Road traffic in Great Britain. History of road rules in Great Britain. Features of traffic in the UK

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Features of traffic in the UK

If you have decided to go on a trip using your own vehicle, then you will simply need to study all the features that are typical for the roads of a given country. First of all, the main difference traffic in England is that traffic there is on the left. It should also be noted that all available road markings, which are typical for England, are very informative. Thanks to this, it will be a little easier for a person to navigate when performing road maneuvers.

It is especially important to remember that overtaking any vehicle in England is carried out on the right side of the vehicle you want to overtake. As for areas such as intersections, and especially roundabouts, the greatest advantage is given to cars that move relative to you on the right side. also in mandatory Remember that populated areas in England have their own speed limits, which are no more than 60 miles per hour, and on motorways and other dual carriageways, the speed is limited to 70 miles per hour.

Main fuels

Regarding the issue of fuel for your vehicle, in the UK there are 4 types of pumps at gas stations. This is where you need to be very careful, as they differ in color. The column with unleaded gasoline is marked in green; it has an octane number of 95. The red color of the column indicates that it contains gasoline with an octane number of 98. The black column is diesel fuel, and the blue column is Eurodiesel. In most cases, other gas stations also use this method of labeling pumps.

As for the financial side of fuel, the approximate cost of one liter of fuel will be about a pound. If we take into account the distance between refueling points for vehicles, it ranges from 25 to 50 miles.

Availability of parking spaces

The issue of parking and parking spaces in a given country is also important. First of all, it is necessary to remember that if there is a special black mark in the form of a line along the entire length of the roadway, then both parking and parking in this area at any time is strictly prohibited. If a yellow line is posted, parking in that location may only be permitted in accordance with special notices, in most cases outside of business hours.

If parking has a certain number of rules that must be followed, for example, the correct positioning of your vehicle, then you can find out about this from the installed road signs. As for paying for a parking space, it is carried out using specially installed machines that issue a ticket to the driver. It shows both the cost and the time during which you have the right to park. In most cases, these machines make payments using coins of 20, 50 pence, and in some cases 1-2 sterling.

It should be noted that not all parking lots available in England are secure. You can also find free parking spaces, which in most cases are located near large stores, or further away from the center. But you can leave your car in such parking lots for no more than one or two hours. But there is also here special signs, for example, a sign that says that only those people who live near the location of this parking and who have special permission to do so have the right to park in this parking lot.

The need to pay road tax

Another feature that exists in England that will need to be taken into account is the payment of road tax. The cost is determined depending on the harmful impact your transport has on the natural environment. Owners of cars that emit a lot into the atmosphere harmful gases, will be required to pay tax, which is 300 pounds. But besides this, England also has benefits that also apply to road tax. If, for example, the engine capacity of your car is 1.1 liters, then the driver will be able to receive a special discount of £55.

Another distinctive feature of London is that you have to pay to enter the city center. It costs £8 per day. You can make payment in all retail outlets, which have a special pay point mark.

Possibility of using a national Russian driver's license

Another issue that interests many is the recognition of driving licenses from other countries. In the UK it is possible to use a Russian military license. But, as has been proven more than once in practice, the most practical decision would be to obtain a document that is of an international type, since it will be much more convenient to obtain information for foreign law enforcement agencies.

Car rent

As for renting a vehicle, you can easily go online, or at the airport or railway station, upon arrival in the country, and use this service. In most cases, the rental cost will directly depend on what class of car you choose and its configuration with the rental period for which you decide to rent a car. But keep in mind that the minimum amount you will need to pay for car rental will be from 20 to 22 pounds per day. This is provided that you take a mini-class car to use it for one week. As for renting a middle-class car, the cost of rent in this case will cost you about 2 times more.

Procedure for purchasing a compulsory insurance policy

Particular attention will need to be paid to the issue of insurance for your car. This process in a country like the UK is regulated through the Road Traffic Act. This law has a number of rules under which a person can either insure their car or pay up to £500,000. In this case, the object of insurance will be the citizen’s liability for possible damage caused by him and his vehicle to other people in the event that this person commits an accident.

By far the most popular is third party insurance. If you decide to insure your car, you can do this using the Internet. Thanks to this method, you have the opportunity to significantly save on the insurance procedure.

