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Drivin in the USA!
Hi. I will be renting a budget car for a few days in November - driving from Orlando to Miami and back again. As I'm from the UK and as you know we drive on the 'wrong' side! Can you give me any advice I should know about(I've already heard about the turning right business at junctions when the lights are on red') Please advise!
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Driving on major highways is very routine - watch out for big scary trucks that drive as if they own the road.
Driving on the streets of Florida cities can be an adventure. Between young drivers who think the roads are actually speedways and older drivers who have lost some visual acuity and reflexes with age, some extra attention to cars doing unexpected things is warranted. (Some of these drivers may also be on the "wrong" side of the road!) |
Yes, you can make a right turn on red after coming to a complete stop first, but ONLY if it's a red circle. If you have a red arrow instead, you may not go until the arrow turns green.
Take care at any stop lights. Increasingly drivers are sneaking through the first couple of seconds after a light turns red. So...if you are stopped at a red light, when the light turns green DO make sure no cars are still coming before you proceed into the intersection!! This was one of the things I had to become used to after moving here. |
Not sure if you are in the area of Great Britain / Europe that gets a YELLOW/AMBER light BEFORE the green.
We do not. It goes straight from RED to GREEN. The amber light comes after green, before red. Just remember when turning right, to keep to the right. When turning left at an intersection, move over to the right on the new road. The intersection turns are the one thing that sometimes slips your mind when getting used to driving on the "other side". |
When my old boss moved here from Italy, his biggest problem was waiting for the light to turn green.
If traffic wasn't coming, he would run red lights. A few tickets broke him of that nasty little habit. |
mrspaul... In general you will find traffic slower and (especially in Florida) a much higher proportion of teenaged and elder drivers, with driving habits predictable to the age group.
The "right on red" law was adopted nationwide in the 1970s; before that many eastern states did not allow it at all. Consequently, elder drivers especially, and in Florida in particular, who drove in their youthful years under the old regime, may prove not interested in turning on a red light. Patience is required. Further, you can turn left on a red light if you're turning from a one-way street onto another one-way street (with traffic going from right to left, duh.) Expect no roundabouts. However, also expect that in November in the Orlando/S. Florida area you will hardly be alone amongst your countrymen and women on the highways. Put a union flag in your window and listen for the horns honking. |
For toll booths and bridges, it is a good idea to have spare US $ dollar bills in the car. Maybe the ashtray or another place that is out of sight - when you park, a thief might be tempted.
Some people slow down or stop as they exit a highway / freeway. Stopping invites a crash. Instead, they should accelerate and use the left turn signal for their merge - even in "fast" moving traffic. Most accidents happen when there is a difference in speed between adjacent traffic. Police may or may not be driving a "marked" vehicle. You might not see lights on the roof of a Chevrolet Camaro, or a Ford Crown Victoria - or even an SUV. So, it may not be obvious that a police car is behind you in traffic. If your vehicle breaks or if you have a flat tire, exit the freeway / highway OR stop at the far right side of the road. Call for help if you have a cell phone. Stay in the vehicle with your seat belt on. People standing on the side of the road are not safe from injury. Common thing is to lose the sense of speed, as your speedometer will read MPH instead of Km/H. I forget, are highway / freeway exits numbered in FL ? Somebody fill in the blank here... This makes navigation with a map easy. |
Gail and Gardyloo mentioned the combo of senior and junior drivers in south Fla. This makes for just terrible driving in Fla in my (and many other's) opinion. We once had a thread about where the worst drivers in the US were and the consensus was Fla. and specifically south Fla. Not trying to scare you, just a "heads up" to drive defensively.
Even though you're supposed to pass on the left, American drivers will pass you from both left and right lanes. I don't know what the best route from Orlando to Miami is, but I- 95 tends to get loaded with traffic, especially at rush hours. If you have the option to take the Fla. turnpike (which has tolls), I'd recommend that. |
Gardyloo says, "Further, you can turn left on a red light if you're turning from a one-way street onto another one-way street (with traffic going from right to left, duh.)"
