Driving in the USA

Coming from England I had no problem driving on the wrong side of the road!!!!   ;-)
I initially lived in Las Vegas where everyone is in a rush, & everyone thinks they are more important than anyone else!
They will cut from the 4th lane on the city center freeways to get their slip/exit road without indicating & causing other drivers to have to take avoiding action!
I now live in Missouri, which on my local roads is the complete opposite of Vegas & everyone drives slow, & they will stop to let you out, although some drivers do tend not to concentrate too much because they're texting/phoning/chatting/etc.

The main problem with British drivers that I noticed when l returned to visit friends & relatives this year is that they are VERY aggressive, & road rage is still alive & kicking (ass/arse) over there!!!    ;-)

I live in Texas where the driving is probably at its worst. There is no law on texting and driving so just about every idiot out there does it. You see them texting on the freeway so they have to slow down. I've passed people crawling at 40 mph oblivious to traffic trying to pass them at speeds of 70 mph plus. Texas has over 3000 road deaths a year, go figure!!!
Texas driving is all about 'me', I'm afraid there isn't any courtesy in Texas, they push in at crazy speeds, they go through red lights ( probably because they are reading text messages) and although trucks are not supposed to be in the outside lane on freeways, you'll see them there.
On the upside, most people obey the Stop signs and when traffic lights are down, everyone adopts the Stop etiquette which is that they take alternate turns at going.
One of the best road laws, which I believe isn't in all states, is the turn right on red. If you are turning right at traffic lights ( US drive on the right), and nothing is coming, you can turn. It's a great way of reducing traffic buildup but watch out for the idiots going through red on the other side.

America varies a lot.  As someone mentioned above, Texas is hyper aggressive.  The speed limit is treated as a vague suggestion.   Plenty of blasting the horn.  You will anger everyone if you're not going at least 5 MPH over the limit at all times in the slow lane on a freeway/highway.  You need to plan ahead for your upcoming exit ... a couple of miles ahead ... no one will courteously let you in.   California, Nevada, Arizona are similar but with slightly less horn blowing.  Washington State, Oregon and Idaho are much more restrained.

Oh well for me there's a big difference. I drive in Kathmandu, Nepal. The first and foremost difference is the right hand driving. Coming from a country with left hand driving confuses a lot until you get used to the traffic after sometime.

Speed. In Kathmandu or elsewhere in Nepal we are very much tuned and taught to slow down in every turn, cross traffic lanes, traffic signals. It's not the case in US.

In Nepal, the drivers have sixth sense alert all the time. This could be perhaps because of the unpredictability of traffics, pedestrians or anything. This could be a good thing on one side bec in US people there is no need for sixth sense to be alert as they tend to blindly depend on rule.  And this could be the reason many  "T" accidents take place in US.

I'm from Tahiti...with one road around the island and some lights and signs !!! 
I traveled everywhere Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand....
In US the roads are nice and big and for me people drive well most the time...
For me is the best to drive here in USA !

So different from where I currently live.  IN the US folks for the most part obey the laws (except maybe the speed limit).  But you can expect one to drive in the correct direction on one way streets, stop at stop signs and traffic lights, not passing on blind turns, drive vehicles that for the most part have functioning lights, not turn two lane roads into 6 lane super highways.  NONE of that happens here in the Dominican Republic

Bob K

American drivers, you're the best drivers in the world, change nothing
Keep driving the you have, you're the best and I love you all, on behalf
my self and my two brothers, one in Germany and the other in france.

It really depends on where. Driving on either coast is a much different experience than driving in the Midwest, for example.

You guys should probably outline some of the basic driving laws in the US, because they aren't the same in all countries.

- What must I do when a yellow school bus pulls over and lets children out? Should I stop as well or continue at a slower speed?
- What happens when I hear a siren from a police car, fire truck or ambulance? In Europe we get to one side and let them pass; in the US apparently you have to stop in your tracks.
- When is the right time to get into a center lane that lets me turn left? Do I do it just when I should make the turn? A few hundred meters in advance?

