6 Ways British and American Driving is Very Different

You could say that Britain and America are two countries divided by a central reserve... or is that median. Even as someone who does not drive, I've seen all the ways Britain and America differ when it comes to all aspects of driving. Here are 6 ways British and American driving is very different.
For more videos like this, subscribe to Lost in the Pond right here on KZbin: / @lostinthepond
Can't get enough of Lost in the Pond? Follow us at these places too.
Patreon: / lostinthepond
Facebook: / lostinthepond
Twitter: / lostinthepondus
Instagram: / laurence.m.brown
Website: www.LostinthePond.com

[@mikeleatherdale2950]

In the US we don't always know how far but we almost always know how long it takes to get there.

[@BeerIndependence4All]

Amen! Growing up in California... distance was measured in miles. Moved to Ohio and distance is measured in hours. While I think it began as just a subtle cultural difference these days I see the need for the distinction. Why? Because to drive 65 miles from San Bernardino to Los Angeles can take anywhere from one to four hours, depending on the time of day. This is less of an issue in Ohio... except for Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. lol

[@debjoy12]

haha exactly - I have absolutely no idea how many miles it is to my sister's house but I know it takes 1 hr and 15-20 min to get there 😂

[@Butterflyandhearts95]

Tru dat! I’m from Texas and never know the distance but def know the amount of time it takes to get somewhere. Lol

[@katietoole8345]

We pretty much just talk about distances in time. How far away is Nashville? 7 1/2 hours.

[@williamjones7163]

I have found it to be an Easy versus West Thing. In the West we say its its about 200 miles. In the East they say 3 1/2 hours.

[@brunobandiera2062]

My spouse grew up in a small town in rural Manitoba. When she went to the Provincial Government Agent's office at age 17 to apply for a driving learner's permit, the Agent told her, 'oh, you're all right, I've seen you drive the farm truck around town', and issued her a full licence on the spot, no written nor road test...

[@GeographyCzar]

That’s so awesome and reminds me of my mom, who learned to drive on the farm at age 11 and grew up about 40 miles from Manitoba.

[@queenofthecapes]

"The difference between Brits and Americans is that Brits think 100 miles is a long way, and Americans think 100 years is a long time."

[@watchermagic5325]

What's that from?

[@clanker_863]

Funny

[@ianmontgomery7534]

In Australia I used to drive 100miles each way to go to watch my football team play on Saturdays.

[@alonespirit9923]

If I like this right now it will no longer be at 100 likes & I can't bear to be the person who causes that.

[@Imiss70sTV]

@@alonespirit9923 Same, so I'll give my like to you!

[@whiskeytangosierra6]

"In Wales, where they are written in consonants." LOL Actual right there.

[@steveurbach3093]

I remember the signage in Wales: it took 2 lines for the Welsh and under it 'Services' I almost ended up on the 'Verge" from laughing. Many folk near San Francisco commute 60-90 miles ONE WAY (because housing $$).

[@tSp289]

@@steveurbach3093 Gwasanaethau? That's only four letters longer...

[@robred123s]

Learners permit means you need a licensed driver that isn't a minor in the passenger seat. Restricted means you can't drive at certain times, or only to certain places, or with a limited number of people.

[@hagerty1952]

I've always maintained that Wales shipped all of their vowels to Holland at some point.

[@shyryTsr2k]

US: "Oh it's only a 4 hour drive, there and back." UK: "4 hours?! Are you kidding me that is way too far."

[@ruthmeow4262]

Day trip with time left over for a movie when you get home.

[@operator0]

When I was in the Navy, we pulled into Haifa Israel for liberty. Me and two of my friends went out on the town and had some fun. We were in this bar and talking to these Israeli girls when the the clock got near 12am and the bar announced last call. Well, the girls told us that since it was a weekday all the bars and clubs in town would be closing at midnight. We were kind of bummed and the girls told us about "The Valley of Alcohol" and how it would be the only place where bars and clubs would stay opened. Sadly, they informed us that it was just too far away. We were bummed until one of us asked how far away it was. With grave sadness and a forlorn look on her face, one of the girls replied "20km away". Needless to say, we had a great time at "The Valley of Alcohol", but the girls didn't join us...because, you know....it was just too far away.

[@brianburns7211]

I think it’s relative. My parents live in Connecticut, where everything is fairly close by. Going a half an hour is a long trip. I used to live in rural Illinois. Sometimes it was 1/2 hour just to buy essentials. A half hour run isn’t a long run.

[@shyryTsr2k]

@@ruthmeow4262 haha exactly! And you still feel like you haven't gone anywhere

[@shyryTsr2k]

@@brianburns7211 Yeah Connecticut and Rhode Island are very small states haha, Rhode Island can fit inside my city of San Diego in California and there will still be plenty of room left over. Me, my sisters and my oldest sisters boyfriend drove 8-10 hours to go to a campsite and it was ANOTHER 8-10 hours back. In the SAME STATE. That is how big Cali is haha. We didn't even go into the next county yet it was still technically San Diego just a different, secluded part of it.

[@fitz3540]

Yellow speed signs are advisory speeds, not limits. They're used on curved roads.

[@Inamichan]

Fitz and low visibility roads

[@nimajnebsurrab]

In general, per the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, yellow signs are advisory. White signs are regulatory.

[@timsgilable]

I was coming here to post the same

[@mercoid]

But a police officer can ticket you still. Not for breaking the speed limit, but for going too fast for the conditions. That’s a judgement call on the officer’s part and very hard to fight in traffic court.

[@quinton1661]

@@mercoid in many areas, "too fast for conditions" is only applicable after something has happened, like a wreck. Not always, but in general and depending on the state of course.

[@davididiart5934]

Driving in _Ireland_ was one of the scariest experiences of my life. For anyone who has to drive there or in the UK, you have both my sympathies and my utmost respect.

[@georgemartin1436]

I would not attempt to drive there...my GF is from Vietnam and that is beyond any driving insanity ever!

[@erebostd]

What? Driving in Ireland was the most fun i had when i was younger. We flew there, got a small car like a fiesta and pinned it. I love the 100km/h everywhere. The best you’ll get is a „danger“ written on the road if it gets tight. But a slower speed limit? No sir, if you want to fly of the cliffs driving 100 where 60 would be more than enough? You do as you please 😁👍

[@daveansell1970]

I found driving in the US unpleasant, the wide 2 lane roads, less optimised highways, ridiculous sized 4x4s and the way the road signs have pages of prose in capital letters that take many seconds to read instead of symbols you just recognise...

[@greganderson6371]

@@daveansell1970 a lot of our road designs are based off national defense. Most highways are supposed to have long, straight sections for use as makeshift runways for damaged aircraft making an emergency landing. This is mostly archaic now, but that was part of their original design.

[@sevenofzach]

​@@greganderson6371and now we refuse to ever change our methods because we don't like change... Apparently. So that is the current answer, we don't like change and can't handle it.

[@ThomasB-656]

The sign you used for speed limit in the US is actually a recommended speed limit such as before a sharp curve. The actual sign is white and a taller rectangle.

[@robnorris4770]

Most of those 14 year old South Dakota drivers have been driving farm equipment since they were 12 or so. In every state I’ve driven, yellow speed signs are not limits, but advisory. Speed limit signs are white with black numbers. There is one bear crossing sign on an interstate in California, with silhouettes of an adult bear and cubs. It’s the only bear crossing sign I’ve ever seen.

[@Zadster]

Similar in parts of the UK, while you have to be 16 to drive a tractor on public roads, I believe it is legal to drive them on private property from 13.

[@operator0]

When I was in high school, I was driving down main street in my town of 3,500 (also the country seat) and noticed one of my sister's class mates driving a gigantic tractor who pulled up to a red light at the intersection I was stopped at. He was pulling two huge trailers full of hay....through the middle of downtown. My sister was in 4th grade, which would have made this kid 9 or 10 years old. I mean, that tractor was gigantic.

[@brianburns7211]

Rob Norris I’ve noticed that Connecticut and Massachusetts lower the speed limits in curvy sections of highways. This is as opposed to New York. Here in NYS the speed limit on state routes is 55 MPH, except for example density traveled roads with many businesses. A curvy section of a NYS highways have just the yellow suggested speeds.

