The first journey in left-hand traffic
Before you leave the ferry, in addition to the later support from the sat nav, take another close look at your route so that you can concentrate fully on driving on the left during the journey. Remember to switch your headlights, as the headlights of German cars are set to illuminate the right-hand side of the road well. However, this will dazzle oncoming vehicles when driving on the left. After driving off the ferry, it is best to simply follow the example of the car in front of you. This will help you to overcome any initial uncertainties and gradually get into the flow of driving on the left.
Left-hand traffic - what exactly does that mean?
It means that you must drive on the left-hand side of the road and always overtake on or from the right-hand side. On multi-lane roads and on the motorway, you therefore drive as far to the left as possible: So if in Germany the slower driver drives in the right-hand lane and is overtaken from the left, in the UK it is the other way round. As parking there is on the left in the direction of travel, you have to consciously look to the right when getting out of the car, because that's where the traffic is flowing. Keep a close eye on pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists and remember that they are often in your blind spot if you are travelling in a German car with the steering wheel on the left.
A tip: Attach a small red arrow pointing down to the left in front of you at the bottom of the windscreen, at least while you are getting used to it. This will remind you where the right lane is. You can buy such arrows as stickers in the UK or make them yourself at home.
Turning and orientation in left-hand traffic
Caution is required when turning. Instead of the left-turning lane common in Germany, the UK has a right-turning lane. When turning, it is particularly important to drive attentively to avoid accidentally turning onto the wrong side of the road out of habit. After brief stops at a rest area or petrol station, make sure to consciously resume driving on the left-hand side of the road. German drivers also tend to position themselves too far to the left due to the habit of visually aligning with the centrally placed median strip on the left. We are accustomed to having the car end on our left and leaving space on the right-hand side. It’s best to translate this habit of orienting to the centre strip directly to left-hand traffic and keep to the central line located to your right. Otherwise, you might find a few wing mirrors of vehicles parked on the left-hand side could become unintended casualties.
Take note of forward travel
Here's one big difference to the German Highway Code: The right-to-left rule doesn't exist in the UK. In most cases, the right of way is granted by road signs - so-called "give away" road signs. If there is no sign, the famous defensive driving practice of the British is used and the situation is clarified by hand signs.
Driving left in the roundabout
In Germany you drive counterclockwise to the right at the roundabout - in the UK it's the other way around: the traffic flow goes clockwise to the left. In roundabouts without a traffic light system, the traffic coming from the right has priority. One advantage of this is that in a German vehicle with the driver on the left, you can better see traffic coming from the right. In the case of several lanes, the left lanes are intended for left-hand turns of the first exit. The middle lane is intended for those who want to exit at the middle exit. On the right-hand lane, those who drive the longest in the roundabout and want to take a late exit can be seen. It's best to steer straight into the right lane and stay there. Leaving the roundabout is also indicated by flashing lights in the UK.
A final tip for you: even after a few hours of driving practice in left-hand traffic, keep in mind that you are in left-hand traffic so that your attention doesn't slack. Full information on safe driving in the UK can be found on the tourist board's website.
