Driving in the USA
 a First Time USA Drivers Guide
It is almost impossible to even 'get to the
shops' without a car in the USA...
You can see by the size of the
car park of
even a small Take Away, that
'a car is essential'.
Most holidays to the USA are of the 'Fly-Drive
variety'. This therefore means somebody will
have to drive a car
Are you prepared for this ?
But don't panic, the mechanics of it are
actually easier than you may
think!
If you have never driven in the USA before,
read through this section and get to know
the differences. You will be in a strange
place, getting lost at home is bad enough,
getting lost here 'can be' easy to achieve
and unpacking a mistake, difficult - to say
the least.
We will try to help...
Before we begin
Read and understand The Florida
State Drivers
Handbook
Long To Read but similar UK HIGHWAY CODE...
FLORIDA DRIVERS HANDBOOK>
If you have kids with you, You know the drill
buckle up.
.
Preparation
Don't forget your driving license and any
vouchers or paper work about Car Hire ( Rental) that Agent has given you.
So downpour driving directions from what
ever Airport you are arriving to Hampton
Lakes.
Obtain directions before hand, and study
the maps for as long as you can before you
depart.
Get an idea of where you are
going.
The American road system relies on the Compact
directions eye North , south so take another
look at the map
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NORTH |
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| WESTT |
 MAP |
EAST |
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Try to have a cat nap if you are not too
excited.
Keep alert. Don't drink too much on the plane
if you have to drive.
U.S. Drink Driving law is very strictly enforced
and you will be charged if caught and spend
a night in the cells.
Not a good way to start the holiday!
UK Visitor Specific
Any where from England we find they drive
on the wrong side of the road.
Fortunately a large number of drivers are
oversea visitors , they tend to be drive
in a restrained manner.
Thinking that they are the only new driver
on the Block
So if you make any mistakes its
good chance
it will not be noticed.
However if you see how the locals drive they
are Loco.
Things to consider You will be Driving
ON Right hand side,
In a New Car
Have them show you where the indicators and
light switches are .
Take time to familiarize yourself with the
car as dusk sets in quickly
.
Different driving position so initial concept
of space around the vehicle is suspect
Prior to actually driving
Walk around the vehicle then sit in the drivers
position and have someone walk around the
car.
View them with the mirrors
This will enhance your vision for judging
the car's width and leant..
Have you ever driven an automatic?
Always have the Parking Brake
'On' when you
put the vehicle into 'Drive'.
Just in case
the engine is revving or tick-over
is set
too high. Otherwise the car may
jump forwards...
The Parking Brake may be a foot operated
pedal on the far Left of the wheel well or
hand operated on the drivers side.
Only use one foot (the right one!) for operating
the Accelerator and Foot Brake pedals. .
Most automatics will 'creep'
at tick- over
without the Brake. You can move
slowly forward
by just releasing and applying
the Brake
pedal.
Most automatics do the driving for you so
try not be heavy handed on the accelerator
or maneuvering
Use this technique in slow areas
and only
use the accelerator to finally
pull-away.
Gently though or you will get
that tire screeching
sound! (especially on polished
Car Park floors)
Freeway Driving
Most people are wary of Freeways in the US
until they are more used to driving
on the
wrong side of the road.
We recommend all British First Time USA Drivers to follow our guided to avoid Freeways and
The Bee Line Expressway if at all possible
for your Arriving Drive.
Having said that, some {especially
those
arriving via. Orlando International
Airport
(MCO) and staying near I-Drive}
have no real
choice but to use The Bee Line
Expressway
(it's not as busy as the Interstate).
The
two most reported problems with
Freeway Driving
are - that stretches can be busy
at all time
of the day & night and 'undertaking'.
Getting busy
As an example from Sanford Airport (SOB)
-The journey via. I4 to locations West (not
South - the Freeway is travelling South by
the compass, but West to Tampa as far as
the whole is concerned) will initially be
quiet for a few miles but the traffic will
build up as you travel over Downtown Orlando
and then on towards the International Drive
exits, the joining of The Bee Line Expressway
, the Lake Buena Vista exits, getting more
quiet down towards US Hwy 192 and out into
the country for US Hwy27 in the Clement area.
From Orlando International (MCO) North exit
{Black Signs} - Immediately after leaving
the airport you will be on The Bee Line Expressway
SR-528 . This is a cross Orlando highway
going from I4 out to the Space Coast (Atlantic
Ocean side) via. the airport. So, although
it's busy, it's not that bad. You will need
to go this way if you are staying on International
Drive as there is no viable alternative via.
MCO's South exit.
It is a main artery for Interstate
4 and
does speed up travel to all areas
of Orlando.
I4 gets busy directly after it's
junction
with The Bee Line SR-528, It's
the weight
of West bound traffic meeting
the Lake Buena
Vista exits for Walt Disney World
that causes
the slow down.
Traffic on US freeways is no worse than traffic
anywhere else - it's just the same.
Undertaking
The other drivers on Freeways can bring about
the other problem - undertaking!
It's not illegal in the USA to
overtake on
the 'inside'. That's the right
hand side.
