I'm hiring a car in America. Apart from driving on the right, what do you know about differences in the Highway Code over there?

I know that you can turn right on a red light.....

Any other tips?

I am going over there myself early next year for a year career brake. Already bought a road atlas and have to admit it looks a bit daunting! I'd appreciate any tips as well.

Its fantastic!

use cruise control as much as possible and don't speed, they really have zero tolerance for it.

If ure driving away from the cities, the roads are long and quiet. As for in the cities, leave the car in the hotel and get public transport - especially in places like San Fran, Boston and Las Veags.

Have fun, I'm dead jealous.

You can undertake.

I believe you are not permitted to drive unless you are at least 1.5 times the weight of the car you are driving in, you must also have eaten a pancake with Maple syrup for breakfast.

:D

You can turn right even if the traffic light is red, provided there is no oncomming traffic.

Agree about driving in San Francisco, don't do it, the city is tiny and you can easily walk from one end to the other, provided you are fit, the hills are fantastically steep.

They dont have roundabouts (sp?) atleast they didn't used to! Always thought that strange. This means there are loads more Stop signs and traffic lights.

Have just got back from my first driving in the US, a couple of things I wished I'd known...

If you've never driven an automatic before, use the same foot for brake and accelorator, as you do here. Give your left foot a rest. And don't make the first time you drive in the middle of San Francisco...

Cruise control is your friend

Their cars are bigger than ours. Their 'regular' is our 'massive'. Bear in mind when booking

Plane your route well - they don't have any long distance signs. For example if you turn onto the M1, it will say 'London' and 'Leeds' on the signs - they don't have ANY signs like that - just North / East / South / West, and when you are on the motorway, the next 3 exits at the most. They also don't warn you of junctions in advance very well...

Speed limits vary, by state and seemingly random on other roads - so keep a sharp eye out for the signs

At most gas stations you must pay before filling up -- if cash, you must go in and say '$20 of unleaded on number 5 please' and it will dispense the amount, or most petrol pumps have a credit card slot so you insert your card before filling, and then you can take as much as you need. Some though, I had to go inside to pay on credit card, because it asks for the card's Zip code, which obviously we don't have...

Stop signs - you MUST stop, and if there is more than one person waiting at a stop junction, you go in the order you arrived there.

You can turn right on red, but pedestrians have priority if they are crossing - this goes for even if you are on green!

It seems to be acceptable to 'undertake' on motorway - not sure whether this is official or not, but lots of people seem to do it!

The radio is RUBBISH, so be sure to take plenty of CDs!

I think you are meant to carry your driving license with you while you are driving (no '7 days to produce') but didn't get stopped so don't know!!!

Originally posted by nick2
You can turn right even if the traffic light is red, provided there is no oncomming traffic.

Agree about driving in San Francisco, don't do it, the city is tiny and you can easily walk from one end to the other, provided you are fit, the hills are fantastically steep.

I believe it's if not pedestrians are crossing, oncoming traffic doesn't get in your way, so it's not an issue.

Turning right on a red light.

This is allowed in most cases. But not all.

There are occasions when it is prohibited. In such cases it should be signposted, but such signs are not the most prominent!
So, as with most things, take care and be observant.

When turning right on a red, the law is that you should come to a stop at the light before proceeding.


Passing on the inside

It is allowed in most states. (It is not legal to pass a moving vehicle on an inside lane in Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma or Tennessee)
More important than you doing it, is the need to be aware of others doing it when you may be about to move back to the inside lane. Use those mirrors & indicators.

Have a look at this site (http://freespace.virgin.net/john.cletheroe/usa_can/driving/)

Have fun:thumbsup:

That's really useful, I can't wait! And yes, I'm off to San Francisco! Not going to drive in the city though, don't fancy it much. Off to Yosemite with the car from there.

Is petrol (gas) labelled the same as over here, ie unleaded and diesel? Or is it Super and something else?

Are all exits on freeways/highways from the right or do they exit from the left too?

Originally posted by Cyclone
I believe it's if not pedestrians are crossing, oncoming traffic doesn't get in your way, so it's not an issue.

I meant traffic from the left

Yosemite is fabulous - u'll have a wonderfull time.
x

THEY DRIVE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD, NOT THE RIGHT SIDE

PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE

What a found most amusing in the US is that if you are driving on the wrong side of the road there are signs that say "Wrong Way !"

Originally posted by ncrossland
If you've never driven an automatic before, use the same foot for brake and accelorator, as you do here. Give your left foot a rest.

Yes, no left foot braking - bad idea all round!

Their cars are bigger than ours. Their 'regular' is our 'massive'. Bear in mind when booking

Yep, a 'compact' is about the size of a Focus estate. If it's the size of a mini, it's a motorbike ;)

Plane your route well - they don't have any long distance signs. For example if you turn onto the M1, it will say 'London' and 'Leeds' on the signs - they don't have ANY signs like that - just North / East / South / West, and when you are on the motorway, the next 3 exits at the most. They also don't warn you of junctions in advance very well...

When in some cities (not sure about all), the numbers on buildings converge at 0. There is, say, 4834 East and 4834 West, with 0 parallel to the city centre. Just be careful which one you're at! Same for north and south. Also, the roads can carry on through impassible objects. I know of one road that stops and the base of a mountain, and starts again at the other side.

The radio is RUBBISH, so be sure to take plenty of CDs!

