Driving...

[madmumof2]

Hiya, need a little help!

I'm getting a big overwhelmed with driving there for the first time in a few weeks!

I was looking for directions to the hair salon that is doing mine and my daughters hair for my wedding at Cocoa Beach and found the pic below...

Is the yellow lane for turning?? I need to get to the building on the left, do I wait in the yellow lane until it's clear to cross over to the building?

I know you can go right on red if no signs say otherwise, you don't have roundabouts and of course you drive on the right! Is there anything else I really need to know? And how do I get to the building in the pic?!

I think there's something about having to come to a complete stop behind school buses? And not allowed to overtake them? And complete stop before turning right on red...road names are numbers and compass directions rather than actual names?

 

[CAROLINE4]

It's a turning lane so wait for a break in oncoming traffic and cross xx well that's what I would do! Hope you have. Lovely time at cocoa beach we got married there! Xx

 

[JWells]

Hiya, need a little help!

I'm getting a big overwhelmed with driving there for the first time in a few weeks!

I was looking for directions to the hair salon that is doing mine and my daughters hair for my wedding at Cocoa Beach and found the pic below...

Is the yellow lane for turning?? I need to get to the building on the left, do I wait in the yellow lane until it's clear to cross over to the building?


I know you can go right on red if no signs say otherwise, you don't have roundabouts and of course you drive on the right! Is there anything else I really need to know? And how do I get to the building in the pic?!

I think there's something about having to come to a complete stop behind school buses? And not allowed to overtake them? And complete stop before turning right on red...road names are numbers and compass directions rather than actual names?

Hi there, this is my first post so hopefully it's helpful!

A lot of people can get intimidated with driving over in the US, for example on the school bus point a lot of people do not know you have to stop on BOTH sides of the road when it is picking up or dropping off children, so even if you're driving in the opposite direction you have to come to a complete stop.

hopefully this is useful to you, it's the official Florida drivers handbook (It's kind of like their version of the highway code).

go to flhsmv.gov/handbooks/

and click on the Florida Driver's Handbook link for a pdf copy.

I would post a direct link, but it won't let me cause i'm new

J

 

[wayneg]

Hi there, this is my first post

Welcome to DISboards.

 

[chmurf]

here is the guide I received from Florida when I obtained my FL disabled parking badge.

It's a comprehensive guide to driving in FL, and contains basically all you need to know
http://www.flhsmv.gov/safetytips/PDFs/TripTips.pdf

and here is the handbook (booooring and useless if you don't intend to get a US license) http://flhsmv.gov/handbooks/EnglishDriverHandbook.pdf

 

[bazzanoid]

Hiya, need a little help!

I'm getting a big overwhelmed with driving there for the first time in a few weeks!

I was looking for directions to the hair salon that is doing mine and my daughters hair for my wedding at Cocoa Beach and found the pic below...

Is the yellow lane for turning?? I need to get to the building on the left, do I wait in the yellow lane until it's clear to cross over to the building?

I know you can go right on red if no signs say otherwise, you don't have roundabouts and of course you drive on the right! Is there anything else I really need to know? And how do I get to the building in the pic?!

I think there's something about having to come to a complete stop behind school buses? And not allowed to overtake them? And complete stop before turning right on red...road names are numbers and compass directions rather than actual names?

Yep, pull into the yellow lane while indicating (checking nobody else on the other side is, of course) and wait for a clear stretch, exactly like our white right turn boxes over here.

You'll see a lot of people not bothering to come to a complete stop on turning through a red, just treat them like our junctions - if you can see it's clear as you approach, slow and turn. If you can't see, then stop and look before proceeding.

Same applies if you are driving at night and approach junctions with traffic lights that are flashing yellow or constant yellow - treat them as crossroads without lights, so give way to the left.

School buses, as a PP said, you cannot pass a stopped one (if it's red 'flags' are sticking out) even if you are on the other side of the road. The ONLY exception to this rule is if you are on a dual carriageway as the opposite side can pass. You can overtake them on a dual carriageway when they are in motion.

Quite often road names are numbers, particularly in built-up areas. And yes you will find that often you have one street with two compass names, a good example being International Drive North and International Drive South. Sometimes they're the other way round and abbreviated, such as N. Poinciana Blvd and S. Poinciana Blvd.

And lastly, as you're going to be travelling out on the Interstates / freeways, you can legally undertake. Yay great! You can go past someone by using the 'slow' lane! So can everyone else - so whenever you need to change lane in any direction, check your mirror TWICE - once for cars behind as normal, and again to check their speed - they could be going faster than you.

I found this site invaluable before my first trip. Having done it once i love it more than driving over here!

Relax and enjoy!!

 

[Grimm Grinning Ghost]

Hiya, need a little help!

I'm getting a big overwhelmed with driving there for the first time in a few weeks!

I was looking for directions to the hair salon that is doing mine and my daughters hair for my wedding at Cocoa Beach and found the pic below...

Is the yellow lane for turning?? I need to get to the building on the left, do I wait in the yellow lane until it's clear to cross over to the building?

I know you can go right on red if no signs say otherwise, you don't have roundabouts and of course you drive on the right! Is there anything else I really need to know? And how do I get to the building in the pic?!

I think there's something about having to come to a complete stop behind school buses? And not allowed to overtake them? And complete stop before turning right on red...road names are numbers and compass directions rather than actual names?

I drove in Orlando a week after passing my test and its alot easier than you think.You don't get all those idiots on the road like the UK(I Havnt encounterd any anyway).I have driven in the states slot since then and it just gets easier.
Not a lot of people realise this but there are roundabouts in the states you just don't come across them very often if at all in Orlando area.
Good luck I'm sure you'll be fine.

 

[bazzanoid]

You don't get all those idiots on the road like the UK

While this is true, their rules on vehicle mods and external conditions are more relaxed than ours - you'll start to see some 'interesting' vehicles out there after a while.... some modded to high heaven, some with missing bumpers, wings, doors......

 

[disneyholic family]

DD drove for the first time in the states this July and August - first in Alaska then in Orlando.

She thought the Orlando drivers were horrible.

But anyway, the very first call we got from Alaska was her asking what to do with that center lane you showed in your picture. She wanted to make sure that was for turning.

She found it all very confusing.

 

[bazzanoid]

DD drove for the first time in the states this July and August - first in Alaska then in Orlando.

She thought the Orlando drivers were horrible.

But anyway, the very first call we got from Alaska was her asking what to do with that center lane you showed in your picture. She wanted to make sure that was for turning.

She found it all very confusing.

I suppose it depends on the drivers in your area where you live... down here on the fringes of the M25 we have pig-ignorant, half-blind, self-absorbed, arrogant so-and-sos on the roads, many of whom should not have a license.... so the florida drivers are much better in comparison!!!