I’m an American living in the UK – I still can’t drive on these British roads

An American who has lived in the UK for a decade says she avoids one common type of road – and parking space.

TikTok user @yorkshirepeach took to the social platform to address the issue of parallel parking – which she says in the US is “optional” because of the sheer amount of parking lots – or carparks – available.

During the video, she says: “How can I be living here for 10 years and still don’t know how to drive in the UK? It’s not normal, I have had lessons, I have passed the test.

“What’s happening is that I still can’t parallel park. Parallel parking where I am from is optional because we have massive parking lots.

“Here, parallel parking is essential and I cannot do it. When I tell you I have abandoned plans and gone back home because I couldn’t park, I have straight gone back home. It’s not normal.”

Then addressing country roads, which are notoriously difficult to drive across due to their narrow, windy layouts, she added: “Country roads, what’s going on there? I can’t do it. I will sit in two hours of traffic to avoid a country road. I can’t do it.

“There is a lorry coming straight at me, where am I supposed to go? Up in the trees? I don’t know what’s happening, I can’t do it.

And it seems many Brits feel exactly the same. One user commented: “I refuse to parallel park.”

Another one said: “I failed one test because I abandoned one parallel, passed a second time but didn’t have to parallel park. I will drive around aimlessly, I will drive five minutes away from where I need to be to find an alternative.”

A third user wrote: “You are a true Brit now, we all have done that.”

A fourth one said: “I can’t parallel park in my new car. I have had my license for over 30 years now. Don’t beat yourself up.”