I have no problem driving but honestly every time I go to the US I get a little confused with all the things I have to "re-learn" about driving. That and the bad decision (in my opinion) of having everything written down, instead of using symbols ("Speed limit 60" instead of "60" in a white circle with red border)

When a school bus stops to let children off, the red lights flash...means stop, not sure what happens in europe but in US this is serious when kids are coming out of school bus, one must stop (20 or 25 feet away from the bus) because kids may cross on either side, unless its a 6-lane divided highway, then one must slow down and pass carefully.

I would suggest to read a book (available free at any driving license office) each time you visit US to refresh your memory. Also its your duty to abide by local traffic laws, and each state may have different laws.

Drive safe.

Every state has a driver's manual outlining the rules of the road.  The driver's manual is free and easy to read. You can probably find the driver's manual for your state online.  Just google your state and "driver's manual."  If you want to read the actual statutes, google your state and "rules of the road."

It is my observation that in big cities people are more rude, and in smaller towns people are more friendly.  In my hometown, for example, you rarely even hear someone honk the horn. 

One thing I have noticed that people from other countries get confused about is the green light/green arrow for a left turn.  A green arrow means GO, you have the right of way, and oncoming traffic must stop (they have the red light on their side.)  A green light means you have to LOOK before taking the left turn - if there is oncoming traffic, then they have the right of way and you must yield to them.

Drinking while driving is considered a serious offense.  In some states, the legal limit for drinking is so low as to constitute an illegal driver after one or two drinks.  Drinking while driving is considered a criminal offense.

Wearing seat belts is mandatory in most states.  Texting/talking on the phone is illegal in many places.  Speed limits are usually enforced - you might get by with driving 5 miles over the speed limit, but driving like some people do on the autobahn will probably get you a hefty speeding ticket.

Liability insurance is mandatory in most states, and you have to carry proof of insurance in your car.  Also, if you have even one speeding ticket, it can affect the cost of your insurance.  If you have a DUI (driving under the influence), you can even lose your insurance.  You can get insurance at a company that sells to high-risk drivers, but it is very expensive.

We like to keep our cars clean, inside and out, which means washing, waxing, and vacuuming.

When a school bus stops to let out children you stop both sides of traffic..most busses now have a stop sign. The only exception is if you are on a divided road (clear divider -concrete small wall for example) then if you are driving the opposite direction you don't have to stop but same side must always stop.

Sirens pull to the right when safe & pull to a stop. Preferably against the curb if you can. If you are at a light that is green ALWAYS yield to them.

alpha.one wrote:

When a school bus stops to let children off, the red lights flash...means stop, not sure what happens in europe but in US this is serious when kids are coming out of school bus, one must stop (20 or 25 feet away from the bus) because kids may cross on either side, unless its a 6-lane divided highway, then one must slow down and pass carefully.

I would suggest to read a book (available free at any driving license office) each time you visit US to refresh your memory. Also its your duty to abide by local traffic laws, and each state may have different laws.

Drive safe.

Correction:
When a school bus has red lights flashing most states (eg NY) require all cars to stop even on opposite side of a divided highway.

Thanks for the answers guys, I guess I'll have to be overly cautious next time I see a yellow school bus. I'll try to imagine a pack of "wild children" will suddenly emerge from the bus and that way it will all seem justified

Also, can you pass another vehicle on your left or must you go over to his left before you pass? In Europe that's how it's done (opposite side in UK, IE), but my father once told my in the US you can pass on either side. Not sure if he was right or not!

Greg2k wrote:

Thanks for the answers guys, I guess I'll have to be overly cautious next time I see a yellow school bus. I'll try to imagine a pack of "wild children" will suddenly emerge from the bus and that way it will all seem justified

Also, can you pass another vehicle on your left or must you go over to his left before you pass? In Europe that's how it's done (opposite side in UK, IE), but my father once told my in the US you can pass on either side. Not sure if he was right or not!

In most places it is keep right, pass left only.  Saw a deadly PA Turnpike accident when a station wagon tried to pass a VW bug as the bug got back into the right lane.