Driving in United States

Green_Martian

Hi all,

I have a quick question about driving over in the US. We are heading to San Fran/Vegas and Orlando on our honeymoon first week of September and have care hire booked for Orlando leg of trip.

My question is this; I have the old type driving licence , yes he pink paper one, has anyone every had an issues when collecting hire car using the paper version of driving licence. I know they are used to seeing the card type licence but unfortunately mine does not expire till Feb next year so cannot change yet. Just want to make sure all is ok for when we collect car in Orlando when we land.

I'm 35 with full driving licence for almost 10 years in case that info is needed.

Any advice is great and also any tips on driving in US greatly accepted

Thanks

HeidiHeidi

Green_Martian wrote: »

Hi all,

I have a quick question about driving over in the US. We are heading to San Fran/Vegas and Orlando on our honeymoon first week of September and have care hire booked for Orlando leg of trip.

My question is this; I have the old type driving licence , yes he pink paper one, has anyone every had an issues when collecting hire car using the paper version of driving licence. I know they are used to seeing the card type licence but unfortunately mine does not expire till Feb next year so cannot change yet. Just want to make sure all is ok for when we collect car in Orlando when we land.

I'm 35 with full driving licence for almost 10 years in case that info is needed.

Any advice is great and also any tips on driving in US greatly accepted

Thanks

You can exchange the paper licence for a credit card style one no problem

Pro Hoc Vice

Green_Martian wrote: »

Hi all,

I have a quick question about driving over in the US. We are heading to San Fran/Vegas and Orlando on our honeymoon first week of September and have care hire booked for Orlando leg of trip.

My question is this; I have the old type driving licence , yes he pink paper one, has anyone every had an issues when collecting hire car using the paper version of driving licence. I know they are used to seeing the card type licence but unfortunately mine does not expire till Feb next year so cannot change yet. Just want to make sure all is ok for when we collect car in Orlando when we land.

I'm 35 with full driving licence for almost 10 years in case that info is needed.

Any advice is great and also any tips on driving in US greatly accepted

Thanks

How long you going for that's a 6000 mile round trip or 3000 one way. Some trip would love to do it.

Edit read again just Orlando trip is car. A buddy on mine rented in US recently he has old licence I'll check if I see him.

rednik

I used the old style licence in Florida & Massachusetts in June with no issues.

Green_Martian

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

You can exchange the paper licence for a credit card style one no problem

checked site the other day and I can renew if its due to expire in 3 months or less, other option is to report lost and get a new one but I don't want to be doing that

faceman

The paper license will be accepted in the US no problem as long as it's not expired and legible.

Have fun in the US!

Green_Martian

Pro Hoc Vice wrote: »

How long you going for that's a 6000 mile round trip or 3000 one way. Some trip would love to do it.

Edit read again just Orlando trip is car. A buddy on mine rented in US recently he has old licence I'll check if I see him.

Haha that would be some drive :eek:

rednik wrote: »

I used the old style licence in Florida & Massachusetts in June with no issues.

Cheers, just getting paranoid Im sure they have seen them before and have no issue due to the amount of us Irish heading over all the time

Valentina

I've rented cars in several states with the paper type licence and never had any issues.

Have a great time!

ProudDUB

Green_Martian wrote: »

Haha that would be some drive :eek:



Cheers, just getting paranoid Im sure they have seen them before and have no issue due to the amount of us Irish heading over all the time

You'll have no problem picking up a rental car with the old style license. The staff in the car hire companies know that foreign driving licenses come in all shapes and sizes.

Now, showing it to get a drink in a restaurant or bar....that's another thing entirely....:rolleyes:

coylemj

ProudDUB wrote: »

+1 Now, showing it to get a drink in a restaurant or bar....that's another thing entirely....:rolleyes:

+1 Consider getting the new passport card as an official Government identity document which shows your date of birth for age verification though you still need the old style passport for travel to the US.

When you go out at night, as an absolute minimum make sure that the youngest looking member of the group has acceptable id but everyone who might remotely look under 30 should probably bring id.

