Driving in the US for the first time - tips?
Discussion
Matt Harper said:
OP is going to Hawaii - hardly any of this applies - and half of it is b
ks, anyway.
OP is going to get shot ks, anyway.
if he follows your advice, my advice is that if you see flashing lights behind you, do a runner most American cops can't drive and they are in illhandling American cars anyway, you on the other hand are a Company Director and a Driving God, you will get away.VxDuncan said:
-Don't assume you can pay by card at the pump - they usually ask for a zip code after you've swiped the card, and the machines won't except alphanumeric input so you're screwed with a UK postcode (this is true of BP at least).
But if you walk in and explain your foreignness the cashier will usually swipe the card at the till and authorise the pump for you.I have never been recognized as being English when I have been in the States. I'm from South London but can speak posh as well.
Usually they think that I am Australian, German or even Russian. A tramp once clocked me as being a European and asked me to speak some more European to him
This was mainly in the SW and I presume that in New York that they are so used to us Brits that they never remark on the way I speak.
Usually they think that I am Australian, German or even Russian. A tramp once clocked me as being a European and asked me to speak some more European to him
This was mainly in the SW and I presume that in New York that they are so used to us Brits that they never remark on the way I speak.
Never knew about the school buses so thanks for the info! Going on holiday to chill out so no plans to hoon around or do anything silly that would attract the law.
This might be a silly question, but assuming you pre-pay at the pump (or pay at the counter first) do you have to do anything after you've filled up (i.e. go back into the store) or are you free to leave? I know here you just fill up and go and I'm guessing the pump will only dispense the amount of petrol you've paid for so no chance of overstepping your mark.
Thanks for all the tips so far
This might be a silly question, but assuming you pre-pay at the pump (or pay at the counter first) do you have to do anything after you've filled up (i.e. go back into the store) or are you free to leave? I know here you just fill up and go and I'm guessing the pump will only dispense the amount of petrol you've paid for so no chance of overstepping your mark.
Thanks for all the tips so far
Dear CP,
have you driven on the right before?
I hadn't when I went to the US and at junctions went through the mental "look right, look left, look right again" mantra to remind myself of where the traffic would be coming from.
Oddly though when navigating myself I realised a couple of times I was on the right road but going in the wrong direction.
No sat. nav. in those days, just good old maps.
I rationalised this by my subconscious associating turning right with crossing traffic and left without. Also one's macro sign place knowledge is missing e.g. if seeing, say, Carlisle and Deal on a sign and with the intention to go north most Brits. will automatically go the right way. Faced with a choice of US places you probably don't know which is where
I didn't crash,
regards,
Jet
have you driven on the right before?
I hadn't when I went to the US and at junctions went through the mental "look right, look left, look right again" mantra to remind myself of where the traffic would be coming from.
Oddly though when navigating myself I realised a couple of times I was on the right road but going in the wrong direction.
No sat. nav. in those days, just good old maps.
I rationalised this by my subconscious associating turning right with crossing traffic and left without. Also one's macro sign place knowledge is missing e.g. if seeing, say, Carlisle and Deal on a sign and with the intention to go north most Brits. will automatically go the right way. Faced with a choice of US places you probably don't know which is where
I didn't crash,
regards,
Jet
Stop signs mean Stop. Not just give way.
Come to a complete stop.
At a 3 or 4 way stop the first car there has priority.
Although, perhaps better to say the first car to the stop line has priority.
If you are in a queue of 3 cars stopped and a new car appears on one of the other roads then they have priority before you because they were at the line before you.
Basically, it's just like a big 4 way filter with each lane having the same priority as every other land.
Just drive defensively and politely and you'll be fine.
Even if you have a green light to turn a corner it's possible pedestrians will be crossing and they have right of way.
Always stop for them and be aware of them.
On some junctions the driver and the pedestrian have green lights at the same time – it's clear to drive straight on, but there may be pedestrians when turning.
Depending on state, you must park facing the correct way at the side of the road. It's dangerous to have to cross traffic to pull out y'see.
Not driving related.
If you pick up an item in a store that costs $9.99 it will cost you about $10.20 at the till because they add tax at the till rather than on the ticket price.
Find a valid zip code for anywhere, sometimes you will need to enter one, if you have one ready then just enter that. Perhaps just the zipcode of the hotel or from the car hire documentation.
Come to a complete stop.
At a 3 or 4 way stop the first car there has priority.
Although, perhaps better to say the first car to the stop line has priority.
If you are in a queue of 3 cars stopped and a new car appears on one of the other roads then they have priority before you because they were at the line before you.
Basically, it's just like a big 4 way filter with each lane having the same priority as every other land.
Just drive defensively and politely and you'll be fine.
Even if you have a green light to turn a corner it's possible pedestrians will be crossing and they have right of way.
Always stop for them and be aware of them.
On some junctions the driver and the pedestrian have green lights at the same time – it's clear to drive straight on, but there may be pedestrians when turning.
Depending on state, you must park facing the correct way at the side of the road. It's dangerous to have to cross traffic to pull out y'see.
Not driving related.
If you pick up an item in a store that costs $9.99 it will cost you about $10.20 at the till because they add tax at the till rather than on the ticket price.
Find a valid zip code for anywhere, sometimes you will need to enter one, if you have one ready then just enter that. Perhaps just the zipcode of the hotel or from the car hire documentation.
CDP said:
davepoth said:
HD Adam said:
Big Rigs will overtake you. They are not limited to 56mph but they will not do 130 
True - The one I overtook was only doing about 120...martin84 said:
Snowboy said:
Stop signs mean Stop. Not just give way.
Come to a complete stop.
I thought thats what a Stop sign meant here as well.Come to a complete stop.
But there are a lot more of them over there – you see them on pretty much every junction over there.
Here, at a T junction you might slow down for the junction, see it's clear and then drive round the corner without coming to a total stop.
There, you HAVE TO STOP, even if there's nothing in the road your turning into, you have to stop.
It's not just about giving way or showing priority at a junction as it is with most give way signs at junctions here.
I've shot through a couple of stop signs in the past because it looked like they should just be give way signs. It's easy to do.
You will soon get used to driving there. I managed to do 17000 miles in 6 months with only one stop for speeding, and we got let off after explaining we were on holiday and hadn't noticed it drop from 70 to 60 on the approach to a city (that was in South Dakota, and the officer was very polite).
As others have said, key things are stop signs and right turns. Also bear in mind in some states you can't park facing oncoming traffic.
As others have said, key things are stop signs and right turns. Also bear in mind in some states you can't park facing oncoming traffic.
martin84 said:
I'd be interested to hear what an American thinks of driving in the UK.
Brit but been in the US a while.I was driving my Father's car round some narrow country lanes in North Devon. I thought I was driving ok.
I had four cars in my mirror (embarassing). It took me a couple of days to adjust.
They would also be confused by those white lines that look as though they were painted by a drunk. The ones that are not parallel to the kerb.
If the feds stop you for whatever reason put your hands on top of the steering wheel, both of them or you might see a revolver out of the corner of your eye 
Always lock doors when stationary in built up areas at traffic lights. usually cars do this automatically these days.
This was advice given when I was in Huntington Beach by the company I worked for out there.
Have fun, the sunsets are great with big skies
Always lock doors when stationary in built up areas at traffic lights. usually cars do this automatically these days.
This was advice given when I was in Huntington Beach by the company I worked for out there.
Have fun, the sunsets are great with big skies
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