This one is news to me. |
Yes, you can turn left on red from an one-way street to another one-way street. At least that's the general rule, unless local ordinance says otherwise.
[Re: a point made by mclaurie - if a driver's staying to the right lane, as he/she should, then he/she will never be passed on the right. People pass on the right because of those stupid people who hog the left lanes!] |
Also, when driving on the highway, I usually take the middle lane and stay there as much as possible. The right lane is usually for those who are going slower or about to exit. The left lane should be for passing only, and those going fast. (If you are in the left lane and someone is behind you wanting to pass, move to the right and let them by?)
I think the middle is pretty safe? Yep, left on Red from a one way to a one way. I still get strange looks when I do this. |
OK, live and learn. Who says you don't find anything useful on Fodors?!
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The strangest thing to me in Florida is the toll booths. I live in IL where we have our own issues with toll booths....
It is unclear to a newcomer which lanes are exact change (and how much it actually is) or attendended or electronic pass. This is downright dangerous coming out of the Orlando airport going toward Disney. Almost everybody is in a rental car and new to the system....BEWARE! |
Austin is right, except for certain places on 95 in Miami where the far left lane somehow turns into the exit lane. What is that?
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RE: "When turning left at an intersection, move over to the right on the new road."
This is incorrect. Legally, if you are turning left, you must enter the new road IN THE LEFT LANE. This is because of people who are turning right onto the new road (from the opposite direction where you began). Yes, they have a yield sign, but there is always the possibility they might not see you. My aunt just got a warning the other day for making a left turn into the right lane - this is apparently something they are cracking down on in some areas. Once you have completed the left turn, you may switch lanes if you like. The law is that you may not switch lanes within one hundred feet of an intersection. Here is my advice: be courteous to other drivers. If someone has their blinker on and would like to get in your lane, give them plenty of room and let them. If you encounter a crazy driver with a death wish, let them do their thing and get out of the way. Why get angry? It's not a race, and no one is going to "win" at driving - certainly not those who get tickets or cause traffic accidents and injury because of their carelessness. But, at the same time, don't be so courteous that you endanger others. For example, stopping on a main road (where you have the right-of-way) to let some in from a secondary road (where they don't have the right-of-way) will likely get you rear-ended, and possibly injured. I know this is mostly common sense, but from the driving behavior I have seen recently, it bears repeating. And yes, some older and younger drivers shouldn't be allowed to drive. But I have seen just as many soccer moms driving their minivans like there's no tomorrow, and 40-year-old men driving gigantic trucks as though they get a nickel for every illegal thing they do behind the wheel. Poor driving skills really has nothing to do with age, and mostly to do with attitude and a lack of respect for others with whom we share the road. There are bad drivers equally distributed in every age category. Don't blame it all on the elderly and the young people. Have a great trip, and drive safely! As my mother says, you had better watch out for the other guy, because he's not watchin' out for you! |
rkkwan, re passing on the right, the problem occurs when you're in the MIDDLE lane and people are SUPPOSED to pass on the left, but they will sometimes pass on the right as well. My English husband was stunned to see this when he first moved here.
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beckers - Syv is correct because one of the common mistake for people who are used to drive on the Left side of the road is to stay left after a turn - meaning he/she will be <b>oncoming traffic lanes.</b> Syv is not talking about which particular lane on the right to turn into.
mclaurie - I've driven in the UK. And people stay all the way to the far left (slow lane) when not passing, even on 3-lane motorways. People do not drive like that here, and too many slow drivers hog whatever lanes they like, left, right, center, whatever. Therefore, the faster cars will just pass on whatever lane that's open. It's not the passers' fault that it's happening. Again, if you don't want to be passed on the right, stay to the far right. People can never pass you on the right if you're already on the far right lane. End of story. [Well, with some exceptions in Massachusettes, but that's another story for another day, as this thread is not about MA.] |
One thing that may help you understand the traffic situation is the fact that in the US it is assumed everyone can and will drive. And - unlike in the UK - as I understand it - it is practically impossible to fail a driving test. (Anyone who can maneuver around 2/3 blocks and more or less parallel park is passed. The test usually does not involve driving in any traffic - never mind on a highway.)
