"elise" wrote in message
news:38lo4fF5q9h5hU1@individual.net...
> My boyfriend has never driven in the States and as we're coming for a
> driving
> holiday later this month, I thought it might be helpful if we had some
> advice.
>
> Any major Do's or Don'ts??
> Websites for driving in California?
>
You'l be given an auto, which will take some of the thought process out of
it. Worst time will be picking up a hire car straight after a long flight,
whis will be when you're most likely to have an accident. Try not to arrange
a long drive if arriving late in the day.
North Americans drive at a much more leisurely pace than the UK and don't
seem to be ineterested in being the first away from the lights etc.
Obviously, driving on the other side of the road is amajor difference but
you get used to that pretty quickly.
You can often take a right turn (think of it as taking our left) at red
lights if it is safe. They tend to have crossroads instead of roundabouts
and you take it in turn who goes next. So notice who else is already at the
crossroads as you pull up.
Freeways, a sort of dual carraigeway/motorway that goes through a city or
acts as a bypass allows overtaking on both side, hence the name. This is not
the case on Highways which is the equivalent of our motoways.
Please note, if you are picking a hire car up from a package holiday in
particular such as a FlyDrive then you will be hit with all sorts of extras
and after a long flight plus immigration plus a queue that Disney would be
proud of at the hire company itself you will find yourself agreeing to them
just to get your car keys and get to your hotel.
Petrol's cheap at about a pound a gallon (slightly smaller than our
Imperial) and there is plenty to see.
LA is crap, SF is great, Palm Springs is worth a visit. Yosemitie is great.
If you're LA based you can get to Mexico in two hours. Death Valley is
interesting as well.
If you've done the theme parks etc, you'll enjoy them. Are you going with
Virgin?
Oh, and if you're a smoker, be prepared that you will be treated as a social
outcast.
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