Driving in the USA for the first time - See what's different.
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- čas přidán 22. 05. 2016
- I drove in the UK for the first time and made a video about what I did to make the transition easier. After making this video I was asked to make a video about driving in the USA for the first time, for those people visiting the USA.
Check out our video "Driving in the UK for the First Time"
• Driving in the UK for ...
Find more practical traveling tips at:
mikestravelguide.com
Shot on Canon G7X and Sony AS30
Help with planning a trip to Europe and other places.
Dear tourist looking to vist NYC. Do not plan to drive anywhere. Just walk or take public transportation. Driving will cost you more in parking and time than going to do whatever it is you are doing.
Agreed!
Driving in NYC is for the FUCKING LOONIES. Seriously get new york city driving training before you do that. Any where else is really easy to drive but New York? forget it. You'll crash. And then the cop will tell the car behind you to drive over your stupid car crash because the city has to keep moving. You don't want a part of that.
What about Las Vegas
@@fantie3279 The Strip is grid lock, even at 2 am today. Take I-15 or other roads to avoid the Strip (Las Vegas Blvd).
what a sick joke "public transportation" you have none in US
do not overtake a school bus flashing red lights.
Oops
Don't go past on the other side of the road either!
If the stop sign is out (and it has a stop sign)
@elvis solo, why?
@@hermanbengkulu77777 it’s a rule over there. Can’t even pass if you are on the opposite side of the road. Often there’s a police car present to fine you.
I'm from the UK, and I have a simple 4 word mantra that I use when driving in Europe. 'Drive right, look left'. I just repeat it to myself if/when I get confused!
Flip it if you are European in the UK
as a german it gives me goose bumps seeing faster cars driving on the right side of the road,,
Unfortunately it is many times necessary unless you want to be severely delayed. Lane discipline is very rarely enforced in the us and as such many see it as their right to drive slow in the left lane and will not give way to faster traffic.
This is all too true, sadly to say. Even in Texas, the "drive friendly" state if you've never seen the signs. Inconsiderate and completely oblivious will describe a vast majority of drivers. Not all but you can't say that isn't a true statement.
As an American I sympathize. I wish passing on the right was illegal here. Sometimes we give people too much liberty behind the wheel.
Passing on the right is illegal in many US states, however it’s rarely enforced, what I have seen enforcement for is the left lane laws, but once again, there needs to be a cop around to do it. One of the problems in America is the belief that “experience is the best teacher” so aside from learning the basics, most learning is done with a learners permit under the guidance of a legal guardian, but if that legal guardian is a bad driver, or just doesn’t allow the juvenile to practice frequently, it’s all for naught.
David Senn, Texans are VERY mean drivers. Their way of "Merging" into traffic is "move over or I'll hit you." CRUNCH! I-35 used to average an accident every 2 weeks and it's almost always the same reason: someone merging into traffic rear-ended or sideswiped another car. And many Texans think turn signals are for decoration and won't use them. They should get a $25 ticket for each offense. Rack up 5 tickets and their license should be suspended for a month. The highway patrol will rack up more money than 10 red light cameras could if they enforced that.
Just felt I should add this: While it's true that most places in the U.S. do permit right turns on red by default, many medium-to-heavy intersections will have signs that state otherwise, i.e. "No right turn on red", or simply "No turn on red".. which are always good to watch out for. Finally, the one exception in the U.S. where these rules are reversed---that I know of---is New York City. Within the boundaries of the five boroughs, right turns are not permitted on red by default, unless you see a much longer sign that reads, "After stop, right turn permitted on red." So yeah, depending on where you're visiting in the U.S., there's always exceptions.
Hello Stephen, Thanks for watching my video. While I agree New York City may be different, the info in the video is true for the vast majority of the USA. I agree some intersections do not allow you turn right on red. However they normally have signs that state this, and thus the default is right on red. Thank you for making everyone aware of the differences in New York City. Mike
Actually, right turns on red are legal everywhere in the USA by federal law, except where prohibited in specific locations. So the default is that you can assume a right turn on red is legal unless there's a sign, or in NYC.
In Montreal PQ you can’t turn right on red
Don't RUN from the Police.
ted norberto Yes, don't run from the police! Just stay away from them, they are not there to help you.
Mike Young drive to Canada
Ayden Messerli Where they're subjects of the queen, poorer, and have no free speech.
Running from the police will turn a slap-on-the-wrist misdemeanor into a put-you-in-jail FELONY. Never do it.
