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

[chrisb]

And Data roaming ? or a local sim?

Garmin has all the maps loaded on the iPhone like a normal GPS unit - but I do have a local sim too.

 

[Brisbane Flyer]

Having grown up in LA, I could relate to the reporter using local slang to describe where this event started and ended, the 605 to the 105 to the 405...Fight On The 405 Freeway Stopped Traffic After Truck Driver Threatened Commuter With Lead Pipe (VIDEO)

 

[TheRealTMA]

Beware driving on freeway into Providence, RI . There's a bend in the road and they have a big warning 'Curve ahead' painted on the freeway to warn out of state drivers of this unexpected road hazard!

 

[drewbles]

As someone who was worried about driving on the "incorrect" side of the road, I adapted very quickly. Currently at SFO after having just dropped off the rental car. 150 miles in less than 48 hours and I feel entirely comfortable now.

Just remember that everything is reverse of back home and you're good. The left hand turns at big intersections still get me a little though

 

[Mal]

You really need to be on the ball when first hopping back into a car or driving out of car parks or petrol stations etc. The lack of lanes make it harder in that situation. I find driving on the roads OK because its mostly logical and you follow other cars etc.

I nearly got t-boned when leaving a petrol station. I just hadn't switched into the right driving style and didn't properly look out when exiting the driveway ( realised and stopped... But still)

 

[Skyring]

You really need to be on the ball when first hopping back into a car or driving out of car parks or petrol stations etc. The lack of lanes make it harder in that situation. I find driving on the roads OK because its mostly logical and you follow other cars etc.

Yeah. Turning left at intersections is OK, because you have to think about it and you are on the wrong side of the road to begin with.

But car parks and petrol stations are where I need someone to give me a nudge, because it seems so familiar, there are no lanes marked, and unless there is traffic passing by to remind you it is far too easy to just look right and turn left.

 

[serfty]

Just driven from Boca Raton to Orlando.

Right tight left loose works well ..

Washed Window several times before changing lanes.

Hand over cc in self serve gas stations before filling.

Travel 5mph over the speed limit on Florida toll/freeways and expect most traffic to overtake except in construction zones where the limits appear to be policed (due to traffic actually almost obeying the limit). [weird doing 80mph in the right (slow) lane and being flashed for seemingly going too slow]

The four STOP signs at an intersection was strange at first, but I found if you just treat such as being a "virtual" round-a-bout you should be ok.

 

[Brisbane Flyer]

Right lanes are the slow lanes...Left is for speed and overtaking

Just driven from Boca Raton to Orlando.

Right tight left loose works well ..

Washed Window several times before changing lanes.

Hand over cc in self serve gas stations before filling.

Travel 5mph over the speed limit on Florida toll/freeways and expect most traffic to overtake except in construction zones where the limits appear to be policed (due to traffic actually almost obeying the limit). [weird doing 80mph in the left (slow) lane and being flashed for seemingly going too slow]

 

[Skyring]

Right tight left loose works well ..

Washed Window several times before changing lanes.

LOL! I do that on a daily basis - the Golf has the control stalks on the "wrong" side.

"Right is tight, left is loose" was my mantra in the US - and Europe. I've saved hundreds of lives that way.

 

[serfty]

Right lanes are the slow lanes...Left is for speed and overtaking

yeah yeah - I know what I meant , it is opposite - I blame Disney world ...

 

[Brisbane Flyer]

I've been in Australia for 20 years but thrown in a car park at Westfields with no lines and watch out...I drift to the right.
Those rides at Disney World can be a head spinner!

Enjoy Florida.

yeah yeah - I know what I meant , it is opposite - I blame Disney world ...

 

[dfcatch]

California you want to watch your speed coming into smaller towns and through construction zones. On the Interstates it's whatever.

Do be aware that the last 2 years - the CHP has had a massive recruiting program and DUI is a significant policing priority. I've seen a massive increase in presence in towns where there was practically zero a few years back.

4-way stops are the show-stopper for most people - but as Serfty says - just treat them as a roundabout with Stop signs

 

[Brisbane Flyer]

Small towns all across America rely on traffic infringement revenue more than u can imagine.
Watch the coppers between buildings next time u drive thru a town of less than a few thousand people, also their love the 'first and last mile' of their jurisdiction.

Was stopped twice last month in Maui at their version of RBT's intoxication check points.