I don't know, if you're in one of the south-western states the country can be quite interesting ;)

I think you are meant to carry your driving license with you while you are driving (no '7 days to produce') but didn't get stopped so don't know!!!

Is it licence and documentation (insurance, hire agreement, whatnot)?

Originally posted by Classic Rock
Is petrol (gas) labelled the same as over here, ie unleaded and diesel? Or is it Super and something else?

Are all exits on freeways/highways from the right or do they exit from the left too? [/B]

Not like the European 'Super' system, more like ours - they had 3 strengths of unleaded + diesel. I just went for the cheapest unleaded which I think was 95 Octane.

All the exits seem to be on the right, same way as ours are all on the left.

The other thing relating to petrol (gas) is their prices vary much more than ours. Over here, petrol is pretty much the same price wherever you go, only varying by a few pence per litre.

Over there, within a few miles, it varied by over a dollar (per US gallon) - we saw it from about $2.35 to $3.50 a gallon (in Yosemite). So shop around.

A US gallon is approx 4 litres, so divide to 8 and add a bit to get a very approximate price in £ -- you'll see this is between 30p and 50p a litre - so still half the price of the UK. And on the TV there were programmes bemoaning the price of gas...! It was balanced out by the car we hired, (which was 'full size' according to the website we booked through, and turned out to have a 3.5 litre engine) which got through petrol twice as quick anyway.

Unless you are renting a sport/SUV type car you should OK with regular gas. At the gas station when you lift the pump out of the machine you need to lift up a flap that sits below the pump, until you do that you won't get any petrol.

When I have rented a car in the US I have always requested a 'compact' which would about the size of a ford focus. At the counter I always refuse the offer to upgrade and most (about 9 out of 10) times I get a free upgrade because they rarely have compact cars available. If you definitely need the big car (4 people and luggage etc) then its probably not worth the gamble.

I'd second the mention of the roadsigns, signs for the Interstate (motorway) are often large before you get to the junction but pretty small at the junction itself. There are no 300yd-200yd-100yd markers when you leave the interstate either so the quieter exits can be easy to miss.

Be careful on major routes that are not interstates. When passing through small towns the speed limit may drop quite sharply (from 60 down to 30) even though the road will not be noticeably narrower i.e. it will still be dual carriageway. If you are stopped by the police you *must* have your driving licence with you. Also don't get out of your car unless told by the police, they will get very worried!

I've hired a Chrysler Sebring Convertible, which is a two seater luxury automatic number. I've had one before in the US and they're great to drive. Very comfy and great to get the roof off in the Californian sun. That was five years ago.

Originally posted by Classic Rock
That's really useful, I can't wait! And yes, I'm off to San Francisco! Not going to drive in the city though, don't fancy it much. Off to Yosemite with the car from there.

Is petrol (gas) labelled the same as over here, ie unleaded and diesel? Or is it Super and something else?

Are all exits on freeways/highways from the right or do they exit from the left too?

Ah! You'll have a wonderful time! Guarantee it. Especially Yosemite, it's beautiful any time of year, but you picked a perfect time to see it. June is also nice. The snow is mostly gone, summer tourists aren't out in full force yet. It'll be great. There are roads leading to, and within the park that are still closed. We had unusually heavy snow and rain this year. But the park service will inform you of this, and provide alternate routes. Always.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/

ALL freeway exits are ONLY from the right. That's the only (legal) way off the freeway. The entrances will sometimes be to your left, but you will be merging onto the RIGHT side of the freeway. Always. Hope that's not too confusing. Be careful. Most on ramps are fairly long, but a few older freeways, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area have ridiculously short on ramps. There are those idiots who won't move over for other folks to merge, come hell or high water.

You absolutely MUST carry your driver's license, the rental agreement for the vehicle, and the vehicle's registration with you when driving. There are NO exceptions. You must produce it on demand if stopped by the police. If not, you will be cited. They won't arrest you or anything, but you'll receive a ticket. Probably with a hefty fine, since they know you won't be able to come back for a traffic court date. They also won't let you drive off again WITHOUT your license. If the cop really wants to be a jerk, he can have the rental car towed and impounded if there is no one else in the car with a license. PLEASE carry these things with you. Don't forget them! It's important. The car's registration paper (and proof of insurance) should be in the glove box. The car rental agency will take care of that. No harm in checking when you rent the car, just to make sure everything is there. It may save you a ton of grief later on.

Right turns on red lights are legal in California, but I know that in many states, they are NOT. So be careful. There will usually be signs stating, NO RIGHT TURN ON RED, but not always. Obey the speed limit. Be careful when parking, even "for a minute". BELIEVE the signs that say your car will be towed for illegal parking. Especially in San Francisco. They mean it. As a teenager, I once blew off a NO PARKING sign, and spent the rest of the afternoon at the police impound yard getting my father's car back. It was expensive, too.

Gas here is graded

Premium Unleaded-most expensive. Buy it if you like, but I've never noticed a difference.

Regular Unleaded-The best buy. Good enough for a rental car, and most cars, in fact.

Regular-DON"T put this in a car using Unleaded. It contains lead (as a cooling agent) for older American cars. Bypass it completely. Not every station carries this. Not to be confused with regular unleaded.

Diesel-self explanatory.