[@josephcote6120]

I learned to drive on a ranch east of Stockton (1959 Harvester flatbed) In 1st gear plus low range on the transfer case it was just the right speed to point at the far end of a field and let it go while you climbed onto the bed and tossed hay bales. (OSHA Approved.)

[@SuperDrLisa]

@@josephcote6120 lolol

[@QuestionableLifeChoices]

"unless you're in wales, where they're written in consonants" lmfao

[@terrymummery6377]

but to be fair , there is usually and English translation underneath it, if it has not been 'liberated' by the Welsh nationalist activists so it then becomes a green highlight to the Welsh sign :)

[@robertgriffith8857]

Questionable Life Choices - Some English language consonants are actually vowels in the Welsh language!

[@byusaranicole]

Lololol that cracked me up!!

[@theturtlemoves3014]

A word to the unwary - just as you think you know how a word is spelt, they slip in a mutation... Croeso i Gymru

[@yonstenger]

This absolutely slayed me!

[@ASilverLining60]

That age of 14 was because a lot of America is farming communities and young kids needed to help on the farm and to help they needed to drive farm implements.

[@jovetj]

Yes, it is/was typically called a Farm Permit.

[@ottoleisering7855]

Most Brits do not realize how large the USA is. I can get in my car and drive west for 550 miles and still be in Texas. Try that in England.

[@ivanivonovich9863]

Do that in Hawaii, and you'd be back where you started. Assuming you could go all the way around the Island.

[@olevanman3825]

I think you'll be hard pressed to drive anywhere in England and still be in Texas...

[@sumdumbmick]

I'm uh... no, I don't think you can start driving from any point in England and still be in Texas, hun.

[@matthewmclean9012]

@@olevanman3825 hahahah

[@duncancallum]

I can jump on a passenger plane here in the State of Queensland Australia and travel north for 3 hours and still be in Queensland .

[@ropersix]

Sometimes on a one-way street in the US I drive in the left-hand lane and pretend I'm in Britain.

[@ivanivonovich9863]

I do the same, but then I have to watch out for the idiots making left-hand turns from the "right" lane...

[@ianprince1698]

I used to do this in London, plenty of one-way streets.

[@raymondwiggins354]

Sometimes when something is written in British where they do "re" instead of "er" I pronounce it like "ray" for fun America: "center" British: "centre" Me joking about British spelling: "cent-ray"

[@owenshebbeare2999]

@@raymondwiggins354 Except your attempt to be funny really means nothing to us Brits : in our pronunciation, "-re" is never pronounced as "-ray"

[@currentsitguy]

Wyomingites doesn't measure distance in miles, they measure it in hours.

[@Rocketsong]

As does everyone else west of the Rockies. ;-)

[@deadparrot5953]

Same in Texas.

[@cRobin1375]

Sam in Michigan

[@therightstuffAK]

Same here in Alaska

[@Timeisirrelevant]

Same with Texans.

[@NancyCampbell-rk9rm]

I like the way London tells you which way to look for oncoming traffic at crosswalks, with look left/right and an arrow painted on the road.

[@torfrida6663]

For all those Americans asking what a zebra crossing is, just look at the picture on the front of the Beatles Abbey Road album.

[@donkmeister]

But do note that they mean different things in different countries. UK: "This is a pedestrian crossing and pedestrians have priority. Road traffic must stop and let pedestrians cross." Most of Europe: "This is where we recommend you do any desired road-crossing as it has good visibility of approaching traffic." Not really a concern if you're going from Europe to UK, but if you're from the UK and visit Europe... it can lead to unpleasantness.

[@LjCaples]

Why would anyone ask what that is if they watched the video? Are people too dumb to use context clues or what?

[@torfrida6663]

LjCaples Oh yes, there's a lot of it about.

[@andrewthezeppo]

@@donkmeister in many parts of the U.S. you can also get a jaywalking ticket for walking across a street anywhere other than the crosswalk. I'm from the Twin Cities and Minneapolis and St. Paul are not just different cities but also different counties and they treat it differently. In Minneapolis if you look and no cars are coming a cop is never going to ticket you but they absolutely will ticket you in St. Paul. Cops in St. Paul also use it as an excuse to do things like see if college kids are drinking underage. I had many friends get jaywalking tickets when I went to school in St. Paul, several of whom then also got charged with underage drinking.

[@tSp289]

@@donkmeister Depends where in Europe. In Sweden pedestrians always have priority so our exchange students all nearly died in London by just walking out into traffic. Then you’ve got Vietnam, where the stream of 1 million motorbikes never stops (and also uses the pavements and sometimes even inside buildings) so you just walk out into the middle of it flapping one hand to say ‘please swerve around me instead of running me over’

[@LizAllenM]

About signs, the ones in the UK that made me laugh were the "way out" signs (in parking lots where in the US, we'd have exit signs). The first time, I was there, I was totally jet lagged and on the way out of the airport, and all I could think was, "far out, man, far out!"

[@andrewthezeppo]

For me it is their do not enter signs without the words(the do have them with words but many are just the symbol) because they just look like a sign for the tube that is crooked.

[@debbie4503]

I get it! 😂😂😂😂

[@floradiamonds]

The sign that always makes me laugh is the "Humps for X yards". The first time I saw one, I laughed till I cried. Silly, I know, but anything to brighten the day works for me 😀

[@georgemartin1436]

I believe the American road signs, being written, are more clear than the road signs of the UK. Unfortunately many people here in the states either can't, or won't, read them.

[@stevetaylor9846]

Christel Headington: why does the US Postal Service deliver the mail and the Royal Mail deliver the post?

[@acidroofproductions9378]

Why do we park on a driveway?

[@ivanivonovich9863]

For the same reason we "park" on the driveway, and "drive" on parkways?

[@kathleenobrien3473]

Unfortunately, the USPS doesn't deliver much of anything right now

[@stevetaylor9846]

kathleen obrien : Must be honest. We have a two-tier system. Next day delivery or two day delivery. Our posties are working well and most letters take just two days but bear in mind, please, that the UK is only about 800 miles by 150 miles apart from Northen Ireland which is a short hop across the Irish Sea and The Orkneys, Hebrides and Shetland Islands where there might be an extra day's delay. We have the bonus that all mail is delivered safe from interception through out front doors and not left in a box at the bottom of our front garden/yard. No going out in bad weather to collect the post for us.

[@kenc2257]

@@kathleenobrien3473 The Post Office is still aces in southern CA. Yay for them!

[@carmium]

In the 80s, I visited Britain, and my host offered day trips to a couple of attractions I thought would be nice, before I set off touring on my own. Now, LL was middle-aged, of quiet nature, and not a big or aggressive type in the least. But on the road, he was unbelievable to my Canadian eyes. I will never forget passing through a village - and the two-lane road went straight through it - with houses on each side. Their front yards were protected by high brick walls right up against the sidewalk, or pavement as they'd say in England. These narrow pavements had no separation from the road, and we blasted through the village at 60 mph, to my horror. LL seemed perplexed by my death grip on the passenger's handle, and I explained meekly that 30 mph would be the law in any such situation in North America. To me, he was driving like a rally car pilot, and he wasn't alone. Only when city traffic, such as in York, did we slow to more reasonable speeds. Quite amazing.

[@martinhughes2549]

In the UK if the street has street lighting,under the highway code you have to make the presumption its a 30 mph zone, excepted if its signposted otherwise.

[@adamskeans2515]

@@martinhughes2549not in kph?

[@martinhughes2549]

@adamskeans2515 Speed limits are in MPH in the UK. In Wales the urban speed limit is 20 MPH btw( approx 30KM/H).

[@adamskeans2515]

@@martinhughes2549 weird, just can't make up your minds, huh?

[@mikeyoung9810]

I drove in England for 2 years back in the '70's and since the steering wheel is always near the centerline in both countries it wasn't hard to adapt to. The things I found odd were huge roundabouts, vague roadsigns, people passing head on on 2 lane roads expecting you to move over so they could go down the middle, the generally slower moving traffic and fewer interstates (motorways), that using your horn was rude, the many kinds of gasoline (petrol) and that's enough. I love this guy, he's very funny and I miss England a bit at times.

