uncle buck

My company is sending me out to the West Coast in December to visit various clients.

Thing is, I will be using a hire car to get around, but I've not driven in the States before.

Does anyone have first hand experience of driving on American roads? What do I need to be aware of, watch out for etc?

Thanks....

UB

pslewis

Take a firefighter with you - he cant afford holidays on his TWO jobs money!!

Pete

uncle buck

evening ps

pslewis

Off to bed now, just watching that daft bear on TV

Pete

uncle buck

see ya... err... tomorrow I expect

Scooby Dooby Blue

Nothing to it mate.
Most roads are a dual carriageway set-up anyway so you don't feel like you're on the wrong side.
One good thing is you can turn right on a red traffic light

Paul

AWD

Be careful in the mornings - that is the time when you're most likely to drive on the wrong side of the road without realising.

If a cop stops you, don't get out of the car, they will come to you.

It's pretty easy to drive in the US once you get over the inital wariness - be carefull of speeding..... the police are fascists!

tuffer

been caught speeding a couple of times in the states, they dont need gatsos, radars or even tailing you at speed....both off mine have been the copper traveling in the opposite direction, saw me at speed and turned around!!! didnt argue the toss as they had a gun and I didnt just pay up. If you keep your eyes peeled you should be ok as the locals tend to drive with their head up their ****.

Luke

Last time a fed saw me speeding outside Savannah,he bought us breakfast.
Got a parking ticket also..... Went to the modern open plan office to pay. Free coffee and dougnuts. And only $15.00 !!!!!! Told them How much we pay in London...You should have seen their faces!! They said over $25.00 people would shoot the wardens!!
Every time I visit I get a ticket just to go in and say hello!!

[Edited by Luke - 11/16/2002 10:20:39 AM]

ChristianR

iTrader: (1)

on the motorways can be up to 7 lanes of traffic (well where I drove it was) - the thing is, no slow lane/fast lane or are the same speed - so you could be taken over either side! Unusually at first!

camk

4 way stops which are cross-roads where everyone gives way. You MUST stop even if there is nothing coming. first to arrive leaves and if you arrive at the same time its done my eye contact I'm told. I think of it as a polite roundabout. No No after you old man...LOL. Try and get a car with navigation, its easy to get lost and not all freeway exits allow you to get back on the other side and go back.

best fo luck
Cammy

father_jack

camk - those things confused the hell out of me. I never actually knew what the rule was, but looks like I accidentally got it right if in doubt go for it

ChristianR

iTrader: (1)

also, not sure why this is? but in las vegas and san diago, when the red light is on and u want to turn left, cars still go through it?

SJ_Skyline

Some states you can make right hand turns on a red light if the road is clear. the way to find out if you can or not is just stop at the red light and if the guy behind starts beeping when it is clear then it is probably legal to turn right

If you park within 10 foot (I think) of a fire hydrant you risk being towed.

You can overtake and undertake on the freeway.

I found the pace of traffic to be a lot more relaxed - none of the cutting up, must get in front of the car in front of me mentality we have in the UK. People will let you pull out.

The worst thing is getting off a 12 hour flight to LA and then getting straight into an unfamiliar hire car and then straight out into LA rush hour. Take your time, relax and just go with the flow. Also have your route from the airport to the hotel prepared, this will save you no end of agro!

Drink driving is frowned upon even more in the states than in the UK - don't bother!

If your hire car is a convertable and you are going to one of the more sunny states - take a baseball cap and don't do what I did - wear it back to front so that you end up with an oval of sunburn on your forehead!!

Rich

Nimbus

Don't know what state (part of the country, not condition ) you will be driving in, but this website has some good stuff for driving in California.

GEJL

My main bit of advice, or warning really, is that the freeways can be pretty badly signposted, and you can find yourself with about 5 seconds of warning of your exit... Other than that, it's pretty straightforward.

Nick VR4

Might be an idea to get Never Lost (SAT NAV) in the car you hire
Some freeways i have driven on have norrow lanes so be carefull of loosing wing mirrors espically to big trucks

Christian_Driver

I found John Clethroe's site very useful for advice about driving in the US and Canada.

It is generally pretty easy, although the major towns and cities can be a bit of a mare if you aren't 100% sure of where you are going.

ajm

Yeah I noticed that.... the signs on the freeways tend to name the raod but not neccessarily where it goes to!

Also, if you stick to the lane at the side you will often find yourself going off the freeway involuntarily!

uncle buck

Thanks everyone.

Loads of useful tips. I'll print them out and memorise them on the plane

If anyone has any more stories tips etc.. please let me know.

UB

ricardo

I found it generally relaxed, but you'll tend to cover large distances, so it can get boring. In our case got into LA late at night, drove to Santa Monica (nice short first trip - body thinking that it was 7 am). Next day drove out of hotel and realised that horrible squidgy suspension on car was in fact a flat tyre (sorry - tire). Pulled into tyre place (always seem to be going past tyre places in LA) and they fixed it for free ! I simply can't imagine that happening here...

The drive up Highway 1 is amazing - I really really wished I had the Scoob. (Suspension was still horrible and squidgy with tyre fixed).

In LA some of the freeways split suddenly, and you think you've got the wrong one - and then they join up again...

Buy some good maps and write down what roads you are planning to take, and at what mileage into the trip. Get SatNav if you can, if you are driving on your own you'll have your work cut out at first just getting familiar with it all.

And make sure you find some time to be a tourist.

Hos

iTrader: (1)

Probably been said already as i've only skimmed through the last page but remember for single laned roads you have to stop for the yellow school bus. Even if its in the opposite direction.

Nimbus

Highway 1

Drove down from San Francisco to Cambria. Great road with some fantastic views.

Markus

I work for a company with USA office and so have to drive out there quite a lot.

It's not much different from here, just watch the speed limits.

What else, ok, NEVER overtake a School bus when it's stopped.

On a Red light you can turn right if road is clear, unless there is a sign saying otherwise.

Remember that on the interstate, you can undertake.

Oh, last thing, don't get mesmerised by the sound of all those lovely V8's mmmm.

Toerag

Spent a month in california/nevada a couple of years ago. If you can drive in europe you shouldn't have a problem. As mentioned by others, freeways and junctions are a bit wierd. With regard to the 4-way cross, I think it's like the 'filter in turn' junctions we have in Guernsey, ie. who ever gets there first has priority, and if traffic is queued up then you take it in turns. Lots of 'you go first' nods, waves, light flashes etc! Perhaps try to hook up with someone from www.nasioc.com (what was I-club) for better info. Try to see Yosemite national park, it's really cool.

gareth123

Don't drive near me please!

If more it's more than one persons 'turn to go' you go anti-clockwise from the person who went last. Unless you have a pickup.

If you're not used to driving on the right be careful early in the morning or late at night when there isn't so much traffic to remind you what's right. I have this problem in reverse when I'm in the UK now

Nick VR4

Yeap drove out of garage in a small town north of Vegas
shat the live out of the girlfriend
Turned left up the road wrong side of the road
On big ****** lorry heading towards us Yikes
Got out of his way pretty quick lol

scooby-new

don't ge tout of your car to talk to some idiot who has just rear-ended you- if your in any big city chance is this could be a car jacking or robbery. Someone tried it on me in Boston- luckily I was with my American friend who likes to carry a Glock with him!!

tiggers

I wouldn't even worry about it - it's a piece of cake compared to driving anywhere in Europe including the UK ;-).

Take note of the major points in this post and you'll be fine.

Only thing I disagree with is the drink driving comment - it depends where you go. For instance in Phoenix it's virtually a national pastime so be careful!!!

Regards,

tiggers.