So the roads are full of marginal- or worse drivers - never mind the slower than turtle seniors, "I'll never die" teens and completely distracted soccor moms, make-up putter-oners and those having breakfast or lunch as they drive. So - to stay safe simply assume anyone is capable of doing anything at any time - they probably will. |
Back around 1980 in Indiana you could go straight through a "T" intersection on red.
At the "T" you had to be in the location where there is no road to the right. After stopping and checking traffic you could drive straight through. There weren't many places this applied. I got many a stare doing it at a particular intersection in the small town near me. A few years later "No Thru on Red" signs started popping up. Then they changed the law to not allow it. Indiana also allows you to turn left on red from a one-way street onto another one-way street. |
mrspaulaoconner.....aren't you glad you asked? LOL
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If you think you're about to miss a turn, don't worry about it. Just go a block or two past and go around the block, and get where you want to go a few minutes later.
There's no benefit in suddenly turning across a couple of lanes. And I think there's something to be said for remembering -- you might even repeat this outloud -- "oncoming cars are on my side." i.e. -- you, the driver, are on the "Outside" of your car, with opposing traffic closer to you than to your passenger. The biggest thing to get used to is looking to your left when turning, because it is the cars coming from your left who are closest to hitting you. |
Actually, you can turn right on a red arrow in most cases.
"RED ARROW Come to a complete stop at the marked stop line or before moving into the crosswalk or intersection. After stopping, you may turn right on red arrow at most intersections if the way is clear. Some intersections display a "NO TURN ON RED" sign, which you must obey. Left turns on red arrow from a one-way street into a one-way street are also allowed." http://www.hsmv.state.fl.us/handbook...sh/ch_204.html |
Anyway, not to start a riot here, but the post that mentions a "red circle" meant to say a red disk. I wasn't going to bring it up when I read it, but since we're quoting the handbook here . . .
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rkkwan - thanks for clearing that up! Yes - if you are turning left, you should turn into the right HALF of the road (regardless of the number of lanes that exist). I am used to driving on divided highways with multiple lane options on the right half - that is where I meant that one should stay in the left lane. Sorry for the confusion! Happy driving!
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Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
What a great response. There's lots of great advice, especially about the different 'skills' of other road users! And to BAK - I love the line 'oncoming cars are on my side'! I drove on the right in Portugal and was ok, but occasionally hit the drivers door with my left hand trying to change gear! and to crefloors, I AM glad I asked. LOL! To all you folks out there, keep that good advice comin'! |
I don't know if they have them if Florida, but if you enter a tollbooth, STAY OUT OF THE FASTLANE unless you have a transponder (which you won't because you'll have a rental car).
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Driving anywhere in US is easier than figuring out all these posts - good luck!
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gail...too true...my brain was getting a brain fart. trying to figure out these posts :-D.
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gail - I sincerely disagree. Driving in Boston is harder than sorting out these posts. ;) But it is easier everywhere else.
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IMHO driving in Boston isn't so hard - once you get that whole unmarked exit in the middle of the tunnel thing. Just keep circling endlessly and eventually you'll end up somewhere.
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Don't forget while in Boston to watch for the person jumping the light and making a right hand turn from the far left lane.
That of course only happens when it's the far left lane of a one way street. :-D |
sorry about that..."no right on red"...so, I'm too fast on the keyboard!
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Mrspaul...
You can turn right on red, except if there is a sign that reads "No right on red" which you will find in most of the larger cities. |
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