Driving in the Outer Hebrides | Highland Vehicle Hire

Roundabouts

The UK has a large number of roundabouts. While European visitors may be familiar with them American visitors may not. The simple rules of a roundabout are:

Always give way to all traffic from your right.

Always travel in a clockwise direction even if it means you have to go all the way round to get to your junction.

Single Track Roads

In the Outer Hebrides there is 439 miles of Classified Roads, which are made up of a combination of dual and single track.

On single track roads there are small laybys or "passing places" every 200 meters or so, at appropriate places. These are for use when passing cars approach from the opposite direction, to allow cars to pass each other. These passing places are marked with a white square or white diamond shaped signposts. They may be on either side of the road. In general, the car that is closest to a passing place pulls in, either into or opposite the passing place and waits for the oncoming car to pass.

Check your mirror frequently and if someone is close behind you, let them pass by pulling into one of the passing places.

Don’t use the passing places for parking. They are essential for passing, so don’t obstruct them.

Keep your speed down to safe levels. The speed limit can be up to 60 miles per hour on these roads, but that doesn’t mean it’s always safe to go that fast.