With all the other distractions, it can be
blooming scary.
As you get to the busier areas,
you get lots
of locals literally zooming by
on all sides!
Changing lanes in front and behind
in a seemingly
random ballet.
Making a decision to stick to
the lane one
from the right (a theoretical
slow lane)
doesn't work as the width of
the freeway
changes form 3 - 4 - 5 lanes
at various points.
At exits, sometimes two lanes
exit, sometimes
only one. Sticking to the left
and keeping
your foot down will only end
up with you
going too fast... Here you will
also encounter
the few American drivers who
have no respect
for the Speed Limit.
You have to be on-top of what
you are doing.
It's all quite exciting when
you are used
to it - but after an 8 hour flight?
Lane Position
Experience has shown that most UK drivers
drive far over to the right hand
side of
a lane. Watch out for this phenomenon
especially
when you are in a lane with traffic
or parked
vehicles, to your right. You
may not be as
far away as you think.
Traffic lights
 This aerial shot shows a typical approach
to traffic lights. Note how the left lane
turns left and the right lane turns too.
The two center lanes go straight on.
This is International Drive crossing Universal
Blvd. heading South (), you will come this
way returning from Belz Mall back to your
temporary home.
Note the traffic lights
in the sky, hung
on a wire diagonally across
the junction.
At some (like this one)
the light for the
Right lane can be a good
distance away, all
the way across the junction.
Where as the
Left turn lights are in
the middle of the
road and much closer.
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Turning Left at a Traffic Signal.
Turning Left at a Traffic Light (signal)
can be a little UN-nerving the first few
times.
 Most major road junctions will have a Left
Turn Lane controlled by a Left
Turn Light.
It may be up in the air but should
never
be so high that you can't see
it through
the window from the front row
of the grid
(sorry).
If the road you are turning into
is a dual
carriageway (divided highway)
just don't
forget to be in the right lanes
after the turn.
That's all the way across the
first set of
lanes on your left and the dividing
bit.
If pressured there is a tendency
to go left
round the kerb, like back at
home - this
will end up with you facing a
line of cars
pointing at you.
Go all the way across and then
turn left
into the empty road with cars
going 'away'
from you... Take your time -
don't panic.
The first major turn Left at a Traffic Signal
for British Visitors visiting the Kissimmee
area is likely to be at this light...
Here is an example -
This is North Bass Road heading
North (exit
from Wal-Mart Kissimmee and Country
Creek,
Creekside, Waterford Subdivisions)
at it's
junction with US Hwy 192 'Irlo
Bronson Memorial
Highway' going East/West. Left
is West, Right is East.
Approaching to turn Left in the
Left lane.
Note - this a Left Only turn lane. The one on
the Right is for Straight Ahead
and Right.
As we approach, the Left lane
turn light
is Green, the Straight Ahead
and Right Turn
lights are Red.
The Van, two cars in front just went Left,
as the light on the Left of the
Yellow Line
is lit and the arrow on it shows
to turn
Left. The opposite of this light
is holding
all other traffic from crossing
the junction.
Though this picture doesn't depict
oncoming
traffic from the opposite side
of the intersection.
This is the most dangerous part.
You must
yield to oncoming traffic coming
across the
intersection towards Wal-Mart.
(see the silver car coming toward us
in the previous image)
Some will be going straight across
your path,
and some will be making opposite
turns to
go Eastbound on US192.
If you're going Westbound and
therefore making
a Left turn onto US192, you must
first yield
to the 'straight ahead' traffic
that may
be coming your way. Usually,
this will entail
a 'brief' stop in the middle
of US192, before
even completing the turn...
Once you get used to it, take
your time and
start watching for Traffic Lights
in the
sky.
Turning Right at a Traffic Signal - 'The
Free Right at a Red Light' Rule.
You may turn right 'against' the Traffic
Light in Florida, but only if
the coast is
clear.
You must come to a complete stop first...
Cars in front of you may go through
the Red
Light and turn right. This is
normal and
you should do the same.
Don't get pressured by people
behind you...
Take it easy and make sure nothing
is anywhere
near you coming from the left
before you
move.
Move away smoothly and purposefully.
Once
you start, don't stop - you shouldn't
have
gone if it wasn't clear to do
so...
If the light is Green, just go.
If you just sit there,
people behind
will sound their horn at you!
But, don't be pressured, the
light will change
soon anyway. Be safe - not sorry!
C.
Rules & Regulations
All these things can seem daunting, but fear
not, they can all be absorbed
by you brain
in a very short space of time.
Thank goodness the pedals, are
at least,
in the right order.
.
They will tell you many things -including
the 'Free Right at a Red Light Rule'...
Alternatives
Arrange a transfer to your Hotel or Villa
and collect the car tomorrow.
This takes even more more time
and may not
solve any real problems. Unless
you are really
tired.
Use a 'Follow Me Service' - Our
experience
is that they are so expensive
that most Brit's
simply will not pay the amounts
they charge.
A few Villa Rental companies
run a Shuttle
Service to your destination and
have the
car waiting there for you. There
aren't many
that do and I know of no major
UK Package
Agent who uses this system.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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