Mike Young Only in LA you can run from the police! J/K don’t do that!
The police comment may be true is some areas, but in more... rural areas, they generally are -somewhat- forgiving, unless you're in a targeted enforcement zone. For example, unless you are aggressively speeding, warnings are very common.
Matthew Hibbs I'd argue rural areas are even worse tbh. Cops in small town are bored they will stop you for everything and anything. I am relieved to be in a busy city where they have bigger things to worry about.
brian fuller I’m black and he’s not lying.
StumpSteph I’m black too and he is. Small town cops don’t really have much to do, so when they do see crime or violations, they tend to be stricter.
@brian fuller Piss off
Unless you’re black
Being British and having drove route 66 and florida and L.A. along with san Diego and san fran. The usa is 10x's easier than the UK.
But much bigger and going as far as thousands of miles.
Damn really
Try driving an ambulance campervan with no way of knowing is what is behind you in the UK... And also roundabouts are the best thing since sliced bread. Those american crossroad turn things into incoming traffic scare the hell out of me.
But The UK's Roads Are Far Better Than Ours?
I’ve driven in both the US and UK and have to say I generally prefer driving in the US, the UK just has so many diffrent types of intersections, roundabouts, and junctions that all have diffrent design, there is more consistency and simpler in the US.
If you come to LA and get on the freeways when everyone is getting off of work you're not going to have a good time 😂
What is this supposed to mean？
Kris Fu he is talking about traffic obviously
I'm coming from Australia but not till fter 10pm. Picking up a car and heading straight to San Diego. Hopefully after 10pm is ok on the freeways to get used to a couple things?
@@michaelturner9353 was it ok? 😅
Lourdes Pena unfortunately he crashed and was in the hospital in critical condition😔. Look at the San Diego news
1. If you are used to driving on the left it's easy to end up on the wrong side of the road, especially when entering a road from a parking lot, rule of thumb is if you, as the driver are not in the middle of the road ( i.e driver side of car) you are on the wrong side of the road.
2. Story re cops is rubbish, if you are pulled over by one stay in the car with hands on the steering wheel with drivers license, cars registration and proof of insurance (kept in glove box- check with rental company before leaving their lot) at hand, be respectful, being rude or sassy will get you in trouble, if you need help just ask and you will get help. Most cops are easy going with visitors, more so than those in Australia or Britain ( no I'm not a cop)
3. Getting lost is stressful, stress leads to mistakes, pull over and quietly try to figure out where you went wrong. Remember its not likely that you will be lost for ever in the US (hopefully you are not a bad area) - if you are a nervous easily stress person probably not a good idea to drive yourself, it can get hectic!
RE2: If British and pulled by a US cop, jump out of the car as quickly as possible (before he does with his gun drawn) with your hands in the air and procede to stip down to your underware, then slam your face into the bonnet/hood of the car, finally throw yourself to the floor making sure to smash your face into the tarmac with your hands so far up your back it hurts your shoulders and lie still. Then wait for the 19 stone/266lb doughnut munching cop to jump on you screaming "DON'T FUCKING MOVE OR I WILL KILL YOU!!!!!" and everything should be fine.
Only reach for those documents after asking permission from the officer. Made the mistake of leaning over to get them and he was NOT pleased with me thinking I may be reaching for a gun.
Thanks for the Vid. Im driving in the US for this first time this month (from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon) and this helps
I really enjoyed your road driving video with useful tips.
Thank you Mike. Very very informative video for the UK visitors. Please keep adding top tips if you can ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🙏
One very important thing you missed was that we separate a 2 way roads by a yellow line. This got me when driving on a small 2 way road in London. I found myself on the wrong side because all the lines are white.
Honestly, using yellow lines for that IS a good idea... In Belgium, yellow lines are only used to show a new lane layout during road works.
Thank you for not saying “YOU GUYS DRIVE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD “ I’m like different strokes for different folks !!!!! Great video 👏🏾
Yes to this. People in other countries should know that majority of countries drive on the right side of the road. Only 35 of the world drives on the left.
I drive in the USA every time we go over there, a few tips
If you have a smart phone most cars have an outlet to use for sat nav, you don't need to hire one
another thing is cars overtake on both sides in the USA so be aware of this.
we found filling station pumps do not except UK cards even master cards or visa so paying cash is the only way.
but driving is so easy once you get used to it you might drive on the left but its not like your driving down the right side of the road so everyone is going in the same direction.
stick to the limits and DON'T Drink or keep alcohol in the passenger area while driving. enjoy the experience
It's unusual for most American gas stations (Arco, Exxon, Mobil, Standard, Shell, BP, Texaco) to not accept most forms of credit/debit payment. Where I am in the Pacific Northwest, most gas stations even accept China UnionPay.
