Driving?

Hello all!

Advice needed, please! I realize I may be posting this and that it is repetitive (there are after all, 135 pages to this thread), but can those "experts" out there give me a little advice about driving?

Here's the scenario...I'll be moving to Edinburgh in August with 3 cats.  Although I know that public transportation is very good, I was wondering if I could get personal opinions of having a car versus not having one? I'll need to travel extensively around the country to do my research for my PhD, and I'll need to be able to transport my three cats to the vet when necessary, so can I do these things sensibly (and alone) without a car?  The thought of giving up the freedom that my current car here in the US provides, is a bit daunting.  

Also, can someone give me round generalities on costs such as car, petrol, insurance, etc?  Also, I'm hopelessly "American" and only know how to drive a standard.  A handicap, I know.  

Can I also get the low-down on how best to get a license and even what the governmental entity is called that you get it through (aka an DMV equivalent?)?

Many thanks!

Hi Bagpipes,

I definitely wouldn't suggest getting a car if you're in Edinburgh. I'm in the city centre (University/Meadows area) and have a car, but it's very expensive and really unnecessary. My husband works offshore out of Aberdeen, so we have no choice but having a car so he can make his early morning check-ins. If you're travelling around the country, take coaches or trains, and inside the city with your cats, use taxis. Hiring a car for around £80 or so a day is an option, too. You can get automatics from all the hire companies. I've used Enterprise in the past. The bus system here is amazing and very easy to use. I walk everywhere, as it's a great city for walking, but use the bus if I have heavy groceries. It's really nice to have a car to go down to Slateford to the large stores like Ikea sometimes, though. You could look into the City Car Club (citycarclub.co.uk) if you just want to use a car occasionally.

Our car is a 2009 Ford Focus, which costs us £190/mo in payments, £200/yr in road tax, £160/yr for a parking permit (varies by area/CO2 emissions), £70 per tank for petrol (a whopping $10 per gallon in the UK) and £530/yr for comprehensive insurance (husband has 6 years no claim, and our insurer, Sainsbury's, took into consideration that we weren't brand new drivers and drove 10+ years in the US, but no other company does that, so yours will be significantly more). You can find an automatic here quite easily, but it's hard to find a cheap automatic.

If you were to get a license, you'd also need driving lessons. You can drive for a year on your US license, but need a UK license after that. I had been a passenger with my husband driving for over 2 years, so I was very familiar with the rules of the road when I began my lessons. They're £25 per hour and I probably spent £200-£250 over the course of 6 weeks or so in preparation for my test. It's impossible to pass without lessons, as they're incredibly strict here and failing driving tests is common. You'll need at least a few practice tests with an instructor, even if you have plenty of driving practice beforehand. Even if you're just going to be hiring a car, getting a few lessons could be helpful, as driving here can be confusing and a bit scary at first, especially if you're accustomed to the US where traffic rules are clear and streets are wide! (I used femaledrivinginstructors.org who were fantastic).

I would think if you're living in the city you won't need a car, although you'll probably find you'd enjoy having one occasionally, as I know I do. It really depends on the area you're in. Driving around for 20+ minutes trying to find a place to park makes me hate my car, but being able to drive wherever I'd like and buy more groceries than I can carry is wonderful. Definitely look into the City Car Club, because that may be your best option if you want to drive occasionally.

Best of luck to you!

I would like to add my 2¢ if I may.

I am currently an international student, from the states, in Hull.  I knew I wanted a car.  I don't like being a pedestrian.

So we found a car for £450 and I found insurance for £1889, or something like that.  I got it using my US license with 14 years of driving experience.  I just recently took then passed my UK driving test and, when I got home, flushed with success I called my insurance company to tell them.  And they told me that I needed to pay an additional £500 because I was now a new UK driver and therefore had no experience driving in the UK...

When I paid for my insurance, I paid it all up front so they told me I had to pay that £500 up front as well... I don't have it.  Being a student and all... so I had to cancel that insurance and now I have to get a new insurance policy.  And I am really worried that my car might be uninsured for a few days while this happens... which is illegal in the UK as police cars have scanners that can tell them if your car is insured or not. 

I would like to add my 2¢ if I may.

I am currently an international student, from the states, in Hull.  I knew I wanted a car.  I don't like being a pedestrian.

So we found a car for £450 and I found insurance for £1889, or something like that.  I got it using my US license with 14 years of driving experience.  I just recently took then passed my UK driving test and, when I got home, flushed with success I called my insurance company to tell them.  And they told me that I needed to pay an additional £500 because I was now a new UK driver and therefore had no experience driving in the UK...