Remember that the cost of insurance in most cases depends not only on the type of vehicle you have, but also on many other factors. For example, from the driver’s experience, especially if during the period when the person was driving he did not have a single accident. Also note: the cost of insurance will vary directly from the number of people who have the opportunity to use the vehicle. Remember, in the UK it is considered a gross offense for someone else to drive your vehicle.

Road accidents: what to do in the event of an emergency in the UK

If you have committed an accident, then you must provide the other participant in the accident, that is, the injured party, with your contact information, data for your car, and installation data for your car. If you are the victim in an accident, then you must obtain the son-in-law of the culprit of the incident and his above-mentioned information. But sometimes not many people at fault for an accident want to provide their insurance information, and in this case you will need to call the police, who will have to record the fact of the violation.

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This guide has been created to help all visitors to the UK to clarify basic driving issues.

Steps

    Remember the obvious. You should drive on the left side roads. If you try to drive on the right, you will most likely get into an accident. Pay attention to the direction you are moving, especially if you are tired or drunk. (Historically, all Europeans used left-hand drive until Napoleon conquered them and introduced right-hand drive). Always remember this, as such a mistake is easy to make, even if you have been practicing for a week.

    Learn the language. Bonnet, boot, windscreen, tire, bumper, gearstick, mobile, car hire, roundabout, motorway (motorway), A-road, B-road, RTA... Make sure you know correct values these words if you come from North America.

    Please note that your driver's seat will be on the right, so the gear lever will be on the left. It is highly recommended to rent a car with automatic transmission gear..

    Give way to cars on your right, not on your left.

    If your car is from a right-hand drive country, then make the necessary adjustments to adjust your headlights so as not to blind drivers driving in the oncoming lane. For this there is a special glue and static shields that are applied to the headlights. Some cars have a special light spot control under the bonnet (as the hood is called in the UK).

    Stay sober. Although the legal limit in the UK is 35mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, it is strongly recommended that you NEVER drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs (even if the drugs were legally prescribed to you). From the point of view of the court and the police, if you get into an accident while drunk, you immediately become the main culprit, even if in fact this is not the case. Refusal of the offer to “blow into a tube” at the request of the inspector will immediately be considered as grounds for arrest.

    If you are stopped by the police, you should just sit and wait for further instructions from the inspector before taking any action, don't worry, this is normal for them. If you communicate in a friendly manner, without harsh attacks, then everything will go smoothly. Always provide identification when asked (with a photo if possible), false information or failure to provide information will result in arrest. Unlike the US, in the UK the police do not need special permission, reason, or a warrant to stop and completely search you, your belongings (bags, backpacks, pockets), or your car; do not try to interfere with this, otherwise you will be detained or arrested.

    Please be aware that overtaking on the outside of the road is not illegal, but it is not recommended. This is because in the UK the lane on the left is considered a "Slow Lane" and someone else's parked car could be parked in it, which could cause an accident.

    Remember that the whole of the UK is full of speed cameras/radars with automatic number plate recognition. You can find both fixed cameras and mobile radars mounted on the roofs of police cars.

    . Contact your local car dealer or police station to find out about any legal requirements you may need to meet before getting behind the wheel of a car or truck, as there are slightly different requirements for different vehicles in the UK. Before you start your trip, make sure you have the correct insurance for your vehicle, otherwise your vehicle will be confiscated and you will be arrested. Make sure the car meets UK road legal standards, otherwise your insurance policy may be canceled and the vehicle confiscated. If you drive your friend's car, make sure you have permission to do so and that your insurance policy allows you to drive someone else's car. Vehicle.

    Don't speed. Highway limits are 60 mph (96 km/h) for trucks over 3.5 tons, and 70 mph (112 km/h) for buses, coaches, and cars.

    Remember that the UK is one of the safest countries to drive in Europe.

    Don't carry contraband - Her Majesty's Customs are extremely strict about this, and your lorry full of contraband beer could land you deported, fined or imprisoned. This does not apply to EU citizens, however, who are allowed to carry any amount of beer for personal consumption, although customs will have serious questions if you want to carry more than 110l!

    Keep in mind that petrol costs three times more in the UK than in the US, so renting a car costs much more. Luckily, the UK is a fairly compact country and you won't have to travel for long periods of time.

