Driving in the United States (II)

After a first installment in which we did a general review of the peculiarities of driving in the United States, focusing on motorways and roads, as well as urban traffic, we now turn to other details. We will begin with some of the particularities of the American market.

If there is one thing the United States stands out for, it is its vast car park, with countless vehicles and models. On its roads and streets you can see everything from huge trucks to all kinds of pick-ups and SUVs, through cars of every kind, some motorcycles — few, but among them Harley-Davidsons abound — vans of all sizes and motorhomes, some of them very large, which on occasion tow a car but also an SUV.

Although there are still a large number of pick-ups and SUVs, mid-size cars are gaining ground, such as the Ford Focus or the Volkswagen Golf (very popular), even the smaller ones, like the Ford Fiesta or the Chevrolet Sonic — Chevrolet Aveo in Europe. The Fiat 500 has been very successful since it arrived in the United States at the end of 2010.

The American market is made up of some models shared with Europe and many others that can only be seen there, or in other parts of the world far from the old continent. The three major American manufacturers — General Motors, Ford and Chrysler — do not sell some of their brands in the European market. This is the case of Buick, GMC, Pontiac and Saturn (General Motors), Lincoln (Ford) and RAM Trucks (Chrysler). Some Japanese brands also follow a similar policy, such as Honda with Acura and Toyota with Scion, both of sporty models.

Another American brand no longer available in Europe but which enjoys very good acceptance in the United States is Dodge, especially for its pick-ups and its saloons with a 100% Yankee look, such as the Charger or the Avenger, as well as its sports car Challenger, a major rival of the Ford Mustang and the Chevrolet Camaro. A brand that is available in Europe, to order from the Netherlands, but which has gone down in history thanks to the film saga ‘Back to the Future’ is DeLorean, which after some years has resumed production of its iconic gull-wing door model.

It is striking how large the fleet of hybrid vehicles is, at least in California, which is the state that most prides itself on being the most environmentally respectful in the United States. Hybrids are numerous both in volume and in the range of models on offer, more than in Europe. For example, Chevrolet, Ford, Hyundai or Toyota, among others, sell hybrid models that, for the time being at least, are not on sale in the old continent.

Although the American market is gradually becoming more diverse, sales data for the last year once again placed the Ford F, a large pick-up, as the most popular model. It is one of the three pick-ups in the top ten best-sellers, alongside the Chevrolet Silverado (2nd) and all the RAM versions (7th). The list was completed by five Japanese saloons — Toyota Camry (3rd), Honda Accord (4th), Honda Civic (5th), Nissan Altima (6th) and Toyota Corolla (8th) — and two mid-size SUVs — Honda CR-V (9th) and Ford Escape (10th). These last two models are sold in Europe, the Escape under the name Kuga. It is worth noting that both the Honda Accord and the Honda Civic for the United States are not the same as the European models, even though they share the same name.

Another thing that stands out about the American car park is the profusion of old models, many of them well preserved. It is not unusual to come across models from the 50s, 60s and 70s. For enthusiasts, it is a feast for the senses, especially for sight and, on many occasions, for hearing — those six- and eight-cylinder engines sound wonderful!

Speed cameras and fines

After a few brushstrokes on the market, we continue with other peculiarities of the American motoring world. The European driver will not fail to be surprised by the profusion of warning signs for radar-controlled speed. On many occasions even by aircraft (‘Speed limit enforced by aircraft’). However, it is very difficult to come across a fixed speed camera. In fact, in recent years those that existed are disappearing from roads and cities.

Thus, only mobile speed cameras are remaining, usually laser guns operated by traffic officers, a body known as ‘Highway Patrol’, ‘State Patrol’ or ‘State Police’, depending on the state. There are, however, numerous traffic light cameras in the cities, which detect when vehicles run a red light and automatically issue fines using number plate readers.

A feature of traffic law in the United States is that fines for breaking the rules can be very high, more than for speeding — the average cost is $150, about €110 — for things such as littering from a car or running a red light. In some cases they exceed $300 (€225), even $600 or $1,000 — €450 and €750, respectively. One of the most heavily policed offences is blocking intersections. That is why practically all drivers only proceed once they have checked that they will not be left stopped in the middle of a junction, even if they have right of way or a green light.