Perhaps this will provide more info:

http://www.caldrive.com/index.html

Chrysler Sebring convertible? Those are great cars! My mother had one, but my dad traded it in for a PT Cruiser. Ack! You should be more than comfortable in it, and they're fun to drive.

http://www.chrysler.com/sebring_convertible/

Enjoy your visit!

:) Sierra

you canot go wrong, just rebember one thing, as hear, THE DRIVER IS ALWAYS AT THE CENTRE OF THE ROAD.

Two things to remember. 1.-ALL cops are armed. 2.- Cops do NOT have a sense of humour!
Important. When involved in a motor vehicle accident, the first thing you MUST do is STOP!!!
Do not make jokes to immigration or customs officials about having a bomb in your suitcase, or you will have at least two years in jail to contemplate your sense of humour!
Do NOT take lightly any facet of 'Homeland Security'.
Prepare to be amazed and delighted with the unfailing friendliness and courtesy of anyone in the public sector, i.e. waitresses, shop assistants, police officers, airport and hotel employees. When they say "Have a good day" they really mean it! However, when they say "How are you today"? they DO NOT want, or need, to know your entire life history, or how you felt when you got up this morning. A simple "Fine", is usually enough!
A tip for driving- I spent many years as a truck driver in the U.S., and found out that if I took the time to do it, this tip helped a lot. Plan your trip to Yosemite (Pronounced Yo-sem-erty) by writing down ALL hiway numbers on a large piece of paper, indicating exit numbers, compass directions, etc, then you wont have to try to read a map at 70 miles per hour! If in doubt, DO NOT stop on an Interstate! Get off at the first exit, you can always get back on later.
As in Europe, it is almost always the case that the first person you ask for directions is "Not from here."
Terminology will be a problem. i.e. Roundabouts are called traffic circles, pavement is the actual roadway (sidewalk is the pavement) dual carriageway is a 'divided hiway'. (The 'Wrong way' sign is usually on the opposite side of a divided highway, i.e., if you are west bound, the wrong way sign will be on the eastbound side). Very important if there is a 70 mph speed limit.
Important- If you are involved in an accident, DO AS THE COP TELLS YOU!! Being English, and having a 'funny' accent IS NOT an excuse! Allow THEM to make fun of your accent, but NEVER make fun of theirs!
Some of the smaller towns may not have a regular court house, so, if you are at fault, you WILL be jailed until the 'circuit court' judge comes to town, sometimes that could take a couple of weeks. You will be allowed one phone call, do not order chinese food, though, call a lawyer, you will need one!
Don't be scared by all this, if you are involved, and it was not your fault, and you don't have an attitude, you will be treated fairly, in most cases.

Didn't read all the posts on this but also all the traffic lights are above you, not on the side, also right turns on red are only legal in some States not all of them, but you'll find out when the person behind you LETS YOU KNOW.

Also you'll be better off renting an automatic drive not a shift, this way you have one less thing to consentrate on.

Originally posted by neeeeeeeeeek
You can undertake.

I believe you are not permitted to drive unless you are at least 1.5 times the weight of the car you are driving in, you must also have eaten a pancake with Maple syrup for breakfast.

:D

:clap: pmsl :clap:

Originally posted by poppins
Didn't read all the posts on this but also all the traffic lights are above you, not on the side, also right turns on red are only legal in some States not all of them, but you'll find out when the person behind you LETS YOU KNOW.

Also you'll be better off renting an automatic drive not a shift, this way you have one less thing to consentrate on.

funny thing is, we can all drive 'shifts'.

Everything else sounds like good advice though.

I'd always thought that maximum speed limits in the US were lower, isn't it 55mph on most interstates?

Here is a link with all the information you should need:

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Driving in California (http://www.ca.gov/state/portal/myca_leftnav_categories.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@15514 19746.1115959172@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccjaddeikemlhfcfngcfkmdffidfng.0&sLeftNavCategoryPath=%2fNavigation%2fTravel+and+Tr ansportation%2fEverything+You+Ever+Wanted+to+Know+ about+Driving+in+California&sNavTitle=Everything+You+Ever+Wanted+to+Know+about +Driving+in+California)

PS

1. There are a lot of car accidents in national parks because people tend to stop their car in the middle of the road to look at nature.

2. There are a lot of staunch republicans in the west...especially in small towns. If you find that you need to stop in a town where the most fashionable restaurant is called EAT, try to keep the Bush bashing to a minimum.

3. Small town police tend to be composed of frustrated jocks that never left home for the big city. They really enjoy messing around with anyone from out of town. Do not even attempt humor with the ones who wear sunglasses at night.

4. Be careful where you drive in large cities. Especially if you are white and are driving in a non-white area. If you find yourself in this situation, remember to roll up your windows and lock the doors. Be careful not to get boxed in at intersections and try to avoid eye contact. You may want to keep a dummy wallet with about $20 in cash, just in case.

5. If you rent a wireless phone you can dial 911 in case of emergency in most places.

Originally posted by oldtimer
Prepare to be amazed and delighted with the unfailing friendliness and courtesy of anyone in the public sector, i.e. waitresses, shop assistants, police officers, airport and hotel employees. When they say "Have a good day" they really mean it!

Yes, you soon realise what shoddy service we get in this country.

Originally posted by nick2
Yes, you soon realise what shoddy service we get in this country.

I always felt they were only faking being that nice to earn a bigger tip. At least our people are genuinely miserable!

