What do I need to know about driving in the USA.

[RooFlyer]

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I've heard that the speeds on interstates are a little flexible. Am I going to be the slow one if I follow them?

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I'm certainly no speed limit wowser, but you'd be foolish to 'test the limits' until you are well and truly comfortable with local 'conditions'. Thing about US is that rules and conventions which are state-wide or even national here can be very local in the US (also Canada, although not as bad) - like down to the county. Usually you can drive at or below the limit on an Interstate and not hinder the flow. But yes, like here a great deal of the traffic exceeds the posted limit - but, if all of a sudden the general speed slows, its probably for a good reason and it won't be good if you are the last one to slow down and so are zooming out in front!

BTW -where do you plan to drive?

 

[chrisb]

ts probably for a good reason and it won't be good if you are the last one to slow down and so are zooming out in front!
BTW -where do you plan to drive?

I'm past my days of speeding so I will probably be sticking to the right.

Buffalo upto niagra and then toronto and back.
Then Orlando area and down to Fort Lauderdale, then back up Florida, across to Louisiana and down to New Orleans.
then Vegas to San Fran.

 

[RooFlyer]

I'm past my days of speeding so I will probably be sticking to the right.

Buffalo upto niagra and then toronto and back.
Then Orlando area and down to Fort Lauderdale, then back up Florida, across to Louisiana and down to New Orleans.
then Vegas to San Fran.

Ah! Toronto (pronounced 'Trunna'). If you don't mind some boutique advice.

The major freeway through Toronto is the '401' / McDonald Cartier Freeway and its a monster. Central 'express' freeway (4 or so lanes each way), but with side 'collector' lanes, another 3 lanes wide, each side. You really need to know where you are getting on, and off, this one, and its often very congested.

But I suspect you'll be coming up from Niagara on the 'QEW' (Queen Elizabeth Way) which is OK, but again congested in peak hours. If you want somewhere to stop and get your bearings just before you get to Toronto CBD, I suggest Oakville. Just off the QEW to the right, nice village atmosphere, pretty suburb with some rather big houses and you can get down to the lake to gird your loins before hitting TO.

 

[cove]

Be aware of "black ice" in the colder places. As you approach a road bridge there can be frozen water you cannot see that if you are not exactly straight can cause the vehicle to do a 360 or a 180 or somewhere in between.
We had a vehicle in front of us do that in a winter month.
When it is freezing do not push a car out of the way with your bare hands as your skin can stick to the car you are pushing.

 

[TheRealTMA]

In pumps? Any special tricks like postcode issues?

Used my 28 degrees card all through USA and Canada but never worked at the pump. Even if you get through the postcode issue the pin is not accepted. One needs to go into office and per-authorise the fill, say $90 then they'll activate the pump. Do the fill then go back to get the refund on the actual price. Seems strange at first but you'll get used to it. Some gas stations in Oregon have pump jockeys and they can do it for you.

re speeds. Compliance with speed limits varies the closer you get to major towns like NYC, LA, SFO or Toronto. Seems to me the Canadians are less compliment and drive faster than many places in US.

It's weird driving north from NYC to Canada, destination, direction and local town road signs on freeways are almost nonexistent - obviously stopping Terryists escaping North to quickly.

ps: costs more per gallon to pay with credit card than cash or debit.

 

[drron]

Right turn on red does not apply in Manhattan

No rules apply in Manhattan.Pedestrians are always crossing in front of you and the horn is useless as everyone is using it.So I turn on my lights,Get a crazed look-easy for me and hit the accelerator for 1 second.boy you should see them run!:shock::evil:

But in general it is easy driving.I drive at least a 1000 miles a year in the US and usually a lot more.Most drivers are very polite.I have had no problems with merging.Coming up on a slower driver they usually slow further and let you get ahead,unlike Australia.
Four way stop signs are common in the burbs.Once again never a problem.If you arrive first you go first.If a lot of traffic at all 4 signs they take it in turns,just watch and take your turn.

I am old fashioned I use a $5 Walmart map of North America and not had a problem-even numbered roads run east-West,odd numbered run North-South.And in general they are well signed.

Be careful in Boston and New Mexico-the locals are mad.