[@rahb1]

"since the steering wheel is always near the centerline in both countries it wasn't hard to adapt to." Spot on. Before I went to the US my manager explained "Always keep the median strip on YOUR s

[@Tlyna1952]

They are putting roundabouts in all over southern Michigan and some of them were way too small. The problem is that most people had no idea how to drive in them. Lots of accidents.

[@RoberinoSERE]

In newer developing areas in the US, I live in Oregon on the coastal side where the weather is much like the UK only a little warmer in summer, we have discovered the Roundabout or Traffic circle. They are Brilliant. No traffic lights, you just merge at your leisure.

[@talisikid1618]

Why missing England?

[@theduchessofschroon6111]

I miss England 🇬🇧 too ❤! I so want to go back...maybe someday ❤

[@christelheadington1136]

George Carlin, "Why do we park in the Driveway, and drive on the Parkway ?"

[@urbanlegendsandtrivia2023]

A classic!

[@IceNixie0102]

We drive on the driveway, to park in the garage. And if you think you drive on the parkway, you never been in DC/Baltimore! It's just a weirdly laid out parking lot.

[@jamesslick4790]

@@IceNixie0102 Ditto for the Parkways in Pittsburgh!

[@antonycharnock2993]

We have a Parkway in Sheffield UK which links the city to the M1 motorway. Its pretty aptly named as its usually so busy thats all you get to do!

[@ex-navyspook]

The "Today I Found Out" channel just answered this question.

[@Riurelia]

As a South Dakotan, I have never heard my state's name so many times in one video.

[@BigDogCountry]

They mentioned us on Telly!

[@djsonicc]

enjoy the new found fame

[@TheHiggins1025]

I agree. (As a fellow South Dakotan)

[@Dr.Spatula]

The information is still just as equally suspect, though

[@rmgalardo]

The Britain interstate sign gave me anxiety LOL

[@csongorszendrey2180]

"Eradicate children." My phone thanks you for the fine mist of nose beer all over its screen. 🤣🤣🤣

[@annaduke5409]

I'm from Indiana and it is called a "Learner's Permit".

[@houseofwagners1292]

Indiana here as well and we definitely say permit.

[@christelheadington1136]

In Ohio too.+ You must have a licensed driver with you.

[@staryknight2452]

I think it's called that in most states. Since it's also called learner's permit in Texas.

[@ssga_tgbuddy3082]

In Louisiana it was a Driver's Permit. But some would call a License Plate a Tag.

[@SMichaelDeHart]

Same in West Virginia.

[@skylx0812]

We had to watch films of watermelons being splattered onto the highways then I got my permit at 15. All these years later I haven't kilt a single watermelon yet.

[@blindleader42]

So that cautionary film was very effective. 😁

[@jenniferpearce1052]

Hee hee...watermelons in kilts!

[@Markle2k]

Watermelons? We got real accident scenes in films called "Red Asphalt I-V" www.historicvehicle.org/top-five-drivers-ed-scare-films/

[@arthurbrands6935]

@@jenniferpearce1052 WaterMacMelons!

[@szqsk8]

skylx08 You never saw Blood On The Highway? Red Asphalt 1 and 2? Those movies scare the crap out f you when you are 15/16 years old.

[@immerregnet]

The first time I went to England I thought the road sign "Diversion Ahead" was hilarious... as if there were some theme park or public attraction instead of just a roadwork detour.

[@DesertSkies120]

Layby vs Rest Stop; Verge vs Shoulder; A Roads and B Roads vs Secondary Roads, Surface Roads, State Highways, etc.; Overpass vs Flyover. And so many more.

[@ruthmeow4262]

I like the British train and tank signs. Have to say though, if we had those here in America there would be a lot of teenagers with train and tank signs on their bedroom walls.

[@eTraxx]

Thought it quite interesting to see Camel Crossing signs in Saudi Arabia. The problem with stealing such there though can lead to losing a hand so ....

[@georgeadams1853]

I've seen quite a few of those "tank crossing" signs on military bases in the US.

[@ShaneWalta]

People don't really steal road signs in the UK, unless it's a street or town with a rude name. The main things that get stolen are traffic cones when drunk people decide to use them as hats

[@antcri730]

We have plenty of Tank crossing signs. Just drive across any decent size US Army installation. The Brittish train signs look like something you would see on the wall at a preschool.

[@francispower1418]

@@ShaneWalta There was a rock band made up of class mates at my school who called themselves 'Urban Clearway' on account of a road sign one of them had pilfered. That was in the UK in 1975.

[@trottheblackdog]

"I'm being stupid on purpose, just enjoy it". That's my new motto.

[@amymason6234]

Lawrence, This video and reading all the comments made me realize that for 30+ years I never knew what a privilege it was when my 3rd host father drove me all over the city of Brisbane, Australia from one suburb to the next looking for Bologna. I had been there over half a year and was feeling homesick and one of my mom’s favorite things to eat was a Bologna sandwich, so I wanted one. My 3rd host father had been to the US and had actually tried a Bologna sandwich years before so he drove me all over, to butcher after butcher trying to describe Bologna to the butcher so I could have as close to an American Bologna sandwich as possible (well there was no Wonder bread or any white bread there at that time), but we never found anything close to Bologna. I loved him for driving me everywhere and trying to help me, I thought it was so nice that he took the time to do it. NowI realize it was far more than that. That driving miles and miles to go get something is not part of most people’s days in other countries, like it is here. Too me, it was normal. If you couldn’t find what you were looking for close, you drove to where you could find it (still like that here). So I never realized how special that gesture actually was! I also never understood the big deal of driving to the coast for vacation (or holiday as you call it). The Sunshine Coast was an hour away, so was the Gold Coast. We drove an hour to the mall, on a regular basis, here, but they made it seem like we were driving from the middle of the US to the East or West coast or something (far). Your perspective and other posters perspectives made me realize that to most of my host parents an hour drive was far, and if you drive an hour that is far enough for a “proper holiday”. I wondered why going to the coast was such a big deal, not just to my host families, but to people I went to school with, too. I often wondered why we didn’t just go to the beach for the day, then come home? I mean, we were so unbelievably close. I really just thought they were being weird. Apparently not. They had the same mentality as everyone else, the coast was far, and you go there to vacation. No wonder when my favorite host sister came to visit and I drove her all around,a hour here,and an hour there, she kept asking me if it was ok, and didn’t it seem a little far,and that she didn’t want to be a nuisance. I kept telling her it was no big deal, we drove to the places we went to all the time. It is amazing how the internet can eventually change a person’s perspective of what they think is mundane and normal. It did mine.

[@patricklunn3210]

National speed limit, hands down. It blew my mind when I saw that sign on country roads between the Cotswolds and Portsmouth, which, coincidently, also had the Tank signs.

[@1st_Amendment_Is_My_Right]

The craziest sign I’ve see “Airplanes Have The Right of Way” It was in a small country town in Oklahoma as you cross a bridge. One of the roads was used by farmers to take off and land.

[@frankbrodie5168]

There's at least one place that I have seen that sign in the UK tbh. On the entrance to Sumburgh airport in Shetland. And trust me when I say this, with the wind in Shetland you would seriously want to be giving any landing aircraft the right of way.

[@michaelmayfield4304]

A sign outside of the China Lake Naval Air Station in the Mojave Desert (Navy in the desert? yup) says "beware, low flying aircraft" and I've seen them go over the road at ~50 feet up.

[@futility.2020]

not in any way aircraft related, but it reminded me of the 11foot8 bridge sign. it has lots of youtube videos about it. lots of trucks get broken.

[@Krahazik]

While doing deliveries I crossed a a section of road that had an airplane crossing sign as well as low flying aircraft sign. There was a small dirt airfield/runway on the right and I was delivering to the house which had an airplane hangar on the left side of the road. The taxi way between the house/hangar and the runway naturally crossed the road. Talking a hangar and airfield intended for small general aviation type aircraft, the little 2-4 seater type planes.

