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By Root 1341 0

—it’s safest to believe that you can park nowhere except at a meter, in a pay-and-display bay, in a garage, otherwise, you run the risk of an expensive ticket, plus possibly even more expensive clamping and towing fees (some boroughs are clamp-free). Restrictions are indicated by the “No Waiting” parking signpost on the sidewalk (these restrictions vary from street to street), and restricted areas include single yellow lines or double yellow lines, and Residents’ Parking bays. Parking at a bus stop or in a bus lane is also restricted. On Red Routes, indicated by red lines, you are not allowed to park or even stop. It’s illegal to park on the sidewalk, across entrances, or on white zigzag lines approaching a pedestrian crossing.

Meters have an insatiable hunger in the inner city—a 20p piece may buy just three minutes—and some will permit only a two-hour stay. Meters take 20p and £1 coins, pay-and-display machines 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, and £2 coins. Some take payment by credit card. In some parts of central London, meters have been almost entirely replaced by pay-and-display machines that require payment by cell phone. You will need to set up an account to do this (www.westminster.gov.uk). Meters are free after 6:30 or 8:30 in the evening, on Sunday, and on holidays. Always check the sign. In the evening, after restrictions end, meter bays are free. After meters are free, you can also park on single yellow lines—but not double yellow lines. In the daytime, take advantage of the many NCP parking lots in the center of town (about £4 per hour, up to eight hours).

Information NCP (0845/050–7080 | www.ncp.co.uk).

Roadside Emergencies

If your car is stolen, you’re in a car accident, or your car breaks down and there’s nobody around to help you, contact the police by dialing | 999.

The general procedure for a breakdown is the following: position the red hazard triangle (which should be in the trunk of the car) a few paces away from the rear of the car. Leave the hazard warning lights on. Along highways (motorways), emergency roadside telephone booths are positioned at intervals within walking distance. Contact the car-rental company or an auto club. The main auto clubs in the United Kingdom are the Automobile Association (AA) and the RAC. If you’re a member of the American Automobile Association (AAA), check your membership details before you depart for Britain, as, under a reciprocal agreement, roadside assistance in the United Kingdom should cost you nothing. You can join and receive roadside assistance from the AA on the spot, but the charge is higher—around £75—than a simple membership fee.

Emergency Services American Automobile Association (800/564–6222). Automobile Association (0870/085–2721, 44–161–333–0004 from outside U.K., 0800/887–766 for emergency roadside assistance from mobile phones, 08457/887766). RAC(01922/437–000, 0800/828–282 for emergency roadside assistance).

Rules of the Road

London is a mass of narrow, one-way roads, and narrow, two-way streets that are no bigger than the one-way roads. If you must risk life and limb and drive in London, note that the speed limit is either 20 or 30 mph—unless you see the large 40 mph signs found only in the suburbs. Speed bumps are sprinkled about with abandon in case you forget. Speed is strictly controlled by cameras mounted on occasional lamposts, which photograph speeders for ticketing.

Medium-size circular intersections are often designed as “roundabouts” (marked by signs in which three arrows curve into a circle). On these, cars travel left in a circle and incoming cars must yield to those already on their way around from the right. Signal when about to leave the roundabout.

Jaywalking is not illegal in London and everybody does it, despite the fact that striped crossings with blinking yellow lights mounted on poles at either end—called “zebra crossings”—give pedestrians the right of way to cross. Cars should treat zebra crossings like stop signs if a pedestrian is waiting to cross or already starting to cross. It’s illegal to pass another vehicle at a zebra crossing.