Originally posted by ncrossland
I always felt they were only faking being that nice to earn a bigger tip. At least our people are genuinely miserable!

There could be that, but I think they are mostly genuinely happy in their jobs. In the US these jobs are not seen as a "last resort" job like they are here, they also pay better than here and the tips can boost a persons pay quite a bit.

Thats another tip, always tip the barman when you get your first drink from him, he'll make sure you get served quickly for the rest of the night.

Originally posted by nick2
Thats another tip, always tip the barman when you get your first drink from him, he'll make sure you get served quickly for the rest of the night.
Am I the only one who thinks that comment is quite ironic in a thread about driving? :)

Good advice though...

Originally posted by RichD
Am I the only one who thinks that comment is quite ironic in a thread about driving? :)

Good advice though...

My other tip should have been "don't drink and drive", the US police don't fanny about like our police do, it's straight to jail if they catch you.

Is it true that American police don't breathalyse you - that they still make you do lots of 'drunk tests' instead? Walking along a straight line etc? Or do they do that in addition to breathalysing you?

I would say the most dangerous part of driving in the US or UK is making a turn, you tend to go on the wrong side after the turn, didn't a Sheffield family just get killed in the US making a right turn out of their hotel and automatically went over to the left lane into on comming traffic ? so easy to do !

Originally posted by poppins
I would say the most dangerous part of driving in the US or UK is making a turn, you tend to go on the wrong side after the turn, didn't a Sheffield family just get killed in the US making a right turn out of their hotel and automatically went over to the left lane into on comming traffic ? so easy to do !

I'd agree with that, it's very easy to do when you are used to being on the other side. I've done it once myself in France and seen it a few times.

Watch out for yellow school buses. If one stops to let children out, you must stop regardless of what side of the road you are on. The only time that that does not apply is when you are driving in the opposite direction, it's a 4 lane highway and there is a barrier or grassy median inbetween. I always feel that if you see a school bus stopped, then you stop.

Also, if you are a dual carriageway and the police have pulled someone over on the side of the road with flashing lights, you must change into the other lane to give them a wide berth. Too many cops have hit while standing on the side of the road. I had a friend that didn't change lanes and another cop followed her and gave her a ticket. That goes for any emergency services.

People don't use indicators much. So watch out. Our driving test here in Florida is a joke but not sure of California. People aren't taught properly and have no consideration for other drivers. On a dual carriageway or motorway type road, people also pass on either side. None of the slow lane, fast lane rules. It is actually an offense but no one ever gets pulled over because everybody does it. So if they want to pass, they'll pass and go around you. Use all mirrors when changing lanes. Watch out for tailgaters so don't break too hard as they will be up your butt in an instant.

Phew good luck. You're gonna need it!

Originally posted by Chicago
4. Be careful where you drive in large cities. Especially if you are white and are driving in a non-white area. If you find yourself in this situation, remember to roll up your windows and lock the doors. Be careful not to get boxed in at intersections and try to avoid eye contact. You may want to keep a dummy wallet with about $20 in cash, just in case.


We had that situation in New Orleans at a traffic light. Someone approached the car and tried to open the door. We floored the accellerator and ran the red light. I'd rather get a ticket than get shot or carjacked. Only recommended when there is no traffic coming, but if the streets are deserted and you feel uncomfortable, then just keep going. This is not legal advise either. Just be safe. Plan your trip and call the police dept to ask where the bad areas of town are. They will tell you too. You don't want to get lost in a crack neighborhood and stop for directions.

:clap: States all vary with their traffic laws. You cannot always turn right on a red light. At a four way stop ( a cross road with all stop signs) the person who gets there first has right of way no matter which side they are on. In some states you can pass either side on an Interstate Highway, but not all. If an Interstae has an odd number ie: I 95 it goes North South if it is even it goes East West. Numbers start from the West Coast for North South. Do not be on I 95 if you are looking for Calafornia. If you see a flashing amber above a cross roads miles from anywhere it only means no one has right of way. Do not carry any achoholic liquid in the car it must be in the boot. (trunk). Don't get road rage remember Americans carry guns as a right.

I'm touring New England for a couple of weeks later this summer, starting in Boston. I've heard that driving in Boston is a complete nightmare because they've dug up all the roads and traffic is gridlocked all the time, so I thought it might be wiser to pick up my car when I leave Boston to head off to Maine rather than crawl from the airport and leave it in the hotel for 2 days.

But now I'm thinking that in some ways it would be simpler to pick up the car straightaway and take my chances with the driving so that we don't have to go back to the airport to collect the car.

Anybody driven in Boston? Advice welcomed.
Thanks.

My God, now this threads getting funny, just listen to all of us,we sound like we are telling someone how to drive through IRAQ, i have a feeling this poor persons going to go to Spain instead now !

Just make sure you get an automatic and not a stick shift - I ended up nearly having an accident driving out of the car hire place coz I couldn't drive it, so the police advised me to turn round and go back and ask for an automatic!!

After that it was plain sailing!

Originally posted by Juicyb125
Just make sure you get an automatic and not a stick shift - I ended up nearly having an accident driving out of the car hire place coz I couldn't drive it, so the police advised me to turn round and go back and ask for an automatic!!

After that it was plain sailing!

just remember that all British drivers can drive stick shift, automatic is for lazy people.

