brisray

oops - sorry the URLs didn't turn out quite right. They should be

Hydrant

http://www.attrition.org/gallery/pri...s-bmw.jpg.html

Deer

http://public.fotki.com/Viola4ka/dee.../dsc01201.html
http://www.car-accidents.com/pages/a.../10-14-02.html
http://www.car-accidents.com/pages/a...ry/1-1-02.html
http://www.safteng.net/Accident%20Ph...%20durango.htm

Yorkieabroad

ha - loved the one of the beemer by the hydrant - beauty!

the deer ones are scarey....hate to think what happened to the driver of the durango...

Emm

The BMW photo made the whole family giggle.

Here in Sweden we not only have to keep an eye out for deer but moose too. If you hit a moose in your car it is unlikely anyone will survive :scared:

Taffyles

I almost hit an alligator crossing the freeway, one early morning a couple of weeks ago....I don't know if it survived it was heading across the other side and there was a lot of oncoming traffic. You can be fined heavily for hitting bobcats and turtles here in FL- as well as the damage to the cars. There's roadkill all over the roads though- mostly possums and raccoons..shame.

I loved the Beemer photo LOL.

TexasPenguin

I always explain to my Texan friends...
'There are two sides of the road to drive on - the 'right' side, and the 'correct' side.

I personally found the most difficult thing to be adjusting to the automatic recognition of speed signs (not the round ones with a number in them) and police cars (no 'jam sandwiches' here). Mind you I went back to the UK a few weeks ago and, within, 5 minutes of driving, braked madly for a speed camera! Ah, bliss in Texas!

BTW anyone else noticed the terrible english on the signs that say 'Reduced Speed Ahead' everywhere? Shouldn't it be 'Reduce Speed Ahead' or 'Reduced Speed Limit Ahead'????

Andy.

Pulaski

Andy, if you are living in the US I sincerely hope you realise that the two are the same!

snorkmaiden

I've been here for about six weeks now and adjusted to the driving fairly quickly. It was a real baptism of fire though, I had a couple of laps of the local Super Target car park and then I had to follow my Hubby to DFW airport to return the rental car. After that everything seemed tame.

I think the hardest part for me was getting used to having no clutch. That and no gear stick of course. I know most people love the ease of driving an automatic but there is something I miss about changing gears. I guess I'll get used to it eventually.

The other thing I have noticed that here in Texas at least, the driving is a bit more aggressive than in the UK. The other drivers won't let you out of a side road or across a lane on the highway, so when you do see your exit, you have no chance of getting off as even if you see it in time, you stand no chance of getting across.

On the other hand, it seems the drivers here are used to that and expect no courtesy at all. I've stopped the usual English hand signal for thank you as people just look at me as if I am mad.

You pay a lot less for your cars here too which alone is enough to make driving here a joy in my opinion.

TexasPenguin

Snorkmaiden,
I've been here about 2 years now and I can recognise from your post which 'stage' you are at in your 'acclimation' (sic).
I too missed the clutch and gear lever but you get used to that pretty quickly - the funny thing is going back to the UK and driving a manual - once or twice I've caught myself thinking 'stupid car, why doesn't it change gear?!!'.
I think I'd (almost) agree with you on the courtesy on the roads in Texas. Certainly around DFW it's just plain crazy and no-one, but no-one gives you an inch.
Out where I live in Tyler (read 'middle of nowhere') it's a bit more 'friendly' and not so frantic as Dallas. People do let you out and friendly hand signals for thank-you are definitely welcome. However, what both myself and my wife found was that people just expect you to push into the lane you need and, when you do, there's no hassle from people believing they own that bit of road - like they do in the UK.
All in all I find driving in the US (I travel a lot in my job - all over the country) a LOT less tiring and frustrating than in the UK.

Yorkieabroad

Agree on the clutch thing too - even now, 6 months on, I still find I miss it occasionally - like when I realise I'm just a bit too quick into a corner and I want to snatch a lower gear quickly - and it ain't there. Apart from that, I took to the automatic more readily than I would like to admit - I always said I would never get one till I retired!! But with all these Stop signs, it definitely makes life easier.

Down our way (west of Houston) things are definiely very friendly on teh roads. Maybe the reeways in rush hour get a bit more aggressive, but nothing like say the M25, or where we lived previously (Singapore). All in all I agree with AndySmithers - I find I'm very relaxed on the roads - quite content to potter along at or about the speed limit (hold on - I really am a reitred old fart, aren't I!?!) without that constant nagging that I have in the UK that maybe I can squeeze a bit faster.....maybe its because most of the time here the traffic moves pretty smoothly, so theres no urge to make 'hay while the sun shines' just because theres a bit of open road instead of nose to tail jams

Pulaski

Gee! You lot!

There are few things that I miss from the UK, and even fewer that I am attached to, but I am not ready to give up my clutch yet.

I was surprised that several people that I work with only drive a stick-shift, though I have no idea how representative a sample that is; and for the record, two of them are women. My wife, a native Virginian only ever owned a stick-shift.

Having aid that, my mother-in-law thinks that we are "sick" because between our truck, Mustang, and the Honda that we use for commuting, none are automatics!

snorkmaiden

Andy,

I totally agree with you. The people here don't seem to mind one bit when I dart out in front of them! I'd be getting hand gestures of many differing kinds in England for some of the moves I've had to pull here just to get where I want to go. I haven't heard anyone beeping or seen any furious swearing going on at all.

TexasPenguin

All this talk of driving...
What kind of vehicles (pronounced veer-hi-cals, of course ) did we all get when we came out here? Several Brits that I've run into simply stuck with what they knew from England - VW's, BMW's, small Honda's etc.
I, on the other hand jumped in with both feet and bought myself an Avalanche (only the Americans could name a truck an 'Avalanche'!) Huge, gas-guzzling, totally inappropriate for city driving. But, when you've lived in little ol' England all your life you just HAVE TO buy a pickup when you come to Texas, eh?
Even my wife, who in England thought a Peugeot 305 was too big, bought a Honda SUV!

How 'bout everyone else?

Andy.

lairdside

I succummed partially.. although I do have the excuse of needing AWD/4WD for the Winter driving conditions here.. and bought an ML320.

Although I'd love a F350..lol

Emm

I have to buy a car when I get to the US, does anyone have advice on what to get. My hubby is determined to get a Dodge Ram, a totally enormous truck to drive to and from work , but I would like something a little sexier. I always have to have the sensible kiddie mobile while he gets to have silly cars (his last 2 were MGF's), so this time I want a fun car, not the SUV he is suggesting!

Anyone with good ideas of a nice fun car that I can put 2 kids in the back of, for around $20k?

/Emm.

TexasPenguin

Emm,
I would take a look at some of the smaller SUV's for satisfying both kiddie transport and fun.
Don't know where you are going to in the States, but down here in Texas I find it a real problem being totally 'invisible' on the rare occasions when I rent a regular car. The truck drivers and monster SUV drivers simply can't see you 'down there' and run you off the road.
In the compact SUV class you are at least higher off the road than a normal car.
My wife loves her Honda CRV for this reason (and the new ones have solved the lack of 'poke' problem).
As for your hubby getting a Dodge Ram - Yeaaahh!!! Good for him!
(Please don't berate me for using up the planet's resources - I've been a good boy with high mpg cars for 40 years in England - a guy's gotta have some fun!).
Andy.