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Thoughts on driving in America

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redsturgeon
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Re: Thoughts on driving in America

#392233

Postby redsturgeon » March 4th, 2021, 1:11 pm

bluedonkey wrote:Going OT but the mention of a nightclub in America reminds me of the over the top ID'ing for one's age. I was in my mid-30s but was refused a drink because I didn't have ID.


I can beat that...I was ID'd at 60 in a Vegas restaurant wanting a beer with my pizza. I refused to show them my ID (I had my passport). They refused to serve us. We walked out and into the restaurant next door.

John

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Re: Thoughts on driving in America

#392260

Postby Lootman » March 4th, 2021, 1:48 pm

88V8 wrote:The four-way stop.. where as said one has to determine who arrived first... the Intersection of Indecision.

My recollections of driving in the US are confined to CA and the Boston area in pre-satnav times:

= The very short interval between a freeway exit sign and the exit-
- the tight curves on the exits
- the lack of signposting once one is off the freeway
- the inability of the local police to give directions
- the squishy cars with their galleon-in-a-gale handling
- the gigantic 'where did I leave the car'... carparks

And the almost total lack of out-of-town pedestrians. In a party of Brits, Boston burbs, we decided to walk to a restaurant, about a mile, often no sidewalks, and people looked at us as if we were mad.

4-way stops work better than you'd think, once you get used to them. I imagine it is the same for Americans who drive in the UK and encounter roundabouts - scary at first but you learn.

I have only seen this in LA but sometimes the exit lane is the fast (i.e. leftmost) lane. If you do not know that and suddenly have to cross 5 lanes of traffic, it can be stressful. A couple of times I have instead proceeded to the next exit and then doubled-back.

Cops generally do not see themselves as giving out directions. They basically act like anyone who approaches them might shoot them. There will be a few nice ones who will oblige, especially on foot, but it is not a resource I would rely on.

Those huge car parks are usually posted with letters and numbers. As long as you remember when you leave your car that you are in "B7", it is fine. Many US cars have Onstar so you can always find your car, get directions at the press of a button, seek help if you break down etc:

https://www.onstar.com/us/en/home/

And yes, many areas are devoid of pedestrians and the ones who are walking can be sketchy. Also pedestrian crossings can be few and far apart, and sidewalks come and go. It's just easier and safer to drive.

As an aside, one thing I miss about roundabouts is that if you are not sure which exit to take, you can just go round and round until you have figured it out. Can't do that with a 4-way stop.

bluedonkey
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Re: Thoughts on driving in America

#392353

Postby bluedonkey » March 4th, 2021, 4:15 pm

redsturgeon wrote:
bluedonkey wrote:Going OT but the mention of a nightclub in America reminds me of the over the top ID'ing for one's age. I was in my mid-30s but was refused a drink because I didn't have ID.


I can beat that...I was ID'd at 60 in a Vegas restaurant wanting a beer with my pizza. I refused to show them my ID (I had my passport). They refused to serve us. We walked out and into the restaurant next door.

John

Land of the Free.

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Re: Thoughts on driving in America

#392377

Postby Lootman » March 4th, 2021, 5:00 pm

bluedonkey wrote:
redsturgeon wrote:
bluedonkey wrote:Going OT but the mention of a nightclub in America reminds me of the over the top ID'ing for one's age. I was in my mid-30s but was refused a drink because I didn't have ID.

I can beat that...I was ID'd at 60 in a Vegas restaurant wanting a beer with my pizza. I refused to show them my ID (I had my passport). They refused to serve us. We walked out and into the restaurant next door.

Land of the Free.

Bar staff can be fired, and bar owners fined, if they do not check ID. There is no "if they look 25 or younger" provision like in the UK. Rather than guess peoples' ages some places just ID check everyone at the door.

Personally I find it quite flattering. When I asked one bouncer if he really wanted to check my ID, he replied "Yes, Grandpa". :D

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Re: Thoughts on driving in America

#392695

Postby AF62 » March 5th, 2021, 12:17 pm

Dod101 wrote:Mini roundabouts are dangerous because unlike the full sized ones, there is no escape route and if a vehicle is sitting at each exit they could sit there all day because of the rule at roundabouts (mini or otherwise); give way to the vehicle on your right.


It is never a problem for me. If someone doesn't immediately take their priority but sits there like a lemon then they have forfeited it and I will take it and carry on.

Dod101 wrote:In this case, I think it would be better to have Give Way signs on the minor roads but our local Council seems to like mini roundabouts.


The purpose of mini-roundabouts is to allow access from the minor roads, which the previous 'Give Way' signs which existed before the mini-roundabout denied. If you want to install any 'Give Way' signs then install them on the major not the minor roads, but then that is what a mini-roundabout is anyway.

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Re: Thoughts on driving in America

#392719

Postby Dod101 » March 5th, 2021, 1:06 pm

AF62 wrote:
Dod101 wrote:Mini roundabouts are dangerous because unlike the full sized ones, there is no escape route and if a vehicle is sitting at each exit they could sit there all day because of the rule at roundabouts (mini or otherwise); give way to the vehicle on your right.


It is never a problem for me. If someone doesn't immediately take their priority but sits there like a lemon then they have forfeited it and I will take it and carry on.


Please read my original post on this. That is what I was doing, 'taking it and carrying on' as you put it. Trouble was that another car was doing the same at the same time and we just missed each other. There are many shunts at this particular junction caused by just this sort of thing, (and idiots who make no attempt to stop, but that is another issue). Indecision I accept is as bad as otherwise in this sort of situation but we need to accept matters as they are. WE have another mini roundabout not that far away and it too has its problems but none of this has anything to do with driving in the US.

Dod

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Re: Thoughts on driving in America

#392778

Postby AF62 » March 5th, 2021, 3:09 pm

Dod101 wrote:
AF62 wrote:
Dod101 wrote:Mini roundabouts are dangerous because unlike the full sized ones, there is no escape route and if a vehicle is sitting at each exit they could sit there all day because of the rule at roundabouts (mini or otherwise); give way to the vehicle on your right.


It is never a problem for me. If someone doesn't immediately take their priority but sits there like a lemon then they have forfeited it and I will take it and carry on.


Please read my original post on this. That is what I was doing, 'taking it and carrying on' as you put it. Trouble was that another car was doing the same at the same time and we just missed each other. There are many shunts at this particular junction caused by just this sort of thing, (and idiots who make no attempt to stop, but that is another issue). Indecision I accept is as bad as otherwise in this sort of situation but we need to accept matters as they are. WE have another mini roundabout not that far away and it too has its problems but none of this has anything to do with driving in the US.

Dod


"many shunts" at one particular mini-roundabout???? I don't recall seeing a 'coming together' at any mini-roundabout ever, let alone multiple cases at one location.

The only issue I see on the local mini-roundabouts which were installed to allow traffic out of side roads onto the main road is those on the main road not recognising the priority which someone exiting from the side road (the priority depending on the direction they are turning). But everyone knows this so there are never any actual incidents.

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Re: Thoughts on driving in America

#392784

Postby Dod101 » March 5th, 2021, 3:28 pm

We have many accidents, none serious, and so far I have not been involved in any but the mini roundabout is a well known black spot in my area. I know of a number of people who have had shunts there.

Dod


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