4 way stops - everyone stops at a stop sign on a crossroads, the one who stopped first goes first.

If pulled over put your hands on your steering wheel and stay in the car. If you get out you might be shot, or have a gun pointed at you. If pulled over for speeding put on your best british accents, appologise for speeding, admit to doing the speed you were doing, then hand over your british license. The ammount of paper work for them to give you a ticket is 3x as much so they let you off easily!

Originally posted by Classic Rock
I'm hiring a car in America. Apart from driving on the right, what do you know about differences in the Highway Code over there?

I know that you can turn right on a red light.....

Any other tips?

if you get stopped by the cops whatever you do dont get out of the car and do keep your hands visible on the steering wheel. When i lived there this is what I was told by our uk liason officer - apaprently they are liable to shoot and ask questions later...more so in the countryside than in the cities though

Originally posted by nightrider
if you get stopped by the cops whatever you do dont get out of the car and do keep your hands visible on the steering wheel. When i lived there this is what I was told by our uk liason officer - apaprently they are liable to shoot and ask questions later...more so in the countryside than in the cities though



SORRY ! Not true !

Originally posted by Pete1024
4 way stops - everyone stops at a stop sign on a crossroads, the one who stopped first goes first.
I found this to be a complete nightmare in practice. I lost count of the times all 4 cars were sat waiting for someone to go (and no, it wasn't cos I was the first to arrive and didn't realise!).
Originally posted by Pete1024
...If pulled over for speeding put on your best british accents, appologise for speeding, admit to doing the speed you were doing, then hand over your british license. The ammount of paper work for them to give you a ticket is 3x as much so they let you off easily!
Yup. My girlfriend can vouch for this. Caught doing 96mph in a 65mph (lucky the cop didn't see her doing 110mph! - I had told her about the cruise control, honest!).
And it wasn't in California, but Nevada, on our way to LV. We were sh*****g ourselves. I thought the NV cops would be real hard arses, but this cop was very nice. After checking our paperwork he let us drive on, advising us that LV never goes to sleep so there was no need to speed. Needless to say I drove for the rest of the holiday.
Wonder if the result would have been the same if I'd been driving?

We found SF quite easy to drive around. Lots of one way streets but, if you make a wrong turn, 3 more immediate right hand turns gets you back where you were. But agree that it's still easier to get around on foot/public transport.

However IMO US city centre driving is FAR easier than UK city driving (albeit a little more congested at times!).

One big tip - get plenty of maps BEFORE you go. We got a map covering California which was fine for getting from city to city, and if you can get hold of relevant city centre maps (try online tourist websites) then it's a breeze. Maps are easy to come by when you get there, but arriving and then driving out into Downtown LA at 22:00 without a good map (the car rental freebie was crap) was a little intimidating....

Originally posted by Troy
I'm touring New England for a couple of weeks later this summer, starting in Boston. I've heard that driving in Boston is a complete nightmare because they've dug up all the roads and traffic is gridlocked all the time, so I thought it might be wiser to pick up my car when I leave Boston to head off to Maine rather than crawl from the airport and leave it in the hotel for 2 days.

But now I'm thinking that in some ways it would be simpler to pick up the car straightaway and take my chances with the driving so that we don't have to go back to the airport to collect the car.

Anybody driven in Boston? Advice welcomed.
Thanks.

We spent a few days in Boston, then got a cab back to the airport to pick the car up before we drove down to New York for the weekend, then back up to Mystic before driving back to Boston.

There's a lot of work going on in Boston, but it was two years ago when we were there. To be honest, we'd have been fine driving around Boston, but we didn't need the car because we stayed at the Marriot Copley and it's right in the middle of everywhere.

Of you're in Boston, make sure you do the Duck tour, they're amazing! :)

Originally posted by Cyclone
just remember that all British drivers can drive stick shift, automatic is for lazy people.

They have the stick shift on the steering wheel - which I found very strange and confusing - I drive a manual - just not by my right shoulder!

Originally posted by Sierra
ALL freeway exits are ONLY from the right. That's the only (legal) way off the freeway.
Have to disagree with you there Sierra, I was travelling down 101 and were approaching Santa Barbara when I noticed more than one exit from the freeway which was a left exit (i.e. in the middle of the freeway)... very strange indeed.

What people have said about exit markings which warn you when the exit is coming up in the UK are not in the USA. You can easily miss an exit if you're not all the way in the right hand lane after the final exit warning for 1/4 mile.

All in all tho I found driving in the USA a doddle. The roads are clearly marked and with the North, South, East West system thy use, so long as you're travelling correctly according to your map you'll be fine.
I found that some of the major cities (i.e. LA, San Fran and NYC) were marked very early on the interestates that lead to them.
For example coming out of Phoenix Arizona, we noticed the I-40 wetst had a nice 450 mile indicator for Los Angeles California on it and the I-90 East from Buffalo NY had a 457 mile indicator for NYC. However the rule of thumb is that the closest 3 (as per what nick said) will be indicated.

Check in service stations for Coupon Booklets for hotels to get you cheaper accomodation. These also have maps in them to get you to the town you want and directly to the hotel you've chosen... good stuff.
Be careful, a lot fo the coupon wont be accepted at weekends (i.e. Fri-Sun) so don't bother asking.

