United Kingdom Travel Forum

Hi! will be arriving Heathrow on April 9 and will be in the UK for a month. leaving on 9 of May.not very IT savvy. wondering if it is cheaper to book a car for 4 people from Heathrow or to book thru the internet(something not very confident of doing espec if it involves credit card details etc). Please help and if it is cheaper thru the net, then which company would offer the best deal. Heard that Woods is a good one?!The other thing is I know a stupid question to ask because nobody can play God in this . just need some advice cos have never driven in the uk before and am a little worried about the floods which happened in early march. thinking of driving to cornwall and devon area, cotswolds and maybe wales. would it be safe driving there and what are some things to look out for. which channel for weather news etc. and driving tips regarding gales etc. come from a relatively "safe" country where we do not have hailstones, gales etc. would apreciate help form anyone out there. thanks heaps!!

We used Europecar http://www.europcar.com and got a great deal on the net.
We were a bit nervous about driving in UK and Ireland but had no troubles at all.
There are probably plenty of other rentals which other VTers can recommend too.

If there are bad floods or storms there will be plenty of warnings about where you can or can't drive - don't worry you will be fine.

Whichever rental you use you will find they can be very helpful with local info.
Cheers

My two cents worth is to remember that car rentals are for manual gear-shift cars. If you are not familiar with a manual gear-shift and want an automatic, then you will have to specify that on your internet search and request one. Not all companies can supply an automatic gear shift and it is usually slightly more expensive. Yes, internet will give you better deals. it will also enable you to compare rates. Have you investigated whether your home country driving licence is valid in the UK or if you need an international driving licence?

You should always book ahead online to be sure of getting the car you want, even more so if you want an automatic. There is really no need to be concerned about security in this process if you use a reputable company (watch for the little padlock sign on the screen whilst you are booking). Car hire is tightly regulated in the UK, so just choose the company which offers the best rate for what you want.

Petrol is over 1GBP per litre, so get the most economical vehicle you can. Parking is also not cheap, especially in towns and cities. Some of the latter have park & ride facilities, where regular buses service an out-of-town car park; I recommend you use these when you can; they are always well-signed.

As soon as you can, get a cheap large-scale roadmap bookk from a garage (around 5-6GBP, or cheaper). These are invaluable for navigation, route-planning and finding work-arounds when roads are congested.

Use http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.jsp?database=B to give you a good idea of routes (printable) and journey times before you leave.

UK roads are busy and frequently congested (even motorways), especially around London and other cities. Avoid driving anywhere near central London if you can. Rural roads can be narrow and twisting, with little opportunity to overtake slow-moving vehicles. For all journeys allow (much) more time than the map would suggest (the link I gave is fairly accurate time-wise, and will also tell you where additional congestion can occur).

As for weather, don't worry at all about driving in it. There were floods, yes, but they are not the 'flash' type so you will know if they are likely occur. Most car radios will have a traffic service, when local traffic news reports will cut in to your listening when they occur. Otherwise just listen to BBC1, 2 or 4, or twiddle the knobs until you find the local radio station for the area!

To get a rough idea of the weather just before you come look at

http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/HOME/index_ht.asp

It will give you a fairly accurate forecast (the UK is pretty unpredictable!) for 14 days or so in advance. Seacrh for the main towns near where you want to visit.

I'm sure you'll have a good trip: it's 'just-Spring' and the UK will be 'mud-luscious', to quote e.e.cummings! A lovely time of year to explore the countryside, but remember to pack clothes you can layer and waterproofs!

The reason you have heard about some of the bad weather we have had in the UK is that it is exceptional! We are noticing some changes in our established pattern of a moderate climate - some very hot summers, less bitter cold in winter, freak spells of very warm weather in spring. Like most places we are affected by global changes in the climate.

Bring some warm clothes - jumpers and jackets that you can wear on top - for chillier days and evenings. British Summer Time starts this weekend so by the time you visit the days will be longer - light until about 8pm.

I hope you can make it to Wales - it is a beautiful country with lovely scenery.
Have a good trip.

Book before you go. It's cheaper and you can choose your car. You are used to driving on the "wrong" side of the road so that shouldn't be a problem for you as it was for us. We used http://www.1car1.com/us/ and had no problems at all.

http://www.autoeurope.com/ is also excellent and all the major car rental companies are available although may cost a bit more.

Ask locally about weather. It's a great way to meet people. Oh yes, take an umbrella; you'll undoubtedly use it. We've been leasing and renting cars on the Internet for years and not had any problems . . . probably safer than handing your credit card to a perfect stranger in a store.

Enjoy your trip. Sounds wonderful. 8^)

THANKS ALL FOR THE INVALUABLE TIPS. WILL BEAR THEM IN MIND. WILL TRY TO BOOK CAR TOMORROW. LOOKIG FORWARD TO TRIP AND ENJOYING COUNTRYSIDE.PRAYING WEATHER WILL BE FAVOURABLE TO ALL. GOD BLESS U WHEREVER U R!

pepemorris - It is the first Official day of Summer Time here in UK - the clocks went forward last night and here in Wales we have had a beautiful day. The weather is nearly always good in the UK when we go to Spain & France and we leave in a few days!

Have a safe and Happy Trip.

ranger49, Next time we go to the UK, I'll contact you and see when you will be out of the country. I've always wanted a way to ensure good weather. LOL

hahaha! thanks ranger49. u have a good time in spain and france while we enjoy the UK. have a happy and safe trip too!and like Beausoleil , i will check to see if u will be away for my next UK trip!!!! these are really GOOD TIPS!!!