LEL - What side of the road?

[French Boy]

What side of the road do you drive on there? Is that normal?

Is it considered customary to change sides in Scotland?

French Boy

[Adrian]

Is it considered customary to change sides in Scotland?

If you arrive on a ferry from somewhere that drives on the other side then yes.

[TimO]

Is this a troll, or joke?

Vehicles travel on the left hand side of the road throughout the British Isles, including all countries of the United Kingdom, Éire, and the Channel Islands.

[rogerzilla]

And Malta, because they seem to get all our old cars!

[TimO]

Actually, around a third of the world uses the left hand side, although the exact percentage depends on what you count eg countries, miles of road etc.  I didn't think you would want me to list them all from memory!

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Are all the countries that drive on the left Commonwealth or ex-Empire countries?

[Gus]

Are all the countries that drive on the left Commonwealth or ex-Empire countries?

Nepal and Japan aren't commonwealth are they   

[Polar Bear]

Japan:   Probably why it was so easy for them to penetrate the UK market in the seventies.

Sweden:   Swapped on 3rd September, 1967.  

[Polar Bear]

More info here.  Can't vouch for the accuracy of course...

[cyrene]

More info here.  Can't vouch for the accuracy of course...

At some point riding the LEL we will meet. So must we all use a scabbard or are also other weapons permitted.

Alternatives would be separate North-bound and South-bound routes or riding on right hand side. 

[TimO]

Interestingly, all of these articles that I've read say that only four European countries drive on the left, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus and Malta.  I presume they mean the European Community, since geographically Jersey and Guernsey are certainly in Europe, and they both drive on the left.

[Gus]

 
I think everyone outside UK thinks that Jersey and Guernsey are parts off England.

[border-rider]

I think many people in the UK are equally confused about Jersey & Guernsey.

[frankly frankie]

Bergerac used to drive down the middle.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

At some point riding the LEL we will meet. So must we all use a scabbard or are also other weapons permitted.

Once you get to Scotland you have to use a claymore.

[LEL]

A certain Mayor Of This Parish has kindly offered his services to do short cycle rides to explain to foreigners how to ride on the  correct side of the road (ie the LEFT)     

 If you would like to volunteer to help him take out the  non GB riders, I am sure he would welcome this.  One of the big H & S LEL risk assessments is using the wrong side of the road.  The plan is basically to take them out for a short spin during registartion on Saturday.


Sadly there are no cattle grids round Cheshunt so we are unable to give then th full experience of  GB roads.

[Really Ancien]

The main problem for foreigners is usually what to do on a single track road. They occasionally try to pass oncoming traffic on the right when a passing place is on the right, risking a collision, I don't think there is any formal single track on the route. The B709 gets close.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/4756196/Great-drives-Magical-motoring-country.html

Damon.

[Jaded]

Well, using a RHS passing place on a single track road is a technique I use quite often if I arrive at the passing place before the vehicle approaching. It means that the pass is completed faster since the other vehicle doesn't have to slow down and deviate. It also means less risk of me being sideswiped if the other vehicle doesn't deviate enough.

[TimO]

Sadly there are no cattle grids round Cheshunt so we are unable to give then th full experience of  GB roads.

Presumably you do have plenty of potholes though?

[LEL]

Sadly there are no cattle grids round Cheshunt so we are unable to give then th full experience of  GB roads.

Presumably you do have plenty of potholes though?

The main problem is trying to find roads without potholes.

And there are not many sheep around Cheshunt either.

[mikewigley]

...and there's lots and lots of loose gravel at Lee Valley Youth Hostel.  It would be a pity to go down right at the finish (or the start!)

Also, will the non-Brit riders feel inclined to use the occasional cycle paths along the route?  Most UK Audaxers will leave these well alone in a strange town.  I made the mistake of using the shared pavement/cycle path in Sleaford (much against my usual practice) and sure enough, I had to negotiate a couple of non-drop curbs, broken glass, loss of right-of-way at junctions etc and soon returned to the road.

[Hummers]

Hold on.

Are you telling me that there are roads on this ride that are something short of buttery smooth?

This just gets worse and worser.

What will be the next revelation, that its not all downhill from Dalkieth?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

H

[jellied]

And Malta, because they seem to get all our old cars!

Having worked with some one from Malta [are they really called Malteasers]? She said they drive on the side of the road with the most shade.

[LEL]

And Malta, because they seem to get all our old cars!

Having worked with some one from Malta [are they really called Malteasers]? She said they drive on the side of the road with the most shade.

I suspect we will be providing this in the form of cloud cover. - after all, we would'nt want the riders to get sunburn would we?

[GrandMaster Flash]

Japan:   Probably why it was so easy for them to penetrate the UK market in the seventies.

Rumoured to be because the Americans drove on the right.  Similar rumour that Napoleon said drive on the right as those pesky English drive (well cart) on the left (Urban myths no doubt)