If you're driving a car in the US and a cop car flashes you from behind to stop, pull over, stay in the car and have your hands on the wheel when the cop comes up to talk to you. Tell your passengers to have their hands on their laps and to keep their mouths shut. Do not get out of the car unless requested to do so and do not make any sudden moves like making a grab for the glove box to get the hire documents to show the cop.

If you're asked to show documents which are in the glove box, point at the glove box, tell the officer that you're going to get them, then do it nice and slowly.

In most cases you can turn right on red if there's nothing coming from the left unless local signage says otherwise. Never overtake a yellow school bus which has stopped to drop off or pick up children (red light flashing).

HeidiHeidi

Green_Martian wrote: »

checked site the other day and I can renew if its due to expire in 3 months or less, other option is to report lost and get a new one but I don't want to be doing that

There is an option on the form to exchange an old one for a new-style one.

ProudDUB

coylemj wrote: »

+1 Consider getting the new passport card as an official Government identity document which shows your date of birth for age verification though you still need the old style passport for travel to the US.

When you go out at night, as an absolute minimum make sure that the youngest looking member of the group has acceptable id but everyone who might remotely look under 30 should probably bring id.

If you're driving a car in the US and a cop car flashes you from behind to stop, pull over, stay in the car and have your hands on the wheel when the cop comes up to talk to you. Tell your passengers to have their hands on their laps and to keep their mouths shut. Do not get out of the car unless requested to do so and do not make any sudden moves like making a grab for the glove box to get the hire documents to show the cop.

If you're asked to show documents which are in the glove box, point at the glove box, tell the officer that you're going to get them, then do it nice and slowly.

In most cases you can turn right on red if there's nothing coming from the left unless local signage says otherwise. Never overtake a yellow school bus which has stopped to drop off or pick up children (red light flashing).

Anyone who remotely looks like they have a pulse, should bring govt issued photo ID, if they want to have a hassle free evening, booze wise. My 17 year old niece can easily pass for 30, when she is in full war paint mode. US bar & restaurant owners know that, so many of them have a "no ID, no drink" policy, regardless of how old the customer looks.

But do tell us more about all this experience you clearly have, of getting pulled over by US cops.

readytosnap

There won't be any issue with the old pink licence have used one in the past. I would use a well established company to rent from, last time I was in Orlando I used Sixt buy have also used Avis and Hertz never had an issue with any of them in the states. Sixt is not actually in the airport but the others are, i would recommend booking well in advance, some hire companies let you pick the exact model, others will show you a nice mustang convertible in the picture but it will most likely say " Mustang convertible or similar" meaning you could end up with some manky looking Chrysler Sebring, so if looking for a particular model, bear that in mind. check the prices on the renters website as well as rental cars dot com.
Either can work out cheaper and sometimes RCdotcom have added extras like free second driver or free tank of fuel or both. If you are renting a vehicle without a sat nav you should either bring your own or buy one ( if you need one) the cost of renting one with a car can be more expensive than purchasing one. Most places in Florida (all America?) you can turn right on a red light unless it says you can't, just in case you are wondering why bubba in the pick up behind you is beeping the horn at the red light!!. Make sure you have a good walk around any vehicle you rent and point out to the rep any marks, dents or scratches you see (inc wheels) and have them noted on the rental agreement (this is common) and signed or stamped by the rep. don't worry if you are collecting in a large car park and you see dents etc they should be pointed out to the guy (company rep) who lets you out of the car park. Take extra care when you return the vehicle to remove all of your possessions or they will most likely disappear. Also make sure the vehicle is checked over and signed off on by the person responsible for receiving return cars (company rep) this could take a few mins so give yourself plenty of time when returning the vehicle. if the rental is full tank to full tank make sure that you fill up as close to the airport as possible or you will be charged extortionate rates if they ( rental co) fill it for you.

dudara

I've had rental agents look at me, as if to say "what's this?", especially if it's a regional airport where they may not see too many Irish. However, it's always been accepted, without any issue. The bigger the airport (i.e. more Irish passing though), the less raised eyebrows you'll get.

readytosnap

Another thing to watch out for, my daughter recently rented a car in San Fran via car rentals dot com, she paid upfront for everything (Hyundai Santa fe or similar), when she went to collect the car the guy at the desk asked her if she wanted to upgrade to a Ford Explorer for ONLY $150 extra. She said no thanks, the guy then gives her the keys to a Ford Explorer anyway. the reason for this was there was no santa fe available and the vehicle available was a Ford Explorer. Now the guy at the desk knew she was getting the Ford before he asked her about upgrading so don't know why he was trying to pull a fast one on her, either he is on a commission or was just going to pocket the $150. So just be aware and alert.

