Driving in the US - what is not allowed there but is here?
07 January 2005, 11:36 AM
#1
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Driving in the US - what is not allowed there but is here?
IE what might I get nicked for that I wouldn't get nicked for over here? I heard one for example is that you can't pull across to the otherside of the road if you see a parking space, the car must be facing the same direction of traffic when parked.
I need to know as many differences as possible cos I don't fancy getting pulled by US plod while I am there.
I need to know as many differences as possible cos I don't fancy getting pulled by US plod while I am there.
07 January 2005, 11:43 AM
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You're right on the parking thing. Been pulled up on that myself.... Watch out for speeding at the end of the month (i.e. don't ) 'cos that's when they have to make up their targets (that could be an urban myth though).
Other than that most things are roughly the same to be honest. Just watch out for 4-ways which we don't have but if you get stopped plead the dumb tourist ...
Dave
Other than that most things are roughly the same to be honest. Just watch out for 4-ways which we don't have but if you get stopped plead the dumb tourist ...
Dave
07 January 2005, 11:44 AM
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Originally Posted by **************
IE what might I get nicked for that I wouldn't get nicked for over here? I heard one for example is that you can't pull across to the otherside of the road if you see a parking space, the car must be facing the same direction of traffic when parked.
I need to know as many differences as possible cos I don't fancy getting pulled by US plod while I am there.
I need to know as many differences as possible cos I don't fancy getting pulled by US plod while I am there.
07 January 2005, 11:44 AM
#6
That's a UK law at night here too! (the parking in the same direction as trafic one)
Stop signs mean stop! if you dont come to a complete stop they will do you.
Carry your licence and registration details with you at all times when in the car.
you can turn right on red treating the junction as a give way, unless signs say otherwise (thats like turning left here) if you dont you will get agro from cars behind
at a 4 way stop, you have to give way to the cars in the order they reach the junction.
pay attention to car pool lane use, they often change which lane is the car pool lane and they have red lights when entering freeways that will stop single ocupant cars but the adjoining lane that is a car pool lane doesnt have a red light sign, it's easy to run up the atse of someone at these if you arnt familiar.
If you see a funeral prosetion on a normal 2 lane road, pull the car over to the side of the road and stop until it passes you, cops will do you if you dont for not showing respect, certainly in the southern states.
Stop signs mean stop! if you dont come to a complete stop they will do you.
Carry your licence and registration details with you at all times when in the car.
you can turn right on red treating the junction as a give way, unless signs say otherwise (thats like turning left here) if you dont you will get agro from cars behind
at a 4 way stop, you have to give way to the cars in the order they reach the junction.
pay attention to car pool lane use, they often change which lane is the car pool lane and they have red lights when entering freeways that will stop single ocupant cars but the adjoining lane that is a car pool lane doesnt have a red light sign, it's easy to run up the atse of someone at these if you arnt familiar.
If you see a funeral prosetion on a normal 2 lane road, pull the car over to the side of the road and stop until it passes you, cops will do you if you dont for not showing respect, certainly in the southern states.
Last edited by johnfelstead; 07 January 2005 at 11:47 AM.
07 January 2005, 11:45 AM
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Hello
In California you cannot have alcohol in the car (has to be in the boot).
And actually stopping where it says "stop". Even if the road is clear for 5 miles, any policeman who is having a bad day will fine you for not stopping.
Steve.
In California you cannot have alcohol in the car (has to be in the boot).
And actually stopping where it says "stop". Even if the road is clear for 5 miles, any policeman who is having a bad day will fine you for not stopping.
Steve.
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07 January 2005, 11:46 AM
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Most intersections you can turn right on red (providing the coast is clear of course 
), if you can't there will be a sign telling you so.
This is so eminently sensible that when you get back to the UK you fnd yourself getting woundd up that we are not allowed to do it (of course it's turning left here for the pedants).
**Edited to say Mr. Felstead got in before me.
tiggers.
), if you can't there will be a sign telling you so.This is so eminently sensible that when you get back to the UK you fnd yourself getting woundd up that we are not allowed to do it (of course it's turning left here for the pedants).
**Edited to say Mr. Felstead got in before me.
tiggers.
07 January 2005, 11:46 AM
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The one to watch out for is whether you can turn right on a red light at traffic lights. Some you can, some you can't.
If you find on of the old 4 way stop signs at an intersection you have to take it in turns if there is a queue, and you must stop.
Some hire cars may no be driven out of the state you hired them in.
Its all too easy to speed in the big cars and wide open roads. You are almost always going faster than you think.
If you do get pulled try the following excuse.
"Sorry officer, I'm english. We use the metric system over here and I got my MPH confused with KPH."