[@christianlingurar7085]

Germany here: they're rather common here, got one in my home town, there's a road crossing the end of the runway of a little airport :-)

[@bartelsmr]

As an American, I had the "opportunity" to drive in the UK in December 2018. I was there to see Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of the War of the Worlds, which has never been performed in the US (nor, I think, North America). I knew I'd be driving on the left. I did not realize how narrow the lanes would be. Thankfully I'd reserved a Fiat 500. Unthankfully it was a standard. I know how to drive a standard in the US, but shifting becomes muscle memory, and my left hand/arm wasn't trained. This made for a lot of slow starts getting into first (which you push away from your body to get to - it is the same shifting patter as here, and the pedals are in the same positions, not mirror imaged). In Wales, up in the Brecon Beacons, I encountered a two-way, one-lane stone bridge. I got VERY lucky. I just started to drive. Without checking to see that the bridge was empty first. No one was coming. In the US we drive on the right, and if you park on the road, you park on the right. The UK was NOT a mirror image here. Going down some roads was slaloming past cars parked - in the street - on both sides. And if you have oncoming traffic? Well, both you and the oncoming traffic need to look for a place you can pass each other, and the first person there waits. To the eternal credit of the Brits, they execute this flawlessly, although I suppose they have to or there'd be many many colisions. Driving on the left - for me - requires concentration. It is like learning to drive all over again. But after several days, it truly wasn't so bad, and at that point I'd consider it another adverse factor, like driving at night, or in the rain or snow. But, I carefully avoided talking about driving on the "wrong" side. This is the Brits' country, after all, they can do it how they want. But at one pub I was told, "we drive right" - to which I responded, "no, we drive right, you drive left" - to the amusement of all. I still, however, think I was set up. Thanks to the kind folk at the Bridge End Inn in Talgarth Wales, a very fine pub!

[@tSp289]

I used to work in car rental in the UK so this made me laugh. The number of people who didn't realise a normal booking meant they'd be driving a manual... I'm convinced the company did it just so they could upsell autos, since rental companies are greedy and immoral by default (we were trained by American consultants, so we learned it from you!). More than once I had an American customer insist they knew how to drive manual, then kangaroo-hop their way out of the car park in a cloud of clutch smoke. Clutch control's not easy to learn without instruction, especially when you're already angry. I plan to visit Texas next year and tbh I'd be a little nervous trying to shift with my wrong hand too. I'll probably go to change gear and open the door instead. I might go for an auto if I can surpress my gag reflex for long enough. Maybe I'll try an EV. Also, four way intersections. They're simple but I don't trust other drivers to get them right. The crashes I've seen on them look brutal compared to the bumper dents you get from roundabouts. Cross-street parking's normal. If there's a space, you wait for a gap in the oncoming traffic. If you've got a huge queue behind you and there's no gap, you keep going and find another space or come back around. This is why parallel parking skills are important. If you're going back and forth for five minutes, you're not going to make many friends. I'm from Wales, and honestly what you described there is about 70% of the roads around me. There are plenty of bridges you can only fit one car over, you just have to look far ahead when you approach, and if it's a steep hump bridge you just drive slowly and be ready to stop. Also most of the roads around me are one car wide. You just keep an eye out for the laybys so you know how far past the last one you are. The unwritten rule is whoever passed a layby most recently gives way. Also if you do pull in to one, don't be alarmed if the oncoming car doesn't really slow down and misses you by a couple of inches. We're used to passing close, so you'll imagine there's a lot more danger than there actually is. For deep lanes with tall hedges on either side, just assume there's someone coming around every corner and you won't go too fast. In some areas near me it wasn't unheard of to round a corner and nearly run into a tank, but that's a different story. Oh and hte biggest benefit of all this driving on the left is: there's zero resale market for cars outside the UK, so you can pick up second hand cars for next to nothing. I know plenty of people who've never spent more than £500 on a car. If you've got a socket set, some WD40 and avoid anything Italian (whoops), then you can easily get something that'll run for ever, especially since manual gearboxes last much longer than autos.

[@LjCaples]

@@tSp289 let me be honest with you about one thing in America. Unless you're booking pretty expensively, you're getting a shitty manual car or a car that will fly off the handles. Wales sounds like a nightmare, haha. Would love to visit.

[@tSp289]

@@LjCaples Nah I love the roads around here. You're constantly engaged in driving, which makes it a lot more fun. There's a reason Wales makes a disproportionate number of rally drivers too. One rally goes past my front door because of the twisty little corners, dips and bridges around here. That and nearly empty roads makes it driving fun.

[@deepgardening]

I'm left handed but throw right- don't know why. I first drove on the left in Kenya, Brit system of course. We picked up an underpowered VW combi camper at the rental, and I got the honors. I came to a 5 way rotary intersection 3 blocks away as rush hour was heating up. I did have to make a second pass around to get the right road, but no big deal. On the other hand, my friend who had the research grant money for the jaunt was driving us back from the coast and passed a slow truck on a (thankfully empty) stretch of highway and just continued on the right side. ?!?! so I let him go another ten miles before I began worrying I'd get bored and stop paying attention and told him. He let out a "WHOOPS!" and pulled in.

[@rahb1]

@@LjCaples Aussie here. Best advice I *ever* had was "keep the median strip (or middle of the road) on the SAME side as your steering wheel". Worked beautifully for me everywhere, until they gave me a manual-shift car in Boise (all had been auto until then). Hadn't driven one for more than 20 years (and that was right-hand drive, of course) so the rental car company probably had to replace the gear box after it was returned. After that six week stint in the US, after I was back home, on my first encounter with a roundabout, I went anti-clockwise. OOPS! Thank god there was no other traffic around at the time!

[@drumguy1384]

Another interesting thing I noticed whilst driving in England is the way traffic lights work. Aside from having far fewer of them due to the more widespread use of roundabouts they also change differently. In America, lights go from Green to Yellow to Red then back to Green again. In England, you get the yellow a second time before it goes green again. I think I understand why it was decided to do it that way. Alerting drivers to proceed with caution for the first few seconds to ensure pedestrians or other vehicles have cleared the crossing. However, in practice, it doesn't seem to serve that purpose as people tend to barrel into the crossing as soon as the yellow flashes anyway. Jeremy Clarkson commented on it once (on Top Gear, I think.) saying that he liked the British way because "Yellow means I'm meant to prepare for something. Either prepare to stop or prepare to set off. In America it just takes you by surprise ... GO GO GO!" (that's a paraphrase, but I think I got the gist of it)

[@jovetj]

Actually, the cycle in the UK goes like this: 🟢Green, then 🟡Amber, then 🔴Stop. Then 🔴🟡 Red-Amber _together_ briefly, to let you know the light is going to change to Green. The reason this exists is because of the commonality of manual transmissions. It's a "get ready to go!" signal.

[@drumguy1384]

@@jovetj When I made that comment I had been back in America for about 2 years, so perhaps my memory was a bit hazy. Thanks for the clarification. I will still maintain that I often witnessed people setting off on the amber/red rather than waiting for the green. Is that allowed?

[@jovetj]

@@drumguy1384 Sure thing. It's not allowed to my knowledge. As an American, I am glad we don't have that phase here.

[@drumguy1384]

@@jovetj Oh no, we have to hold red for a few seconds before turning the other way green to account for people running the red in the first place. Imagine if you gave people an indication that they were about to be green ... imagine the spectacular wrecks! That said, I do prefer the British way of controlling traffic, though it would cause quite a lot of chaos in our current system if we decided to change it.

[@michaelseibert9898]

When you pass the written test in the US, you receive a learner's permit. A restricted license, at least in South Carolina, is given to a teenager under a certain age (probably 17 or 18) after they have passed their supervised test. They can change that restricted license to a full, unrestricted license at the age of either 17 or 18 (whichever it is).

[@amymason6234]

At 15 I was issued a learning permit, while I was enrolled in driver’s training in school, that I was allowed to use in the drivers ed car or with my parents while I practiced driving with them. On my 16th birthday my parents (as did most of the kids who were my age’s parents) took me to the state driving facility where I then took the written exam, and then if I passed it I could take the driving part of the exam (which I did). I passed both and walked out with my driver’s license. You mentioned “sweet 16” in one of your videos. This was most of our “sweet 16”. When I was an exchange student in Australia I could have gotten an international license, but I knew that would be crazy and dangerous. In the US, you can legally drive with a license at 16 (in most states), vote and/or join the military at 18, and legally drink at 21 (in most states). When I was in Australia I found it terrifying that my friends could do all 3 at the age of 18, and without taking drivers training in school. I don’t think I ever got in a car there with my newly licensed friends. They never even realized I could drive until I was almost ready to go back home and they drug me to a bar, and I presented my American driver’s license to get in the bar. They kept saying what do you mean you have a driver’s license? I told them I had had it since I was 16. At the time it was a big cultural difference between the two countries, while now it might not be as much.