    Remember that some cities have bus lanes (indicated by road signs, large "BUS LANE" letters on the road, and sometimes red painted asphalt). Only public buses, taxis, motorcycles, cyclists and emergency vehicles (with the appropriate license) can use it. All others will be photographed by an automatic camera and fined £60 (about $100).

  • Be polite: speeding your vehicle too much can result in your driving license being completely disqualified!
  • Jumping is normal in UK cities, so be aware of pedestrians crossing the road. Here you shouldn’t be particularly nice to them or wave your hands at them, as this will lead to a loss of control over oncoming traffic, and drivers driving behind may not expect your sudden stop to let a pedestrian pass.
  • The Highway Code is the British equivalent of the rules of the road.
  • Do not use signals unless necessary; Driving in a measured and careful manner is of paramount importance in the UK, especially in built-up areas.
  • Please note that it will take time for you to become thoroughly accustomed to driving on the left. After all, ¾ of the world's motorists drive on the right, so the UK is in the minority.
  • DO NOT blink your headlights to show someone that you are giving way to them. The UK Highway Code states that flashing headlights can only be used to enable one road user to detect another. Despite this, many drivers believe that flashing their headlights can be used as a polite gesture towards others. Be careful! If you got into an accident in such a situation because you perceived someone’s flashing headlights as giving priority on the road, then the law will not be on your side.
  • If someone does flash their headlights, make sure your decision is safe; Rely only on your own judgment! You may raise your left hand in gratitude/agreement, but do not lose control of your vehicle. Although this is a common practice, it is not included in the rules of the road and can be dangerous. If you don't thank the driver for giving way, you may infuriate other road users.

ROAD RULES IN ENGLAND, FINES

The main feature of English road traffic is that it drives on the left. Needless to say, what inconvenience this results in for the Russian driver! We hasten to reassure you: as practice shows, after a relatively short period of time a person adapts to new conditions and successfully drives a car. In addition, in England, road markings are highly informative, and therefore provide significant assistance to road users.
Before you start driving, be sure to look to the right and look in the right rear-view mirror (in principle, drivers in Russia should do the same, but not on the right, but on the left). Overtaking in England must be done to the right of the vehicle being overtaken.
At roundabouts, vehicles on your right have priority. The complete opposite of Russian traffic rules, in particular the well-known “interference on the right” rule.
Vehicles traveling on main roads always have priority over vehicles on secondary roads. If there is a white road marking across the roadway, this means that it is necessary to give way to vehicles moving along the road being crossed.
As you know, in some countries with right-hand traffic, traffic rules allow you to turn right even at a red traffic light, provided that you give priority to other road users.

Exists erroneous opinion that in England you can turn left at a red light in the same way. Remember: this is not true; such a violation can subject you to a large fine.
In England, vehicle drivers are required to give way to pedestrians at pedestrian crossings (as in Russia, crossings are marked with zebra crossings). Failure to comply with this requirement will result in a fine.

Drivers and passengers of vehicles must wear seat belts. This also applies to passengers in the rear seat (if there are seat belts provided by the design of the vehicle).
IN populated areas In England you can drive up to 30 mph, on other roads up to 60 mph, and on motorways and dual carriageways up to 70 mph. Speed ​​limit changes can occur quite frequently, so always pay attention to the appropriate road signs.
Oddly enough, but There is no special traffic police in England. A regular police squad arrives at the scene of a traffic accident. The police are also responsible for controlling speed limits. The rest of the traffic management issues are handled by the traffic inspectorate belonging to the local municipality.
Their Vehicle parking rules have special features . If there is a double continuous line of road markings along the edge of the roadway, it means that parking in this place is prohibited 24 hours a day. The single yellow line has the same meaning, but parking may be permitted in this location subject to special notices. If when parking it is necessary to observe any special rules (how the vehicle is positioned, etc.), then the corresponding road signs will indicate this. Payment for parking in many places is made using parking meters, which issue the driver a ticket with a stamp on the parking time. Most accept 20p, 50p and £1 coins.
In central London (like many other English cities) vehicle parking is very limited. You may also encounter traffic jams. Therefore, if you don’t really need a car, it’s better to go there by metro.
Even paid parking lots in England are not always secure. Free parking lots are located mostly far from the city center, and you are allowed to leave a car there for no more than two hours. In many places you can see road sign with the inscription Residents parking. It means that parking in a given location is permitted only for citizens permanently residing nearby.

