British Drivers - any advice

wrote in message
oups.com...

Going the other way the two that kinda threw me was entering
limited access Highways. Just couldn't get use to going down the
"wrong ramp" so to speak.

Presuambly you mean dual carriageways and motorways?
Never proved to be an issue when I was driving in the USA, I guess because I
don't even remember it and I drove on plenty 'highways'

The other more prevelant though was
turning right. Over here, when one turns right it's pretty
much right lane to right lane. Turning left can be all manner
of combinations based upon whether either road is one way or not.
But there is virtually never a reason to go from the right most
lane to the LEFT most lane. In the UK, going from a one way onto
a dual way just never felt right.

Not entirely sure what you mean? Turning left in the UK is functionally
equivalent to turning right in the USA and vice versa.

wrote in message
oups.com...

Going the other way the two that kinda threw me was entering
limited access Highways. Just couldn't get use to going down the
"wrong ramp" so to speak.

Presuambly you mean dual carriageways and motorways?
Never proved to be an issue when I was driving in the USA, I guess because I
don't even remember it and I drove on plenty 'highways'

The other more prevelant though was
turning right. Over here, when one turns right it's pretty
much right lane to right lane. Turning left can be all manner
of combinations based upon whether either road is one way or not.
But there is virtually never a reason to go from the right most
lane to the LEFT most lane. In the UK, going from a one way onto
a dual way just never felt right.

Not entirely sure what you mean? Turning left in the UK is functionally
equivalent to turning right in the USA and vice versa.

"TheNewsGuy(Mike)" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 2 Mar 2005 11:59:39 -0000, "elise"
wrote:

My boyfriend has never driven in the States and as we're coming for a
driving

I came from Canada and drove in Britain and got used to "the other
side" of the road pretty quickly. That part is easy once you are
driving.

BUT the difficult part, and one that may cause more problems is
pulling onto the street from a driveway, or out of a parking lot or
from a gas satation. It is TOO easy to look the wrong way and think
the road is clear - SAME applies to just walking and crossing the road
on foot - be careful to look LEFT not right before venturing out, (I
know we are always supposed to look BOTH ways,...)

I was staying at the Sheraton in Chicago and as you come out the front door
to walk towards the city centre there is a small dual carriageway section.
EVERY morning I stayed there I got to the kerb and looked to the right for
approaching traffic, sometimes only realising when I'd stepped out that
traffic was approaching from the left!!

"TheNewsGuy(Mike)" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 2 Mar 2005 11:59:39 -0000, "elise"
wrote:

My boyfriend has never driven in the States and as we're coming for a
driving

I came from Canada and drove in Britain and got used to "the other
side" of the road pretty quickly. That part is easy once you are
driving.

BUT the difficult part, and one that may cause more problems is
pulling onto the street from a driveway, or out of a parking lot or
from a gas satation. It is TOO easy to look the wrong way and think
the road is clear - SAME applies to just walking and crossing the road
on foot - be careful to look LEFT not right before venturing out, (I
know we are always supposed to look BOTH ways,...)

I was staying at the Sheraton in Chicago and as you come out the front door
to walk towards the city centre there is a small dual carriageway section.
EVERY morning I stayed there I got to the kerb and looked to the right for
approaching traffic, sometimes only realising when I'd stepped out that
traffic was approaching from the left!!

My boyfriend has never driven in the States and as we're coming for a driving


Thanks for all the answers folks

Just print these all off now.

RoadHig - We're spending the 1st few days at Anaheim to get into the spirit of
Disney(lol) and then heading off to do wine country stuff .

Unfortunately I am a smoker and am getting used to being treated like a leper.

We're flying with United - got free tickets after being bumped(voluntarily) from
a flight last year by a whole hour!!

Only booked a couple of nights in Anaheim and 4 in SF so doing the rest on the
road.
Thanks again
Elise

"Road_Hog®" wrote:
Worst time will be picking up a hire car straight after a long flight,
which will be when you're most likely to have an accident. Try not
to arrange a long drive if arriving late in the day.

.... or after any lengthy flight. Air travel is taxing, and even if you
alot plenty of time to get the car, it always seems to take longer,
so that, by the time you pull into traffic, you'll be tired and prone
to errors. I once planned a 4-hour drive from the airport, and then
my flight was bumpy and late... never again (until the next time).
=R=

"Road_Hog®" wrote:
Worst time will be picking up a hire car straight after a long flight,
which will be when you're most likely to have an accident. Try not
to arrange a long drive if arriving late in the day.

.... or after any lengthy flight. Air travel is taxing, and even if you
alot plenty of time to get the car, it always seems to take longer,
so that, by the time you pull into traffic, you'll be tired and prone
to errors. I once planned a 4-hour drive from the airport, and then
my flight was bumpy and late... never again (until the next time).
=R=

On Wed, 2 Mar 2005 14:22:40 -0000, "Road_Hog®"
wrote:


SNIP
LA is crap, SF is great, Palm Springs is worth a visit. Yosemitie is great.
If you're LA based you can get to Mexico in two hours. Death Valley is
interesting as well.

Hi

But they almost certainly will NOT be allowed to take the rental car
into Mexico.

I agree about Death Valley - awe inspiring. I haven't been there for
a few years (hopefully it hasn't changed) but the ghost town of
Rhyolite is worth exploring; just be careful not to fall down any
disused mineshafts.

Regards
KGB

On Wed, 2 Mar 2005 14:22:40 -0000, "Road_Hog®"
wrote:


SNIP
LA is crap, SF is great, Palm Springs is worth a visit. Yosemitie is great.
If you're LA based you can get to Mexico in two hours. Death Valley is
interesting as well.

Hi

But they almost certainly will NOT be allowed to take the rental car
into Mexico.

I agree about Death Valley - awe inspiring. I haven't been there for
a few years (hopefully it hasn't changed) but the ghost town of
Rhyolite is worth exploring; just be careful not to fall down any
disused mineshafts.

Regards
KGB

Elise Butt writes:
My boyfriend has never driven in the States and as we're coming for a driving
holiday later this month, I thought it might be helpful if we had some advice.

You might want to take some time browsing this web site, written by a
British person with considerable experience as a tourist in the US and
Canada. http://freespace.virgin.net/john.cletheroe/usa_can/
I was curious enough to read quite a bit of it a while back, and while
there are some occasional details that I think are wrong or misleading
(or split into too many pages), most of the advice is accurate and
should be helpful.
--
Mark Brader ...the scariest words of the afternoon:
Toronto "Hey, don't worry, I've read all about
doing this sort of thing!" -- Vernor Vinge

My text in this article is in the public domain.