Arthur Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 I'm a mature UK resident with UK driving licence, I want to visit and hire a vehicle in the USA. Does anyone care to offer qualified advice about driving in the USA. Lets please start with anyone who is a driving instructor, There are places near NYC and Rochester NY that I want to visit then places in New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California. Do I consider trains? internal flights? or some very long drives? PM's welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nater Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 The US honors international drivers licenses. However, driving tips will vary depending on where you are at and the time of year. I am not an official driving instructor, unless you count the people I have trained to drive an ambulance and fire truck. It will take about 4-5 days to drive from NY to AZ. Trains will save a little time, but passenger trains (AMTRAK) generally yield to fright trains. Still, trains are nice and you get to see the countryside. Flying is the quickest and arguable the most frustrating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyrokid Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Driving can be cheap depending on the car rental agreement, and allows you to experience the country to the greatest extent. Cross country drives can be tiring though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivars21 Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 (edited) The only main difference (except driving on the right side of the road) is turning right on red sign. Really handy, no idea why there is no left equivalent in UK. You adjust quite quickly in a day or so. Driving in states is fun, you can get from snow to +20*C in 6h. You can drive and hire vehicle with UK/EU license, no issue there. Edited January 11, 2016 by ivars21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taiwanluthiers Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 (edited) Driving is almost mandatory in the US... you get punished for not having a car because there's very little reliable public transportation. A 5 mile trip could take all day on a city bus just because of how slow they are... That is unless you're in densely populated city such as New York. As for driving it shouldn't matter except for the side of the road we drive on, and the driver seat is on the left side (rather than the right side in the UK). Hitchhiking while commonplace in most of Europe is not encouraged at all here... in fact I heard in some cities it's illegal. Edited January 12, 2016 by taiwanluthiers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrB Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 The only main difference (except driving on the right side of the road) is turning right on red sign. But this is something that is allowed in some states, but not in others, and you as a driver is required to know the difference. Right? If i understood it right, it's also entirely dependent on you being able to make the right hand turn, safely, without blocking vehicles that are heading straight, through a green light, crossing your path.(I think it's a great rule, and would want it implemented everywhere, but...)B! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taiwanluthiers Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 That is usually allowed (again depending on state), and if not there will be a sign stating that it's not allowed. In my country turning right on red is not allowed at all, but people still do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldMarine Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Uber is your friend. If that's not acceptable just drive on the wrong side (for you) of the road, curse and shoot the bird often and vehemently at your fellow road-demons. This applies to everything from Delaware up and diminishes as you go south. Southerners take that behaviour as a challenge and assume you're a Yankee snowbird interloper so it can backfire. If you've seen Ned Beatty in "Deliverance" you'll understand.Please enjoy your stay and don't leave any unwanted children who could later somehow become president.Thanks and welcome to America! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Basically the only place where right turns on red are disallowed is New York City, not that I'd suggest driving in the city there anyway. It does come with the caveat that you have to be able to do it safely, and without interrupting traffic. Everywhere else will have signs if it's not allowed at particular intersections. The one notable exception, which I found out the hard way, is if there is a dedicated right turn arrow. In most states you are not allowed to do this. Unfortunately for me, I live in one where it is legal and come from another where no one cares, so I tend to do it everywhere and have gotten a warning once. Otherwise I don't think there are too many differences to driving in the US. Some states tend to be more strict about speeding. I'd also suggest getting some sort of GPS navigation either via cell phone, stand alone or built into a car. It's easy to get lost, and they're really helpful for getting back on course, avoiding traffic buildups, and find sites or amenities. My biggest advice is to try not to hold too tight of a schedule. Impromptu or whim stops tend to be some of the most enjoyable and fulfilling. It's up to you whether to fly or drive. Most major cities have at least okay public transportation, or taxi/driver services. Driving is a great way to see the country. There is a lot of boring country between New York and the Southwest though. If you were interested in more rustic sites such as national parks and monuments, some driving will probably be required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldMarine Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Mumbles! You're taking the fun completely out of this thread! Why should a visitor drive any better than a local or be unprepared to drive among them?Only in Berlin and Tokyo have I found any match to American urban road warriors.The automobile was born in Detroit and seems most inclined to die close to home though some Southern incorrigibles seem hellbent to match and surpass all yank devolutions in motoring.Driving is the only adventure left to us and I won't stand it being dumbed down and de-funned for lack of a better term! :-P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starxplor Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 (edited) One comment about right turn on red is that technically, it is any turn when not crossing