> > The biggest problem with driving in America as I see it is the fact that
> > everything is so over-regulated. I don't think this will impact YOU
> > directly, but understand it does radically change the abilities of
> > Americans. I'm mean, it would affect you if you stayed here long
enough,
> > but doesn't sound like you will.
> I don't have any long-term plans, I've been to America once before - but I
> never really paid much attention to the driving. I didn't drive.
> > What I mean is, in America, the government is doing everything in its
> power
> > to remove any decision making responsibility from the driver. Most of
the
> > time, you don't have to think about what you're doing because you have
all
> > kinds of "aids" to help you. I mean, you don't have to worry about is
it
> > safe to pass because the stripe in the center of the road will tell you.
> Kewl.
> > You don't have to worry about is it safe to turn left, because the
traffic
> > arrow will tell you. You don't have to worry about is it safe to go
thru
> > the intersection, because either there is a light or they are all being
> > converted to 4-way stop. You don't have to worry about how safe to go
> thru
> > a turn, because the corner speed is marked. You don't have to worry
about
> > how fast to go straight, because the speed limit is posted.
> It is posted in Kilometers/Hour isn't it?
> What confuses me is the traffic lights. Anyone got a good website or
> something to explain how those damn things work? Lots of lights dangling
> over lanes... can you signal to move from lande to lane as you do in
Europe?
Nope, in Miles per hour. We Yanks don't use the metric system unless we're
in a Science class or something ;)
Traffic lights are easy. When the light is green, you go, when the light is
yellow, you put the pedal to the floor and try to beat the red light ;)
(Just kidding, but that's what everyone does. Yellow is a warning that Red
is coming soon, so you should prepare to stop if you're far away) The red
light is stop, but you can make a right turn with traffic (when your light
is red, the other is green and vise-versa) and on one-way streets going left
you can make a left turn with traffic. If it isn't a one way street, you
must wait for the green light to turn left.
Never heard of these, basically all the roads you will see that aren't
highways are full 2 lane, smooth roads. Even the roads in the forest are
being converted to these.
We have stop signs, and cross walks your supposed to stop behind, so
pedestrians can cross the street safely. There are also traffic lights.
