam, so you must be aware & careful. Go a little slower if you are not sure what's ahead. Always be ready to stop or slow down. You would rarely go faster than 50 mpg on these country roads, even though the limit is 60. Only go as fast as you feel safe. It's not safe to overtake on these roads, patience is the key. You may encounter farm traffic, horses & pedestrians, especially near villages, so go careful in these areas. Good luck girls. Don't be fearful, it's not as bad as you think, as most other drivers you may meet will know the rules & be driving sensibly too.
Hi Natasha/Debbie was so funny watching this video of the reaction on your faces 😅 yes are roads in the countryside are very narrow I'm sure you'll both love the experience! Our countryside is rather beautiful take your time enjoy the views ,love you both take care from Dawn in the UK xx
I think you ladies would be fine on the roads but main areas like in London and other city areas with the tourism don't have tiny roads such as this :) fun video though and great reactions
Glad you enjoyed it!
Your Cincy Brit follower, some times I drive through Melbourne KY and Camp springs at speed (bad) so I remember, what driving is like in the UK. ( there are lots of windy roads out that way)
My X wife excellent driver, had a bad habit of pulling left on British narrow roads. I think you did a show on ston walls and that's my left!!
I was born and lived all my life in rural Lincolnshire which is almost all tiny villages and hamlets linked by very narrow roads.
There's no "sidewalks" as you call them in the US and there is rarely any street lighting.
They're so narrow that if you meet an oncoming car then you have to either, along with the incoming car, put your outter wheels on the grass verges or one of you has to reverse up to a layby or entrance to a field. Some around where I live that are one lane in each direction only have a tarmac width of around 5ft.
They are bad enough in summer but in winter when there's been snow, it is understandable how people who live in areas like where I live, still easily get cut off for days.
People like my parents face a 9.5 mile drive each direction just to get to the nearest supermarket to buy food.
People who have lived all their lives in cities really don't know anything about what it's like out here in the sticks. Many lononders have retired out to villages around here but not many stay for long because the change of lifestyle is so different they struggle to adapt and eventually move on. There's no wine bars, fancy restraunts or night clubs. Often all there will be in a village around here is a post box and if your lucky, a phone box. There's often no shops or even a local pub.
I ive in rural Lincolnshire, too. Most times I leave the village, I meet no other traffic for several miles. I think some drivers are so used to this they drive as if they never will meet something. Also, very busy with harvest currently. Some of the tractors and combined harvesters, especially those in tracks, f ill the road with their tracks/wheels on each of the verges. Then there are cars towing caravans. A tip I read from the 1950's: drive as if everyone else on the road is an idiot!
Some of our roads are so narrow, you actually need to reverse when you encounter another car 😂😂 There are roads in Cornwall where it can take forever to cover a distance that should take five minutes because you repeatedly come across car after car in the opposite direction. And it’s especially ‘fun’ when there are multiple cars in both directions and everyone’s trying to move over without scratching their car on the hedge - or if you’re really unlucky the wall hidden inside it! 😂
I have homes in London and North Wales. The last bit of the drive to and from the Welsh house - 70 miles - is on the sort of roads this guy is talking about. His advice is really good. One point, if you have good rear mirrors, allowing you to see how near the rear of your car is to the roadside and/or the centre, it makes driving on narrow, winding roads a less a lot less frightening. My 20 years old Volvo V 70 is superb in that respect.
I was born in the UK,the narrow roads even scare me.
Not helping!!!! 😂
Don't be put off! Maybe try to plan your route and keep to main roads. The video was rather 'low-key' in showing you some of the back lanes that you could come across, IMO. Also I'd rather be driving i the country than in cities where people are more 'unpredictable'. Also I think that driving on the wrong side of the road can be a challenge. @@TheNatashaDebbieShow