For violation of parking rules, the car can be picked up by a tow truck, a wheel blocker can be placed on the wheels, or even the tire can be punctured (traffic inspectors are vested with such powers). Of course, the driver or owner of the car will have to pay a hefty fine.

In general, road traffic in England is organized at a fairly high level. The road system is well thought out and convenient. Even small roads have high-quality coverage. To prevent traffic jams, there are many road junctions, both regulated and unregulated, including multi-level ones. Places where traffic jams may occur are indicated by appropriate road signs.
In general, there are few road signs. For example, there is no “Main Road” sign, and the “Give Way” sign is very rare , instead, the corresponding road markings (in the form of a triangle) are usually used. On the contrary, there are a large number of traffic lights in populated areas. By the way, often at controlled pedestrian crossings the pedestrian must press the button to change the traffic light signal.
Talk on mobile phone while driving a car is only permitted using the hands-free system. Violators are fined.

We invite you to use our pre-booking services for a car of any class in England. You can see car rental prices in England here

August 24th, 2014 , 04:58 pm

From now on, as time permits, I will conduct an analysis of British road signs, rules, markings and the like, and analyze whether borrowing them would help improve the road situation in Russia.

Let me start with an extraordinary statement: Russia has idiotic suboptimal traffic rules and road layouts, and here’s why:

I also want to talk about such a wonderful invention as Box Junctions.

One of the primary causes of congestion is entering an intersection when the exit from the intersection is blocked.

Somewhere in Russia:

At the same time, alas, it is not always possible to understand in advance whether you will be able to completely drive through the intersection without creating obstacles to perpendicular traffic. For example, when large area this intersection and heavy traffic. Here, controversial situations may arise when you and the traffic police have different opinions about whether you created an obstacle or not.

This problem was solved in the UK using Yellow Box Junction:

You can enter it either if the exit is clear, or if you turn right (in countries with right-hand traffic, respectively, left) and let oncoming traffic pass. Thus:

Do you think that having Box Junctions in Russia (and specifically in Moscow) would help?

State Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education "Kuzbass State Pedagogical Academy"

Department of Foreign Languages

Essay

UK Road Rules

Performed:

2nd year student

EU-08-01

Lecturer of the department:

Kurtukova O. V

Novokuznetsk, 2010

Introduction

It is natural that main feature Road traffic in England is that it drives on the left. Needless to say, what inconvenience this results in for the Russian driver. But it is not all that bad. As practice shows, after a relatively short period of time a person adapts to new conditions and successfully drives a car. In addition, in England, road markings are highly informative, and therefore provide significant assistance to road users. Drivers think less and less about many things that can cause some inconvenience while traveling by car. For example, the steering wheel in the vast majority of cars in England is located on the right, as a result of which the speed is changed with the left hand instead of the right. Not such an insignificant detail if you have a manual transmission and several dozen proven maneuvers based on quick gear changes. A U-turn (in English U-turn) is permitted in any place where it is convenient for the driver and is not prohibited by signs. Be restrained every time you see another Englishman who decides to perform an aerobatics maneuver at the moment when you least expect it. In Britain, the rule that applies to roads is the best: “Respect others, and then they will respect you.” Almost all small villages have a speed limit 30 mph. By the way, if you have not met a single sign, this does not mean that you need to relax. In modern English villages there are a lot of road surveillance cameras. On narrow English streets there are special paved sections of the road so that drivers can pass where there is only room for one car. The driver who is closest to this section, called Lay-By, should let him pass, and the one who was let through simply must politely wave his hand after him with an expression of gratitude. In principle, there are few road signs in England. For example, there is no “Main Road” sign, and the “Give Way” sign is very rare; instead, the corresponding road markings in the form of a triangle are usually used. On the contrary, there are a large number of traffic lights in populated areas.

The purpose of this essay is to give an idea of ​​the traffic rules in England, as well as the measures taken to improve traffic on the roads.

Tasks:

Consider the general traffic rules, how traffic works, how road services work, how best to behave when you find yourself on the roads in England.