Although there are two very obvious flaws in this argument your average state trouper is way to stupid to figure either of them out. Furtermore, you have made it clear you are a foreigner and provided you are polite they are probably not going to want to be botherd giving you a ticket when you may never go back to the US ever again. However, if you do get a ticket, pay it. US computers have long memories.
Im sure other folks will have other gems to share.
Oh and watch out for school busses and don't pass them when parked. This is a serious no no!
If you find on of the old 4 way stop signs at an intersection you have to take it in turns if there is a queue, and you must stop.
Some hire cars may no be driven out of the state you hired them in.
Its all too easy to speed in the big cars and wide open roads. You are almost always going faster than you think.
If you do get pulled try the following excuse.
"Sorry officer, I'm english. We use the metric system over here and I got my MPH confused with KPH."
Although there are two very obvious flaws in this argument your average state trouper is way to stupid to figure either of them out. Furtermore, you have made it clear you are a foreigner and provided you are polite they are probably not going to want to be botherd giving you a ticket when you may never go back to the US ever again. However, if you do get a ticket, pay it. US computers have long memories.
Im sure other folks will have other gems to share.
Oh and watch out for school busses and don't pass them when parked. This is a serious no no!
07 January 2005, 11:49 AM
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Originally Posted by johnfelstead
That's a UK law at night here too! (the parking in the same direction as trafic one)
You MUST NOT park on a road at night facing against the direction of the traffic flow unless in a recognised parking space.
Laws CUR reg 101 & RVLR reg 24
Laws CUR reg 101 & RVLR reg 24
07 January 2005, 12:26 PM
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Obvious comment is that some bits of motorway type roads are freeway, some are turnpike. Turnpike = toll road, freeway = no toll. Turnpikes are often the bigger interstate type things in my (limited) experience.
They are fairly anti-speed, you'll find fines usually double (or worse) if you're caught speeding in roadworks. When I was over there, I tended to set the cruise on the rent-a-car to about 6-7mph over the limit, as this seems to be the generally accepted level where they'll leave you alone. Much more than that, you might attract attention. Speed limits vary from state to state, and even within the states. E.g. Pensylvania is 65mph limit, but much of the main state turnpike is 55mph. IIRC, Maryland was 70mph
On the mulit-laners, undertaking is commonplace and allowed, but on two lane motorways they treat them much as we do. They also seem IMHO to expect relatively small speed differentials so pull out into small-ish gaps, but are reasonably tolerant of others doing so.
Note my driving has tended to be in NE states, probably different on the West coast or in the South
They are fairly anti-speed, you'll find fines usually double (or worse) if you're caught speeding in roadworks. When I was over there, I tended to set the cruise on the rent-a-car to about 6-7mph over the limit, as this seems to be the generally accepted level where they'll leave you alone. Much more than that, you might attract attention. Speed limits vary from state to state, and even within the states. E.g. Pensylvania is 65mph limit, but much of the main state turnpike is 55mph. IIRC, Maryland was 70mph
On the mulit-laners, undertaking is commonplace and allowed, but on two lane motorways they treat them much as we do. They also seem IMHO to expect relatively small speed differentials so pull out into small-ish gaps, but are reasonably tolerant of others doing so.
Note my driving has tended to be in NE states, probably different on the West coast or in the South
07 January 2005, 12:30 PM
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I know it has already been mentioned, but when a school bus has stopped, and has it's lights flashing, both directions have to stop. The only exception - regardless of the type/width of the road or number of lanes - is if there is a solid central reservation. School kids know everyone stops, so often don't even look when they cross.
Watch out for pedestrians at any form of intersection or crossing - they will walk right out without looking when they get the WALK sign. Don't be tempted to run an amber light.
Depending on where you go, even an empty beer bottle in the passenger compartment can get you done for DD, so don't risk it and put it in the boot (trunk). In Washington state for example, the minimum sentence for DD was (in '92) 28 days in jail and a $500 fine. A beer bottle would get everyone in the car done for DD - including passengers.
Wear your seat belt at all times. Don't sit too close to the steering wheel - US airbags are bigger because so many people don't wear seatbelts (regardless of the law).
Make sure you get the coliision/damage insurance with the hire car - it isn't automatically included.
As mentioned, keep your driving licence etc on you when driving, but don't put it in the glove box. Police get a bit twitchy if they see you reaching in the glovebox when pulled over - in some states it isn't unknown for someone to shoot a policeman to avoid a ticket. If stopped, keep your hands on the steering wheel as well. Don't be offended if they pull their gun and get you out of the car and handcuff you before even telling you why they've stopped you - it is standard procedure in some situations. Don't get out of the car unless ordered to do so - however long the policeman takes to get out of his/her car.
Be on the look out for the traffic lights - often they are on a gantry above the road and not at the side of the road - this can make them difficult to spot if you are driving towards the sun. A tip for telling if they are about to change is that the walk/don't walk sign for pedestrians start flashing.
