Newly qualified driver in US

[jessiac]

I am a learner driver in the UK, and I expect to pass my test in around three weeks. I would like to visit the USA in around June next year, and because of all the horror stories surrounding public transport I would like to rent a car. So I have three questions

Comments

[_nicolai_]

1. Expect to pay more, ensure you check with the rental company. Ensure you get it in writing (email, etc), do not believe verbal promises from staff on the phone from US rental companies on this sort of thing.

2. Away from some metropolitan areas (Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle kinda, a few others): yes.

3. It's pretty easy to drive an automatic. Just remember that of its own accord it wants to go places, whereas manual cars do not, so lean on the brake more. It is nigh-impossible to rent a car with a manual transmission in the US, and in any case the gearstick being on the other side is more confusing than dealng with an automatic.

Renting direct from US companies is shitty mess of random arbitrary unavoidable taxes and charges not included in the quoted price, even more so than usual in the US. I strongly recommend using an all-inclusive rental company like Holiday Autos. I've analysed the actual price of renting from a US company vs Holiday Autos several times, and HA is not much if any more expensive. They've always done me fine.

[jessiac]

Great information, thanks. So are we talking constant 'light touch' on the break? Do you have to use the handbreak more? Like in three point turns where you have to handbreak to balance the clutch and gas..does the car do that autmoatically for you or do you have to compensate for it?

[fatenoir]

we dont use hand brakes in automatics. that is only for parking.

in an automatic it will *automatically* move forward (very slowly from a full stop) unless the brake is depressed.

[dirkcjelli]

The handbreak is used only for parking on hills.

[jessiac]

That's really handy. It must be 100X easier to learn to drive in an automatic..I never realised how much easier it would be!

[fatenoir]

OMG so much easier!! automatics are the us standard. when we take drivers training when we are 15/16 and get our license' we all learn on automatics.

[jessiac]

Seriously. It has taken me 25 hours of lessons to get to the point where I am not stalling the whole time and where I move off fairly quickly and smoothly change gears. And that problem is just completely taken away when you learn in an automatic. Very annoying!

[_nicolai_]

No, just press the brake when you want to stop, and keep it pressed if you don't want to move off again. Don't hold pressure on the brake while you're trying to go places, this will burn out the brake pads! Use the handbrake for stopping for long periods of time or for parking.

[thekumquat]

Lots of US automatics don't even have a handbrake - it's done automatically and you put the car in Park with a gearstick-like-stick when you park.

Some modern hire cars even if they are manual don't have handbrakes and it's all automatic - took us 30 minutes to figure out, a couple weeks back!

The responsiveness of the brakes and gas varies between cars anyway - just ddrive slow until you're used to it.

[jessiac]

So I suppose, all in all, it would actually be far easier than driving a normal manual? And exactly how hard is it to adjust to driving on the right?

[thekumquat]

It is easier than a dodgem car. Really easy.
Driving on the right - pretty easy, just follow everyone else! Of course on deserted roads it is harder to remember - make sure you're next to the middle of the road.
In Europe, you suddenly appreciate the arrows telling you which way to go round roundabouts! But the US has almost none. Do check if the states you're going though allow 'right on red' or not.

[jessiac]

No helpful arrows? arrgh. I think really better had leave driving in the US until I have had more experience in Europe of driving on the right and more generaly driving experience. But thanks for all the helpful info.

[thekumquat]

I meant the US has almost no roundabouts, it's all stoplights or 4-way stop signs. Driving there is really a doddle, especially outside cities.

[catyak]

Actually for the last few times we've done it, the on-line price quoted for a web booking was the price paid including all the taxes, insurance and other crap. It probably depends on which company you use, I think most of my experience has been with Alamo and Hertz.

As for driving an automatic, just remember to bend your left knee and stick your foot back under the seat for the first day or so, that way you ought to remember why it's there before you get it far enough to push the non-existent clutch pedal.

D