If anyone is travelling down Highway 1 from San Fran to LA... you're in for some AMAZING views of the coast.
When you reach Half Moon Bay look out for an English pub called quite aptly the English Pub and Inn. You can't miss it cos it has a massive Union Jack flying outside, 2 big red london busses in the car park and 2 black cabs.

They serve draft Boddingtons and London Pride ale as well as bottled Newcastle Brown if some of you are missing some home brew.

It's owned by a guy called cameron who dad is a geordie, you can't miss it cos it's directly on Highway 1 in Half Moon Bay... great service and a nice interior English looking pub.

If anyone is going to San Fran DO NOT stay in the Comfort In on Lombard Street/Van Ness Ave. The staff are not all the good and they are quite rude. I recommend looking for a hotel near the Pier.

Yoesemite Nat' Park is excellent and the bridal falls are amazing to see. It's a great drive right through but the roads are very very bendy - so be warned.

Only been home since Saturday and already I'm missing it :(

Originally posted by DaBouncer
....If anyone is travelling down Highway 1 from San Fran to LA... you're in for some AMAZING views of the coast.
When you reach Half Moon Bay look out for an English pub called quite aptly the English Pub and Inn.....

And if you want to break Pacific Highway into 2 days then I recommend stopping off at San Louis Obispo (about half way between LA & SF). Really nice little town.

If possible make it a Thursday night stopover cos they have something called Farmer's Market, where (guess what...) all the local farmers set out stalls in the hight street and they have street entertainers etc... great food to be had, and made a nice change from the big cities.

Originally posted by Ginner
And if you want to break Pacific Highway into 2 days then I recommend stopping off at San Louis Obispo (about half way between LA & SF). Really nice little town.

If possible make it a Thursday night stopover cos they have something called Farmer's Market, where (guess what...) all the local farmers set out stalls in the hight street and they have street entertainers etc... great food to be had, and made a nice change from the big cities.
Agreed mate... we stayed at the Madonna Inn in San Louis Obispo... the Filet Mignon in the on site restaurant is out of this world :D

PS dont do what me and the wife did for the majority of our holiday and drive @ a steady 85mph to 115mph on the Interstates and Highways/Freeways... we didn't get pulled over but it's not big and it's not clever (although you do get to your destination faster ;) ).

Originally posted by DaBouncer
...PS dont do what me and the wife did for the majority of our holiday and drive @ a steady 85mph to 115mph on the Interstates and Highways/Freeways... we didn't get pulled over but it's not big and it's not clever (although you do get to your destination faster ;) ).

See bottom post on page 3 of thread.... :o

Originally posted by DaBouncer

If anyone is travelling down Highway 1 from San Fran to LA... you're in for some AMAZING views of the coast.
When you reach Half Moon Bay look out for an English pub called quite aptly the English Pub and Inn. You can't miss it cos it has a massive Union Jack flying outside, 2 big red london busses in the car park and 2 black cabs.

They serve draft Boddingtons and London Pride ale as well as bottled Newcastle Brown if some of you are missing some home brew.

It's owned by a guy called cameron who dad is a geordie, you can't miss it cos it's directly on Highway 1 in Half Moon Bay... great service and a nice interior English looking pub.



dont forget the pelican (I think its called?) up in marin county. Looks like is is straight out of surrey...

there is also the rose and crown english theme pub in palo alto! trust me you will know how irish people feel after you go there..

and there is the Mad Dog in the Fog on haight street which fills up with brits (and I think its owned by brits). Its on lower haight which can be a bit dodgy if you arent streetwise though.

Originally posted by poppins
SORRY ! Not true !

what isnt true?

Originally posted by DaBouncer
Have to disagree with you there Sierra, I was travelling down 101 and were approaching Santa Barbara when I noticed more than one exit from the freeway which was a left exit (i.e. in the middle of the freeway)... very strange indeed.
Only been home since Saturday and already I'm missing it :(

Good heavens! Are those things STILL there?! I do apologize DaB. I sincerely thought the state of California had removed the last of them.

As you saw for yourself, they are strange...and mildly disorienting!

Missing it already? Come on back and stay forever! As you saw, lots of Brits here. You'll feel right at home. Something tells me you belong here.

And being a native, I don't get that feeling about many people. Most are content to see the sights, but miss their home.

Originally posted by DaBouncer
Thanks to Sierra for the advice on driving around LA and to stay OFF the I-110. There had been 3 shootings resulting in death since March 2005 on that highway :o

You're more than welcome DaB. I'm glad I was able to help. Unfortunately, not everywhere in California is nice. Or safe. And I'm glad to hear you and the Mrs. enjoyed the Madonna Inn. Mr. Sierra and I always make it a point to stay there if were traveling down south.

I'm pleased to hear you didn't have any trouble driving. I figured you'd be ok, as you've lived in the US previously. I know for a fact, I'd have trouble driving a right hand drive car in London traffic!

Did you find time to visit any of the California missions? What was your favorite part of California?

Hurry and post your pics!

:) Sierra

As a retired cop, one thing to remember here in the US is that most states require a cash bond or deposit for traffic citations if you do not have that states drivers license. This means that if you do get a ticket you may have to pay it on the spot or be taken to the station until bond is paid. Most cops wouldn't do that to someone from another country but sadly some departments enforce the requirement strictly. Seat belts are MANDATORY in all states. Some states have their use as a primary enforcement meaning you can be pulled over for just not wearing one and ticketed. Some other states have it as a secondary enforcement so you can only get the ticket if you are stopped for another violation and then found not to be using one. Goofy I know! Other than those issues I think you will find travel here easy once outside of any major city. City traffic is terrible almost everywhere. Good luck!

