Driving in the US. What do I need to know?

Driving in the US. What do I need to know?

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TREMAiNE

Original Poster:

3,904 posts

148 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
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Cheers for all the advice guys.

I'll have to come back to this thread at the end of August to read it all again! Really excited for it now.

Pothole said:
You won't be doing a day trip to LA, it's a 4.5 hour drive.
Yes I will!

Leaving at 8am, arriving in time for a late lunch.

Will leave LA around midnight for a 4am arrival back in LV where I will start drinking and gambling.

Sheepshanks

32,533 posts

118 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
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Dave Brand said:
On multi-lane highways you can pass on either side, so it's not a lack of lane discipline, it's what they are used to. Can be scary at first, but fine once you get used to it - you must always check your mirrors on BOTH sides!
A US colleague told me in most states on freeways and Interstate roads you are supposed to pass on the left (ie not undertake). However everyone does it.

Also, I don't know about Nevada and California but apparently more and more states are aggressively (even with traps) enforcing the "move-over" law - if you see emergency vehicles on the shoulder you have to move over to leave a clear lane gap, or slow to 20MPH below the posted limit.

Sheepshanks

32,533 posts

118 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
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Matt Harper said:
Dave Brand said:
Now, the oddest tip of all: take a tyre pressure gauge with you! All US cars are required by law to have a tyre pressure monitoring system. It's quite possible that for various reasons you'll get a low tyre pressure warning (it's happened twice to me)which you can only clear by putting more air in. Most US gas station air pumps don't have a gauge, so unless you can borrow a gauge you're relying on guesswork. It's very unlikely that you'll find free air!
Huh?

All US cars are not required by law to have TPMS. 2 of my vehicles would be illegal were this so.
Most US gas station air pumps do have a gauge built into the air-line - you either input the desired pressure on the keypad and it shuts off when it achieves it - or it has a pop-out gauge on the nozzle that indicates current psi before you switch the pump on (by inserting a quarter)
I had exactly this problem last visit to Florida. I never took a pressure gauge - who does? yet at home I'm anal about tyre pressures.

It cost $1.25 to get air, then a tip for the old guy on the forecourt who actually put the air in the tyre with a very rough and ready pop-out gauge. Usefully he knew that I had to drive the car a few hundred yards to get the TPMS warning to go off - I had no idea.

drdel

422 posts

127 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
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I'd list another driver, just in case.

Don't overtake a School bus that's stopped.

David87

6,648 posts

211 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
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I've driven in the US a couple of times and have found it very pleasant, to be honest. It's different from the UK and Europe, but not any more difficult.

There's only a couple of weird signs that confused me:

'Left Turn Yield on Green' at a crossroads. At first I had no idea, but I then assumed it means you have to give way to folk whose path you will cross. Basically, the same as you'd do here, just that we don't have a sign for it.

'No Jake Brake' I still have absolutely no idea what this means. I might Google it now. biggrin

TREMAiNE

Original Poster:

3,904 posts

148 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
quotequote all
kapiteinlangzaam said:
A day trip to LA you say?

Enjoy the 8hrs in the car before traffic!
I'm actually looking forward to it, I really enjoy long motorway cruises, I don't know why - I find them therapeutic!

When me and my dad go to Italy we drive it in 1 day. 1,000 miles each way. Usually takes 11-12 hours only stopping for fuel.

m3jappa

6,394 posts

217 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2016
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It took me a couple of visits and a fair few miles to realise what XING meant hehe

Matt Harper

6,613 posts

200 months

Wednesday 3rd February 2016
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David87 said:
'No Jake Brake' I still have absolutely no idea what this means. I might Google it now. biggrin
Noisy, anti-social diesel exhaust brake.

LarryUSA

4,319 posts

255 months

Wednesday 3rd February 2016
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TREMAiNE said:
kapiteinlangzaam said:
A day trip to LA you say?

Enjoy the 8hrs in the car before traffic!
I'm actually looking forward to it, I really enjoy long motorway cruises, I don't know why - I find them therapeutic!

When me and my dad go to Italy we drive it in 1 day. 1,000 miles each way. Usually takes 11-12 hours only stopping for fuel.
We often do day trips to Yosemite or Lake Tahoe which are 4 hours each way for us. Leave at 6am, back by 9pm.

Sheepshanks

32,533 posts

118 months

Wednesday 3rd February 2016
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David87 said:
'Left Turn Yield on Green' at a crossroads. At first I had no idea, but I then assumed it means you have to give way to folk whose path you will cross. Basically, the same as you'd do here, just that we don't have a sign for it.
That's correct.

The other related thing is when turning right on red you're supposed to come to a stop, not treat it like a Give Way. In practice, people rarely stop but be aware the car in front of you might, and make sure you do if there's a cop around.

RDMcG

19,096 posts

206 months

Wednesday 3rd February 2016
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Download the Waze app for your iPhone. Very good for upcoming traffic conditions. Also if rental car has no standard nav system it's cheaper over a couple of weeks to buy a Garmin in WalMart or bring your own with US maps downloaded.

Dave Brand

928 posts

267 months

Wednesday 3rd February 2016
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Sheepshanks said:
A US colleague told me in most states on freeways and Interstate roads you are supposed to pass on the left (ie not undertake). However everyone does it.

Also, I don't know about Nevada and California but apparently more and more states are aggressively (even with traps) enforcing the "move-over" law - if you see emergency vehicles on the shoulder you have to move over to leave a clear lane gap, or slow to 20MPH below the posted limit.
"Pass on the left" signs are quite common in several of the states I've visited recently; however, I think they are only advisory & passing either side isn't illegal.


