Absolutely, assuming you enjoy dodging potholes and people in old clunkers driving around with $5k of liability coverage
Road Tripping in the USA!
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Absolutely, assuming you enjoy dodging potholes and people in old clunkers driving around with $5k of liability coverage
Haha. Don’t really have that issue where I live, maybe that means I’m the one driving like a tool... Plenty of clunkers around but the roads are more than big enough for you to avoid them.Absolutely, assuming you enjoy dodging potholes and people in old clunkers driving around with $5k of liability coverage
Potholes never were a problem until this winter n they seem to be everywhere.
Don’t have to worry about police hiding trying to catch you doing 1mph over the speed limit. There’s only 1 speed camera that I know of around here and it’s a private one so you don’t have to pay it if it catches you. Police are fine with 10-15mph over the speed limit too in my experience.
I can imagine that driving around the big cities is complete **** though.
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Indeed, the roads are great and dependent on location , spookily tumbleweed quiet or nose to tail gridlock,
and apart from the frightening amount of people driving while phoning, eating and drinking, [ sometimes all 3 ]
I find US drivers no worse or better than UK ones.
Err sort of, I had an Audi Q7 in the end
Well at least it had a bit of ground clearance.
Driving south through Montana is weird. After the border there's a completely straight, dual lane road (I15) with nobody on it. Even better is the 80 MPH speed limit. The rest of Montana/Idaho/Wyoming is quiet, but not that quiet.
Realistically, in most places in North America you don't need to be a good driver to get by, and it shows. Putting on the cruise control on quiet, straight roads doesn't give you the same experience as driving the A303 at rush hour!
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Yeah my US driving test was done on a road so quiet that I think I saw maybe 4 other cars.
I consider bad traffic to be the 5th or 6th car stopped at some traffic lights. It's really bad if I don't get through the lights first time
I didn't leave the parking lot when I did mine... the examiner got in and said "I just want to let you know this test is a joke compared to the UK test"Yeah my US driving test was done on a road so quiet that I think I saw maybe 4 other cars.
I consider bad traffic to be the 5th or 6th car stopped at some traffic lights. It's really bad if I don't get through the lights first time
Took 7 minutes.
Also, traffic in Tampa is horrific, you measure distance in time, not miles... my 6 mile commute takes 30minutes... it takes 30mins to get just about anywhere lol
My uncle did his test in Florida and it was exactly the same.I didn't leave the parking lot when I did mine... the examiner got in and said "I just want to let you know this test is a joke compared to the UK test"
Took 7 minutes.
Also, traffic in Tampa is horrific, you measure distance in time, not miles... my 6 mile commute takes 30minutes... it takes 30mins to get just about anywhere lol
It's amazing some people don't just crash the moment they pass their test. You can literally prepare for it with 1-2hrs of practice.
They do... trust me lol
Same with motorcycles, 2 days in a parking lot riding around and over 2x4's... teaches you nothing
Soldato
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Hey guys,
Going to California in November and planning on driving from LA to Santa Cruz among highway 1.
I’m going over for a wedding so don’t have much time and want to spend a few days mountain biking in Santa Cruz, so is this doable in a day?
I know I’ll be missing a lot by not stopping but I’ve got such a short amount of time, and I’m not a fan of only doing whirlwind stops of places, would rather spend a few days somewhere to really absorb it, so can save the proper road trip for another time.
Going to California in November and planning on driving from LA to Santa Cruz among highway 1.
I’m going over for a wedding so don’t have much time and want to spend a few days mountain biking in Santa Cruz, so is this doable in a day?
I know I’ll be missing a lot by not stopping but I’ve got such a short amount of time, and I’m not a fan of only doing whirlwind stops of places, would rather spend a few days somewhere to really absorb it, so can save the proper road trip for another time.
It's around 8 hours once you include some stops for a break, if you are happy with that then I don't really see why not. If your not stopping then why not just take the 101 and save almost 2 hours.
Silly question but why not just fly into San Fran and save 7 hours of driving?
Silly question but why not just fly into San Fran and save 7 hours of driving?
Soldato
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I drive hell of a lot for work so 8 hours is fine.
I’m flying into San Fran for the wedding, then flying to LA to go to The Comedy Store so fancy driving highway one so I can see a bit of the countryside.
Yeah L.A. to Santa Cruz via Hwy 1 is definitely do-able in a day - the Hwy 1 portion isn't actually that far, it's just people tend to stop frequently to take pictures, take side-roads to explore, which is why people normally suggest allowing 6-8 hours for the drive.
L.A. to Morro Bay is a straightforward 4 hour drive, then it's 3.5 hrs from Morro Bay to Santa Cruz on the 1. So if you set off at around 5:30-6:00a.m. from L.A., you'll beat the worst of the morning traffic and would be on the 1 by 10am-ish - then you can take your time for the second leg.
Presumably you are flying out of S.F. then?