[@cjpenning]

Britain: stops & starts, shifting, lots of turns. US: long drives and cruise control

[@arthurbrands6935]

And people that don't understand that cruise control doesn't steer the RV.

[@GTVAlfaMan]

Arthur Brands And people in the UK that don’t understand the concept of DRL’s.

[@ropersix]

That's not the way it goes on the 405 in LA.

[@TheBez1965]

And brits can drive manual gearbox cars

[@hiddentreasure2161]

And UK has the superior roundabout system which is safer because it does not require drivers to stop their vehicles like intersections do.

[@RoderickGMacLeod]

"If the roads were wide enough for Roman Chariots I guess they're the right width for an automobile"--Every British Motorcar Company Executive and civil engineer.

[@Simonsvids]

We do still have roads built for chariots. We also have roads built for automobiles. We just did not close off the chariot roads, so we have to have cars that will fit on both. :-)

[@johnbaird4912]

Simon Jones I am hoping to get my electric chariot this week

[@RoderickGMacLeod]

@@johnbaird4912 get a hybrid chariot. That last thing you want is your battery going flat on one of the narrow Roman roads where the RAC recovery lorry cannot go.

[@johnbaird4912]

Roderick MacLeod Believe me if they can rescue the red dwarf team Get to me won’t be a problem

[@johnbaird4912]

Roderick MacLeod Wanted one of the new Boudicca 750

[@kathyharmon2093]

My job required me to drive 60 miles round trip daily for 16 years (then they expanded into my town and I transferred I now drive 3 miles round trip daily)😊

[@stephaniegifford2020]

Love this channel. You should be a History teacher. You make things so interesting. I was in the UK last summer for the first time. I thought it was strange that there were no screens in the windows and it was very hard getting ice cubes.

[@fivish]

You can buy a bag of ice cubes in any supermarket.

[@hoodagooboy5981]

"Drop head coupe" took a while to figure out meant "Convertible".

[@katfran492]

Back when I was 16, I took drivers education in high school before I could take the drivers license exam. I had a permit so I could practice driving with one of my parents. The exam was in two parts: written & driving. If you didn’t pass both you did not get your license. I also grew up on a farm & started driving when I was 14 however the state of California does not need to know that 😉

[@brianburns7211]

Katrina Francis I was driving farm vehicles at a young age too. My father took me out to learn on the road. Driver’s education was mostly a formality to mitigate the high insurance rates of a teenage male.

[@ivanivonovich9863]

For me, if you did not pass the written test, you didn't get the permit. And trust me there were many in drivers ed who I thought should never get their license to drive. As one of three "new" drivers in the car, along with the instructor, things could get really scary!

[@susanrobinson-browning4687]

Right and it was called a "learner's permit" and we had Driver's Training classes in high school. Don't think most states can afford that now.

[@candacew.8629]

Same although it wasn't in the high school, I was 15 and a 1/2 When I attended the class. After the class and before the written test you had to have so many hours with a licensed driver before you could take either of the 2 tests. and I got my license at 16 after passing the written test and a road test

[@andrewthezeppo]

I almost failed because we had to do the 3 point turn where you back into a driveway to turn around and they set up poles in the parking lot.. For some bizarre reason it was set up with 3 poles so it made a triangle and not a rectangle and I somehow didn't notice and couldn't make sense of what was happening and hit a pole which they consider an accident and automatic failure. The lady giving the test was merciful and let me try again instead of failing me and I did it just fine.

[@viewergreg]

A couple years ago I spent about two weeks in the UK and did > 3K miles of driving. My observations: 1) British drivers are VERY polite, although they drive a little slow; 2) I got used to driving on the left pretty quickly, but the first day I clipped the curb a few times because I wasn't used to judging the position of the car while sitting on the right side. You also have to remember that if you make a right turn there's oncoming traffic; 3) the back roads really are narrow -- I went down one road in Cornwall where I wasn't sure the car would fit; 4) It seems that almost every intersection has a roundabout -- even highway (aka motorway) interchanges! The simple ones are easy, but the ones with multiple lanes can be confusing; 5) I think American road signs are easier to interpret; and 6) Parking lots don't give you enough space to maneuver easily. But all in all driving in the UK was a fun adventure!

[@fivish]

In the UK car parking spaces were standardised in the 1950's. However, cars have got bigger and some are too long and/or too wide to fit a space. House garages are not big enough for a car, but even new houses have the same size unusable garage size.

[@MyCrystalPlaid]

We drove 35 miles each way to work for a 70-mile roundtrip. That was 5 to 6 days per week for 36 years minus 3 to 5 weeks vacation each year. However, on our vacations, we drove usually over 500 miles per day, so vacations didn't subtract at all from the yearly mileage. A couple of old sayings in Wyoming: We'll drive 100 miles to get a good donut, and we don't count travel by miles, but rather by six-packs of beer.

[@StamfordBridge]

11:22. The British “No Pedestrians” sign is very clearly indicating “Pedestrians This Way,” obviously the product of a very sadistic government.

[@shyryTsr2k]

@TheRenaissanceman65 a circle means correct. A circle with a LINE or a cross through it means NO.

[@shyryTsr2k]

@TheRenaissanceman65 Have you ever been told to circle or bubble in the correct answer?

[@shyryTsr2k]

@TheRenaissanceman65 No all circles mean clear, correct or crossing.

[@shyryTsr2k]

@TheRenaissanceman65 It is the same concept

[@shyryTsr2k]

@TheRenaissanceman65 And I'm TELLING YOU that YOU are wrong.

[@yossiea]

Also, right turns on red are legal almost everywhere in the US. That is almost unheard of outside the US. Most people don't know that when they travel.

[@katlynklassen809]

Canada is the same

[@BryTee]

I'm from England, learned to drive there. After about 10 years of driving in the UK, I moved to the US. About 10 years later I visit the UK after getting used to the idea of turning right on a red. So back in England, I am certain a few times I turned left while the light was red as no traffic was coming, and only afterwards I realized ... whoops!

[@computeraddic675]

So you can nicely get a bump from a car turning left from the other side off the road?

[@Crash5291]

@@katlynklassen809 Excluding Quebec, RIght on red is forbidden unless posted. That is what so many QB plated cars sit at reds waiting to turn right.

[@DGPHolyHandgrenade]

Oh, that depends on where you live too. I just did a drive to pick something up from a friends house....72 miles each way, 144 miles in a single afternoon put on my car. And I never left town.

[@4nciite]

A Lorry is usually called a Semi or Tractor Trailer here in the States.

[@marklsimonson]

Some differences I (an American) noticed when I spent some time driving in Britain: In the U.S., the names of streets are on standard signposts at intersections. In Britain, they seem to be in random places on walls and buildings near intersections. In Britain, there are sometimes walls right up to the edge of a road, with no shoulder. In Britain, you can (and sometimes have to) park your car partly on the sidewalk (pavement). This is totally illegal in the U.S. In Britain, you can park on either side of the road without turning your car around, not just the side you drive on. It's usually illegal to park on the left side of a two-way road in the U.S. without turning around. I grew to love roundabouts. You can drive for miles passing through intersections and seldom have to come to a full stop. Most cars do not have automatic transmissions in Britain. At least they didn't in 2007.

[@judithweiss6727]

Europe also does roundabouts. They find our most of our traffic intersection full stops unecessary for flow of traffic.