You can use your credit card, before trying to fill up go inside and tell them how much you want in dollars, they put a hold of say 50 dollars on the card. You then fill up and it will let you get 50 dollars OR if it only takes 45 dollars you'll find a few days later the "hold" amount of 50 has gone and the 45 dollars has gone though the credit card account.
And in most cases if using cash, you must prepay giving the amount and identifying the pump number you will be using. This is due to so many that would drive away without paying for their fuel.
This is a great video! Thank you!
HEYVOLLY ADD ME IN FB+923169598408
Hlw guys
My first time driving in the USA early this year was driving in night time rush hour traffic in san francisco whilst tired and accidently turning left on the left hand side of the road when I exited the highway (due to driving on the left). Fortunately I realised my mistake when I was confronted with a car flashing his lights and honking his horn and quickly got onto the right lane. That was the only error, fortunately our driving standards in the UK are pretty good and I quickly got used to it. I was also stopped for speeding on a remote quiet road in washington near seattle, but was let off with a warning by the nice officer.
The only thing I hate about driving cars in the USA is that the side/wing mirrors are magnified, which makes judging the distance of cars difficult (since they appear closer) and stop signs. Also drivers rarely let you in their lane even whilst indicating, in europe they're more courteous.
Oh yeah, we’re assholes here in the US, about letting cars in. I’m not personally, but I’d say 95% of our fellow drivers are complete assholes.
@@hehateme71 UK is probably the most civilized driving u could ever get. I'm talking about highways, dual carriageways, residential streets the lot. Drivers down here in UK let u into their lane kindly if u want to switch lanes; they also flash u to get past parked cars on narrow roads. Its just much more friendly.
From my experience, certain states or cities in particular tend to have more aggressive drivers who do not care if they ding your door, cut you off, or ignore If you're trying to get over. I'm sure you can probably guess those places.
In my state, people generally are nice & let you in. Also, we have roundabouts & they are so much better than stop signs or traffic lights. I wish more US cities would adopt them.
That was great just wanted to clarify those things! Literally will be there tomorrow !
Yes very good video. I'm British and when i went to France i kept repeating to myself 'Look left keep right' because it's the opposite of what i'm used to doing at home, so at 'T' junctions instead of looking right i learned to look left first. Roundabouts are weird at first because i had to go the 'wrong' way round and it does take some getting used to. Think I'll stay home.
I love the wide lanes in the US. Here in Australia, we have narrow lanes just wide enough for trucks and buses to drive on, it's like walking to a tight rope for them. And of course we drive on the left hand side of the road with the drivers seat in reverse to American cars. Also we have speed cameras in urban areas and a few cops on the road also checking for speed and drink driving occasionally too.
That scenery looked a whole lot like beautiful Huntsville, Alabama
Great video, thanks Mike
Really useful for people relocating to USA from the countries driving on the left side of the road :)
Grate instructions - thank you.
Haven't met a rude cop in my life. O.o
hahahaha
I have, but only in Florida. Chicago probably has the nicest cops I’ve seen.
As a general rule, cops don't like attitude.
@@larryphilby4918 I wouldn't either if I was a cop. If I was trying to get you to slow down and be a little safer when you drive and you're not listening and it doesn't seem like you care I'd be pissed.. Cars kill roughly 100 people every day and if you don't care enough to listen to a police officer telling you not to increase that number then you deserve to get a ticket.
Me neither, I'm in Cali btw
Map? Man, almost every car you rent today comes with GPS.
Marcelo B Nonsense! Not in my experience even renting upmarket vehicles from major rental companies. I always take my own satnav with American mapping. Indeed it's as cheap to buy a satnav as to rent one.
Wrong, that’s not the case even 6 years later.
@@johnp139 Still, just use Waze. Who still uses paper maps?
Driving in Canada is much like driving in the US except distances and speed limits are metric.
Thanks for mentioning the requirements for left on red. Even most Americans don't know this.
For some people comments... In UK turning right on a red would just be dangerous... However turning left on a red would be the equivalent.. But we usually get a left filter green arrow or they just build a roundabout and have no lights
It’s *illegal* to turn either left or right on any intersection in the UK, UNLESS there’s a left or right arrow indicating so
Always get a gps or use google maps.
