Driving in the USA

[mantis]

Can any one tell me what i need to do if i want to drive the states going on a long vacation soon...

[Rory Phoulorie]

Drive on the right hand side. Obey the people's speed limits. Don't go up with any of your bad Trini driving habits.

[j.o.e]

:| Drive on the right hand side. Obey the people's speed limits. Don't go up with any of your bad Trini driving habits.

This ... That is all

[mantis]

So i can just go up there and just rent and drive

[10-01]

i think you are allowed 6 mths with your local permit

i went when i was working for a foreign company and i had to do a drivers test failed it 2 times becuz i kept staying on the wrong side of the road eventually passed the test , its not so easy as it seems

[neexis]

So i can just go up there and just rent and drive

Yea.. pretty much.

Local permit is fine for a few months as posted above.

Driving on the other side of the road is easy enough.. it's all relative [driver's side is closer to the midline of the street]. If in doubt, just look at the direction of the cars in front you.

On the highway, slower traffic in the right lane.... so pretty much how people drive in Trinidad's highways

I find it a whole lot easier to drive there as there are more lanes, roads are wider and signage is much better than down here.

Get a GPS or GPS app for your phone and you should be good to go.

[pete]

Also easier as there isn't a huge speed differential between cars.

[DTAC]

i think you are allowed 6 mths with your local permit

i went when i was working for a foreign company and i had to do a drivers test failed it 2 times becuz i kept staying on the wrong side of the road eventually passed the test , its not so easy as it seems

It's not hard, you're just a lame driver!

Load up GTA (4 or 5)

Drive around at normal speed.

Drive more

Drive more

Pass test.*

*When you get into the real car, try to remember you can't run people over or stop to pick up hookers*

[SMc]

Also remember simple things like not indicating while changing lanes, not coming to a complete stop etc can get you in problems...also take your time, I got pulled over doing 70MPH in a 40 in Texas earlier this year I didn't get a ticket or anything seeing as I was in the middle of the desert but it could have gone the other way had I encountered another Cop who may have seen things differently.

Oh and it will take a couple days before you look in the right spot for the rear view mirror (provided you currently use it frequently)

[janfar]

Also remember simple things like not indicating while changing lanes, not coming to a complete stop etc can get you in problems...also take your time, I got pulled over doing 70MPH in a 40 in Texas earlier this year I didn't get a ticket or anything seeing as I was in the middle of the desert but it could have gone the other way had I encountered another Cop who may have seen things differently.

Oh and it will take a couple days before you look in the right spot for the rear view mirror (provided you currently use it frequently)

At least every time he changes lanes or turns into a street he will end up with clean windshield.

[SMc]

^^That happened to me last week when I rented a car in Samui , plus it was automatic which made things even worse.

[pink chick]

I find it easier driving with someone so they can be a navigator.

[hong kong phooey]

Make sure you come to a complete stop at stop signs.
You can turn right at most stop light even though it on red
Make sure you stop for pedestrians.

just remember you as the driver has to be near the center line of the road and it is easy.
also your wipers and indicator is opposite .

[neexis]

also your wipers and indicator is opposite .

This isn't a US thing. Depends on the car manufacturer. Many cars I've driven locally have that arrangement one way or the other

[daas]

:| Drive on the right hand side. Obey the people's speed limits. Don't go up with any of your bad Trini driving habits.

Basically this. All you need to know really. First time I went there it took some getting used to but you'll catch on quickly enough.

[Chimera]

i drove for the first time up there last month

pretty easy

at stop signs,first stop first go

up there plenty intersections have stop signs from each direction

so everyone has to stop and they all go one by one....whoever stop first....goes first


get a data plan and use waze on your phone. i used that to get everywhere

not sure where in usa you going but in miami airport as soon as you come out of arrivals, there are people selling sim cards

$55 USD for unlimited calls/texts and data for 1 month



if you really scared about making the first drive by yourself...take a taxi or uber ride and watch how the taxi/uber driver driving

watch how he making turns etc



pedestrians have absolute rights up there

in malls and on the roads etc.....if someone crossing, make sure you stop completely. doh even roll up slowly while they walking

they real real real real strict up there

[Chimera]

also..beware of open container laws

you cant even have a open bottle of alcohol/beer etc in the front of the vehicle

your passenger cant be drinking alcohol etc


not sure if this is extended to the whole car as well

[janfar]

Cmon guys... Driving in the US not that strict. Driven like you would normally drive, obviously within the limits of the law and will be OK.