Be careful when turning right on a red - pedestrians have right of way.
Some intersections have an advanced intergreen for turning left - this can be either a left arrow or a flashing green light.
Some pedestrian crossings have a big flashing yellow light with a big black cross above the road on a gantry. You only have to stop if pedestrians are around.
Watch out for slip roads on the motorway/freeway - some of them merge with the fast (left) lane. Also plan ahead when turning off. Getting from lane 8 to the slip road can be quite difficult if you have left it too late! Make sure you get the right exit for cities - big cities have 10 or more exits off the freeway.
Also on the smaller highways, watch out for people pulling into a gap that even an ar5ehole UK driver wouldn't pull into. US drivers are appalling on the freeway - here in Canada I always watch out for US number plates because they always seem to just pull out in front of me at the last minute (often in an SUV the size of a house).
Think twice about using the "sorry officer, I use the metric system and got confused". Depending on the state, they will have heard it a thousand times from Canadian drivers.
Drive carefully!
Watch out for pedestrians at any form of intersection or crossing - they will walk right out without looking when they get the WALK sign. Don't be tempted to run an amber light.
Depending on where you go, even an empty beer bottle in the passenger compartment can get you done for DD, so don't risk it and put it in the boot (trunk). In Washington state for example, the minimum sentence for DD was (in '92) 28 days in jail and a $500 fine. A beer bottle would get everyone in the car done for DD - including passengers.
Wear your seat belt at all times. Don't sit too close to the steering wheel - US airbags are bigger because so many people don't wear seatbelts (regardless of the law).
Make sure you get the coliision/damage insurance with the hire car - it isn't automatically included.
As mentioned, keep your driving licence etc on you when driving, but don't put it in the glove box. Police get a bit twitchy if they see you reaching in the glovebox when pulled over - in some states it isn't unknown for someone to shoot a policeman to avoid a ticket. If stopped, keep your hands on the steering wheel as well. Don't be offended if they pull their gun and get you out of the car and handcuff you before even telling you why they've stopped you - it is standard procedure in some situations. Don't get out of the car unless ordered to do so - however long the policeman takes to get out of his/her car.
Be on the look out for the traffic lights - often they are on a gantry above the road and not at the side of the road - this can make them difficult to spot if you are driving towards the sun. A tip for telling if they are about to change is that the walk/don't walk sign for pedestrians start flashing.
Be careful when turning right on a red - pedestrians have right of way.
Some intersections have an advanced intergreen for turning left - this can be either a left arrow or a flashing green light.
Some pedestrian crossings have a big flashing yellow light with a big black cross above the road on a gantry. You only have to stop if pedestrians are around.
Watch out for slip roads on the motorway/freeway - some of them merge with the fast (left) lane. Also plan ahead when turning off. Getting from lane 8 to the slip road can be quite difficult if you have left it too late! Make sure you get the right exit for cities - big cities have 10 or more exits off the freeway.
Also on the smaller highways, watch out for people pulling into a gap that even an ar5ehole UK driver wouldn't pull into. US drivers are appalling on the freeway - here in Canada I always watch out for US number plates because they always seem to just pull out in front of me at the last minute (often in an SUV the size of a house).
Think twice about using the "sorry officer, I use the metric system and got confused". Depending on the state, they will have heard it a thousand times from Canadian drivers.
Drive carefully!
07 January 2005, 12:34 PM
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Originally Posted by tiggers
This is so eminently sensible that when you get back to the UK you fnd yourself getting woundd up that we are not allowed to do it
) example:http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/7148.htm
The laws that relate to domestic cats vary by local government. In most areas, the person who provides care for a cat is legally responsible for its welfare and control. As with other domestic animals, if ownership can be established by collars or other means of identification, a cat is considered personal property. It is usually the responsibility of the owner to control the cat’s movements. In most areas, cats can be live-trapped and either returned to the owner or turned over to authorities if they wander onto other peoples’ property. Many municipalities have leash laws and require vaccination and neutering of pet cats.
07 January 2005, 12:49 PM
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Originally Posted by ajm
Quite a few of their laws are more sensible than our own. Here's another (randomly selected ) example:
http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/7148.htm
) example:http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/7148.htm
07 January 2005, 12:55 PM
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Holy cow 
I think I am going to call the hire car company and change to a monster truck, then no feker will bother me
Dazza so true mate, this is something I have already been warned about, 2 places where I need to leave my bad/short temper at home is at US customs/Immigration and when talking to a copper
otherwise I may find myself in a bit of trouble
Having read all the above it sounds a total nightmare and might just use taxis instead and expense it all
I think I am going to call the hire car company and change to a monster truck, then no feker will bother me Dazza so true mate, this is something I have already been warned about, 2 places where I need to leave my bad/short temper at home is at US customs/Immigration and when talking to a copper
otherwise I may find myself in a bit of trouble Having read all the above it sounds a total nightmare and might just use taxis instead and expense it all
07 January 2005, 01:03 PM
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What I found annoying is their one way systems. For example, the road system in Washington makes perfect sense (1st, 2nd, 3rd, A, B, C etc) so you know exactly where you are going..... until you get there when you find that the road you were going to go down is one way.... so you take the next turning to go round the block and then the next turning is one way!!! You end up spiralling further and further out! 
