Back Roads Great Britain (Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

Above left A warning road sign Above centre A pay-and-display parking ticket machine Above right Parking along the roadside in a Cotswolds village

Breakdown and Accident

Procedures

If you have car trouble, try to park

safely and turn on your hazard lights

or put out a warning triangle to alert

other drivers. There are SOS telephones

at regular intervals along the hard

shoulder (spare lane on the far left) of

Road Conditions

Most roads in Great Britain are well

surfaced and maintained. Distances

are given in miles, and roads are usually

well marked. Many parts of the country

suffer from traffic congestion, not only

in and around the major cities but

also in parts of the country popular

for holidays and weekend breaks.

Traffic to the West Country (Dorset,

Devon and Cornwall) in summer can

be maddeningly slow. Many people

make an early getaway on Bank

Holiday weekends, resulting in busy

roads from Thursday evening through

Monday night. Rainy weather can also

slow things down. Get up-to-date

reports on traffic conditions online or

by phone from the Met Office,

Highways Agency or AA Roadwatch.

In the Highlands of Scotland and in

some other rural areas, the roads are

single-track. Slow down for sheep,

cattle and other animals who may run

out in front of your car. These roads

are often so narrow that one car will

have to pull over to the side and let

an oncoming car pass. Courtesy

dictates that the car closest to a wide

spot waits. There are designated

passing places along these roads.

When you meet oncoming vehicles,

always pull in to the closest one on

your left. You may need to reverse to

Taking a Break

If you are feeling tired or lost, it’s a

good idea to pull over and take a

break. Many roads have signposted

areas where you can pull off and

stretch your legs, have a snack and

consult your map. The scenery can be

a distraction, so if you find it hard to

keep your eyes on the road, it’s best

to stop and admire the view. Parks

and areas with nature trails also make

good picnic stops. Motorway service

stations are generally well signposted

along the route. They have coffee

bars, sit-down restaurants, fast food,

snacks, toilets, shops and other public

facilities as well as petrol stations. On

the A and B roads, services are smaller

and public toilets are often found in

petrol stations or restaurants.

a motorway. It is dangerous to walk

along any motorway, so take care

when getting out of your car.

Car rental companies will normally

give you a number to call in case of

breakdown or problems with the

vehicle. They will advise or arrange for

assistance, and can usually provide a

replacement vehicle. You should not

undertake any repairs to a hire car

without the company’s permission. If

you belong to a motoring association

in your country, the UK motoring

services – Automobile Association

(AA) and Royal Automobile Club (RAC)

• may have a reciprocal arrangement
  of co-operation – check before leaving.
  If you have an accident you must
  stop and exchange name, address
  and car registration details with the
  other parties involved. Police must be
  notified within 24 hours if anyone is
  injured, and a report will be filed. Call
  the emergency services (see p13) if
  there are serious injuries. Be sure to
  get the insurance details of the other
  driver, and give them yours. You must
  also notify your car rental company as
  soon as possible.
  Circumstances can be confusing at
  the time of an accident, so don’t
  admit fault for the accident, accept
  liability or give money to any party. If
  possible, take down any details from

find a space. It is easier for a car to

reverse than farm machinery or large

vehicles. Always give drivers who

make way for you a friendly wave.

18 BACK ROADS GREAT BRITAIN