You've heard all the "experts" some of it good , a lot of it pure garbage, so perhaps you might like to listen to someone who's been doing it for 36 years accident free. Boston... Coming from Logan Airport is now much easier than it was. The Ted Williams tunnel has been open a year, so if you're bound for Maine just find the signs for I-95 and it will take you all the way through Maine to Canada. If you want to go I-95 south it will take you to Florida, but remember that means going thru NYC, not a job for the faint hearted. You can legally pass oin the slow lane if there are three or more lanes, doing it with only two lanes is a nono. The Interstates are numbered uneven for north/ south travel and even numbered for east/west. Speed limits are governed by the state you're in. Don't think you can escape a speed ticket by jumping into the next state. The pursuer will radio the other state before you get there and they'll be waiting for you. Aircraft surveillance is quite common so your radar gun may not save you. Don't argue with the cops or you'll find out what handcuffs feel like, and don't drink more than a couple of beers. We do have roundabouts which we call rotaries in some states, but a lot of out of staters don't know the rules so be careful. I was amused and amazed when a visiting friend from England tried two footing my automatic. I told him I'll chop his left leg off next time. Anyway come on over and enjoy the most friendly country on earth. You'll especially love our waitresses, they make you feel important. Road signs: Interstate signs are red, white, and blue. Other federal highways have a shield motif with the number. State signs can be simple squares or some identifying logo like an outline of the state map. This is important since all federal signs will carry the same number as far as that road runs regardless of state. State routre numbers are only good in that state. For instance, route 20 in Connecticut is a totally different road than route 20 in Massachusetts, even though the two states are adjoined. That's real bad for navigation.

Originally posted by buck
You've heard all the "experts" some of it good , a lot of it pure garbage, so perhaps you might like to listen to someone who's been doing it for 36 years accident free.

I'll be sure to remember in the future that if you ever ask for any help or information with anything that it's likely to 'pure garbage' and not to reply.

Thanks very much. :thumbsup:

Sorry Hook if you're offended. Your comments on Boston were in effect correct for what was the case two years ago, but we have suffered the big dig for years, and in the last two years some if not all of the problems have gone away. The garbage statement was not directed at you. If there are problems with the interstates they were conceived in the time of the Eisenhower presidency, and there were mistakes made especially entry from the fast lane. The motorways were conceived some years later and your engineers had taken notice of our problems. They did a great job of designing. However it is extremely hard to modify a road once its built especially with the volume of American traffic. I'm a lot more familiar with the roads of New England, of which Boston is our Capital so to speak. You don't become an American in 2 weeks

Originally posted by buck
You've heard all the "experts" some of it good , a lot of it pure garbage, so perhaps you might like to listen to someone who's been doing it for 36 years.....

Didn't think anyone had stated they were an "expert". Just people giving their opinions based on experience.

But anyway, thanks for clearing up the garbage... :confused:

Originally posted by Sierra
Missing it already? Come on back and stay forever! As you saw, lots of Brits here. You'll feel right at home. Something tells me you belong here.

Did you find time to visit any of the California missions? What was your favorite part of California?

Hurry and post your pics!

:) Sierra
Believe me Sierra if I won the lottery or were single I'd be living in America now. My wife loves the states but would never want to live there. She prefers to be near her mum :roll:
The only way it could happen is if we had the resources for her to fly to the UK one week a month to see her family... and as you might have guess... we don't :P

Is your Sheffield Forum username Sierra based on the GMC truck? Or am I way off?

What do you mean by California missions?
My favourite part of California has to be Newport Beach... it's amazing. The views, the beaches, the mansions... amazing.

Don't worry I'll sort out some pictures as soon as possible... :D

One last question (which you may have answered before) how come you found Sheffield Forum being a born n bred American?

Ciao ;)

Originally posted by DaBouncer
Believe me Sierra if I won the lottery or were single I'd be living in America now. My wife loves the states but would never want to live there. She prefers to be near her mum :roll:
The only way it could happen is if we had the resources for her to fly to the UK one week a month to see her family... and as you might have guess... we don't :P

Is your Sheffield Forum username Sierra based on the GMC truck? Or am I way off?

What do you mean by California missions?
My favourite part of California has to be Newport Beach... it's amazing. The views, the beaches, the mansions... amazing.

Don't worry I'll sort out some pictures as soon as possible... :D

One last question (which you may have answered before) how come you found Sheffield Forum being a born n bred American?

Ciao ;)

DaBouncer, do you mean Newport Beach in Rhode Island ? because thats where all the mansions are, unless theres another one in CA.

Originally posted by DaBouncer
Believe me Sierra if I won the lottery or were single I'd be living in America now. My wife loves the states but would never want to live there. She prefers to be near her mum :roll:
The only way it could happen is if we had the resources for her to fly to the UK one week a month to see her family... and as you might have guess... we don't :P

Is your Sheffield Forum username Sierra based on the GMC truck? Or am I way off?

What do you mean by California missions?
My favourite part of California has to be Newport Beach... it's amazing. The views, the beaches, the mansions... amazing.

Don't worry I'll sort out some pictures as soon as possible... :D

One last question (which you may have answered before) how come you found Sheffield Forum being a born n bred American?

