First time drivers.

[Tilly1980]

Im a first time driver in May it's been good to read these as im very nervous too.

[dexdis]

Originally Posted by avvy-xo

Are there any main rules to know? First time drivers in April

See more...

Maybe getting a bit ahead here, but if you go on the interstate, please, please remember that vechiles overtake from either side, which can be very daunting. So if you got to overtake ensure you check both mirrors to make sure no one is coming.
But again, I found it easier to stick to one, stick to the speed and let the others do what they are doing.

[katie]

Don't forget to do a walk around your car before leaving the garage and check for any bumps or scratches. TBH the cars are usually in good condition but it's worth checking as you don't want to be held responsible for any damage on your return. If there is a scratch, take a photo of it and if you're not happy with an allocated car, go back to the desk and ask if you can change. Get your seat sorted for height etc. & get the steering wheel adjusted to your comfort, adjust mirrors and find out where your wipers and lights are. Don't forget that it is law to have your lights on whenever you need the wipers on in the rain. Make sure you set your GPS before you leave the garage or have a map/directions handy for the front seat passenger to direct you. Also have water/soda handy as it is still a fair ride to your hotel/villa. Have currency ready for tolls if you are using the toll roads, unless you are using epass/sunpass. The first kiosk is usually manned and they will give you change for the next toll.
At your car hire you will need to get your credit card swiped at some point - at the kiosk in the garage or at the exit. Do not let your credit card out of your sight! We prefer to do this in the garage so that the card is in full view.
Sanford airport is OK when you leave but when you leave Orlando airport, you need to watch from your right as you pull out of the car hire garage, the cars come up pretty quickly so get going as soon as there is a break in the traffic. After that it's a whole lot more relaxed.
The link in Juliemack's post #9 is an excellent one for getting from the airport to your destination.
I'm sure that others can add to this post and improve on it but the main thing is to relax & take your time till you get used to the car and the roads.

Katie

[JosephDrums]

Originally Posted by katie

Don't forget to do a walk around your car before leaving the garage and check for any bumps or scratches. TBH the cars are usually in good condition but it's worth checking as you don't want to be held responsible for any damage on your return. If there is a scratch, take a photo of it and if you're not happy with an allocated car, go back to the desk and ask if you can change. Get your seat sorted for height etc. & get the steering wheel adjusted to your comfort, adjust mirrors and find out where your wipers and lights are. Don't forget that it is law to have your lights on whenever you need the wipers on in the rain. Make sure you set your GPS before you leave the garage or have a map/directions handy for the front seat passenger to direct you. Also have water/soda handy as it is still a fair ride to your hotel/villa. Have currency ready for tolls if you are using the toll roads, unless you are using epass/sunpass. The first kiosk is usually manned and they will give you change for the next toll.
At your car hire you will need to get your credit card swiped at some point - at the kiosk in the garage or at the exit. Do not let your credit card out of your sight! We prefer to do this in the garage so that the card is in full view.
Sanford airport is OK when you leave but when you leave Orlando airport, you need to watch from your right as you pull out of the car hire garage, the cars come up pretty quickly so get going as soon as there is a break in the traffic. After that it's a whole lot more relaxed.
The link in Juliemack's post #9 is an excellent one for getting from the airport to your destination.
I'm sure that others can add to this post and improve on it but the main thing is to relax & take your time till you get used to the car and the roads.

Katie

See more...

Great tips, Thanks!
Hopefully my Hertz Gold membership allows me to head straight for our car and not feel any pressure and hassle of them trying to up-sell us on anything!

[WDocW]

The first time I drove over there was in 2008 when I went with my sister, we flew to Miami and drove up the same day. I was very nervous at first but got a sat nav as we were on unfamiliar territory and was fine once I'd had an hour to get used to being on the wrong side of the car!

Encountering American drivers is very strange the first time - the vast majority of them ignore speed limits (a posted 65 limit sees most people doing 75-80) but they accelerate very slowly to get there, so if you drive like you would in the UK you end up a long way ahead on pulling away from traffic lights. They are excellent at using all available space as well, which can be disconcerting at first - when I4 is busy it often flows at 40-50mph despite being chocka, you don't get people hanging back to let you in at slip roads but they will make just enough space for you to slot in, so you have to learn to believe this!