Nicely explained ! Thx !
Thanks for the pointers. I just picked up a Dodge Challenger at the Hard Rock Hotel in Vegas. I only took it around the block to the parking garage and was so nervous as its my first time driving in the US. Were heading to the Grand Canyon tomorrow so the roads shouldn't be too busy hopefully.
How did it all go? I'm about to make a similar trip with my partner - A little nervous!
How did it go im thinking doing san fran to vegas
Very Good Video for Driving at USA.
Thank you for this video
Took me a while to realize a satnav is a GPS.
thank Mike for this useful vid, :-)
I'm American and learning to drive in America, lol, but something I recently learned the hard way (😖) is, if you're turning left at an intersection, and the light turns green, that does NOT mean you can go (in fact that thing he said about "you can go left on a red light" sounds crazy to me. That's not legal where I live in Florida). Just because the light is green and you want to go left does not mean you can go. You can go of traffic is clear (dur dur dur😅), but just don't assume you can go, or that the oncoming traffic will stop because they have the right of way, lol. But, oncoming traffic _will_ be stopped if you have a green _arrow_ (but of course it has to be clear before you can go, lol).
Anyways, this all sounds very obvious but I thought it might help someone who's new anyway.☺
I suggest that you buy a prepaid sim card with unlimited data so you can use GPS navigation on your phone. In big cities like Atlanta or Washington DC area, paper map won't help you much with interstate highways interchanges. Be sure you have cash to pay tolls in Florida. Gas stations in most states are self-served. Be extra careful when driving in South Florida (crazy drivers + sudden traffic jam)
Excellent advice.
Driving in the UK is so much less confusing...
Cheers mate!
Nice video i hope to go to the USA one day and experience it myself, you should try driving in Holland man
When driving in the US just do whatever you want, that’s what most US drivers do!
The best you can do is research where you are going, specifically. Here in Salt Lake City we have right turn on red, four-way stops, roundabouts, single point and diverging diamond interchanges, (driving on the other side for a bit) not to mention an ugly conglomeration of interchanges collectively known as the spaghetti bowl. Happy driving!
Just finished a spell of driving in the US ( over 35 hours, in total).The four way stop signs are a little hard to get used to, but a cool idea. I found that almost everyone drives above the speed limit and the cops aren’t too concerned about it, it seems. It works well, I found. Returning to Melbourne I was frustrated with how slow the traffic was. Another interesting point is I hardly encountered any speed humps, in fact I can’t remember driving over one. Can’t wait yo go back. Btw, LA freeways will eat you alive, if you don’t keep up lol.
One useful thing to cover would be to list which laws are universal across the US versus which laws vary from state to state. (For example, Is it U-turn at an intersection allowed by default except where posted otherwise, or is it illegal by default except where posted otherwise? That changes per state, as does the right turn on red rule.)
The absence of Lane Discipline was the only thing I disliked about driving in the USA. It makes it very difficult to predict the next action of other vehicles.
And if you get pulled up by the Police DO NOT GET OUT OF THE CAR. We do in Australia with no hassles, but when my mate jumped out of the car in the States, he had a gun pulled on him and warned he could have been shot. Stay in the car and don't reach for things in your bag or in the glove compartment unless you let them know first. Good advice to avoid any unpleasant outcomes.
Hi, good advice. Remember, cops are not there to help you. Avoid any interactions with cops!
Its easy bc your Driving in a non populated area, try driving in a major city, nyc for example Where there are way more cars, bikers, taxis speeding, one way streets...
Thank you!
I got pulled over in Illinois for going 29 over in a school zone but going the normal speed limit. The school zone lights weren’t flashing and it was past 9am. The judge threw out the case. There were no kids or busses around the cop must have been bored.
Never drove in the uk lived there 30 years my first interstate drive was florida to atlanta was glad to get indoors that night lol.
Actually at a 4-way stop, the right-of-way goes anti-clockwise, so after the person to your right goes, then it's your turn... at least in Ohio. Some intersections have modifications to the "Right Turn on Red"; they will be posted, so just pay attention to any signs. And some States (Michigan and New Jersey come to mind) have strange and unintuitive ways to make left turns, but not all the time.
"Actually at a 4-way stop, the right-of-way goes anti-clockwise" - Only when everyone comes to a stop at the same time. Otherwise it's first come, first served.
