The first thing I did after the 20+ hours of travelling via CBR-SYD-SFO-SEA was get in a hire car and start driving. Here’s some advice for others doing the same.
Before you travel
You should go to your local Australian Automobile Association office (NRMA, RACV, RACQ, etc) and purchase an International Driving Permit (IDP). You don’t need to be a member, but you’ll sometimes get a discount if you are. Just present your valid driver’s license, give them a passport-sized photo and they’ll give you the permit.
Although an IDP is not technically required to drive in the USA, rental car companies may require it. (The Avis I went to didn’t.)
Before you drive
When I got to the hire car, I took some time to familiarise myself with it.
- How do I adjust the seat?
- What side are the indicators on?
- Where’s the park brake?
- How do I turn the lights on?
Driving
Before leaving Australia, I had a catch up with Rocky. His advice on driving was this:
It’s easy. Driving on the opposite side of the road isn’t a big deal. It doesn’t take very long for something in your brain to flip and it becomes normal.
Then came the scary bit. I drove out of the parking space and my mind got a bit frazzled – it felt very strange to be on the opposite side of the car, on the opposite side of the road. But then I came to my first intersection and followed another car through it. That’s when my brain flipped and I’ve haven’t been on the wrong side of the road yet!
Turning right / left
The second moment when something else in my brain flipped was on my first right turn at a traffic light. It felt a bit weird turning in that direction and hugging the kerb (just like turning left back home) – but now it feels normal.
The third moment was turning left at traffic lights. Once again, it felt weird traversing an intersection on the opposite side, but now it’s normal.
When sitting at intersections, I now find myself thinking about what line (like in racing) I’m doing to take and where I want to end up.
Right turn on red after stopping
In Australia they have selected intersections signposted with “turn left on red after stopping”. In the States they have a similar rule. You can turn right at any intersection after stopping unless otherwise signposted. Similarly, if you wait at the intersection, the light will eventually turn green anyway. I learnt this one through observation and somebody beeping their horn at me 
Always give way to pedestrians
In Australia, people often stand on the kerb or footpath and wait for a gap in the traffic so that they can cross. In the States, the traffic will generally stop for the pedestrian – regardless of whether it’s at a crossing or not. Pedestrians are worshipped.
4-Way stop signs
Mitch has spoken about these before. These are mostly what Americans have instead of round-a-bouts. The rule is that everybody must stop and the first to arrive is the first to move off.
My Advice
The best bit of advice I can give is:
- Take your time,
- Be observant,
- Follow other people!
The best way I’ve found to learn is to drive a little bit slower and follow other people through intersections. It helps you get used to being on the opposite side and you learn different things. It’s also useful for speed control. If you’re not sure what the speed limit is, just travel the same as everybody else.
Other
Some other things that I’ve noticed:
- Most cars automatically lock the doors once you put it in gear, or get above a certain speed. (strange??)
- If you park illegally, there’s a high chance you’ll get clamped & towed. Especially around apartment complexes, etc.
- Everything has a drive-through option. There’s drive-through banks, take-away, coffee, post offices, etc.
- When I’m a passenger, I always go to the wrong side of the car. This habit will be hard to break.
After I get my Social Security Number (SSN), I can sit the written knowledge driving test for Washington State. It’s 25 multiple-choice questions and you need to get 20 correct to pass. Then after the knowledge test is the driving test.
12 Comments
I’m likely never to need these tips, but I feel better for knowing them!
Hope you’re having fun!
Not all states allow you to to turn right on red lights – check the traffic laws for the state you are in…
We should so do the left turn after stopping in Australia. How often do you pull up at lights to turn left, there is zero traffic and you have to wait 2 min for the lights to change. Turning left is pretty safe, only traffic from one direction.
My only tip for US driving is watch out when turning left from a one way street into a two way street from the left lane, you can easily go back into AU mode and hug the left side (Did this in Vegas).
I also love sat nav in the US, makes the whole thing painless.
My rule of travelling is “when in Rome”, just follow what others do, for example it seemed perfectly fine to be doing 90 miles an hours on the highway to Vegas
The other difference in America is that most people won’t know what you’re talking about if you call it a “hire car” – they are “rental cars” here or simply “a rental.”
Also don’t underestimate the Washington State Driver’s test. It’s a lot of memorization (e.g. how far behind an ambulance should you follow? 200 ft, 300 ft, 400 ft, 500 ft?).
1) The actual statutes allowing “right turn on red” are generally written to permit any turn that does not cross another lane of traffic. So in particular, left turns on red are permitted in the uS (unless otherwise posted) from a one-way street onto another one-way street. This fact is not known to many suburban Americans but the guy behind you at the downton (Central Business District) red light with the hair-trigger horn will know about it.
2) One thing that varies widely from state to state is the interpretation of the solid yellow line marking. It is always forbidden to cross a solid yellow line to pass (overtake) another vehicle. In California it is illegal to cross it even when turning onto or off of a roadway (these would be left turns). I’ve never heard of that interpretation being enforced anywhere else but you should ask a local.
3) any chance of a larger font size in your blog?
Everytime I turn left, I have this phantom cringe of me getting t-boned by a car.. even though i can see them coming from the opposite direction, the Aussie in me expects the cars to flow the other way and bang..
That and I keep leaning towards the right when I drive.. so if i side swipe you on the free way, blame the right to left brain mapping
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Scott Barnes
Product Manager
Microsoft.
Interesting article! I am American but have driven where they drive on the wrong side as well! (Bahamas) I just want to mention that in New York City, you can NEVER turn right on Red. You must wait for the light. This catches alot of tourists, as this is rare, in my experience, in the US.
PS None of your graphics are displaying properly.
Boy am I terrified to take the silly driving test here in AR – written, skills and visual! Ughh! I initially learned to drive in the US years ago as a teen and now have to get an American license since I can’t drive as a resident of US on the Australian license!
Gees give me a few mths to adjust the left to right bits before making me sit the tests!
I got a comment from an american friend who wanted to warn me:
West Coast: Pedestrians aren’t worshipped, but if you get caught running one over you’ll probably get a ticket which will cost a bunch of money. Overall the courtesy towards pedestrians is higher on the west coast, but that still won’t make you feel better when you’re in a hospital bed trying to scratch an itch under your body cast.
East Coast: (Large cities) If you want to cross the street as a pedestrian you’d damn well better have your will made out and a loaded gun in your hand, otherwise the chances of your getting to the other side of the street still in one piece are small. Cars seem to have the right-of-way, sometimes even while you’re admiring the WALK sign. You take your life in your hands dodging cars.
In reference to a post some time ago, right-on-red is allowed in all 50 US states unless otherwise indicated. Some states require signs where others just use the red arrow as an indicator of it being prohibited at that intersection. Some high-passenger vehicles in some states are not allowed to make right-on-red turns at all.
if you are on your L plates (learners permit) in Australia, can you drive in America or do you need to be on you P plates??
hi,
i’m from perth, can i use my West Australian license to drive in LA/Nevada/NY/Toronto? I haven’t really driven on the other side since leaving Phils. a dozen years ago so i might have to readjust my brain again when i get there in september, looking forward to the same weird and scary experience i had when i first drove here in oz