any lanes of traffic. For instance, when a right turn crosses another lane on your right, you cannot turn right on red. But, if you are turning left, from a one-way onto a one-way, then you are not crossing traffic and can usually turn on red there as well. Also, while it is allowed, you are never required to turn on a red light even if you are allowed to. If you do not know if you are allowed to where you are, just dont do it and do not risk a ticket/fine or worse, an accident that may take you out of this hobby or life. Another difference in some states is seatbelt laws. For instance, in MI, we require the driver to be properly wearing a seatbelt. This means the lap and torso parts must be properly placed and fitted. An officer at any level in the state(state, county, city) can pull over a driver for this infraction alone. Not all states have rules like this though and you likely wont be driving in MI on your trip unless you cut through Canada from New York State. It is always best to learn the rules of the road wherever you are driving. If you are using the interstate highway system, most states have some sort of welcome center shortly into their state that you can stop at and ask for information including "what differences between where I came from and this state should I be aware of" Good luck! Edited January 12, 2016 by starxplor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taiwanluthiers Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 I think it was the same reason Taiwan doesn't allow right turns on red (regarding NYC's ban on this), because most of Taiwan is almost as densely populated as NYC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share Posted January 12, 2016 I'm used to driving in central London that's part of my job, but I don't want to do that on holiday! I'm planning to get a small camper so that a fluid plan is possible. What are the typical and tightest drink drive rules? I normally don't drink but this is a holiday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taiwanluthiers Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 It varies by state but I think .08 is the norm. Just don't drink and drive because some places have zero tolerance for this, and if you get into an accident it is always your fault if there are any alcohol in your system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nater Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 .08 is the limit almost everywhere for non-commercial drivers. For commercial drivers it is 0.04. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taiwanluthiers Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Just know that even at .04 you're still impaired enough that you can make mistakes... that could be life and death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starxplor Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Driving while impared in any way is horrible, not just for you, but those others on the road who might be hit. Most people do not realize this includes not just mind altering drugs(including alcohol), but also includes sleep/rest deprivation. It is always worth a 10 minute stop to pull off the road and close your eyes for a while if you do not have a driving partner who can switch off with you. Also, most states have laws against open containers of alcohol even being within reach of the driver(including passenger actively drinking), and definitely have laws against drinking while driving, even if you just started and do not fail a breathalizer test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 What does 0.04 mean, in the UK it's 35 so it's obviously different units. I know in the UK that 1 beer is less than the limit but that two beers is over, I also know that in Norway one beer and you will be over the limit that day AND the next, and i'm told Sweden is similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starxplor Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_alcohol_content BAC is a percent of blood in the body. No clue what the 35 used in the UK is. Body weight and alcohol processing make it nearly impossible to guess what it takes for any given person to register at any rate. generally, more than one beer is illegal, but even driving after one beer can be dangerous to yourself and those around you. Impaired driving is not always noticable, and personally, I want to be in as top shape as I can when sitting in a giant metal box flying down the road at 55-70MPH(is that 110KPH?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 35 is micrograms of alcohol per 100mL of breath. This corresponds to 80milligrams of alcohol per 100mL of blood, which is the definition of .08 BAC. There are calculators around that will estimate where this is. In most cases, this is around 3 standard drinks. This is affected by a lot of factors, but will give you a ball park. I included the one I like. http://celtickane.com/projects/blood-alcohol-content-bac-calculator/ Long story short, I wouldn't be paranoid about having a drink with dinner or stopping at a winery or brewery and having a few samples, but I'd save the rest of the bottle/case for when you get back to your lodging. I know you, and you'll make good decisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 Thanks for the succinct reply there Mumbles. Is there advice on out of town speed limits? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taiwanluthiers Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 It's usually 55mph on highways (US highways, etc. not interstate) and 60-70 on interstates. On non-highways it's going to be around 35 to 40. Be careful with small towns... speed limit can often go from 70 to 55 with little warning, and there's always a cop waiting by the sign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynomike1 Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 You get around W. Tn. let me know. I know you are going to Elvis's house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nater Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 It's usually 55mph on highways (US highways, etc. not interstate) and 60-70 on interstates. On non-highways it's going to be around 35 to 40. Be careful with small towns... speed limit can often go from 70 to 55 with little warning, and there's always a cop waiting by the sign.Around the Midwest, speed limits are often 60-65 on divided highways, 55 on 2 lane highways. In Indiana, rural county roads are 55 unless otherwise posted. Some less traveled roads have very little signage around here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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