Chapter I. General rules

1.1.History of road rules in Great Britain

70 years ago in 1932 inEngland The first traffic rules appeared. This was one of the first countries to introduce nationwide traffic rules. However, then as now, there is no national traffic police service in the country. Each county decides whether to create a separate traffic police force or delegate traffic enforcement responsibilities to regular police officers. Most often, a special service is created, and in its work it is guided by the recommendations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. A third of the 24-page brochure was devoted to various hand gestures to be used when turning, reversing and braking. The fact is that cars of that time did not have brake lights.
The government decided to develop traffic rules after it received official statistics on the number of cars in
Great Britain. In the British Isles in 1931, more than 2.3 million cars were registered, and the country's leadership decided that "to ensure the safety of citizens on the roads, it is necessary to adopt general rules governing the behavior of all road users" In addition large quantity of all kinds of gestures with which drivers had to notify about their maneuvers, the rules prescribed to honk loudly when overtaking, and also in no case to talk to a policeman on duty, so as not to distract him. In addition, drivers of cars that did not have taillights were required to keep the reflectors "clean to a shine." And most importantly: while driving, drivers were strictly forbidden to talk to drivers of other cars. A lot has changed since then. On the roads these daysGreat Britain There are more than 27 million cars, the drivers of which do not even think of talking to someone through an open window while driving. The first traffic rules have turned from an official document into a relic: recently one of the first copies of the 1931 traffic rules was sold at auction for 10 thousand dollars.
Historically, driving in England is on the left. There are several opinions on this: historians believe that initially traffic on European roads was on the left. The fact is that this is exactly how riders have tried to ride since the times of the Roman Empire - thus the “combat” right hand was in a striking position in relation to the oncoming rider. In addition, it was more convenient to mount a horse when driving on the left, since in this case the sword interfered less.
There is another theory about the appearance of initially left-hand traffic. Some historians suggest that it was more convenient to ride on the left side in the days when horse-drawn teams appeared, where the coachmen sat on top. Horse-drawn carriages often rode on the left. When they were driving the horses, the whip of the right-handed coachman could accidentally hit passers-by who were walking along the sidewalk.
After the advent of cars in Europe, real leapfrog was happening. Most countries drove on the right side - this custom has been imposed since the time of Napoleon. However, in England, Sweden and even part of Austria-Hungary, driving on the left reigned. And in Italy, different cities generally had different rules! By the way, in Czechoslovakia (formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), left-hand traffic was maintained until 1938, and in Sweden until 1967.
As for the location of the steering wheel, on the first cars in most cases it was on the “wrong” right side for us. Moreover, regardless of which side the cars were driving on. This was done so that the driver could better see the car being overtaken. In addition, with this steering wheel arrangement, the driver could get out of the car directly onto the sidewalk, and not onto the roadway. By the way, the first mass-produced car with a “correct” steering wheel was the Ford T.

1.2.Organization of traffic
Everyone knows that in England we drive on the left. According to the British themselves, they drive on the “right” side of the road. If you are driving around the UK, pay special attention to road markings. And also use the following simple tips:
1.Before driving off, look to the right. Pass on the right;
2. At the roundabout, give way to traffic coming from the right. He has the right of way, he should give way;
3. Main roads always have priority over secondary ones. A white stripe across the road means that you should stop and let traffic move along the road you are about to cross;
4. Do not neglect road signs and road markings, make sure that you understand them - they are very important and you cannot ignore them;
5. In the UK, turning left on a red traffic light is prohibited;
6. If there is a pedestrian in front of you waiting to cross the road at a zebra crossing, you must stop. Failure to comply with this rule will be considered a violation;
7. Exercise extra caution at intersections.
8. Fastening a seat belt is mandatory for both the driver and the front seat passenger, and if the vehicle is equipped with rear seat belts, then also for the rear seat passengers.
If we talk about the organization of roads, there are a lot of roundabouts in the country, of all kinds - unregulated, regulated, etc. different levels. There are a lot of traffic lights in cities. All roads are marked, but there are quite a few signs. There is no sign like our 5.16 at all. Instead there is a striped stand, at the end there is a yellow lantern (“amber eye”). At night it blinks. There is no "Main Road" sign. At many intersections in London there is no “Give Way” sign - only a triangle marking.
Pay special attention to signs regulating the permitted speed. There are a number of universal speed limits in the UK, which are marked by signs:
- 30 mph in cities and towns;
- 60 mph on regular country roads;
- 70 mph on motorways and dual carriageways
Children under 12 years of age or shorter than 135 cm must sit in a special child seat or on a booster seat that raises the child to the level of adult passengers. The fine for violation is up to 500 pounds ($900).

