Terrified to drive

[sha9]

Originally Posted by PPM

Please don't worry about what side of the road you are on, as the steering wheel has changed sides too. So whenever you are driving the centre of the road is next to you, the driver, just as in the UK.
At large junctions there are dotted lines to guide you round to the next road, you just follow them.
Also don't stress over an automatic, forget all about it changing gear for you. All you have to do is fold your left leg back away from the pedals. Now all you do is press the accelerator to go, the harder you press the faster you go. Then to stop take your right foot off the accelerator and press the brake to stop. The harder you press the quicker you will stop. DO NOT USE YOUR LEFT LEG FOR THIS. the car will stop, but keep your foot on the brake until you need to move off then on with accelerator again.
If you do need to creep forward in traffic, just slowly let off the brake. The car will slowly creep ahead without touching the accelerator. Push brake again to stop.
Simply put. No left leg use. Press accelerator to go, and brake to stop, the car does all the rest for you.
You will do fine

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Well this is true of a manual too! In an automatic you just don't have a clutch so no need to use your left foot. Everything else is the same with regards to pedals except that if you have the car in drive it will move slowly so you use the break pedal to control that. The only gears you need are park, drive and reverse.

[Hopefulholiday]

Our last trip we hired a car and dh drove, I must admit we preferred staying onsite as we just didn't find it as relaxing. I think this was partly due to the fact that we went in December so a lot of the driving was in the dark, including the initial drive from the airport to the villa and that does make it harder and put us off a bit. However after a few days it was OK, dh got used to the car very quickly and to be honest you do seem to go down the same stretches of road over and over again so you get to know the area.
I would say the sat nav was invaluable, well worth the money and we wouldn't have coped without it.
I'm sure you'll be fine and you just have to focus on the positives, you can go wherever you want when you want!

[fairyella]

The roads do look intimidating and scary if you've never driven there before, but in fact they're so easy and straightforward. Driving an automatic is great! No gears to think about! I love driving over there and I love getting a big car lol!
I would recommend getting a Mapmans map and familiarising yourself with all the areas prior to going. This map is really detailed and also has all the restaurants/attractions on too! Also what I like to do is 'drive' around the area using Google street view.
Please don't let it worry you. I'm sure once you've driven there you will never look back and will love it! 😊

[Welshjim22]

Driving in the states is easy in comparison to the UK. I normally feel comfortable driving on the wrong side of the car and road by the time I get off the airport roads. If you are a competent driver in the UK then there really is nothing to worry about. I look forward to driving in the states.

The only thing to bear in mind is American cars don't handle as well as European cars. They are built for long straight roads. So take some of the winding slip roads slower. Also you normally prepay for fuel at petrolstation.

[Guest]

Is stop/start technology common in hire cars over there?

[mick]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

Driving is easy in the US. I have been doing it for 40 years now!
The Dibb guide gives brilliant advice so well worth a look.

Hopefully Mick & Joan will spot this as they have done a list of tips that is brilliant. Ask the mods to move this to the car forum and they will spot it.
Dont worry it's easy!

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Thanks Tom for your kind words.

OP here you go

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 (traffic circles as they are known) 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 usually 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.
• You absolutely do not need an International Driving Permit (if your licence is in English), a code from DVLA or the paper part of your licence if you have the plastic photocard type.


Mick

[papamouse]

Ive had an automatic in the UK - its brilliant.

Couple of little tips if you have never driven an Auto before.

Your left foot - I will want to get in the action! As you use it to clutch all the time in the UK, when you drive an auto at first it wants to press "something" - so naturally it goes to the nearest pedal - the Brake pedal! But of course, as with a manual - your right foot is either on the Accelerator or the Brake.

But the car manufacturers are very clever - they had added a stump, a raised pedal like lump on the left side of the pedals - until you get used to the automatic - keep your left foot down hard on this stump and your left foot looses the urge to press the break!

When stopped, you move the gear lever to P for Park (that's like neutral in a manual)
Reverse you move the gear lever to R, gently accelerate and off you go backwards.
Driving forwards, you put the car in D (for Drive) - sometime with a 4 after it - that the standard place it should be when driving.

Then when you accelerate the car just (Automatically) changes gear. You don't have to think or do anything, just come off the break and gently accelerate and you will feel the car switch up the gears effortlessly.

SO you don't have to think about the gears at all - and can concentrate more on the roads!

2 extra things. 1) You can, if you want to, drive it like a manual without a clutch - the D4 above on the gears - also has D1, D2, D3...
So you can pull away in D1, come off the accelerator, shift up into D2 - but why would you want to? Just bang it into D4 and off you go.

2) If you are driving along at say 35 in a manual in 4th - and you want to overtake, you would change down to 3rd gear to get some extra power. In an automatic in D4, you simply just press the Accelerator pedal to the floor, the car will Automatically change down a gear and give you the extra power - its gentle - not as extreme as in a manual.

There is a real danger for anyone driving an automatic to buy one for their next car when they come home - as it is so much less hassle than a manual.

So rather than apprehensive about trying an auto, you should look forward to it! - do you know anyone with one? Perhaps get a shot before you go...

As for general driving in the US - don't stress - it is as easy as people say - just know your routes in advance - plan your journeys - good maps and/or satnav.

[Bayshore]

Yeah, the exits are numbered as mile markers so exit 1 and maybe the next esit, labelled exit 7 are 6 miles apart, it's a great system, means you never miss your turn off.

[Vizeman]

Originally Posted by zeldaber

it really is very easy, although i appreciate it is easy for me to say this. All roads are large(often duel carriage types), no roundabouts. please dont let it spoil your planning.

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Not quite true. There are odd ones dotted about.

[sammykitten]

Originally Posted by 80skid

I have posted regarding this in the past but I still cant get rid of thos feeling in the pit of my stomch.

Our 2nd week we are staying offsite so I have booked a hire car, my husband doesnt drive so this will be down to me. The closer we get the more I am panicking that something will happen, I am not the most confident driver over here and have never driven an automatic before. What if I get confused about what side of the road to drive on 😐 this is a serious worry I am actually dreafing our 2nd week because of the driving.

Has anyone else felt like this and its been fine?

Kim x

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are you absolutely dreading it ie its going to spoil your holiday?

Or do you want to try it?

Because you don't have to drive, there are other options.