MK5 Golf GTI
General => Random Chat => Topic started by: Matto on February 23, 2014, 02:32:18 pm
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Off to Florida in a couple of weeks and have hired a car for a couple of days. Just wondered if anyone can offer some advice for driving on US roads. I have driven in France and Spain so I have experience of driving on the wrong side.
For the 2 days we have the car we will be travelling from Orlando to Clearwater and the day after from Orlando to Kennedy Space Centre & Cocoa Beach.
Thanks in advance.
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Been twice but I didn't drive my dad did. Roads are real wide and straight so my advice is to put the radio on and try not to fall asleep :signLOL:. Think they're relatively "decent" drivers from what I can remember, no throwing themselves into your lane without indicating ect. Kennedy space centre is quality :happy2:
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I'm doing exactly the same in June and can't wait!! Eager to hear what you think of it all! :party: :laugh:
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You'll want a V8, Sat Nav and sun glasses. Other than that, just watch your speed
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Carry lots of change for the toll roads, and leave yourself plenty of time lots of traffic lights....
Clearwater is just the bollox, rent yourself a trial lesson in a cessna from the airpark and enjoy...wonder if Cindy is still there....? :evilgrin:
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Kennedy Space center is awesome! I think watch your speed is the best advice. Easy to drift way past the limit on long straight roads, especially with their slow speed limits.
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Just remember that you can overtake AND UNDERTAKE legally, we cruised at 75mph and were not looked at, we also used the "Local pass Lanes" in tolls and never paid a penny (But that was some years ago!), you might get charged by hire company later on now tho :grin:
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Warbird adventures is also well worth a visit. Going for a flight in one of their WW2 Texans was amazing, not cheap, but incredible. - www.warbirdadventures.com
Just watch out for 'or similar' when choosing your rental car, We got given this little Toyota that was a bit crappy.
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As has already been said, watch your speed. Plenty of police/State Troopers parked on the side of highways, waiting. Its the easiest place i have ever driven. Rarely get traffic backing up. Its usual for huge storms to happen, usually in the late afternoon. The highways can become horrendous, I witnessed quite a few crashes comming off the skyway bridge into Tampa. I also watched a guy, swerve three lanes, swerve back three lanes, do a 360 spin and then just carried on driving like it was nothing. On the highways you can pass on both sides because, even across the Atlantic they have middle lane drivers. These rules also apply for trucks. It can be pretty daunting if you have two 18 wheelers smashing past either side of you.
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Just remember that you can overtake AND UNDERTAKE legally, we cruised at 75mph and were not looked at, we also used the "Local pass Lanes" in tolls and never paid a penny (But that was some years ago!), you might get charged by hire company later on now tho :grin:
they have electronic tags in the car now for people to use those lanes at tolls unfortunately
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Don't speed.
I just paid my US$900 speeding ticket last weekend. You can get arrested for speeding and/or "reckless driving" and Florida is particularly bad. The speed limit is 65.
Undertaking is (as I found out) a state-by-state affair. I can't comment on FL but in CA it is prohibited but it is permitted in CO and TX.
Kennedy Space Center is amazing and worth booking a day for. Make sure you take the bus to see the Saturn V as well as Atlantis.
Rent a nice car. For US$20 a day more you can get something like a V8 Challenger or Camaro.
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Don't skip the toll booths. It's only a dollar, but your rental company will add a $10 admin fee on for letting you know you have to pay the $1 toll!
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Warbird adventures is also well worth a visit. Going for a flight in one of their WW2 Texans was amazing, not cheap, but incredible. - www.warbirdadventures.com
Just watch out for 'or similar' when choosing your rental car, We got given this little Toyota that was a bit crappy.
In the process of persuading my girlfriend to let me do this! Haha
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Thanks for the advice. Similar to what I have been reading across the internets. I think my biggest worry are the interchanges and turning right on a red light haha. I'm sure I will soon get the hang of it though.
You'll want a V8, Sat Nav and sun glasses. Other than that, just watch your speed
And this won't be an issue as I have booked one of these :happy2:
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetorquereport.com%2F2010_camaro_ss_official.jpg&hash=3c4a6891e1c84a64fb9f831645c609c0f0d02175)
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Yep I had a Camaro in D.C. Awesome car, I loved it.
