Driving worries.... (please help)

[KatyTheFairyPrincess]

We're staying off-site for 3 weeks and are planning on using shuttles. But after being there a week or so we may look into hiring a car to get around more quickly.

My mum would be doing the driving, and she only passed her test 2 years ago, so would be highly nervous. Could anyone comment on diving conditions over there? easy? difficult?

Last time we went, back in 2000, my dad drove but he's sadly passed on since.

Any comments greatly appricieated.

x

 

[Haworthfamily]

Hi
This years trip in April I had a go at driving for the first time, it was a little nerve racking at first, but actually it's really easy. I find it raelly laid back and the speeds are so much slower.
Once I'd mastered the only needing one foot to drive, I was away.
I'm sure she will be fine, where are you staying?
When we first got to our villa, I had a drive around the complex to get used to the car.
Sarah x

 

[KatyTheFairyPrincess]

We're staying at the Comfort Inn Universal Studios area.

Its about 5 mins drive away from Unviersal, but 15 mins from disney.

Shuttles will take an hour minimum to get to disney which is a huuuge draw back.

But on the up-side, mum drive an auto-matic anyway, so no problems there

 

[brer rabbit 28]

I can honestly say that i find driving over there much less stressful than in the UK.The roads tend to follow a grid fashion so if you miss your turning its pretty easy to get back to where you want without too much hassle.They are much wider and the signs are very good for all the major attractions.
Plus the hire cars are automatic which again means no worrying about changing gears.
I first drove over there 3 years after passing my test and was petrified getting into the car,but 20 minutes down the road i had settled into it.If i can do it anyone can so tell her not to worry

 

[wayneg]

As Sarah says it nerve racking to start, but its so easy. Once you have done a few miles you realise roads are wider, slower traffic, mostly more curtious drivers, well sign posted attractions.
Remember you can turn right at red lights unless it says otherwise.
We would not even go to Florida without a car, but we don't do public transport, could not do shuttles.
I believe it is a lot cheaper to pre book your car here rather than getting one there but we always book before we go so don't know how much more there.
We take our sat nav in california, never needed it in Florida but might be an option for you, either rent or take your own.

 

[THE COLONEL]

I dont drive. My wife is the pilot, I am the navigator.

She was terrified at the prospect of driving the first time we went but soon got used to it and almost started to enjoy it by the end.

Speeds are slower but "undertaking" took some getting used to. Some of the signs were a little misleading particularly on first encounter. She found that many of the journeys were effectively on auto pilot (as we spent so much time at Disney) after the first attempt in both directions.

Also u turns were a little daunting at first.

It does help to have a patient navigator who doesnt stress at the first hint of a problem

 

[queenarmadillo]

My mum still drives all the time there cos its cheaper for her than me, but she hates it because a) youre on the wrong side of the road all the time, and b) she is convinced if you get lost in america you will get mugged and/or killed by hillbillies
I actually think that driving there is just as easy as on our motorways, but I guess different things worry different people.

There are ways to reduce the stress for the driver though:
1) Make sure you know where you are going--plan thorough directions for all your trips, and have a map with you in case you get lost;
1a) If you do get lost, find a safe place to pull over to plan a new route, and remember if you see a roadsign directly overhead, that is the name of the road you are crossing not the road you are on.
1a(i) As navigator NEVER utter the words "Its not the way we planned on doing it, but I think I discovered a short-cut."

2) Have plenty of quarters to pay tolls with at all times; this reduces driver worry, particularly if you are lost and unsure how many tolls you will come across.

3)Whilst, as a lost and pootling foreigner it is tempting to sit in the slow lane on the interstates, DONT. It has an alarming tendency to turn into an exit lane with little warning. Instead stay in the second lane over unless you are actually exiting soon--not good form, but definitely panic reducing.

4) If you are turning out onto a main road, you, as navigator, need to help the driver decide which bit of the road they need to turn out onto (remembering that in the US they drive on the wrong side of the road).

 

[Beep]

I absolutely love driving in the States, it's part of the excitement of the holiday for me. One key piece of advice someone gave me years ago was abut turning left which is the biggest difference I found. When you turn, head over as far right as you can towards the kerb. That way you don;t run the risk of turning into on coming traffic, which my ex-husband kept doing.

Once you've turned, if the lane you turn into is a right-turn only lane you can easily pull across to the next lane.