Damien360

I rented from Avis in San Fran last year and they just photocopy the paper license. No issues whatsoever. I took the option to hand it back empty and there was a penalty for doing so but it was very small. Pricing is very upfront compared to European rentals.

Clonmel1000

Do you need to get an international driving permit as recommended by the AA thanks

readytosnap

Clonmel1000 wrote: »

Do you need to get an international driving permit as recommended by the AA thanks

NO definitely not.

faceman

Seeing as its your first time OP here's a couple of friendly driving tips for the things they don't tell you when you rent a car. I'm in the US every other month and always have a car hire.

Cops are strict about drink driving and speeding.

Don't park in front of a fire hydrant. The fine is very high.

Also if in a state with a car pool lane don't drive it in on your own during the stated hours. Fines again are high.

Don't park in front of kerbs painted red or within a certain distance of a junction.

If an emergency services vehicle is on the road behind you or coming toward you on opposite side of the road (assuming no physical barrier dividing the road), you must pull in till it passes.

Watch out for speed limits in school zones during school days. The lights will flash to let you know the school speed limit applies and it's usually very slow. Don't break it.

Have fun! I love driving in the States!

coylemj

ProudDUB wrote: »

But do tell us more about all this experience you clearly have, of getting pulled over by US cops.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEvMc-K8XHY

ProudDUB

LOL !!!

Sadly relevant these days.

Clonmel1000 wrote: »

Do you need to get an international driving permit as recommended by the AA thanks

No, no, no. A thousand times no. It boggles my mind how the AA are still getting away with peddling the importance of an International license, to Irish drivers heading to the US.

The international license is not a stand alone document, that confers special driving privileges that your home nation license lacks. All it does is translate the details of your home license, into some of the worlds most commonly spoken languages, including English. If you are traveling to the US from Outer Mongolia, it can't hurt to have an English translation of your drivers license details, printed in letters that people can read & understand. But for someone traveling from one English speaking nation to another, it is a complete waste of money.

Riskymove

Clonmel1000 wrote: »

Do you need to get an international driving permit as recommended by the AA thanks

This is really only needed where your licence isn't in the Roman Alphabet (i.e. if it was cyrillic or chinese etc.)

JIdontknow

Hi, I rented recently and the pink paper licence was accepted no problem, just had to explain to him the date format was day month not month day! but no problems renting at all, mind you it work had booked it but they accepted my licence no problem at all.

As for using it as an ID, It was all I had one me one night in my wallet so I produced it as ID, it was folded up and the person looked at the front and back, looked at me, they didn't realise you open it up, they looked at it, hadn't a clue so I pointed to date of birth and that was it...

jme2010

faceman wrote: »

Seeing as its your first time OP here's a couple of friendly driving tips

I seen this a lot and just done it as rule of thumb. If you see a cop car/emergency vehicle pulled over on the interstate, give him a full lane of space as a buffer. If he is in the hard shoulder on a 3 lane road give him the 1st lane and you use the middle our outside one.

One more. FREE RIGHT TURNS. Some city's don't allow them, but there will be signs stating specifically if you can not make the turn. "NO TURN ON RED"

Just think of them as a yield sign, look for traffic/pedestrians and break the red light slowly as you turn right. Some people may beep you if you don't take the free right turn. Don't feel pressured to make it.

jme2010

readytosnap wrote: »

Now the guy at the desk knew she was getting the Ford before he asked her about upgrading so don't know why he was trying to pull a fast one on her, either he is on a commission or was just going to pocket the $150. So just be aware and alert.

Nice. I had the same experience.