Once you get used to the way the locals drive it's an absolute doddle. The fact that fuel costs less than a third what we pay for it is nice too!

[joe 70]

Only downside of driving over there is having to get used to tiny parking spaces again back here!

[stupet11]

Good post and tips... too many times I see people post how it's easy / easier than driving over here...which can lead to a false sense of security...sure some might take to it like a duck to water, I didn't, and a sat nav and all the other preparation / research are essential to making it become easier after few days.

Some people won't have driven an automatic, or on other side of road, on on diff side of car...not too mention being in a strange car with all controls to find plus diff traffic rules and layouts / speed limits.

Prepare well, and it's manageable... take your time, pull over if necessary...take it at YOUR pace.

[Yorkshire Lad]

first time last year,
for me it was getting sorted at the airport, trying not to rush etc, make sure car is ok, check for damage etc, and sorting sat nav out, what i would do next time, is try and preload the sat nav with addresses, as initially when we got in the sat nav was looking for signal, and due to the car park covering, wasnt able to get a signal until out on the road,luckily had seen the directions that been spoken of in earlier posts and had watched a you tube video on it.

and WdocW as answered a question i had, could never understand why after setting off from traffic lights on the US27 and the 192 that i always seemed to be way in front of everyone else, haha.

but agree with OP, take it easy and as i got used to it, i did enjoy driving around.

[mick]

Originally Posted by avvy-xo

Are there any main rules to know? First time drivers in April

See more...

There’s lots of good advice in the DIBB guide but here’s a few tips from me which may be repeated by others
• It is reasonably well known that you can turn right at most red traffic lights unless there is a sign saying “no turn on red”. You must come to a complete stop and give way to any pedestrians and traffic on the road you are joining.
• You can legally overtake (or undertake!) in any lane so make sure you use your mirrors.
• Roundabouts are very rare and I think I’ve encountered less than half a dozen in over 30 visits. There is one at the entrance to Loop West if you approach from Osceola Parkway.
• Four way stops are fairly common. You basically come to a complete stop and proceed in the order that you arrived at the junction. It is a law that is very well respected.
• American cars often only have a registration plate at the rear so you should park bonnet in first if the parking bay is perpendicular to the road. Not sure if this law is enforced in private car parks like Walmart though as many people seem to drive through.
• In many places if you are parallel parking you should park at the kerb on the side of the road in the direction of travel IYKWIM
• If a yellow school bus is stationary with its hazards on and red warning sign out you must stop behind it and you cannot overtake. If you are on a single carriageway you must stop whatever way you are travelling.
• On multi-lane highways like I-4 if an emergency vehicle is stationary at the side of the road you must give it one clear lane of clearance. So if a police car is stationary in lane 1 for instance you should pass it in lane 3. If changing lanes is not an option because of traffic conditions then you can stay in your lane but reduce your speed to at least 20mph below the speed limit on that road.
• Don’t get stressed by tolls and you are not forced to have a toll pass. Read all the pros and cons on toll passes (there a few hundred threads on here) and make your own mind up. At present there are no cashless tolls in the Orlando area. There are however some unmanned toll plazas. The plazas on the main roads are manned. Just make sure that you keep well over to the right in the cash lane. Give the attendant no more than a $20 bill and ask for change. However many (if not all) of the plazas on exit ramps will not be manned and you will need to throw some quarters into the basket. I think most are 75 cents.
• Loads of threads about filling up with gas on here as well especially how it can be difficult using a credit card at the pump as it asks for a zip code. We always use cash. Go inside and say $40 on pump 6 please and the pump will stop. If you can’t get $40 in the tank go back inside and get change.
• On the Interstates, the junction numbers are not sequential as they are in the UK but reflect the mileage from the road’s starting point. Very handy if you join I-4 at j65 and want to leave at j78 for example. You know you’ve got 13 miles to drive on the Interstate.


Mick

[kellwall]

Fab replies here. Thank you