It is a bit daunting but the THOUGH of driving on the wrong side of the road compared to the UK is the worst part. Driving in the States is an absolute breeze.

Also, with turning left you only have complete right of way when your light is solid green. Anything else you need to watch out for traffic turning across your path.

Something that takes a bit of getting used to is the direction of the road. For example, the I-4 runs East and West which is also North and South. It is a diagonal road so to go south you head West.

Hope that helps. It is easy and fun when you get the hang of it - honest!!

 

[kmaccui]

only done it once about 4 years ago but it was just as the other posts say (easy)
1 thing i found strange at first was the fact that at a red light you can turn right (or was that just me??)

 

[JANNYANS]

The best bit of advice I was given about "the wrong side of the road" as a novice driver over there -many moons ago - was to remember that as the driver you are closer to the centre of the road than the passengers -if you aren't then you ARE on the wrong side.

It is daunting at first but with a good navigator and a clear plan of where you want to go it becomes easy quite quickly.


If you do decide to get a car then it is better to book it from the UK rather than over there.

 

[kev kendall]

I found driving fairly ok in the end - you get used to it fairly quickly. The only problem we had was about 5 mins after leaving the airport we got stuck in a really heavy downpour - for a few minutes the windscreen wipers couldn't keep up!!! Was very scary!!!

 

[welshlamb]

we went over there for new year and although it was'nt our first time to florida it was the first time we decided to hire a car. My husband does'nt drive so it was down to me to do it all. When i first got into the car i did alot of kangaroo jumps but soon got the hang of it . I would say that driving was quite relaxing over there and buy hiring a car you get to do so much more. Before going i looked at alot of maps and tried to get my head around the main roads i would need use. Alot of the time we never got to our destination on the same road but this we liked to call the scenic route. You will be fine. just have a good co pilot and a general idea of the direction you need to be heading in. Good Luck

 

[alisonbestford]

I, too, love driving in the States and can only drive an automatic

First time I drove I'd only passed my test 6 months previously and was terrified.................

 

[kevin harrison]

Here's a story for you....

One night I decided to drive up to KFC on I-Drive, on the way home I put the drinks in the passenger footwell, as I turned right heading down I-Drive towards the southern end the drinks started to tip, I leant down to grab them, but because I was on the wrong side of the car my instincts were wrong and flew up onto the curb heading for a bus stop, people scattered and I just weaved in and out of people in the way. There were a lot of angry people behind me...rightfully so...

I got back onto the road and composed myself, thinking "did the car at any point feel like it went over a bump?" when I had convinced myself I hadn't ran anybody down, I just headed back to my hotel.

The worst thing was when I came down to the lobby the next morning, there were Police hanging about - I thought they had come for me...

To be fair though, I love driving in Florida, far easier than our cramped roads.

 

[giggler]

Hi,

I can remember the first time i had the pleasure of driving in Orlando. I can only describe it as 'terrifying'. But my wife was a great help she had the map and we both read the Road signs together and after about 2 days i was quite happy to navigate myself and couldn't believe how easy it was was.

So offer your Mum as much help as you can, and for the 1st few days, get your bearings by taking a couple of bus rides or shuttles, so you can see where you have to go.


Once you do take the car you will not want to travel any other way once out there.

Giggler

 

[richtomas]

im doing it for the 1st time this thursday not looking forward to it,but took loads of advice from here and hopefully be ok.
the big problem i have is not having gears and no clutch {always got my foot on it-big habit of mine} and braking using two feet on clutch and brake,what do i do with left leg?

 

[disneyholic family]

the most important thing from what i've seen from all my british neighbors who have to drive on the 'wrong side of the street" where I live?

when you're pulling out into traffic from a driveway be sure to look left-right-left.....so many of my neighbors still look to the right when they pull out into traffic - even after living here for years....
look left...look left....look left.....that's where the traffic is coming from (unless of course, you're on a oneway street)...

 

[Davscotcar]

I've never driven abroad before but I drove on our trip 2 weeks ago and couldn't believe how easy it was. My only thing was that I checked my mirrors a lot and was worried that the right handside of the car was on the wrong side but other wise it was fine and easy to drive.

Ooops just realised I am on the laptop and posted under dh's name!

 

[gavvy]

When your at the lights and turning left its easy to go down the wrong side of the road. Almost all the box junctions in the tourist areas have dotted lines on he road, follow them when turning left and you wont go wrong!