Matt Harper said:
Huh?

All US cars are not required by law to have TPMS. 2 of my vehicles would be illegal were this so.
Most US gas station air pumps do have a gauge built into the air-line - you either input the desired pressure on the keypad and it shuts off when it achieves it - or it has a pop-out gauge on the nozzle that indicates current psi before you switch the pump on (by inserting a quarter)

Sorry, I should have been more precise. All cars registered after 2008 must have TPMS (FMVSS 138)

As for gas station air pumps having pressure gauges built in, I can only speak from personal experience - none of the three I tried in Memphis, TN last year did!


Sheepshanks

32,533 posts

118 months

Wednesday 3rd February 2016
quotequote all
Dave Brand said:
"Pass on the left" signs are quite common in several of the states I've visited recently; however, I think they are only advisory & passing either side isn't illegal.
I took it that it's like our Highway Code, where much of it is advice but you'll probably get done for Careless Driving if an accident results. No idea if the legal situation is similar in the US.

unrepentant

21,212 posts

255 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
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Sheepshanks said:
Dave Brand said:
"Pass on the left" signs are quite common in several of the states I've visited recently; however, I think they are only advisory & passing either side isn't illegal.
I took it that it's like our Highway Code, where much of it is advice but you'll probably get done for Careless Driving if an accident results. No idea if the legal situation is similar in the US.
Laws vary state by state. My understanding is that undertaking is illegal in most states but is generally not enforced.

In Indiana you are now required to move over to allow faster traffic to pass in the outside lane! Hurrah! I am perfectly at liberty to use my radar detector in Indiana but if I drive to Virginia it is illegal there. Radar jammers are illegal in every state but only a few states have laws banning laser detectors. If I ride my Harley in Indiana I can do it with wind in my hair and no helmet but if I cross the border into Illinois I am required to wear a helmet. I can drive while using a hand held phone in Indiana (bonkers) but not in many other states. Some states still allow texting while driving!

Many towns use the revenue from speeding tickets to fund a lot of other things so they are actively looking for speeders and do not usually show discretion. Speeding tickets in school and work zones can be swingeing. As has been mentioned before you must always stop completely if a school bus has its warning lights on, even if it is on the other side of the road.

Brother D

3,698 posts

175 months

Thursday 4th February 2016
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Be prepared for how crap the standard of driving is, and then some. Having lived here a few years it's carnage on the roads, with several times the death and injury rate of the UK. Its basically impossible to lose your driving licence no matter how bad you are, or how many DUIs you have. The test to get a driving licence is basically drive round the block and pick up your card.

As mentioned speed limits are strictly enforced on the highway - in cities you are unlikely to even see a speed sign, and no-one will be able to tell you what the speed limit is. 50mph is not uncommon in heavily built up areas with pedestrian traffic.

I've not yet come across any speed cameras, just red light cameras. But in my city (Chicago) they are in the process of being removed, as too many people were being caught running red lights, and voters don't like that.





so called

9,074 posts

208 months

Friday 5th February 2016
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The very first thing I was told on my first visit was, if someone cuts you up, DONT get aggressive. They may have a gun.

I drive in the US very regularly and enjoy it.
I enjoy long drives particularly as they are much more relaxed than Euro trips.
Lower speeds, less traffic etc.
It does help that I'm being paid to drive 300 miles at 55mph though. wink
Depending on the State, many of the road are 65 and even 75mph.

I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Dave Brand

928 posts

267 months

Friday 5th February 2016
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Just out of interest I've looked at the Highway Code equivalents for the last two states I've driven in, Alabama & Georgia.

Alabama says:

"Passing on the right is permissible on one-way roadways & streets & highways marked for two or more lanes of traffic moving in the same direction."


Georgia says:

"You may also pass on the right when traveling on a multi-lane highway carrying two or more lanes of traffic in the same direction." It goes on to warn that this is forbidden in some states, so out-of-state drivers may not expect it.

Anybody fancy ploughing through another 48 manuals to create a definitive list of where passing on the right is allowed?

Sheepshanks

32,533 posts

118 months

Friday 5th February 2016
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Dave Brand said:
Anybody fancy ploughing through another 48 manuals to create a definitive list of where passing on the right is allowed?
I thought it would be easy to Google that, but what you get is details about where it's illegal to drive in the "fast" lane at lower speed than other traffic. ie: http://jalopnik.com/5501615/left-lane-passing-laws...

MadProfessor

253 posts

131 months

Friday 5th February 2016
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I've driven throughout the US on numerous occasions over the years. There are some excellent tips on here which you should heed but I just wanted to add that you just need to have a little common sense, and an appreciation of where you are in the country.

If you're in a major urban area you will probably find the police less forgiving and more intimidating if you do something wrong, than if you're in the middle of nowhere. Similarly, the police (of all varieties) are keenly aware of a hire car in a tourist area and are generally (slightly) more forgiving.

I once got a courtesy speeding ticket from a sheriff in the middle of nowhere in Nebraska when I was doing a fair turn of pace on a deserted road, and I almost got deported for a broken tail light in downtown LA.


Matt Harper

6,613 posts

200 months

Friday 5th February 2016
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There are so many state-specific idiosyncrasies that it is quite a challenge to stay on top of all of them.
Example: in FL and some other states that only mandate a rear license plate, reverse-in parking is not permitted in public (though not private) parking lots, as NPR equipped cruisers cannot view the plate if the car is backed-in.