[@stephenchurch1784]

The sidewalk parking thing really depends. I live in a city where many of the roads are paved over horse tracks and not parking on the sidewalk would mean that nobody could use that block

[@samanthaflynn6140]

I started driving at 15 with a "permit" had to have so many practice hours with an experienced driver. Had Drivers Ed in school and on my 16th bday missed school to go take my drivers test written and practical! :)

[@erictaylor5462]

I got my learner's permit when I was 15.5 years old. Went to drive on the freeway and there was a terrible multi-fatality accident and traffic was terrible. A sulfur truck had flipped over and spilled molten sulfur in a bridge with everyone, windows down ready to pay a toll. Molten sulfur is about 350 degrees, and it ignites when exposed to air.

[@LJBSullivan]

@@erictaylor5462 God, that's horrible

[@arcanask]

@@erictaylor5462 Well, that beats my story of most f'd up thing to hear about happening on a freeway.

[@erictaylor5462]

@@arcanask To say it was F'ed up is an understatement. The accident was caused by a car that cut the truck off, colliding with it causing it to hit the dividing wall and flip over. The driver was trapped and ended up burning to death. Sulfur burns with a relatively cool flame. It takes a lot longer to kill than say burning truck fuel. Not a good day.

[@gregatron11]

"Approximately massive" is now part of my lexicon

[@tripolarmdisorder7696]

South Dakota Interstate Highway 90 is often listed in cycling magazines world wide as a perfect trek for cyclists wanting a long stretch of terrain for communing within oneself. They almost always note to bring tools, extra chain and tubes as you may need to repair your bike along the way.

[@michaelfisher9267]

Britain has zebra crossings; America has deer crossing signs. I know that America has a lot of deer. I did not know that Britain had free-roaming ze(h)bras. America does not have zeebras except in zoos.

[@ddemaine]

Zebra crossings refer to the colour scheme on the road (black and white stipes), which indicate that drivers must stop and give way to pedestrians waiting to cross. They are accompanied by Belisha beacons (named after Leslie Hore-Belisha, a transport minister), flashing amber beacons mounted on black-and-white poles. Zebras would only be free-roaming in the UK, if they escape from a zoo. I suspect you may know that already though? ;-)

[@patrickmartin3322]

ddemaine good job you got the joke

[@agoogleuser4443]

@@ddemaine I like the idea of the Belisha beacons at pedestrian crossings. That would be a good safety thing to have. My daughter was hit by a car while walking across the street and she had the walk sign in her favor. Maybe the flashing beacons would be more noticeable. She was only banged up a bit, thankfully.

[@ddemaine]

@@agoogleuser4443 I agree they are useful, the 'zebra markings' on the road aren't always immediately obvious if covered in water or snow; or if the paint is worn/potholed. In past few years the beacons have been updated: The beacons tend to have flashing LED flanges now, rather than a flashing single bulb inside (LED are more reliable, use less power and are brighter).

[@TheByard]

@@agoogleuser4443 The Belisha beacons are installed on the approaching car side of the crossing, so on the side you are standing at, it will be to the right of you, Except in a one way street where they are again on the car side of the crossing. Cars have to stop and allow pedestrian to cross once they put a foot on the crossing, not that they are just standing there.

[@Mindy14]

We call it a learners permit.

[@StamfordBridge]

Learner’s Permit in all the states I’ve lived in.

[@bob_._.]

Back in the stone age it was also called a temporary license, more commonly known as your "temps"

[@shrimpflea]

When I was 15 I called it freedom.

[@Michael-lc8bi]

In Kansas we have farm permits which you can get if you work for a farmer. I got one and began driving as soon as I turned 14.

[@NinjaNezumi]

Your sign for Uphill at around 11:40 - we actually do have HILL and a sign much like the one you listed which has the grade of the hill if it is especially steep. We do have crossroads, but it really refers to any sort of intersection. I have heard Car Park over here before too, but it isn't common. We say gearstick here too. Indicator is used as a technical term for numerous forms of lighted "indicators". Actually we do use the word pavement, but it is for the actual road itself. We USED to say Zebra Crossing like 100 years ago.

[@larsporsena7115]

Love your factoids and your droll delivery. You need to get your license so you (et ux ) can take road trips around the US. This would provide a never ending source of amusement for your podcast.

[@JeffDeWitt]

Hmm... he's in Chicago, the eastern end of Route 66. He ought to drive the old highway all the way to LA, that would be an amazing experience for him and provide LOTS of interesting material for his videos.

[@RichardHartl]

I could tell that he's not a driver. Lawrence could only identify the face value differences between the roads in either country. As a Canadian having driven overseas before, the experience in between both is staggering. Like night and day. It feels weird to have to concentrate so much when you drive. North American driving just has you mindlessly following simple yet overloaded signage. Driving in the UK actually sharpens your skills and forces you to think more and anticipate your next move

[@mindigd]

I like the fact that UK stop lights give drivers a yellow light when changing from red to green as well as when changing from green to red. Also; bicycle, scooter, and motorcycle riders in London are nuts!

[@theguaable]

If you want to see nuts driving in general, go to Italy!

[@onespiceybbw]

when my ex and i went to London some years ago, we stood for the longest time next to a traffic light, watching it change because of that. after the light was red for a while, you'd see the creeping forward and hear the engines revving, and by the time the light actually turned green, the intersection would be empty. amused us for at least 20 minutes.

[@marzsit9833]

the lights in the uk aren't the only ones that do that, most of the traffic lights in europe work that way. if you are ever driving in france, never ever try to run a red light, you will be killed. in france nobody watches the actual traffic, all they watch is the traffic light and as soon as it turns green it's like a top fuel dragster launch no matter what kind of car they're driving and they don't care who is in front of them. yes, the 2-wheelers in europe are pretty crazy as well but i totally understand why, it's all about pure survival. if you try to be a law-abiding 2-wheel bicyclist or motorist you will also be killed. this is especially true in italy or any of the eastern bloc countries, traffic lights really are meaningless, stairways are considered public roads, sidewalks are parking areas or sometimes expressways depending on the time of day or night.

[@philbarrows2431]

That would confuse stop light drag racing. Do you smash the throttle on yellow or green?

[@scottgrohs5940]

I should think right and left hand driving would be easy to decipher based on the position of the steering wheel in the cab. The tricky bit would be which lane to pull into after making a turn that crosses perpendicular traffic.

[@cyirvine6300]

My bucket list included driving on the left side of streets. Trip to Australia made it possible. I was going to be fine unless it was standard shift. Of course, it was standard shift! The locals were soo nice when I would be on the wrong side and patiently wait for me to figure it out. Terrific people.

[@WallDoc]

We were in Scotland, the narrow roads along with the non-existent shoulders was terrifying. The one lane-two way roads were fun.

[@jur4x]

Similar road leads to my workplace. And since I work in a factory, there are lorries coming the other way, sometimes

[@shiftfocus1]

Where the vehicles going up hill have right of way...

[@donkmeister]

​@@shiftfocus1 Not automatically they don't - in the Highway Code it's *recommended* that you give priority to uphill traffic, but in practice it comes down to common sense with factors such as passing places, size of vehicles, quantity of vehicles and so on. The reason it's not an automatic priority is because you'd have some idiot jam up a road trying to make a point because a surveyor-grade spirit level reveals they are headed slightly up hill, then refusing to move and demanding that a convoy of lorries without banksmen reverses half a mile despite the idiot being stopped one car length beyond a passing place.

[@talisikid1618]

80 mile commute is not a bad commute. Many do 120 minute or more.

[@bob_._.]

We have "Right Turn on Red" (to speed up traffic flow) but I read that England doesn't have "Left Turn on Red". Actually, with the proper intersection of one-way streets, we also have left turn on red in many places.

[@girlsamurai19]

Texas has "Right Turn on Red" though not all the states have that.

[@stevethepocket]

In Ohio we have "no turn on red" signs because right turns are allowed by default. Makes things tricky when people travel to one of the no doubt many states where it's not.

[@Markle2k]

@@stevethepocket In California, you must stop before the limit line before proceeding with a right turn on red where it allowed. Except if there is an island that protects the right turn, in which case the turner must yield to the traffic.

[@arimermelstein9167]

Jonathan Parks in New York City, it’s not allowed. My heart flutters a little when I drive outside of NYC and I’m like “yay! Right on red!”

[@jsk2360]

After the gas crisis in the ‘70’s the Feds required states to allow right turns on red to save gas. New York City took down a few signs allowing right turn on red and put up several hundred “No Turn on Red”, the previous default.