That rule applies when cars stop at rhe same time at the 4 way stop. Otherwise its first person to stop goes and next and so forth.
Thanks, this is really helpful. The tolls are confusing too though
Just pay the toll-taker. If you ask if he's out of his mind, he'll probably just stare at you vacantly.
Half of the 50 U.S. states have NO toll roads, some just a few, most of the toll roads are in the Eastern States.
Just a couple of important things he left off
1) When an emergency vehicle approaches from behind WITH IT'S LIGHTS FLASHING to get out of the way, GO RIGHT
Essentially give them the left side! Pull off to the right if need be if not go to the right side and reduce speed. If you are in a situation where you can't safely go right go forward at a safe speed and following distance and go right as soon as you can safely do so. they are SUPPOSED to recognize that situation and maintain a safe following distance. More often they DON'T!
Also: an EMERGENCY vehicle will have either re blue or both light color on the vehicle.
AMBER BY ITSELF WITH NO OTHER COLOR I NEVER AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE!! It CAN be a road obstruction Certainly a tow truck, or a construction barricade. In some high traffic areas even mail delivery trucks and cable TV service vehicles will have amber flashing lights.
Also, if you need your windshield wipers turn your headlights on! I don't care if you don't use them in your country IN THE US TURN THEM ON any time the windshield wipers are needed be it rain snow sleet whatever.
You haven't mentioned that the sequence of the colours in the traffic lights is different from that in the UK and some other countries. Nor do you mention the fact that in the North America traffic lights may be physically located in positions in which non-Americans might not expect them -- even hung from trees in which a green light may be almost invisible in summer and a red light almost invisible in fall.
If u drive in India, u can drive in any other parts of the world with ease.
Really? like in a snow storm on the highway would be easy for a person from India? Sorry but they would be terrified driving in a snow storm in a major northern US city.
I think you mean the traffic then yes, traffic here in India is horrendous especially in the cities, in the outskirts the villages just spill out on the road, so again that is bad. I live in India, and have driven for over 20 years here.
When I drove for first time in Europe (several countries in Europe), I was a bit confused with the autobahns, the empty streets, abundance of road signs. Yes it takes time getting used to, besides Google maps takes some time getting used to (in India you can always ask someone for the way).
I think I made some minor errors, in navigation (some exits missed in roundabouts), but none in driving as I always defensively. The transition from left to right also went smoothly, but I always make sure to keep in mind the correct lane.
I have a trip planned for US next month, I have to be driving around Ohio state on a sales trip, I have never driven in the US, let's see how it goes.
@@GotoHere we have snow storms and snow capped roads here as well in India (States like himachal pradesh, jammu & kashmir, uttarakhand etc).
Really useful. SEATTLE HERE WE COME!!!
I live in the U.S and have no idea where Seattle is but have fun
@@pugh3896 We did, thanks. Seattle, have I spelt it wrong? Don't think so. Traffic was bloody awful but a good time had. Washington state, Vancouver, Mount St. Helens.
@@timhay7141 I have no idea why he doesn't know where Seattle is when he is from the US, that's funny
Just remember visitors. In the us, especially on interstates, speed limits are posted. But go with the flow of traffic. Stay in a group of cars. Americans tend to go on average 10mph or 16kmh over the posted signage. But in cities, Go the speed limit. Generally 5 over is pretty safe
That is the thing I hate the most. People want to be right on your ass assuming everything will always be as it is supposed to be then when you are forced to slow aggressively, or emergency stop it is a multi- vehicle accident. People used to want distance between their car and others. Not these days they can't be close enough. Other things that were once taught is any time you stop in traffic you should be able to see the rear tires of the vehicle in front of you. Now people want their car to mate with yours. Why I just do not understand why. Remember if you pull very close to the vehicle at a traffic light and they then drift forward do not follow. They want more space between their car and yours. Remember that. One more thing that was once taught was called the drive beyond program. Meaning don't just drive the distance between your car and the one directly in front of you. Constantly look at what is happening in front of that car so you will be ready for any emergency situation.
The driving ease is subject to the size of the town/city you are in though. Each state's geography and transportation budget is different, thus the infrastructure will vary. Rural towns tend to have narrow(er) roads and less clear signage than built up cities/towns when navigating. Less money to use equals bad roads. Cruise around rural Maine and you will see what I mean.
Remember to slow down at road construction zones, those fines are doubled too.