*edit*
Obligatory U.S. driving test story - my test when I moved over involved getting in the car, driving about 1/4 mile into a residential development, pull into a curb, reverse in a straight line, then drive back to the testing center. All in all was about 15 minutes from seatbelt on to seatbelt off
L.A. to Morro Bay is a straightforward 4 hour drive, then it's 3.5 hrs from Morro Bay to Santa Cruz on the 1. So if you set off at around 5:30-6:00a.m. from L.A., you'll beat the worst of the morning traffic and would be on the 1 by 10am-ish - then you can take your time for the second leg.
Presumably you are flying out of S.F. then?
*edit*
Obligatory U.S. driving test story - my test when I moved over involved getting in the car, driving about 1/4 mile into a residential development, pull into a curb, reverse in a straight line, then drive back to the testing center. All in all was about 15 minutes from seatbelt on to seatbelt off
Soldato
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Yeah L.A. to Santa Cruz via Hwy 1 is definitely do-able in a day - the Hwy 1 portion isn't actually that far, it's just people tend to stop frequently to take pictures, take side-roads to explore, which is why people normally suggest allowing 6-8 hours for the drive.
L.A. to Morro Bay is a straightforward 4 hour drive, then it's 3.5 hrs from Morro Bay to Santa Cruz on the 1. So if you set off at around 5:30-6:00a.m. from L.A., you'll beat the worst of the morning traffic and would be on the 1 by 10am-ish - then you can take your time for the second leg.
Presumably you are flying out of S.F. then?
*edit*
Obligatory U.S. driving test story - my test when I moved over involved getting in the car, driving about 1/4 mile into a residential development, pull into a curb, reverse in a straight line, then drive back to the testing center. All in all was about 15 minutes from seatbelt on to seatbelt off
Cheers for the info
Yep flying back from SF.
Anything to be aware of driving in the USA, or do I just expect people to be as retarded as they are over here as soon as they get in a car?
Also just realised I won't be able to pick up a hire care till the day i'm leaving for Santa Cruz as i'm staying right at the front on Venice Beach so no parking. Are there any companies who do super early morning pick up from LAX?
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![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
They are almost all 24 hours at LAX.
In LA everyone drives like mentalists, is in a rush and a bad mood, and no one understands the concept of rain so hopefully it'll be sunny and dry
Outside the cities, it's pretty relaxed. Which can be bad if you're in a rush and there are two pickups driving side-by-side at 55mpg in the 2-lane highway. But on the bright side, you can undertake as much as you like if someone is dawdling in the 'passing lane'.
Outside the cities, it's pretty relaxed. Which can be bad if you're in a rush and there are two pickups driving side-by-side at 55mpg in the 2-lane highway. But on the bright side, you can undertake as much as you like if someone is dawdling in the 'passing lane'.
In the very early stages of planning my 2020 West Coast road trip with the Mrs.
Will look to fly out early September, aiming for up to 21 days.
Current thinking is a loop the starts off in San Fran
* Do a few days there
* Down the west coast, Monterey, Big Sur,
* Stop somewhere outside of LA. Completely bypass LA as I've been before and I didn't enjoy it.
* Down to San Diego, a couple of nights there, zoo, etc.
* Joshua Tree National Park, stay somewhere near the Canyon.
* Day doing Grand Canyon things
* I'd like to fit in Monument Valley but could be too much of a detour, drive to Vegas.
* 3 nights in Vegas
* Death Valley National Park (1 or 2 nights?)
* Yosemite national park (2 nights?)
* Sacremento worth doing on the way back?
* Back to San Fran, 1 night and then fly home next day.
Obviously thats an extremely rough outline at the moment from just a small bit of research - lot more time to be spent finalising the itinerary.
Any obvious pitfalls jumping out at this early stage before I start more detailed planning?
Will look to fly out early September, aiming for up to 21 days.
Current thinking is a loop the starts off in San Fran
* Do a few days there
* Down the west coast, Monterey, Big Sur,
* Stop somewhere outside of LA. Completely bypass LA as I've been before and I didn't enjoy it.
* Down to San Diego, a couple of nights there, zoo, etc.
* Joshua Tree National Park, stay somewhere near the Canyon.
* Day doing Grand Canyon things
* I'd like to fit in Monument Valley but could be too much of a detour, drive to Vegas.
* 3 nights in Vegas
* Death Valley National Park (1 or 2 nights?)
* Yosemite national park (2 nights?)
* Sacremento worth doing on the way back?
* Back to San Fran, 1 night and then fly home next day.
Obviously thats an extremely rough outline at the moment from just a small bit of research - lot more time to be spent finalising the itinerary.
Any obvious pitfalls jumping out at this early stage before I start more detailed planning?
Monument valley was the single biggest waste of time on any USA trip I've done. I would strongly advise against going to see it.
You only need 1 night in DV. To be honest, leave Vegas early in the morning (8am) and drive through DV for the day and stop at about 6pm at Mammoth Lakes, then move onto Yosemite the next day.
You only need 1 night in DV. To be honest, leave Vegas early in the morning (8am) and drive through DV for the day and stop at about 6pm at Mammoth Lakes, then move onto Yosemite the next day.