First time driving on the right hand side

Heisenberg.

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Del2005

Heisenberg. wrote: »

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I found US cities simple to get around as they are mostly straight roads. The other thing is that they also tend to be one way only. Except every 5 or 6 major road can be two way, which has caught me out a couple of times.

The one thing you need to do is look around more, like you would when walking as you've no idea which side the cars are coming from.

Heisenberg. wrote: »

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I found the quite places where the hardest to get used driving, always went to the wrong side. It's easier to just get in and drive, but have someone else looking out for directions.

Heisenberg. wrote: »

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I got caught out a couple of times as pedestrians get a green light in flow with traffic, if your turning you have to give way to peds.

Driving auto is dead easy, just stick your left foot up by the seat for the first while to resist stamping on the brake.

Alanstrainor

You'll get used to it in no time. Seriously, it's not big deal. Just take your time with it. And if you're renting a car, take out the extra insurance!

sentient_6

Couple of points:

1. get a sat nav with your rental, found it really handy for getting in & out of cities myself.

2. Keep your left foot planted firmly on the ground to avoid stamping on the brake pedal thinking of the clutch.

3. You know the phrase 'righty tighty, lefty loosey' for screws? Say it when turning at a junction, i.e you want to turn tight to stay on the right when turning right, & take the turn wide when turning left.

4. You can usually turn right on a red light(there'll be a sign saying otherwise), but i was told to stop even if you can clearly see there is nothing coming, and pause for a second or two before pulling off, i.e it treat it as a stop rather a yield. (apparently a cop in a bad mood could pull you for this)

5. All way/4 way stop junctions. Generally the rule is cars cross the junction in the order they arrived, works really well outside cities where traffic can be surprisingly quiet. Probably one to google & have a read about.

6. I found they're mad for speeding on the freeways over there, but i just stayed right with the cruise set to the limit for an easy life, i didnt fancy trying to explain myself to a u.s. cop. It's just handier to stay out of it.

ADIDriving

Lots of good advice above. It is generally easy once you get going. Have something in the car to remind you to drive on the right as soon as you sit in. Get your passangers to pay attention also and remind you if needed.

CiniO

Remember you are most likely to make a mistake, not in the beginning, as then you are really concentrating, but at a later stage.

I remember I first switched from right hand traffic to left hand traffic in Ireland, and had no problems at all.
However after few days, when I felt pretty much very confident, and I had a feeling like I was driving on the left all my life, I was just leaving petrol station and positied my car on the right side of the exit, which was wrong.

Also recently, even though every year I do about 80,000km in right hand traffic and about 20,000km in left hand traffic and I'm really used to switching, I spend about a month on the Continent driving in right hand traffic with Irish car (RHD), and on the way back, I drove all the way back through UK from Dover to Holyhead, and I stopped in Holyhead to eat something. Even I just traveled nearly 600km already on the left side, I went out of restaurant, drove on the right side of the road, and only realised I was wrong when I was just about to enter roundabout anti-clockwise and there was a car coming straight towards me.

So make sure that for few days, you always concentrate and thing about it what you are doing.

Diddler1977

Always keep the line to your left - remind yourself as you make a turn on to busy junctions

tricky D

Something to be wary of is the way US drivers can change lanes with little warning and into tight spaces.

Also blowout debris can litter some roads so avoid that as the steel reinforcement could wreck your tyres.

mathepac

If you only have a licence since June 2011, you'll need to check with car rental outfits now. Most have a minimum age and a minimum licensing period requirements. e.g. 25 years of age and licence for minimum of 2 years.

Check web-sites

ProudDUB

Go for it OP. Driving over there is a doddle compared to here. I think that the fact you are having these doubts could help you be more careful overall, compared to an experienced driver who will jump into his US rental and think that it is no big deal. Agree with the other posters who say to not let your guard down. You are more liable to make mistakes when you are too relaxed and overly confident. Getting a SatNav/GPS system is a very good idea. That way you can concentrate on your driving and not having to figure out where you are going. If your car does not come equipped with one you can pick one up at a WalMart pretty cheaply. American cites are very well sign posted. They laid out on a well planned and thought out grid system for the most part, with streets and avenues often named in sequential numbers. It makes getting into and out of them much easier than here. What city were you thinking of?

Heisenberg.

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Wishbone Ash

Heisenberg. wrote: »

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A little tip - if you have a Sat Nav save the rental location before you leave. It makes it much easier to find again when returning the car.

As has been said, traffic on the interstates travel much faster than here (80mph would be the norm) and they tend to travel much closer together. Trucks also travel at the same speed as cars and the overtaking on either side is a bit unnerving at first.

ProudDUB

You overtake on the left over there. Most interstate freeways are 3 lane. If they are, the left hand lane will be for speedsers. The right lane is for trucks and little old ladies and cars merging from on ramps and those about to leave at the next off ramp. In general, it's best to stay in the middle lane. That way you won't be always having to get out of the way of said speedsters or slow pokes/big rigs. If the freeway is 2 lane, everyone drives in the right lane, leaving the left land for passing, unless you are a speedster and you are the one passing everyone else out. Which I hope you won't be. All signage will be in miles, not kilometers, petrol will be sold in gallons not litres & the SatNav voice will give you directions in feet and miles not meters and kilometers.

When you come to an intersection, you can turn right even if the light is red, as long as you come to a complete stop beforehand and you yield to pedestrians trying to cross the road. (This would the same as going left on red here, as you do not need to cross over oncoming traffic to turn. It's great, it really speeds up the flow of traffic in cities and towns.) If you are out and about on foot and have a green light at a pedestrian crossing, don't presume that cars will stop just because you have a green man and they have a red light. If they are turning right, they can keep on going. Technically they are supposed to give way to you, but people walk so rarely over there, drivers are just not mentally conditioned to be on the look out for pedestrians the way that they are over here.

Wishbone Ash

ProudDUB wrote: »

you can turn right even if the light is red

That is the general rule but some junctions will have "No Right Turn on Red" signs. US Police don't tend to be particularly sympathetic to visitors!

mathepac

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

... US Police don't tend to be particularly sympathetic to visitors!

The local cops are sound but the Staties can be right assholes, all got out to hell in their mirrored shades, jodhpurs and jack-boots; steer clear.

In the US, Mehico and Canadia behave yourself on the interstates or you could be listening to that banjo and guitar music while the Staties / Los Federales / County Mounties have their wicked way with you, forcing you to chaw tabaccy, spit and drink cawfee like dishwater while regaling you with stories of the last Mick to go missing aroun' these here parts, pardner ...

Faith+1

mathepac wrote: »

The local cops are sound but the Staties can be right assholes, all got out to hell in their mirrored shades, jodhpurs and jack-boots; steer clear.

In the US, Mehico and Canadia behave yourself on the interstates or you could be listening to that banjo and guitar music while the Staties / Los Federales / County Mounties have their wicked way with you, forcing you to chaw tabaccy, spit and drink cawfee like dishwater while regaling you with stories of the last Mick to go missing aroun' these here parts, pardner ...

Best post I've read in awhile!:D

Alanstrainor

One thing to keep in mind actually, are the highways. People overtaking and undertaking are legal over there. So expect traffic to pass on both sides. It can be pretty daunting, but it's really no big deal. It's just the first few minutes on the highway figuring things out that might be a bit stressful.

CiniO

Alanstrainor wrote: »

So expect traffic to pass on both sides.

That seems the be the same case as in Ireland