A prerequisite for children under 3 years old is that they must be transported in a child seat. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, about 8 thousand children die on British roads every year. Many deaths and serious injuries are caused by children being thrown forward from the rear seats in road accidents. Standard seat belts are designed for people about 150 cm tall and above, and in the event of an accident they cannot serve as a 100% guarantee of safety for children. The child may slip out from under the belt or it may damage internal organs.

1.3.Parking
Parking in the UK is a separate topic that deserves special attention. In central London, for example, on-street parking is limited, and in many places it is only permitted in paid parking lots and metered areas. The counter accepts 20p, 50p and 1 pound coins. The sign "Residents parking" means that only permanent residents with the appropriate permit can park there, and not temporary guests. Find the "pay and display meter" to buy your parking ticket. Please note that guests of the capital are not exempt from fines, and the authorities have the right to block the wheels and also tow the car. Regarding all other cities, most of them have the following rules:
- In the center, street parking is completely prohibited;
- The car must be parked in a parking lot, or in a paid, but not always guarded, parking lot. A little further from the center you can find either paid parking on the roadway (with a parking meter) or free parking, but for no more than 2 hours.
You also need to know the following about parking:
1. Double yellow lines along the edge of the road mean that parking is prohibited;
2. A single yellow line along the edge of the road means that parking during the day is not possible. A special notice will notify you when parking will be allowed;
3. Signs on the roadside inform about special parking rules;
4. Having paid for parking, you will receive a ticket with a time stamp from a nearby machine; parking rates are general;
In the central London On-street parking is limited and in many places is only permitted in paid parking lots and metered areas. The counter accepts 20p, 50p and 1 pound coins. The sign "Residents parking" means that only permanent residents with the appropriate permit can park there, and not temporary guests. Find the "pay and display meter" to buy your parking ticket. Please note that guests of the capital are not exempt from fines, and the authorities have the right to drive away the car.

1.4. Sanctions for violations of traffic rules

Notices of fines are issued by an independent organization - the Traffic Inspectorate. Inspection staff may fine you, puncture your tire, or tow you. All these procedures will cost you a pretty penny, so it’s better to follow the parking rules.
British drivers try to be polite and follow the rules. In cities you may find excessive traffic, and inLondon Driving is not recommended at all due to problems with parking, as well as constant traffic jams. The wheels of illegally parked cars can be blocked, which means a lot of inconvenience and a large fine. The surface even on small roads is of excellent quality, and the road system is very convenient.
According to the British, they drive on the right side of the road. If you have experience driving on the wrong side of the road at home, then adaptation will be easy.
In Europe, unlike America, there are ring roads. Non-Europeans need to get used to similar circulatory systems that regulate traffic.
Country roads inGreat Britain quite narrow. But if you are not in a hurry, then you will not have problems with movement.
When planning trips over long distances, you need to know that the average speed on the highway can be more than 60 mph, but on other highways it should not exceed 30 mph. A road map will help you calculate your trip time.
By and large, before you get behind the wheel in the UK, you should purchase the “Bible” of English motorists – the “Highway Code”. The main point of the code is that all drivers must pass a driving test and obtain a driving license. If someone fails the exam, see point one. In addition to the main point, the publication contains all the necessary information for proper driving on the “correct” side.
However, no one is immune from traffic violations, regardless of their knowledge or ignorance. Violations are followed by fines, which will be given below. To begin with, we note that there is no special road police in the UK. The police respond to accidents with victims and monitor the speed limit. It has nothing to do with traffic management and technical inspection. For example, correct parking is monitored by a special service belonging to the municipality. “Who issues the fines?” - you ask. Notices of fines are issued by an independent organization - the Traffic Inspectorate. The inspection staff can not only fine you, but also puncture (!!!) your tire or evacuate you, depending on the severity of the violation.

