[LattyUK]

5 weeks today we leave for WDW and we are going to hire a car. I have been nominated as the driver and I have never driven on the right hand side of the road before, or driven a car with the steering wheel on the left!!!!!

Other than getting a large sign on the car warning you all to avoid me does anyone have any other tips?

Are there any strange local laws I need to know about?

Thanks in advance

[Fozzie Bear]

Hey Latty! As a fellow Brit, I understand your concern but really it's easier driving there than here! The roads are wider, speeds slower and everything is far more relaxed. There are no roundabouts to confuse the issue and the roads are laid out in such a way that you would really have to try hard to find yourself on the wrong side of the road. A couple of things to bear in mind though;

1: At most traffic light intersections it is legal to turn right when the light is red (a sign will tell you when you can't), as long as it is safe to do so.
2: You have to turn on your lights if it rains.
3: WATCH YOUR SPEED!!! The speed limits in the USA are lower than here (55 on some parts of the I4 as opposed to 70 on motorways over here), they are strictly enforced, not always well signposted and it is easy to get caught out.
Just relax, use a bit of common sense and you'll be fine. Meanwhile, I'll try and think of any other stuff...

[LattyUK]

Thanks for that Fozzie Bear. You have put me more at ease. I will bare in mind your hints. I feel better knowing there are no roundabouts . I will try and watch my speed. I also need to get used tp driving an automatic car!!! Its going to be fun!!!!!!

[10 min to wdw]

also please remember 3 things in addition to the above post:

1)make sure you know where the switch is for the wipers and headlights and how they work.

2) make sure if the car has power windows you know how they work (you'd be amazed at the number of tourist I see at toll boths looking all around for the switch to lower the window

3) if for some reason you do end up going the wrong way on a road please pull into the paved shoulder of the road, try to avoid the grassy area if possible as its normally to saturated to get out of.


also #1 is extremely important down here rain will just apear to be a absolute downpour with no notice. You may decide to pull over in the extreme downpours as you may not be used to driving in it. I recomend trying to pull off in a shopping plaza or hotel parking lot though. In 5 weeks it will be peak summer down here with Big thunderstorms almost every afternoon that you can almost set your watch by. also check out the thread below about Florida thunderstorms
http://www.talkdisney.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21683&highlight=thunderstorms

[muchie]

One thing you need to do is be sure and wear your seatbelt. Most of the states have a seatbelt law and you will get a ticket if you are not wearing it. That includes passengers in the car. I am not sure if Florida has that law but most of the USA does. So for safety I would wear them. With not being familiar with the roads I would be sure to do the posted speed limit. There have been other threads posted on TD about fatal accidents due to excessive speed.

[10 min to wdw]

YES in FL you are required to wear a seatbelt in a car in any seat. The Floridia highway patrol, and county sherriffs, along with local police are part of a nationwide program called "CLICK it OR TICKET"

[LattyUK]

Thanks for that info.

I think I will remember it all.................. seat belt on.............. learn how to turn the wipers on, lights on, and the window up and down, ............. stay within speed limits.............. if it rains put the lights on............ if it rains bad pull in to somewhere suitable............. there are no roundabouts................ watch out for lights on intersections.

Also........... it rains in July in the afternoon and I have hired a convertable!!!! I must therefore learn how to put the roof up and down quickly!!!!

[10 min to wdw]

One more thing to add, I can't think of a disney road like this but they are in the surrounding area's. when you come to a stop light the light is green but if you are turning watch out for pedestrians. The way some walk lights are set up is so that there will be a green light and a walk light at the same time. these are popular up on international drive. In the state of FL pedestrains have the right of way, if they have the walk light, and in the case of the liability they have it all ways.

that sounds cofusing but I don't know how else to explain it, sorry

[wanditapa13]

Also, here in NY, it is against the law to talk on a cell phone unless you have an ear piece. I am not sure if Florida has this law, but it would be worth checking it out. Have fun!

Wanda

[Shadow Jedi Rhy]

Well we don't have the cell phone law in Florida yet at least. It may be a good thing to be honest, and I heard it was in a planning stage but it won't be for at least a year.

[Disneyluv10]

Latty if you're staying in one of the Disney resorts make sure you & your family use the Disney buses to get to where you're going like a Disney park or Downtown Disney. That way you do less driving!

[Mickey Crazy]

Once again I would like to remind our members to be more careful what you post. This is a family friendly site!

[10 min to wdw]

Originally Posted by Shadow Jedi Rhy

Well we don't have the cell phone law in Florida yet at least. It may be a good thing to be honest, and I heard it was in a planning stage but it won't be for at least a year.

well, its not illegal to talk on a cell phone, but it is illegal to have a earpeice to your ear in FL. technically making it illegal to use a cell phone with a earpeice. well I wouldn't be to worried about I would recomend any one not familiar with a area leave the cell phone calls till you are pulled over somewhere safe.

also on the note of cell phones, I was in a touristy 7-11 (gas station) the other day and there was a brittish lady in front of me getting a prepaid cell phone she said she was going to be hear long enough to make it cost worthy. I don't know what the costs are but it might be something to look into if you need a cell phone while you are here.

[HawkUK]

I will make sure I tell my girlfriend, LattyUK, not to use her cellphone. To be honest I think the cellphones are going to spend the holiday in the hotel safety deposit box. We are on holiday to escape them

[ianmiller]

Just got back ourselves, did have a problem driving on the other side of the road. Whilst watching TV I came across a new law. If you see a police (or any other emergency vehicle) on the side of the road with its light on you are meant to move to the next lane or slow down. Something to do with people driving to fast past accidents and hitting police cars...Also watch the speed!