Being overly paranoid is just as dangerous as being careless.

[air wick]

true, drove there several times (rental cars). A GPS with updated maps will show speed limits on all roads, in the Garmin the speed indicator would flash red when the limit is broken, you can use that as a guide.

At stop signs, stop and count to 5 in your head before you drive off (don't just slow down)

Lots more lanes and wider roads, so you have no problems, according to the state right turns are allowed at most (red) stoplights unless otherwise specified.

Look out for turning lanes in the middle of the road.

It will be a bit tricky at first but you will get used to it.

[halfbreed_1]

Make sure you come to a complete stop at stop signs.
You can turn right at most stop light even though it on red
Make sure you stop for pedestrians.

just remember you as the driver has to be near the center line of the road and it is easy.
also your wipers and indicator is opposite .

this is WRONG!

it depends on which state you are in.

in nyc you do that and you will get a ticket lol

as far as i know in fl, ma, ct and nv you can turn right on red lights

not sure about out states because i havent driven in them.

[Chimera]

Janfar is a american police. He wha ketch yuh lapsing and ticket yuh mc

[pete]

not sure where in usa you going but in miami airport as soon as you come out of arrivals, there are people selling sim cards

$55 USD for unlimited calls/texts and data for 1 month

More info on this. I'm going to Chicago in a couple weeks but stop off in Miami for a few hours and want to get a sim card. Was going to order a tmobile sim to go to the hotel in Chicago but if I could buy one in the airport I'd do that so I could get to the hotel up there easily. T-mobile has a US$3/day plan with 200MB 4G data(unlimited edge after that) and UL talk and text and that's what I normally buy when I get there.

[Chimera]

Yea i think its simple mobile. Have people will hail you as soon as you come out of customs. Think its 5gigs or 2gigs 4g and the rest regular edge. They will put the sim in the phone and make sure its working. Pay them cash and thats that. No forms or signatures or id. Its valid for 30 days from the day you buy it .

[Country_Bookie]

Mek shore d cyar ha gyas , d enjyn ha oyl & d radygator ha watah.

[SMc]

Poor Mantis like his wife catch him before he make the getaway

[cadman]

oh yea....
Do not ever cut thru a parking lot or driveway to bypass a traffic light like we do here in trinidad.
Obey the people's speed limit. if you see a sign saying 25mph.. that what it is...25 or less...
When A school bus Stops. You stop. and don't move this the bus moves
be wary of handheld phone laws....


oh yea.. if you see the fuzz tailing you.....doh panic.. LOL
if you get stop.. put on yuh bess trinidad accent......it does help... and if they ask you what part of jamica trinidad is.. juss smile...

[bgh]

Get yourself a Garmin GPS. 100 usd and 43 tt to clear.
My best driving was after I got that device, lane assist, speed limit. school zone etc. The later scared me to crap as it alarmed as soon as I entered the area.

[Miktay]

1. Most cars have this config: wipers: right; turn signal: left

2. GPS could loss yuh behind God back on small country roads. Getta backup. Getta map.

[~Vēġó~]

my windscreen was clean all the time....lol....and even when I returned too....

waze was a life saver on a roaming package.....paid around tt$100 for digicel roaming package which enabled a tt$1 per Mb, per outgoing call per minute, per sms......worked out quite nicely for me....without the plan one pays us$3 per Mb and I cyaar remember for the reat....

[janfar]

Get an AT&T gophone sim card and the $20usd package. You get coverage almost anywhere and its good for years and years and years.