Whenever possible, change lanes away from an emergency vehicle (cop/fire truck/ambulance/tow truck) that has stopped with its flashing lights on while on the highway.
Stay in the right lane on the highway unless you are passing somebody!
Great pointers here I'm driving from San Francisco via Monterey to Los Angeles down the coast in September from the UK so will have to get used to the opposite side of the road haha but this will help a great deal :)
How did you go
@@bendawson1296 sorry for the late reply lol loved it :) 10x easier than driving in America than the UK
Interstates, evens go east to west like I80 exits go up in value 105 106 from esat to west starts over at everystate line. Odds go north south. Exits go up from the south and start over at state lines. 99.9% of the time exits line up with mile markers.
also, big trucks big blind spots huge blind spots. Never pass on the right wide right hand turns give them plenty of room 80,000 pounds doesnt stop on a dime.
Greeting from to UK. I drove in the US a few years ago and had no trouble adapting. I came up with a rhyme to help me at junctions; "Right is tight, Left is long." Also, please USA, do yourself a favour and get some roundabouts. Four way stops are just confusing and waste fuel.
Andy the Rambi Arizona has some roundabouts.
Andy the Rambi we have some Traffic Circles here in Alabama
We're getting more and more roundabouts here in Minnesota.
Keep your roundabouts on your side of the Atlantic where they belong.
i drove through kansas and theres a lot more round abouts there than where im from and they r so much nicer than 4 way stops...
Nobody uses their signal, especially in the south. This is because being a bad driver won't kill you in warmer areas.
Its the same everywhere, people are just too lazy to use the turn indicator... Just like no one except grandma keeps below the speed limit...
you forgot the allowance to pass a car on the right with 2 or more lanes going same direction in Europe you still have to pass a car on the left even with more lanes going same direction
There are some countries in Europe where you can pass in right lane. In UK you can pass on left within the speed limit.
Almost all cars are automatic as well in USA. I say this because I know European countries have stick shifts, however here in USA the transmissions are automatic. Just throwin that out there 👌
That’s what he said.
thanx Mike
Please do me a favor and share this video with your friends.
Good video, thanks. The first time I drove in the USA, I rented a car and it was the first time I had driven an automatic, and I could not start it! I was too embarrassed to go inside the rental office to ask them so I waited for my sister to realise I was not following her. When she arrived she showed me how to start it haha.
OMG! You should have found a cop and asked for help. When he stopped laughing, he would gladly have shown you. :)
The cop would've shot him.
@@Xerdoz its illegal to ask a cope while on active duty
5:08, sweet IROC.
You do not have to be on a one way to turn left on red, you just have to be turning onto a one way. In Michigan anyway.
As you told,it's easy driving in the USA,much easier than in the Netherlands
What makes it easier? Certainly, people in the Netherlands are much friendlier and less ready to drive you off the road?
I haven't been to the US yet so can only compare it to here in the UK, but when I went to the Netherlands, although the people are very friendly, they are horrible drivers! Also in the cities the road layouts can be a little confusing and you've got suicidal pedestrians, cyclists and trams to worry about too.
Yes, as a citizen from a crowded city (Rotterdam) in the netherlands, i can confirm that he is right. Driving here is difficult.
It's about what the infrastructure was built for. In many European cities, the roads are built largely for bikes and pedestrians with the actual car part being unimportant. U.S. has large roads and small sidewalks.
Are you aware that the U.S. existed before cars as well? Just look at New York, the roads are built for cars first and there are essentially no separated bike lanes, and pedestrians have to wait to cross traffic.
IMHO the most difficult and dangerous thing for UK (and other drivers) coming to the US is being sure to look out for traffic lights placed (from our point of view) very high up. I nearly missed a set once and made a strong mental note to look UP for them.
Malc C l actually prefer the traffic lights in the US.
Thanks for the video, I'm due to drive in Miami, I'm from the UK and I have never driven on the other side of the road at all, going to take it slow and try to adjust, I'll probably have people beeping at me for the first half hour haha
Ben Murphy Hi, have fun and watch out for school zones.
@@MikeYoungeasytravel I shall keep my eye out for school zones :)
Don't forget if you are stopped at a red waiting to turn right, you can turn except if there is a sign stating NO TURN ON RED if it's safe to do so.
Driving is driving, regardless of where you are. The only differences are the speed limits and which side of the road you are on. Otherwise, just take the ordinary precautions that you would normally take and be a DEFENSIVE driver, NOT aggressive.