1.5. Fines for violating traffic rules in the UK
The most common traffic offenses in Britain are speeding and parking. The maximum fine for the first and lowest level of seriousness of the offense is up to 200 pounds ($400). As for the penalty points, which are recorded in the central police computer system, where all information about motorists is entered, the following rule applies: if you collect 12 points within three years, your license will be taken away for at least 6 months, or maybe for a year and more.
Now about more serious violations - from the second level (maximum fine of 500 pounds - a thousand dollars) to the fifth (maximum fine of 5 thousand pounds). The second level includes serious speeding violations when you exceed the speed limit by more than 30 miles (and here we are talking about city streets). If a similar offense occurred on a motorway where you were driving at a speed exceeding 100 miles, expect a fine of 1 to 2.5 thousand pounds (of course, you also receive penalty points for this at the same time). However, the most serious fines are provided for driving while intoxicated (the blood alcohol limit is considered to be 0.8 ppm) and for failure to stop during a traffic accident. Here the fine can reach up to 5 thousand pounds (this is the fifth level of violation) plus your license is taken away and you receive from 5 to 10 penalty points. For this money, by the way, you can buy a used (3-5 year old) middle class car or a new small car. If you refuse to pay the fine, you face 6 months in prison. To understand how painfully fines hit the pockets of the British, you need to consider that the average salary in Britain is 1900 pounds per month, at the current exchange rate - $3800 (before all taxes).
In the first case of driving while intoxicated, in addition to a significant fine, your license will be revoked for at least a year. If after this, such a violation is repeated within 10 years, the driver is automatically deprived of his license for at least 3 years. By the way, refusal to take a blood alcohol test on the spot is punishable by a fine of up to a thousand pounds ($2,000) and possible (but not necessarily) deprivation of rights for up to a year. By the way, the same fine - 5 thousand pounds - is imposed in the absence of car insurance. Which is extremely uncharacteristic of the British road police, as it is corruption. It is very difficult to find a car owner who has ever bribed police officers or anyone who has ever heard of it. Perhaps this is also due to the fact that violations in the overwhelming majority of cases are recorded not by people, but by devices. In addition, even if a policeman stops you, his portable radar, having recorded your violation, at the same moment automatically transmits it to the central computer of the traffic police, from where this signal can no longer be retrieved.
Other penalties:
1. Talking on a mobile phone while driving is only permitted using the hands-free system. Violators are subject to a £30 fine. However, if the case goes to trial, the sanctions could end up being more severe: fines of up to £1,000 for car drivers and up to £2,500 for truck and bus drivers.

2. Updated UK road rules came into force on October 1 this year, classifying smoking as a distracting activity for the driver. This means that if a driver who smokes while driving gets into an accident, he may be fined ?2,500 (more than 127,000 rubles), may receive from 3 to 9 penalty points, or even lose his license to drive a vehicle.
3. Driving through a red light - up to $1,700, a fine is imposed by the court, possible deprivation of a driver's license for a period of 1 month.
4. Failure to comply with the STOP sign (“passing without stopping is prohibited”) – similar to the previous one
Not wearing seat belts - $850.
5. Violations of stopping, parking and parking rules:
6. Without interfering with road users - about $35
7. If you allow yourself to leave your car under a prohibitory sign, you will be fined up to $1,700 plus the cost of evacuation - $170, plus $20 each day of storage. Yes, evacuation occurs quickly and with almost one hundred percent probability.
IMPORTANT: In almost all European countries, the speed limit starts at one kilometer per hour above the speed limit!

1.6.Traffic police in the UK
Traffic police in England have the power to close any road, stop any vehicle, and requisition any vehicle if required to “obstruct any person suspected of committing or preparing to commit an offense using vehicles or roads.” Of course, they cannot block traffic for the passage of special vehicles or the unimpeded passage of a high-ranking official.
British traffic police carefully follow instructions and adhere to traffic rules, which has become a topic of jokes many times. British authorities, for example, regularly report fines imposed by police officers on themselves or their colleagues.
According to the London police, over the past year, police officers (including traffic officers themselves) paid more than 325 thousand euros in fines for illegal parking, speeding or other traffic violations. Moreover, almost all fines issued to police officers were paid within a week and a half. Perhaps this was due to the rule according to which a driver who pays a fine within two weeks after issuing a receipt receives a 50% discount. In Britain, this is a fairly convincing reason to pay a fine on time - for example, for illegal parking in London, a driver usually has to pay 70,120 euros.