07 January 2005, 01:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Jerome
Only you could turn a driving related thread into a cat related one...
07 January 2005, 01:52 PM
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Originally Posted by ajm
Pure coincidence I assure you.... was just using a randomly picked piece of sensible US legislation to illustrate my point!
class, pure class 
07 January 2005, 02:28 PM
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Signage on freeways is pretty bad compared to ours, they often only give road numbers on the signs leading up to the slip road then the place names at the junction itself, so if you're like me and only pull out of the "fast" lane at the last minute, you could end up up knackered
07 January 2005, 02:51 PM
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Found this site when we were planning our holiday in California. Not sure how different the states are with their traffic laws. Where are you driving?
http://www.caldrive.com
http://www.caldrive.com
Last edited by Nimbus; 07 January 2005 at 02:55 PM.
07 January 2005, 02:58 PM
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On multi-lane freeways the inside lane often turns in to an exit lane and leaves the freeway. If you are not sure where you are going, don't drive slowly in the inside lane, or you may find yourself exiting. If I don't know where I am going I normally sit second lane in and move across again if the inside lane dissappears. (I should add, I don't do this here and hate middle lane drivers, but it wouldn't be a problem if you could undertake here )
Edit : Just remembered - freeway exits are sometimes on the left as well as more often on the right. So you exit in to the central reservation, which is confusing.
If stopped, as said above, put your hands on the top of the dashboard or steering wheel, so the police officer can clearly see them - makes them feel more comfortable and you're less likely to have a gun stuck in your ear.
That said, on my first trip to US about 12 years ago I got pulled in Miami
and jumped out of the car to talk to the officer. Didn't realise the problem I might have caused by doing that, especially in Miami ! That was for doing a U turn where there was a tiny (4 inch square) no U turn sign in the middle of the road, which I didn't see until I was most of the way round. It was a quiet back street with no-one around, but all of a sudden these big blue and red flashing lights appeared behind me - still don't know where from. Anyway, when I gave him my pink paper license he said "What's this?". "It's a British driving licence" I replied in my poshest voice, and he said "That's no use here", to which I think he really meant he couldn't book me for it. After a short chat, he let me off and told me to be more careful.
I've driven thousands of miles since over there, with no problems and never been stopped for speeding even doing steady 70 is 55 limits, although you do have to watch out. The police cars often sit in the middle of the central reservation, where these are sometimes 20-50 yds wide, often with a gully for rain water. They hide in the gully, and you can just see the light strip peeping out over the edge of the central res.
Enjoy, it's not that much different to over here.
If your getting a rental car I'd recommend Hertz with NeverLost sat nav - never be without it !
)Edit : Just remembered - freeway exits are sometimes on the left as well as more often on the right. So you exit in to the central reservation, which is confusing.
If stopped, as said above, put your hands on the top of the dashboard or steering wheel, so the police officer can clearly see them - makes them feel more comfortable and you're less likely to have a gun stuck in your ear.
That said, on my first trip to US about 12 years ago I got pulled in Miami
and jumped out of the car to talk to the officer. Didn't realise the problem I might have caused by doing that, especially in Miami ! That was for doing a U turn where there was a tiny (4 inch square) no U turn sign in the middle of the road, which I didn't see until I was most of the way round. It was a quiet back street with no-one around, but all of a sudden these big blue and red flashing lights appeared behind me - still don't know where from. Anyway, when I gave him my pink paper license he said "What's this?". "It's a British driving licence" I replied in my poshest voice, and he said "That's no use here", to which I think he really meant he couldn't book me for it. After a short chat, he let me off and told me to be more careful.I've driven thousands of miles since over there, with no problems and never been stopped for speeding even doing steady 70 is 55 limits, although you do have to watch out. The police cars often sit in the middle of the central reservation, where these are sometimes 20-50 yds wide, often with a gully for rain water. They hide in the gully, and you can just see the light strip peeping out over the edge of the central res.
Enjoy, it's not that much different to over here.
If your getting a rental car I'd recommend Hertz with NeverLost sat nav - never be without it !
Last edited by Nick100; 07 January 2005 at 03:00 PM.
07 January 2005, 04:38 PM
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The horse's mouth ...
Although this may have been an urban myth / overturned in court.