Oh nice
please more videos about American highway saftey for over Seases drivers eg UK or Rep of Ireland.can you explain about express lanes please.
Exprees lanes u have to pay and have more then 2 or 3 people in the car
Some good tips here...but...I felt there should of been some more...for example, you can't turn right on red if there's a sign saying you can't, so never assume and check around first...Also (not so much for us UK Drivers) is there's almost nothing Metric in the US, most things are still in the old imperial system, similar to here in the UK; Speeds and distances in Miles / MPH, fuel sold in Gallons, other measurements like Feet, Yards, etc...What to do and how to act if you do happen to get pulled over by Police...stuff like that
Hi Darrell, thanks for the feedback.
Pretty much the only thing you will find in metric over here are bottled drinks sold in liters.
No crap.
Hi Mike,
My wife and I are planning to come over from Australia for the first time. We have a conference to attend in San Diego. We are planning to fly into LAX then hire a car and drive to the conference, I am still slightly nervous but your video has calmed my nerves somewhat.
Thank you for the vid!
SoCal drivers can be aggressive, just go the speed limit or bit above to go with the flow of traffic Try not to go more than 5 mph over the limit and you should be safe and you wont attract cops. There can be large delays on the freeways, which is typical of Southern California. Just start out earlier. Tail-gaiting is common, just ignore it. Obey the traffic signs and you should be fine. Here is a list of our traffic signs: www.trafficsign.us/
I've found driving in the US similar to driving in Australia. Roads are similar, as are most road rules.
Apart from the obvious driving on the other side, turning on red, and rules around school buses are probably the biggest differences. Correct me if I'm wrong, but It seems that Americans don't use the "Yield to the right" automatically like we "give way to the left". Can be confusing at unsigned intersections.
I think an Australian driving on British and European roads is more of a challenge as the roads are narrower.
If you're in the fast lane on the freeway (the far left lane), I don't care how much above the speed limit you're driving, if someone's riding your ass or coming up behind you, MOVE OVER and let them pass!
How did you go
why did you cross the continuous line on the right side of the road? is that allowed? (when you pulled over) in Europe that means even stopping is forbidden...
Hey this was recorded in Memphis ‼️
Also one thing that can confuse people there is that here in Europe the traffic lights are before the intersection, which means you stop right behind them, where in North America they are after the intersection.
They are IN the intersection and you stop at the big white stop bar.
I got a 352$ ticket for driving at 43mph 😮
😮
Bring a satellite navigation . If you are driving in Boston, NYC , Philadelphia, LA, San Fransisco or Chicago. Large city's can be very confusing and easy to miss your turns causing you to get very frustrated.
You shouldn't be scared of cops if you haven't done anything illegal.
They are there to help not hurt
Tell that to Justine Damond!
Atypical situation. I have had one impolite policeman pull me over in my entire life. Still, keep your hands on the steering wheel as he approaches. He does not want to be scared.
No they're not. They're there just to get money from you in any way possible.
@@Xerdoz Cops don't make money off of giving you tickets that's false, ticket quotas are illegal.
@@ScoCoda not in Illinois.
Thanks for the video !
Doing a U turn in UK is 3 point turn. Takes ages if ur unlucky to turn on a quiet road. USA the roads are massive for what I know, u have 2 or 3 lane street to do a U turn lol.
Uk we love or hate roundabouts. Tho they do stream traffic more efficient than stop signs & lights on every intersections. Roundabouts u give way to right side always lol.
In America it appears the truck drivers of the big semi trucks do their very best to destroy a small roundabout as quickly as they are built, wherever they are built. Who put this dog pooy park in the middle of the intersection?
Great video, by the way!!
There are 10 lights on the other side of the crossing... which one applies to me?
Especially when you can't see the lanes because of dense traffic it is very confusing.
The one directly in front of you/above your lane. Sometimes the left turn lane will show a green arrow allowing that lane's traffic to move while the remaining lanes remain red. This allows those turning to cross in front of oncoming traffic while they are still stationary (red light). A flashing green arrow also means you may turn, but only AFTER oncoming traffic has cleared and you have time to make the turn without impeding the oncoming lane(s).
@@Lando-cb9ol
'The one directly in front of you/above your lane.'
We ended up in Los Angeles with a 35 feet RV on a split with three lanes left, four straight on, and three right turns. Thursday 8:30 AM. The lanes were not visible because of traffic, and when traffic stopped and it was our turn, we couldn't see any lane because the paint had almost gone. We were in the most right lane to turn left, so we followed the cars on our left over this massive asphalt dessert.
