A few questions

[shivver13]

Hi there! I have a few questions about British language, customs, and geography for some fanfics I'm working on that I hope you can answer. Thank you in advance for any assistance

Comments

[rosinarowantree]

On 2, a traditional removal lorry isn't an artic, but a pantechnicon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantechnicon_van

[nineveh_uk]

This is a typical modern one. That's a nationwide chain, but there are lots of local ones (who also do nationwide moves). This is one - they have an articulated lorry, though I agree that's more unusal: http://www.wardremovals.co.uk/

[shivver13]

Thank you so much for the images! They helped quite a bit! This is exactly what I was looking for. The removal vans are smaller (shorter) than the trucks that moving companies in the US use, probably because in general, our streets are wider, even in the residential areas.

[thekumquat]

Also you need space to park the lorry, and with houses being smaller, most people's furniture and stuff fits into one standard lorry, maybe two for a large family house.

Moving within London can involve trying to get parking permits for movers, usually failing, then parking in a space yourselves and/or using dustbins to reserve space, and persuading new neighbours at the other end to do the same for you, in order than the movers don't need to be 50 yards down the street.

[shivver13]

Oh, dear, what a mess! Well, the character needing the lorry is a single male, so it'll be a standard lorry. I'll let the removal people deal with the parking situation off-stage. :)