Ciao ;)

I can certainly understand the Mrs. not wanting to leave her family. You'll just have to pack them up and bring them with you! :hihi:

No, my username is a common girl's name here. Sierra is the spanish for "saw". Chosen because the spanish who named the Sierra Nevada mountains thought the jagged peaks resembled a saw blade. Guess General Motors liked it too, huh? ;)

The California missions were built by the spanish who colonized California, the southwest and Mexico. There are 21 altogether, each built a day's ride apart along the El Camino Real. "The King's Highway," which still exists today. In fact, you probably drove on it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_missions

The presidio in San Francisco was originally a spanish garrison, and used by the US military until it closed recently. You can imagine the fighting going on over this prime piece of real estate! And Alcatraz takes it's name from the spanish for pelican, because the island had large colonies of these, and other birds.

I'm sure you saw all the sea gulls there. One side of the place is white with bird poop, right?

Did you or the Mrs. find Alcatraz scary at all? I've always thought it mildly creepy during the day, and wouldn't want to spend the night there! How much time did you and the Mrs. spend there?

http://www.prairieghosts.com/gpalcatraz.html

Ah, Newport Beach is beautiful. I could live there as well.

I found the forum sort of by accident. I've always been interested in other countries, but don't have the money and time to travel everywhere I'd like. Does anyone really? I was looking at sites on the UK, and just stumbled on this forum.

I started out reading everything on the Sheffield history threads, and sort of got hooked. I lurked for over a year before getting the courage to join in. If I ever make it to the UK, I'd definitely want to see Sheffield.

And poppins, I'm sure you mean Newport, Rhode Island. Yes, there are loads of mansions there. Hard to believe anyone had the money to build places like that.

http://tickets.newportmansions.org/

Newport Beach is in California. Don't let too much time go by before you visit again, DaB!

:) Sierra

I was a complete wimp driving in the south of England but here it's so much easier. It's a myth about all the cars being huge but even if you do hire a bigger car, the roads are four times as wide. You do need to take your driving license with you and stick to the speed limits - traffic police come out of thin air! Each state has different driving laws so pick up a drivers manual at your local county building when you get there.

Originally posted by tulip
I was a complete wimp driving in the south of England but here it's so much easier. It's a myth about all the cars being huge but even if you do hire a bigger car, the roads are four times as wide. You do need to take your driving license with you and stick to the speed limits - traffic police come out of thin air! Each state has different driving laws so pick up a drivers manual at your local county building when you get there.

Question, some of you keep saying that you MUST take your drivers licence with you, Don't you have to have it with you at all times ? don't you get fined driving without it ? also isn't it your best form of ID for other things ?

Originally posted by poppins
Question, some of you keep saying that you MUST take your drivers licence with you, Don't you have to have it with you at all times ? don't you get fined driving without it ? also isn't it your best form of ID for other things ?

no we don't. you get a 'producer' if the police stop you which means you have to take your license to a police station within 7 days.
What 'other things' do you need ID for? I specifically take something if i'm going to open a bank account or take out a loan, and it's very rare that I do something like that. (And I use my passport anyway, driving licenses have only had photo's on in the uk for a few years, so most people don't have them yet).

Originally posted by Cyclone
no we don't. you get a 'producer' if the police stop you which means you have to take your license to a police station within 7 days.
What 'other things' do you need ID for? I specifically take something if i'm going to open a bank account or take out a loan, and it's very rare that I do something like that. (And I use my passport anyway, driving licenses have only had photo's on in the uk for a few years, so most people don't have them yet).

Thanks Cyclone, don't you need you're Lic for cashing a second party check ? opening a bank account ? someplace ask for it writing out a check, also some hospital visits ask for ID, myself, i wouldn't leave home without it.

Thanks again for explaing the difference.

I have my driving licence on me at all times. Because I have full AA cover, and last time I broke down they wouldn't give me a courtesy car because I only had the photocard part of my licence with me. Like they couldn't have taken me home to fetch it....!!

Originally posted by Pete1024
......... then hand over your british license. The ammount of paper work for them to give you a ticket is 3x as much so they let you off easily!
Make sure you carry your passport as a photo ID to confirm your DL details.

If stopped do not get out of the car and keep your hands where they can see them. No open containers of alcohol. Must be sealed. Keep all beer in the boot! If you have empty beer cans they will assume you drank them..while driving.

p.s. my scariest driving was in Sheffield!! Crazy drivers!!

Originally posted by Cyclone
no we don't. you get a 'producer' if the police stop you which means you have to take your license to a police station within 7 days.
What 'other things' do you need ID for? I specifically take something if i'm going to open a bank account or take out a loan, and it's very rare that I do something like that. (And I use my passport anyway, driving licenses have only had photo's on in the uk for a few years, so most people don't have them yet).

you need ID to buy alcohol in america. They almost always ask for it on the door of bars before they let you in.

Originally posted by poppins
Thanks Cyclone, don't you need you're Lic for cashing a second party check ? opening a bank account ? someplace ask for it writing out a check, also some hospital visits ask for ID, myself, i wouldn't leave home without it.

Thanks again for explaing the difference.

i've never cashed a cheque, they go into my account. I've only opened an account once in my life, and that was before I could drive. I still bank there.
For writing a cheque we have cheque guarantee cards and hospitals are free in the uk.