I usually drive at the speed limit and usually passed by most.In California the HOV(high occupancy lane) can be used if 2 of you in the car.LA has changed this recently and the HOV lane has basically become a toll road so just ask.It was always a pleasure to whizz by the slowly moving car park.most other states the HOV is 3 people.

I always pay cash for gas.sometimes you do get a discount for cash.Dont try and fill the car yourself in New Joisey-by law it is filled for you.

Cant recommend enough driving in the US.It is designed for the car and you will see more with greater flexibility.I have had encounters with the police-reporting accidents-and have found them to be pleasant,professional and much easier to deal with than our local variety.

 

[Jurahn]

Suggest you purchase (rather than hire) a sat nav with USA map (purchase from Best Buy etc in USA). I remind myself of a simple rule - BIG LEFT , LITTLE RIGHT turn.

Or "Lefty Loosey, Righty Tighty" as my husband said when we were driving in the US for the first time LOL.

ETA: Just saw Vec's post saying the same thing .

 

[11sjw]

1. As others have said "Left is loose, right is tight" and "GPS is a must";
2. In the USA do not return serve in the high beam game, always be courteous when merging and smile if you're cut off as the next car could be armed to the hilt (B.I.L in Philly lectured me severely on this). Canucks are much less courteous than yanks, the potential presence of guns are why;
3. Heading to TO from Niagra if you're at Missisauga by 4pm get off and have dinner there/kill 3 hours or so. Traffic is horrendous. In general avoid peak hour driving in TO. (Coming back from Callander into TO on a Public Holiday we encountered traffic backed up to Barrie which is 1 hr normal driving from TO). In general aim to arrive in TO around lunch time.

 

[Deleted member]

I have Garmin on my phone so all good there.

And Data roaming ? or a local sim?

 

[Deleted member]

Don't overtake a school bus when its off loading children , I believe the bus amounts to being a mobile stop sign

 

[dcm]

For me, the hardest part of driving in the US was when you have to make a split second decision and your right hand drive instincts kick in. It took me a while to make the necessary adjustments. Make sure you are not tired/jet-lagged when you start.

 

[cove]

Don't you just love putting on the windscreen wipers on the first drive.

 

[travelislife]

And Data roaming ? or a local sim?

Dont need a sim at all if you make sure you have the maps available offline which you can do. GPS in the phone works anywhere without sim.

 

[The Rok]

I've lost count of the amount of times iv passed a Florida State Trooper doing 100mph on I95.

But then got pinged on an off ramp doing 65 in a 55...

 

[jukebox333]

Interstates and city roads should not give you grief with the "staying on the right hand side of the road" thing. The two places that you will need to concentrate on are pulling out onto a country road when there are no other cars around, and pulling onto a divided road from shops or a side road.

For the latter, the advice about about left and right runs is good.

For the former... well when I got back on the road after taking some sunrise shots in Monument Valley, AZ, it took my brain a few seconds to process why the car coming towards me was in the same lane as me... luckily we was a good mile ahead, and so I nonchalantly drfited over to the right hand lane and gave myself a virtual thickhead. The lack of other traffic is the distractor - when there's other people driving you just follow the leader.

 

[Hvr]

Don't you just love putting on the windscreen wipers on the first drive.

Actually that wasn't an issue having driven European cars and buses where the indicators and wipers are on the opposite side.

 

[horseman]

Wow I wish this thread existed when I first drove there, my usa driving education was stick to the right (I managed to mess that up too, pulled out in the rain right in front of a copper, managed to pull off straight away though and he didn't even stop.) and from watching the tv show cops of people being dragged out of car with tasers going and guns drawn.
Everything that has been covered so far by others is spot on.

 

[cove]

In 35 years of driving I have only seen police officers draw their guns 3 times and no shots were fired.
So in about 100 separate car hires only 3 events of this type have occurred and this is my California tally.
Nothing to be too concerned about compared with the risk of driving anywhere.

 

[TheRealTMA]

In 35 years of driving I have only seen police officers draw their guns 3 times and no shots were fired.
So in about 100 separate car hires only 3 events of this type have occurred and this is my California tally.
Nothing to be too concerned about compared with the risk of driving anywhere.

It's not the police but the other drivers in their F100s tailgating in the left hand lane you have to be concerned about.

 

[cove]

F250s and F350s are what made America buy bigger cars.