 

[Hvr]

<snip>

Was stopped twice last month in Maui at their version of RBT's intoxication check points.

So is it a breathalyser type machine or walk the line?

 

[Brisbane Flyer]

So is it a breathalyser type machine or walk the line?

Walk the line. initially they ask who u r, what r u doing. We were in upcountry at my nephews high school graduation, once he heard that and realized there were four very sober people in the car, he let us go. Other stop was between Ma'alaea and Lahina, about 630p. Copper said it was their usual post work day roadside setup. We had our realtor and attorney in the car with my nephew and myself, he was driving and he is 18. He's a local, they spoke in Hawaiian-English, we got waved through.

 

[erkpod]

In 2009, I was driving coast to coast & I got pulled over for doing 78mph in a 75mph zone on an interstate just entering South Dakota. I saw the State Trooper in the central reservation but I had my cruise control on. Most of our cops wouldn't even bat an eyelid at such a small speed over. But not this guy. He zoomed up behind me & I pulled over. He gave me a caution once he saw my Australian driver's licence.

After that, I spoke to a couple of mates that I know in the US. One is a current cop & one is a former cop. Both agreed that the cop was on a fishing expedition. Once he saw me in a CA registered vehicle even slightly over the speed limit, that gave him reason enough to pull me over. Then who knows what he could find.

Later that trip, I was lucky enough to do a ride-along with what we'd call a general duties cop in a city area in Virginia. Because he wasn't a traffic cop like a State Trooper, he was more forgiving than average. His theory was that the Mayor of the City allowed you 5mph over, the Chief of Police gave you another 5mph & he personally gave you another 5mph over - so that's 15 mph over. Obviously there's a reason you are zooming along at over 15mph over.

As for zipcodes etc, I was trying to recharge my throwaway phone on the same trip when the system asked me for a 5 digit zipcode. I tried my Australian postcode with a zero in front, that didn't work. I purchased the phone in suburban LA & I didn't know that zipcode. Nor did I know the zipcode for Chicago which was my location at the time. So I tried this zipcode that worked .... 90210.

 

[Deleted member]

It's a pretty sad indictment that the degree of courtesy by one driver is governed by the potential of the other driver carrying a loaded firearm.

 

[calroth]

Be careful about scraping your tyres (ahem, tires) on the kerb (ahem, curb). Of course none of us ever do this in Australia but when you're on the other side of the car, you can lose track of how far you can or can't get.

Scraped rims are the least of your worries. We blew out a tyre sidewall doing this.

On the up side, I can confirm it's possible to drive down the Interstate at 50mph (due to the space-saver spare) and Americans are in general cool about this

 

[crm911]

The only rule where we do the same as in the US is - give way to traffic on the right. You will get this at 4-way intersections and large mall car parks.

If you are in traffic, you'll be able to do what the locals are doing, but it's on those quiet roads where you're the only car that you can drift to the wrong side. I once did a long right turn on a divided side street outside our office. I went most of the way before I realised there was a car coming at me and the driver looked alarmed. So I quickly turned into an office entrance on the left.

The second mistake I made was a 4-way intersection with lights. In San Jose at least, the turn arrows turn green first before the one to go straight ahead. I saw the green and only realised my mistake as I drove straight through the intersection. There were no cars in sight.

I have also driven on the wrong side briefly inside a car park where no lanes are marked.

I also got into trouble when I went into a "coupon" lane in a Florida toll booth when I should have driven through the E-tag lane. I had paid for the rental car to include tolls -- the car does not have any tag but the local authorities don't penalise the car hire company, but just bill them as if there was a tag. This man was smoking angry and didn't care that we had literally come off a 30+ hour flight from Oz and had made a mistake. Couldn't I buy a coupon from him? He did it under sufferance and I never made that mistake again in FL.

Some freeways do have an exit on the left and some GPSs have errors (usually out of date, but once I saw a fifth street at a 4-way intersection.) I also got told to exit on the left when the only exit was on the right. But I can't emphasise enough that the GPS maps don't keep up with real life road alterations.

Don't trust your phone's GPS either. In LA near LAX we went looking for a Walgreens and were sent to one that must have closed long ago and not to one close to our hotel that we didn't notice when driving past the first time. It's all part of the fun.

 

[blackcat20]

If you stop suddenly and throw your left arm out to stop your bag sliding off the passenger seat, it'll hurt when your arm slams into the door. And your passengers will laugh at you