[@judithweiss6727]

Another vocab difference: to us "revised" is what you do with a manuscript when the editor sends it back for another draft. What you call "revising" for a test - going over the material to refresh your memory - we call "reviewing" for a test.

[@dlbattle100]

The two things I noticed most driving in the UK was 1) just how much car there is to your left when sitting on the right, I kept scrubbing up against curbs with the left front tire 2) Oncoming traffic, middle of the road!

[@Evan-fy2jn]

6:27 “so if u eradicate children, not literally, just in this scenario” had my dying 😂😂

[@gregorythoman8281]

The one thing you did not mention, which suprises me since you lived in Indiana, that there is no age limit for children driving on a farm. I started driving trucks on farms at 10. The law allows farm children to drive on the road when moving from field to field.

[@EebstertheGreat]

But importantly, you can't drive on the highway. (That's not just for children; nobody can operate farm or other low-speed vehicles on a restricted-access road.)

[@specialopsdave]

@@EebstertheGreat Interstate highway, specifically. Many highways are not restricted-access at all (e.g. old US Highway Route 66)

[@EebstertheGreat]

@@specialopsdave Well, large sections of U.S. 66 are limited access too, including all of it in IL iirc. But yes, only interstate highways are guaranteed to have limited access.

[@AbsvInFeRnO]

Marylander here; We could get out Learner’s Permit at 15y 9m then Provisional Driver’s License at 16y 6m, and finally a full license after 18 months of clean driving

[@GodSaveTheUnitedStates]

I've always been interested in signage from other countries. I work for the Alabama Dept of Transportation and for several years performed routine maintenance on our signage. Also in Alabama generally speaking we refer to freeways as interstates, divided highways and regular four lane highways as just highway (xx) or by name depending on if its named, the smaller roads are referred to by name or "county road (XX)" depending mainly on if the city (municipality) or the county maintains said road. In Alabama, the MUTCD is fully adopted as the states regulation manual. It does change occasionally to adopt safer practices but as a whole has remained the same for many years.

[@FionaEm]

I live in Australia and we inherited the British driving system - driving on the left, with the steering wheel on the right. Like Laurence, I don't have a licence (yes, we spell it with two c's) and can't imagine getting into the passenger's seat on the right-hand side!

[@startrekwarsmixguy]

@chris younts It's funny, because I think I prefer having my dominant hand on the wheel at all times, changing gear is a relatively simple movement, but my left hand definitely doesn't have the precise control for steering. Could just be muscle memory though. Funny how the experience is reversed!! One very minor thing I definitely noticed when I was learning though is the combination of left hand left foot when changing gear makes coordinating yourself a bit easier, though I could probably get used to the reverse.

[@amymason6234]

Lol. When I lived in Australia for a year as an exchange student I had the opposite problem, I kept trying to get in the car, as the passenger, on the right hand side. And crossing the street walking was horrible. We are taught to look right, left, right here before crossing a street. Almost got myself killed several times there.

[@adde9506]

Speed limit signs in the US are White and rectangular. The square yellow one depicted was a suggested reduction in speed for a particular road feature. You'll frequently see them on sharp curves or approaching hidden or dangerous intersections. As for getting your license in the US. New drivers have to pass a general knowledge test, usually after taking a driver's education course. This test earns them their learner's permit. While using a learners permit the new driver MUST be accompanied by an experienced licensed driver, typically their parent, at all times. After the learning period is up, generally six months, the new driver must then pass a road test given by the DMV. If you are under 18 when you pass the road test, you earn a restricted license. Restrictions usually limit the number of passengers and times of day a new driver can operate a vehicle. Once you turn 18, those arbitrary restrictions are dropped, but restrictions for things like glasses remain. This process grants you a license for a car or pickup truck only; motorcycles, heavy vehicles, and the like require you go through a similar process specific to that vehicle. States where the driving age is very young (16 being the norm) are generally low population, high farming states. In these states, children learn to operate farm vehicles as soon as they are big enough and are presumed to be competent in handling large machines sooner. Any local jurisdiction may restrict the driving age if they believe it necessary. A large city might do this to limit the number of local drivers and new drivers adding to traffic, or because teenage residents may have little or no exposure to road rules prior to graduating high school. This is a very basic overview and obviously will vary from state to state.

[@Markle2k]

There is often another restriction where if you are involved in a offense, on or off the road, that involves alcohol or drugs you can/will lose your license until you turn 18 and have restrictions held on you until you reach 21. Some places also have curfews on teenage drivers that limit the destinations they can have after twilight or a certain hour. Only to/from school or athletic or artistic events, like music lessons and recitals, for a few examples.

[@davidbeatty3540]

@Add E : very good summary of it all...

[@amymason6234]

A lot has changed over the years, to make drivers safer. We had a learners permit and if we passed the tests a driver’s license. The license I got at 16 was no different than the one I have now as far as what that license will allow me to do. Now my license when I was aged 16-21 had a different color background on the picture to indicate I was under 21, and on my 21st birthday I got a new license with the 21 and over background.

[@jonathanbair523]

Also some places have teens driving snowmobiles and atv's few years before driving a car... When I was a kid growing up in Minn, I know I had a snowmobile that I could drive in 8th grade..

[@bobhaehn5470]

I lived in Ft Worth, TX for about 6 years. I lived in a suburb on the NE side of the city and worked on the SW side on the city. It was 26 miles each way 😁

[@pauliethetree8129]

I once encountered a marvel of American traffic engineering, a 4 way yield, yes an intersection with a yield sign in each direction. Talk about gridlock!

[@3Authoress]

The puns are magnificently pun-ishing.

[@transtubular]

My personal favorite sign is the "Keep right except when passing" sign that nearly everyone ignores completely and just sits in the passing lane doing 5 under the posted speed limit because they're not in a hurry to get anywhere. I love that there are many people that have already mentioned the difference between standard speed limit signs and the advisory speed sign that you showed in the video.

[@skyhawk_4526]

In California we have those signs on long uphill stretches, but more commonly we have "Slower Traffic Keep Right." People ignore it all the time, but you can technically get a ticket for it even if you're driving the speed limit (or faster than the speed limit) in "the fast lane" and someone comes up behind you and you don't change lanes to let them pass. Some people just don't seem to understand that though. They'll get pulled over and say, "But I was going the speed limit, how can I get pulled over?" The sign means what the sign says. Nothing less and nothing more. Even if the guy behind you was speeding, you're still required to move over to let them pass. Lol.

[@SuperCatacata]

@@skyhawk_4526 I wish more people got pulled over for staying in the passing lane without passing. It's purely self centered to stay there and go the speed limit. "I'm not in a rush, so why should anyone else be?"

[@Wildwanderer99]

@@skyhawk_4526, that's what I loved about California. I wish more states would ticket a-holes going slow in the left lane.

[@Robob0027]

@@SuperCatacata It is the same here in South Africa. We drive on left but the "little old lady from Pasadena" will sit in the overtaking lane doing 30kph because she will be turning right in 3 miles time.

[@lunaburnt-toast718]

Everyone else has mentioned all the South Dakota stuff regarding driving at 14, so I'll share that we have cattle guards on a lot of roads into state and National Forest land so that cattle can open range. We do indeed get stopped by herds of cattle while driving our jeep in the Black Hills. Will say, I really wish we had more roundabouts everywhere in the US.

[@EpicICP]

"Unless you're in Whales where they're written in... consonants." 😂

[@thomaslemay8817]

Note, when I tock drivers training in school I was 16 and had been driving on the ranch for 10 years when I first steaired a truck I was standing on the seat while my father fed cattle off the back of the truck. Manual transmission in low gear. As I got bigger I learned to operate the rest of the controls.

[@Blackthorne369]

Now, now, you know what happens when you assume.

[@martincarroll7470]

As an American retired truck driver, when I was in England the first time, It was the road signs that were hard to figure out. Got many international finger signal. Not telling me I was number one for sure.

[@ShaneWalta]

As long as you didn't drive like a certain diplomat's wife, I'm sure everything was fine in the end.

[@computethis7128]

Don't worry. People give everyone the finger here in the uk. Even if you drive perfect, some nut job will still give you the finger for not going as fast as they want or getting out of their way, or just because they feel like it.