We got there, still in the correct lane, but it was not relaxed driving.
We thought the Boulevard Périphérique in Paris was complex but that's heaven compared to some places in the USA.
On European highways you have only one choice, take the exit or not, always on your right hand side. Wrong exit, no problem in 95% because you can rejoin the highway at the end of the exit. There you find your left turn as well over / under the other lanes of the highway.
There is one thing i want to ask, how do you act on a intersection with only one green light and you want to make a left turn, are you allowed to pull in the middle of the intersection like in europe? please describe
Jenny Law Hi, yes this allowed in most States/cities. Mike
Yes, but be aware there are some traffic signal intersections that will have a no left turn sign or left turn on green arrow only especially on a grade/hill...
I live in Australia and my friend recenly went to USA and says driving is crazy exiting freeway so many lanes and so fast. If you go to a traffic intersection with no lights the one who goes fastest goes
The US maybe has the upper limit at 80 miles per hour. In the country I'm in driving 87 miles an hour is completely legal. Even driving 100 miles per hour is ok-ish.
Braking from 90 miles per hour is pretty easy and doesn't take more than a few seconds.
Btw how long does it take you to adapt the right hand traffic?
Simon Mario Gondowidjojo Hi, it took me a few hours, but I still felt uncomfortable the entire time.
Aus - NZ roads are quite wider and bigger compared to UK. I find dirivng in AUS easy as NZ except some of the road signs (or street parking signs).
4 way stops..(if 2 cara stop at the same time. The car to the right has right of way).
thanks for the video! i'm going to the US for the first time in a few month and i'll be renting a car. Here in the Netherlands driving is fun but challenging if you're not used to it, i think i might enjoy driving in the US more xD. Except the automatic i prefer stick shift :P. Is there a type of vehicle you recommend? like is a SUV better than a smaller car if you're driving long distances? i drive a hatchback and estate car over here but there are no estates there and hatchback will probably not be the best to drive around partly because storage space.
Alex Nijman Of course there are estates( station wagons) and hatchbacks in the USA but my advice is to rent a "full size" vehicle and watch carefully because you may contract for(and pay for) a full-size car and when you go to pick it up they provide you with a smaller vehicle - they reckon that as a foreigner you won't know the difference.
Really? so for example you pay for a ford fusion but you get focus?
Yes -- though they craftily switch makes to confuse you further. I've learned that when you question them, all of a sudden they can come up with a much better car than they were offering a moment before -- and much up range from what you actually booked and paid for. It's just a scam. Hold out for a large vehicle. Last year I booked a Chevrolet Impala -- no longer anything like the size of that model 40 years ago, but OK, when I arrived what I was offered was a Nissan Sentra. I held out for something bigger and got, at no extra cost, a Buick Enclave people carrier -- or, in the local parlance, "van".
One thing I noticed coming from a left hand drive country is that I struggle to judge the distance from the wheels on right side of the car. I am told that people have the same problem when the opposite applies.
Yes, I noticed the same thing, on the opposite side.
@@MikeYoungeasytravel hello mike this video is really good just a couple of queries if thats OK I'll be driving on highway 1 in california what's the drive like? Also a quick question about automatic car what is the best tip for setting off from a hill? Thanks in advance
Paul Gray Hi, It’s really easy, you just push on the gas pedal. To clarify, you drive an automatic car with 1 foot; either on the gas pedal or brake. I never had the chance to drive on Highway 1. Have fun on your trip.
hi, is there much difference between driving in the US ad Canada? Ive had a look on CZcams but cant find any videos?
I recently drove around northern Alberta and found it identical.
Craig Lancaster No, driving in Canda is generally similar. They're now introducing roundabouts in Canada -- beautifully constructed -- but the natives are terrified of them. Remember to go round them ANTI - clockwise - - the opposite of the UK.
If your coming to SF, Don't rent a car.. Parking is Expensive and its very likely that it will get broken into.
nice driving
Roads in the USA are usually north/south or east/west unless your in a mountainous region.
*YOU'RE
Pish/posh
Not everywhere in the USA. But many states were settled by the Homestead Act, in quarter sections, farms of a quarter of a square miles, thus the square mile grid of north south east west mile roads throughout the rural and urban Midwest...
At least the pedal layout is the same on LHD and RHD cars.