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Lucky get!
I'm having a yaris cause I'm under 25 and have to pay an EXTRA $25 a day :mad:
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I had a Ford Fiesta. A 4 door one, no less. Still can't complain, cost me £140 all in for 10 days and I never needed to fill it up either. Was running on fumes when I returned it after 10 days in the Keys, though!
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Warbird adventures is also well worth a visit. Going for a flight in one of their WW2 Texans was amazing, not cheap, but incredible. - www.warbirdadventures.com
Just watch out for 'or similar' when choosing your rental car, We got given this little Toyota that was a bit crappy.
In the process of persuading my girlfriend to let me do this! Haha
I went for the 15min flight, still had time to do a couple of stunts though! Seems like the kind of stuff you'd never get away with over here!
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimagizer.imageshack.us%2Fv2%2Fxq90%2F534%2Ft6texan.jpg&hash=edfb590e661f218a18fd999bb62dcdf01c596a50)
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Wow!! That looks amazing!
Yeah, I AM doing that!
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Honestly, I felt bad. I went over there to see the last Shuttle launch. I had been looking forward to it for ages, but almost preferred the warbird flight more! As others have said Kennedy SC is great, Hope you have a great trip!
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It does look good. Quite expensive like you say but bet its an awesome experience. Don't know how my stomach would cope with the aerobatics :signLOL:
Just had alook to see where they are based. Only 20 mins from our hotel.
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Don't forget you are legally allowed to turn right on a red light if it is clear to go, or you'll get honked from behind lol!!
Also they are pretty courteous drivers really. If you approach a non traffic light junction the first car to get there goes first then everyone else goes in turn with when they got there, works really well :)
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you can turn right but if it says you cant, then don't.
there are filter lights going on free-ways too. also the carpool lanes are amazing. no one uses them.
when i last went in September last year to Vegas me and the missus drove from Vegas to Malibu. saved so much time driving through la using the carpool lanes.
Not sure if this will happen but if a school bus is stopped your not aloud to pass it. law.
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Just bumping this to see how it went? I'm going June for 3 weeks and have a car for the whole three weeks, 25$ a day extra cause I'm under 25, my rental is with Alamo, just wondering who you went with and how you found it.. Getting a by nervous on the driving side of things cause it's the first time I've driven abroad :scared: hoping I can upgrade from my "Chevy spark or similar" though!!
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Hi Marc. Yeah it went really well actually. The driving isn't as bad as you might think. Just keep your eyes open and give plenty of room for the locals.
Make sure you have plenty of change because depending on where you go there are a lot of toll roads. Either that or you can pay a the end of your rental I believe. I know the Hertz rental car are fitted with a transponder in the window that is activated the first time you go through the pre-paid lanes. Not sure if Alamo have a similar set-up.
Also take note on their fuelling terms and conditions. We got charged, (which was later refunded) for taking it back not completely full. It was literally just off the full line and got charged for a full tank. Luckily I took photos of the dials showing fuel gauge and mileage when collecting the car and dropping it off which I recommend you do.
Other than that we enjoyed getting about a little more. Not sure what you have planned but if you get chance go to Clearwater beach. I'm not a massive beach fan but this place is something else.
Oh and seeing as you asked I though I had best add some pics of the beast :driver:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/t1.0-9/10155780_10152125779599858_1733712000_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1977316_10152125779564858_308350037_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1610047_10152125779944858_482113287_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/10155589_10152125779734858_929235365_n.jpg)
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Glad you had a good time :happy2:
I'll take all that on board! I'm gonna take photos of the car before I leave the depot just to cover my back..
We are staying in a hotel on clearwater beach for our final week, I'm looking forward to that more that seeing Mickey Mouse to be honest!! Theres a rocket launch scheduled while we are out there so that is one of my priorities. Other than that it'll just be driving to/from the parks/malls/hotels.
The car looks amazing! How was it to drive?? I'm in the process of trying to convince the girlfriend that we should try our luck upgrading to a mustang if they offer it cheap enough when we are picking our car up! :laugh:
Thanks!
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Last year I booked through a company called Auto Europe. They're just a broker, though, and the actual rental was with Alamo. I paid £140 all up inc. all insurances for a 10 day rental. It was a Ford Fiesta that I ended up with, so not too bad to drive.