Chapter II. Tackling congestion in London
Just 5 years ago London was in a rush hour rush. Every hour, more than 40 thousand cars headed to the center of the British capital. Naturally, the transport arteries of the city, along which leisurely stagecoaches and carriages drove 100 years ago, could not withstand such a flow of cars, and traffic jams became commonplace. This was especially unnerving for residents in the morning hours, when more than 3 million employees of government agencies and private firms flocked to the city center in their own cars. Nothing helped relieve the congestion in central London: neither a ban on trucks, nor various one-way traffic schemes, nor increased parking prices. The problem was solved by London Mayor Ken Livingstone.

1.1.Toll
It was decided to make entry into the city center chargeable. London City Hall has spent more than £200 million to create a 21 square kilometer zone in the center of the capital. Its 170 entrances are equipped with video cameras that read license plates of cars entering the city center and transmit the information to a central computer. Two years later, this zone was expanded to include part of western London. If entry into the city center is not paid in advance, the owner of the vehicle faces a fine of 80 to 120 pounds ($240). Since February 2003, you had to pay 5 pounds (about $10) to enter central London, and since July 2005 - 8 pounds. Payments can be made through a special toll-free phone line using a credit card, online, or even via text message sent from a cell phone. Exceptions to the rules are provided only for police and fire vehicles, ambulances, taxis and motorcyclists. Disabled people have benefits. In the evenings (after seven), weekends and holidays Entry into central London is free.
This measure relieved the central part of the city by almost 40 percent. The number of cars entering central London every day has decreased by 70 thousand, and traffic jams have practically disappeared. In just the first year after the introduction of the transport tribute, the city hall earned about 80 million pounds, and last year the amount of fees already reached 122 million. This money is invested in improving the city's transport infrastructure.
And one more “forceful warning” from city authorities wishing to take a day trip to central London: parking fees there have increased exorbitantly. Parking in the center costs up to £4 per hour. In this case, parking should not exceed 2 hours. If you want to park your car longer, run to the meter and throw in coins. Fines for violating parking rules in London are very significant and range from 40 to 100 pounds. Not to mention the fact that the wheel of the offending car is blocked and the car is evacuated to the impound lot. It costs from 45 to 60 pounds to buy it. The collection of fines and regulation of parking prices is the responsibility of the administration of 33 London boroughs, and fines are not imposed by police officers, but by special employees of district councils who monitor parking. Controllers are not allowed to collect the fine themselves; they only issue a receipt, which must be paid through a bank or by sending a check.
Without a car.

Tolls have significantly reduced traffic flows and especially congestion. In Central London. People began to use public transport more. The success of this project was also possible because, before introducing it to the public in 2002, the government increased the number of bus routes in the center so that people who could not afford the entrance fee could use the metro or bus . The proposed scheme to combat congestion on transport routes worked from the very first days of its implementation. At the same time, the number of private cars in London has fallen significantly - it has reached its lowest level since 1988. London is the only metropolis in the world where this trend has emerged. And this despite the fact that outside the capital the number of car owners has increased by 16 percent over the past 5 years. In London, 40 percent of the population now does not have their own car. Over 5 years, the number of bus trips increased by 37 percent (about 5 million passengers per day), and the number of metro passengers jumped by 12 percent over the same period. At the same time, road traffic accidents and the number of their victims have decreased, and the ecology of the central regions has improved.
Nowadays, most people working in central London travel to work by tube, bus or bicycle. And if they live close to work, they generally walk there. And only a very small number of workers in the center continue to commute to work by car - currently no more than 10 percent.
Transport policy in the City of London is slowly but surely transforming the car from a means of transportation into a luxury. Most of all, this is facilitated by the powerful financial pressure experienced by car owners, in particular, a system of penalties unprecedented in other countries. So now it becomes clear why in recent years not only the number of traffic jams, but also the number of cars in London has sharply decreased.

Conclusion

Thus, in this essay you looked at the rules of the road in the UK, as well as ways to deal with traffic jams in London. The goals and objectives set at the beginning have been completed. We can conclude that the UK has unique rules (partly due to the fact that they drive on the left) historically, different from ours, and this is reflected in both general rules and policies for improving the quality of traffic on the roads. The fine system there is more severe than ours, perhaps this explains the “softer” statistics of road accidents. Maybe it would do well for our car enthusiasts to learn from the English mutual politeness, patience, accuracy and ordering.
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