[@Ynysmydwr]

@@computethis7128 -- Strange, I've been driving (mostly in the UK) for over 50 years and never once been "given the finger". I do hope this doesn't mean I need an eye test 🙂.

[@CortexNewsService]

@@computethis7128 To be fair, that's true in the US as well, especially cities with congested traffic.

[@tommywulfric9768]

In England, it is TWO fingers!

[@FROMKYLE2U]

I live in Las Vegas and I call every parking lot a car park…. I do like saying that…. Always a brilliant job… thank you !!!

[@zinaidanitikin4886]

the thing that will stump everyone... the magic roundabouts. absolutely confusing, yet somehow as if by "magic", its not a field of fire and twisted scrap metal. truly bewildering

[@PrayingToTheAlien]

When my mom moved to the US, she asked my dad if they could take a trip to Hollywood (from Florida) thinking it would only be a two hour jaunt. Scale is a huge thing for Brits to understand. The US is IMMENSE. Much why things are smaller in Britain. It’s just smaller overall.

[@agoogleuser4443]

Well, there IS a Hollywood in FL also, lol. He should have taken her there.

[@jeep146]

I like to watch Joel &Lia channel, they planned on visiting Texas and everyone warned them to rent a car. They didn't listen. When they got back they said now they understood why Americans need cars.

[@FloridaLifeWellLived]

LOL, yeah that's like a 7 day trip. Could get an motorhome, which probably more an American thing. 😉

[@xCPTxNEMO]

The thing with road signs and the differences between the two nation, it’s also worth noting that the UK uses pictograms to convey information rather than just spelling it out.

[@Robob0027]

That is because of our close proximity to Europe. If we were to use written text we would have to write in a least 4 languages. English, French, Dutch and German just so our closest neighbour could understand. Also in Welsh when in Wales although this is just a sop to the Welsh as I have yet to me a Welsh person who does not also speak English. Most do not even speak Welsh.

[@jadecoloredglasses5822]

The reason there are more cars than people in Wyoming is twofold. Firstly, it is an absolutely enormous state that is very sparsely populated. I have family there and one of their favorite places to go for breakfast is an hour and forty-five minutes drive from their house. The closest town is a solid twenty minute drive and there is absolutely no public transportation. It is impossible to live there without a vehicle. The second reason there are more cars than people is that many people have a summer car and a winter truck, or they own multiple vehicles for farm/ranch work.

[@deadlysquirrel5560]

R/H side of the road started with the Conestoga wagons. If the left handed mule, horse or ox needed guiding, the driver could stand to the left of the animal, and use his right hand to guide it, while walking in the middle of the road, rather than falling in a ditch. I drove from Anderson to Indpls International Airport everyday for months. 50 miles one way.

[@mustang6172]

Burma drives on the right and has the steering wheel on the right. It can be very difficult to ride a bus. Also, the yellow speed limits are just suggested speeds around corners.

[@operator0]

You should look into why they drive on the left. It's a pretty funny story.

[@LJBSullivan]

Yikes!

[@brettsinclair8954]

Yes, it must be dangerous to drive in Burma. Apparently back in 1970 one of the ruling generals decided to switch to driving on the right (it was featured in one of the BBC " Top gear " extended special episodes).

[@SGlitz]

Striking different: city street signs. In London particularly. On the side of fences and buildings instead of roadside or on traffic poles

[@puppychick08]

In Mississippi, where I grew up, you can get your driver's permit at 15. After 6 months of having your permit you can get your license.

[@mr88cet]

10:56 - One of these signs is just a little more complex than the other!

[@iofbeholder]

There is nothing like getting out of my Chevy truck and getting into my Triumph Spitfire. Like going from stilts to scooting on asphalt. Love them both. I have the best of both worlds. Although, one of my most awkward moments was showing up to an American Revolution Reenactment in my Spitfire, with The Union Jack plate on the front, completely forgetting what I was driving. Oops.

[@tomwebb3081]

I (a Brit) went to Fort McHenry. While wearing a red coat. Not my finest moment...

[@andycleary6209]

You get a thumbs up just for owning a Triumph Spitfire.

[@swabby429]

I have friends in Hayes, near Heathrow. In their neighborhood, one person owns a Pontiac Firebird. It looks massive compared to everyone else's cars.Also, I couldn't get used to people parking their cars half on the street and half on the terrace in residential neighborhoods. I tried driving in London a few times, and I was terrified of making a mistake. It was tricky trying to shift gears with my left hand. After nearly crashing in a multi-lane roundabout, I gave up. Now, whenever I visit the UK, I beg my friend to drive and/or we simply take transit. I still get nightmares thinking about that roundabout.

[@covishen]

Growing up in Wyoming you also see a fairly common site of ranch trucks parked together during school days. That's the students driving to the school bus stop, and a fair number of the drivers don't have a license.

[@robertgotschall1246]

Got in a cab in St Croix once. Freaked a little when he immediately drove off in the left lane. Steering wheel was on the left side side of the car.

[@Tapajara]

I've driven a car on the left side of the road in Namibia, South Africa, Malaysia, and Australia (on three different trips) but never in the UK itself.

[@tavish6838]

For a little over a year my daily commute was 110 miles round trip while trying to save money to move. Wasn't my best idea.

[@nataliejones6626]

Learners permits allow you to drive with a licensed driver so you can practice; restricted licenses allow you to drive by yourself but with a curfew, only so far from home ( not out of state and in Some instances only to school or work) and if you get any ticket for a violation, you get the license taken away. This usually lasts for the first year of your license unless you are over 18 years old

[@TheNgandrew]

You can't get a Provisional Driving Licence in Britain until you're 17. I don't know where that 15 years and 9 months came from. Great video BTW.

[@SW-zu7ve]

Lived in the U.S. for 45 years now. Never once have I ever seen anyone confuse a "bumper" the thing that is bolted onto a vehicles front and back and attached to the frame that takes the brunt of most accidents. For a "fender" the things that cover the wheel wells and constitute the front sides and rear sides of the vehicles. Can also be called "quarter panels". Just saying. Fun video though.

[@nicholasjh1]

it comes from fender bender. for bumper. no one calls them bumper benders

[@SW-zu7ve]

@@nicholasjh1 What are you talking about? He claims some people in the U.S. call bumpers fenders. I say they don't. Nothing comes from fender bender. In accidents fenders bend and in some weird coincidence they call accidents fender benders. Go figure. So no. In the U.S. no one thinks of bending bumpers and saying fender bender either. Sorry......

[@nicholasjh1]

@@SW-zu7ve lol. ok i guess you speak for all the us then I'm just relating what I know from being in the US. plenty of people mistake bumpers for fenders because of fender bender. point of fact i used to and I'm sure plenty of other do too.

[@SW-zu7ve]

@@nicholasjh1 Yeah I'm sure that true. You thought bumpers were fenders. Uh huh. Good for you.

[@kathyreynolds7100]

S W Um... sorry but you are wrong and the person who corrected you is right. Apparently you have not lived in every area of the US because if you had you would not have made such a statement. The term bumper and fender are most certainly used interchangeably in some areas of the US! How do I know? Because I hear it all the time where I live which is in the Upper Midwest. Please do not be foolish enough to tell me I am wrong when I have heard people do so for nearly 60 years!

[@blindleader42]

Still haven't found your Star Fleet insignia, eh?

[@LJBSullivan]

Lol

[@rowynnecrowley1689]

It got lost in the pond.

[@danak8185]

I think that when I see him in this yellow shirt too. Thank goodness it’s not red! 😉

[@blindleader42]

@@danak8185 Yeah, the role of Ensign Expendable is not very... juicy(?)

[@robinchesterfield42]

@@blindleader42 Unfortunately, sometimes it IS "juicy". ...just, not the way anyone wants...

[@badgerfool1980]

Roundabouts and Traffic Circles are different, and the latter are largely to blame for the fact that the former weren't adopted until relatively recently in the US. Someone did an interesting video on it not sure who but probably Tom Scott.

[@jstringfellow1961]

Here in the South, when we pass by another person on a smaller or narrow road we tend to wave at the others and if they don't wave back we say their from up North.