When I paid for my insurance, I paid it all up front so they told me I had to pay that £500 up front as well... I don't have it.  Being a student and all... so I had to cancel that insurance and now I have to get a new insurance policy.  And I am really worried that my car might be uninsured for a few days while this happens... which is illegal in the UK as police cars have scanners that can tell them if your car is insured or not. 

This is true in my part of the US. The police dispatcher can look on the computer and tell if there is current insurance.

It depends where abouts in Edinburgh youre staying, parking can be a nightmare closer to the city centre, but I've lived in the Corstorphine area (edinburgh west) just off busy St John's Road, for years and owned a car since '89, parking is always available in the back steets and cul-de-sacs. That insurance company chucking another 500 quid on top of your existing was a bloody ripoff.

Try:  http://www.superquote.com/foreign-licence-international-insurance/

It depends how comfortable of a driver you are. There are people that have driven most of their lives in the states, and find it hectic in the UK. I drove humvees through Iraq, and must admit I had my initial nerves with it, but that's mostly because on my 2nd week I got a company car, and was told to take it home without having driven here yet, not knowing my way around, and plus it was my first time trying to drive a stick!

Anyways, if yo're comfortable, and it's affordable, go for it. I drove for a year on my yankee one before getting my UK licence, and was exempt from "R" Plates because I had a prior licence (I don't know how R plates apply outside N. Ireland) However I went straight into driving our HGV Sprinter vans with trailers at work for another year until my boss looked in the paper and saw that if you passed your tested after a certain date (I think it was 99 or something?) you are not allowed to drive a trailer or HGV. Good thing I never got pulled over! Anyway I had to take another test to get my HGV licence, and now have to take the trailer one in the near future. Good thing you can take the trailer one in a car, because it took me 3 goes to pass the lorry one.

They're L plates down here and I don't think that you have to have them if you're driving with your US DL.

If you're in the EU you can just turn in an EU DL for a UK one so I don't think you would need any L plates then either.

They're L plates down here and I don't think that you have to have them if you're driving with your US DL.

If you're in the EU you can just turn in an EU DL for a UK one so I don't think you would need any L plates then either.

Actually, it isn't quite so simple. If you passed your test in a country that does not have a swap agreement with the UK (such as the US), it doesn't matter what licence you hold - they won't exchange it. I currently hold a full Swiss (designated country) licence - converted in 2003 from my full American licence - but the DVLA wouldn't convert it.  So I took the test and now also hold a full UK licence.

As for L plates, you only need those if you are driving on a provisional licence. If you're driving on a full licence in your first year before taking the test (or otherwise legally driving on a non-British full licence), no L plates are required.

Actually, it isn't quite so simple. If you passed your test in a country that does not have a swap agreement with the UK (such as the US), it doesn't matter what licence you hold - they won't exchange it. I currently hold a full Swiss (designated country) licence - converted in 2003 from my full American licence - but the DVLA wouldn't convert it.  So I took the test and now also hold a full UK licence.

As for L plates, you only need those if you are driving on a provisional licence. If you're driving on a full licence in your first year before taking the test (or otherwise legally driving on a non-British full licence), no L plates are required.

Thats answered a question I hadn't thought of
I was thinking of going to Alberta and swapping my license for a Canadian license and then swapping that when I went to the UK.
I think I would be OK if I took the test in Canada and then exchange that license in the UK

I'm about to move to Canada and according to what I've read, you can swap out your American license for a Canadian one if you're a Canadian resident, but you have to have permission to reside in Canadian to obtain a license there. You can't just go on a visit and pick up a license whilst you're there.

You also can't swap out your Canadian license for a full UK license - you'll have a restricted license and can only drive automatics (this is what I have, so it's fine as long as you drive autos only).

From DirectGov:
When exchanging your Canadian driving licence you will only be able to drive automatic vehicles. To be able to drive manual vehicles, you will need to provide acceptable proof from the issuing authority or an approved driving school showing that a manual car test was passed.

I wouldn't suggest driving without having knowledge of the rules of the road and taking a few lessons. There are so many differences between US and UK driving.

Actually, it isn't quite so simple. If you passed your test in a country that does not have a swap agreement with the UK (such as the US), it doesn't matter what licence you hold - they won't exchange it. I currently hold a full Swiss (designated country) licence - converted in 2003 from my full American licence - but the DVLA wouldn't convert it.  So I took the test and now also hold a full UK licence.

As for L plates, you only need those if you are driving on a provisional licence. If you're driving on a full licence in your first year before taking the test (or otherwise legally driving on a non-British full licence), no L plates are required.

You're right, I should have made that clearer... if your original DL was from a country in the EU then you could. 

I was unable to swap mine, and I was really hoping I could, and I was driving in my US DL until I got my full UK DL.  So now I am driving on that.