I had paid for 'Toyota RAV4' or similar. After signing the documents with an elderly gent I went to the car park where a young valet type chap asked if I wanted an upgrade to xyz model for x dollars per day. I said no, but he brings the offered model anyway at no charge.

Del2005

Play up the honeymoon and it's your first time driving in the US when picking up the car, the reps at the desk can easily upgrade and a bit of blarney helps.

If it's your first time driving auto keep your left foot curled up beside the seat so you don't try to clutch and stand on the brakes. Be careful with passing distances on multi lane roads, the driver will think they've loads of room the passenger will know that they haven't.

Green_Martian

Thanks all for the replies, really helpful esp the details of what to do if pulled over by a cop:D


Have car hired through travel agent so just wasn't sure what process was with paper license etc.

Here are the rental details:
ALAMO CAR RENTAL
FULL SIZE, Ford (Full Size) Fusion (or Similiar) FCAR
Gold Plus GPS includes Additional Drivers over 25/CDW

eeloe

Yeah as some have stated, you won't have an issue at all with the pink paper license, i've rented in Orlando, Vegas, Denver, and California without issue.

Driving can be a bit daunting, Orlando i found was easier to drive, than other place, California is a nightmare, i've never seen traffic like it in my life, and these people are fearless, give yourself plenty of room, and remember it's a speed limit, not a target, slow and steady and you'll be fine.

I've not had a run in with the cops while driving, so can't comment, but now that i've said it, i'm probably gonna get pulled over when i'm in Orlando in two weeks.:pac:

ProudDUB

jme2010 wrote: »

One more. FREE RIGHT TURNS. Some city's don't allow them, but there will be signs stating specifically if you can not make the turn. "NO TURN ON RED"

Just think of them as a yield sign, look for traffic/pedestrians and break the red light slowly as you turn right. Some people may beep you if you don't take the free right turn. Don't feel pressured to make it.

I disagree with that last sentence. The 'right turn on red' rule is there for a reason....to move traffic along and prevent congestion. If you are driving in a city, where right turn on red is permitted (and it's pretty much a nationwide thing) then you should turn right on red, if the way is clear and you have good visibility of cars coming from your left. You are just holding up the traffic if you don't. Other drivers won't be shy letting you know that.

If the junction is a tricky one, with poor visibility, lots of pedestrians, or near a school, there may be a "No Right Turn On Red" sign. If there is, then you wait until the green light to make your turn. But 99.9% of junctions won't have them and you can turn right on red. I am not advocating that the OP does anything that he feels uncomfortable doing, but constantly getting honked at by other cars is going to get pretty tiresome and stressful after a while.

Squall Leonhart

faceman wrote: »

Don't park in front of a fire hydrant. The fine is very high

I'll echo this!

Friend was in Chicago, staying at a hotel in Chinatown. Parked up on a quiet street, walked up and down to see any parking signs, all seemed good.

Got to the car in the morning, to discover not 1, but 2 fines on the windscreen for parking within 15ft of a fire hydrant, he wasn't even blocking it. One left at 9pm by one officer and a second left at 2am by a different officer. Cost him $300 for the nights parking.

Palmy

Few Tips

If on the interstate and emergency vehicles are on the hard shoulder and you cant move across to another lane because of traffic, slow down to 20mph under the recommended speed limit as you pass (This is the law)If pulled over stay in your vehicle until you are approached by the officer DO NOT EXIT the vehicle under any circumstances unless directed. At night turn on the interior lights and if the windows are tinted roll down all windows so the officer approaching can see into your vehicle.(This will put the officer at ease seeing this)When you are approaching a School bus from behind or oncoming in front of you, you will see flashing strobe lights when it is planning to stop. If there is NO BARRIAR/MEDIAN you have to stop from either way. You can not pass a School bus when it is stopped or slowing down to let kids off. This will get you a hefty fine if you do pass.Other than that have fun,driving is a piece of cake as the roads are so big here.In Orlando if you don't have a Sun Pass on you rental that you activate (some will try and charge you a flat rate per day which is a rip) make sure you have small notes and coins to pay tolls.