soundtrane Posted February 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 Uhhhhhh..... Vin, i do apologize if you already know this, but that's 2500 miles, not kilometers. 4000 Kilometers. I've done X America several times and I usually allow 5 days each way. There are things to see on the way. Dave, of course, and that IS what i want to do... land in the USA a week before the NAB show and... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundtrane Posted February 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 +1! (and easy on the horn in USA; seems its use is not understood the same way as it is in India) i HATE it. as many times i have left this country to travel and gotten back, it takes me a while to readjust to this. i HATE it. period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundtrane Posted February 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 Then again, NYC is probably closest thing we have to automotive craziness like India as everyone there on the road is like a maniac. Not me, NOT me... heh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfisk Posted February 28, 2015 Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 rent a motorcycle. More fun in California. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Visser Posted February 28, 2015 Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 My record from NYC to Santa Monica pier is 46 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundmanjohn Posted February 28, 2015 Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 Having spent all of my life driving in the UK, I got my first US driving experience back in the 1980s by getting an ex-US Army AMC Hornet from Rent-A-Wreck in Manhattan and driving out to Long Island in the evening rush hour. An interesting experience, to say the least, but I survived. Since then, I've driven quite a bit in the USA, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New England, and Florida and generally had a great time. On my last but one visit, I ended up with a Jeep Cherokee, which was a delight to drive and got me out of trouble during a heavy storm in a state park in Massachusetts: plenty of room for kit in the back, as well. In terms of acclimatizing, the fact that the steering wheel is on the left helps enormously: it's much trickier driving a RHD vehicle in a LHD country. Just get all the insurance that's on offer and enjoy the ride. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Waelder Posted February 28, 2015 Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 Good god, you must have been flying. The "Cannonball Run" record is 36 hours, mid-town Manhatten to Marina del Rey. That was in a Ferrari Daytona. (At least I think that's still the record.) And before that run, I think the record was about 48 hours, a feat accomplished by changing drivers without stopping. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundtrane Posted February 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 My record from NYC to Santa Monica pier is 46 hours. wish i'd been with you in that car! heh... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundtrane Posted February 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 rent a motorcycle. More fun in California. long distance? 1000/2000 miles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Constantin Posted February 28, 2015 Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 I used to live in England for a few years and did a lot of travelling by car between mainland Europe and England. I had both left-hand and right-hand drives in both areas. I actually preferred the LHD, because I know where everything is. In an emergency situation is hard to control your instincts. In the english car, I once had to avoid a crash, it was pretty narrow. Like a reflex, my right hand went down to the gear shift, but instead I nearly opened the window. But that's only a problem with manual gear shifts. Biggest challenge really were the roundabouts, you really have to concentrate which way to enter. All in all it's pretty easy, no matter which car, no matter in which side Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Visser Posted February 28, 2015 Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 Good god, you must have been flying. The "Cannonball Run" record is 36 hours, mid-town Manhatten to Marina del Rey. That was in a Ferrari Daytona. (At least I think that's still the record.) And before that run, I think the record was about 48 hours, a feat accomplished by changing drivers without stopping. David That doesn't seem right, even Google maps shows the route about 40 hours. I stopped once and slept for about 2 hours. I'm not saying that I was speeding or anything, but apparently Kansas is not completely flat, there is a little dip in the middle of the state somewhere and there was a cop hiding in it. By the time I braked... And then he must have been feeling generous, clocked me at "85", but otherwise a smooth trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VASI Posted February 28, 2015 Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 Like a reflex, my right hand went down to the gear shift, but instead I nearly opened the window. Hahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfisk Posted February 28, 2015 Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 long distance? 1000/2000 miles? yeah...get a big cruiser. The only downside is you'll have to gas up every 100 miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfisk Posted February 28, 2015 Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 there are parts of Utah with no speed limit. When I first moved to LA in 2001 I drove through there in my loaded up ford taurus doing 95. Any faster and the car would have flown apart. The areas were so vast and open that even at that speed it felt like I was crawling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al mcguire Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 You could do a nice trip from Las Vegas up to Utah through the Virgin River Gorge to St George and go across the northern part of the Grand Canyon except it is not crowded . See Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. Lots of natural hot springs you can soak in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 As a brit i found driving in USA to be easy like the fuel prices are low. The pacific highway from SF to SD through Big Sur was the drive i enjoyed the most. My take outs were: When you're rolling on the inside of 8(!) lanes (into LA) you need to plan your exit strategy nice and early. But some exit ramps are on the inside (milwaukee?). Don't run the stop signs even if you can't see another car for miles :-). Sounds like a great trip. Btw the solo record for riding (a bicycle) coast to coast is 7 days 15 hours so a week to drive it should be fun. atb, dan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnpaul215 Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 You could do a nice trip from Las Vegas up to Utah through the Virgin River Gorge to St George and go across the northern part of the Grand Canyon except it is not crowded . See Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. Lots of natural hot springs you can soak in. North Rim of the Grand Canyon is always closed till mid or late May because of snow/ice. I found that out last year. I went to NAB, then spent a few weeks working in Utah & Arizona, then back to Vegas. I did drive to the south rim from Vegas. Long drive but totally worth it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Willett Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 The only problems I have with a south-paw car is hitting my hand on the door every time I go to change gear and looking left, instead of right, for the rear-view mirror. Driving on the wrong side of the road was pretty easy to get used to - though you have to take extra care at roundabouts the first few times and pulling out of a side road you need to look extra carefully as you always look the wrong way first. Otherwise - no real problem - I drive several thousand miles in mainland Europe each year and it was fine after just a few miles the first time I did it - but you do need to watch the above specially. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnpaul215 Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 If you were going to go to St George Utah, that's only about 45 minutes from Zion National Park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afewmoreyears Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 rent a motorcycle. More fun in California. long distance? 1000/2000 miles? On a motorcycle...no problem.... I often ride 400 miles a day for days in a row on my Sport tourer... Sirius, nav. in ear monitors, heated gear... drink system...etc.... Weather that time of year CAN BE problematic... Although I rode this Summer all over Colorado in pouring rain.... Awesome..no problem.. dry as a bone... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traut Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Hello, I am making firm plans to visit the USA for the second time - first to NAB and then a free-flowing time to go to many places and meet many people. I can get an International Driving License from India - which is valid in most countries including the USA. It is just a thought in my head - if i could rent a car and do some long, long drives across the beautiful country. One thing - i am NOT used to driving on the right side of the road, and cars that have their driver seat on the left side. Should i need to take a driving lesson or two out there before venturing to rent a car and drive out? Is this actually possible - to get a driving lesson for this specific purpose, apart from understanding road signs etc (which I am sure i can do by myself). I seek some advice in this matter from all the experts out here. Of course, it would be great if there were two of us instead of me alone. I will get to that only after i figure out a way with what i have written above... -vin Rent a car and drive it like you stole it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Rent a car and drive it like you stole it! Yep. That's the way I do it. CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnpaul215 Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 I already have my flight booked for NAB this year, but I might drive next year. Cannonball Run (not literally) there, then take a more scenic ride back to the East Coast (national parks etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marien Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 When I moved to Australia from France, I remember being really nervous about driving on opposite side of the road. Honestly, it took my brain less than 5 minutes to get accommodated and comfortable. Just be extra cautious if you are tired, at roundabouts and when pulling out of a service station, as these will be the times you will be most likely to get on the wrong side of the road. Also, make sure you rent an automatic car, as it can be a little weird changing gears with your opposite hand. Most cars in the US are auto anyway. Safe travels, David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackHenry Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 It's only really an issue when the country changes which side to drive on overnight, like Sweden did in 1967. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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