The presence of police officers on American motorways is greater than that of the members of the Spanish Civil Guard Traffic Group, or at least that is the impression one gets when travelling. This means many drivers keep a close eye on the sides of the road. And it is not unusual to see a police car and an officer — they normally patrol alone — who has pulled over another vehicle.

If a police officer asks us to stop, there are a number of steps to follow so that the situation is resolved without problems. The first step is to pull over to the right-hand side of the road, towards the hard shoulder, as soon as possible and safely, then switch on the hazard lights and wait for the officer to approach the vehicle. Normally, once they have checked that all the documentation is in order, they will let us go without any problems.

Fuel and refuelling

Another major peculiarity for Europeans who get behind the wheel of any vehicle in the United States is everything related to fuel and refuelling. The unit of measurement is the gallon, which equals 3.78 litres. It is used not only in the United States but also in some Latin American countries. Thus, at American petrol stations fuel prices are displayed in dollars per gallon. Currently, petrol, available in three different octane ratings (87, 89 and 93), fluctuates between $3.50 and $4.00 per gallon on average, which means between €0.75 and €0.85 per litre, much more affordable than in Spain.

Diesel is somewhat more expensive, but nowhere near Spanish prices. At many petrol stations there is no diesel because the fleet of diesel-powered vehicles is still very small. A feature of American petrol stations is that, thanks to free trade, prices vary considerably from one to another, even within the same town or city.

Practically all petrol stations accept card payment, but at some it is not possible to pay for fuel with a credit card. Sometimes foreign debit cards are recognised by the POS payment systems as credit, which makes payment impossible. For this reason it is advisable to have cash available. In addition, some petrol stations offer a few cents off per gallon for paying in cash rather than by card.

Refuelling is usually prepaid: first you pay the desired amount, at the till or at the self-service pumps, and then fill the tank. If you want to fill the tank, you have to work out how much will go in, pay, and then pump the fuel. Any surplus is refunded to your credit card or in cash, depending on the payment method chosen. The system of leaving a document with the petrol station attendant as in Spain, refuelling and then paying the amount shown on the pump does not work.

When travelling, you need to plan ahead in less populated areas. For example, if you choose to travel to desert areas, the abundance of petrol stations found along almost the entire American road network no longer applies, and you should refuel whenever you can, to avoid problems. Sometimes the owners of petrol stations who know theirs is the only one, or one of the few, for many miles around raise their prices considerably. For example, at the few petrol stations inside Yosemite National Park or on the most sparsely populated stretch of Highway 15 linking Los Angeles and Las Vegas, fuel prices are noticeably higher.

When refuelling, it is appreciated that practically all the nozzles have the ‘click’ system that locks the mechanism allowing fuel to flow from the pump, something that normally does not exist or does not work in Spain. The end of the nozzle has a rubber boot to form a seal with the filler neck of the fuel tank and prevent fuel from spilling out.

Other curiosities

We conclude this special on driving in the United States with a series of small details that, at least to me, have caught my attention during my time living and driving on its roads. Such as the fact that in some states it is forbidden to smoke inside a vehicle when travelling with children below a certain age, generally 18, even if the children are being driven by their parents; that it is possible to ride a motorcycle without a helmet, also in certain states; or that no alcoholic drinks may be transported in any vehicle unless the container is full, sealed and unopened. By the way, the blood alcohol limits for drivers are lower than in Spain.

It is also striking to see 16-year-old teenagers driving, the legal age to do so in the United States, especially those who look like children, or that some postal service vehicles — ‘United States Postal Service’ (USPS) — have right-hand drive. Another cinematic myth that holds true is that of pizza delivery by car, not by motorbike as we are used to in Spain.

Equally curious, though less so in this world where the internet and cinema bring very distant realities closer, is that the drive-through service at fast food restaurants to serve customers without them getting out of the car has spread to other establishments, not only food ones, as is the case, for example, with banks. It is possible to reach the cash machine and carry out any transaction directly from the car. The car, generally, sounds a loud beep to signal that it has locked. In Europe we are not used to the car sounding its horn when we press the key fob to lock it. It is a way of confirming the car is locked. And yes, at first it is surprising and, on occasion, slightly alarming.

After this experience in the United States, one thing is clear to me: the car lover has a thousand and one reasons to keep all five senses wide awake and enjoy them. There, everything related to driving is an experience in itself, almost always very rewarding.

Photos | Jaime Arruz