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Topic: Driving in the US  (Read 1430 times)

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Driving in the US
« on: July 28, 2013, 09:51:12 PM »
In a few weeks I am going home for the first time in 3 years!!!

Fortunately my parents have an extra car that we can use while we are there so we won't be renting a car.

Does anyone know how tat works with insurance?  Will myself (USC) and my husband (UKC) be covered under my parents insurance?  Or do we need to be named on their policy?  Or do we need to get short term cover (come to think of it, that may be covered in our travel insurance)?

I wanted to get a gauge here for the right way to go about this.  I don't want to worry my mom until I know what we need to do.   ;)


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Re: Driving in the US
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2013, 10:24:47 PM »
Depends on the insurance company, but most companies cover any driver with a valid license AND permission to drive the car.
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Re: Driving in the US
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2013, 10:52:34 AM »
Yup. My parents have State Farm and they called to be certain, but as long as you have permission most places are fine with it in the US.


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Re: Driving in the US
« Reply #3 on: July 29, 2013, 11:13:16 AM »
Thanks guys.  That's what I thought, but one can never be too sure.  My parents have State Farm also.  I'll have my mom call just to double check.

Can you tell I'm nervous about flipping back to driving on the right?  lol!   ;D


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Re: Driving in the US
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2013, 01:20:12 PM »
Can you tell I'm nervous about flipping back to driving on the right?  lol!   ;D

Hehehe. 

I plan on refering to it as the 'wrong side' next time I drive in the US.  :P  I totally dislike it when friends in the US comment on how 'they all drive on the wrong side of the road in the UK'.   ::)
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Re: Driving in the US
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2013, 05:06:01 PM »

In a few weeks I am going home for the first time in 3 years!!!

Fortunately my parents have an extra car that we can use while we are there so we won't be renting a car.

Does anyone know how tat works with insurance?  Will myself (USC) and my husband (UKC) be covered under my parents insurance?  Or do we need to be named on their policy?  Or do we need to get short term cover (come to think of it, that may be covered in our travel insurance)?

I wanted to get a gauge here for the right way to go about this.  I don't want to worry my mom until I know what we need to do.   ;)

You should be fine, if (god forbid anything happened) it would be considered a lending loss, as in, your parent's gave you permission and lent you (a US licensed driver) the car.

Hehehe. 

I plan on refering to it as the 'wrong side' next time I drive in the US.  :P  I totally dislike it when friends in the US comment on how 'they all drive on the wrong side of the road in the UK'.    ;D

Driving in the UK will always be the wrong side for me! I have been driving far too long in the US to ever feel comfortable driving on the "opposite side" of the road!  :D


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Re: Driving in the US
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2013, 05:21:54 PM »
Driving in the UK will always be the wrong side for me! I have been driving far too long in the US to ever feel comfortable driving on the "opposite side" of the road!  :D

hehehe.... I know what you mean...  ;)

I often called it the 'opposite side' in my lessons and when talking with folks in the US or when talking about the differences between US and UK driving, but I really didn't like it when it was called the 'wrong side'.  :P  

It's only the wrong side to me if you're actually on the wrong side (driving on the left side in the US or the right side in the UK.... so all the traffic is coming at you   :o  .... in the lane you're wrongly in  ;) )
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Re: Driving in the US
« Reply #7 on: July 31, 2013, 05:27:46 PM »
It's only the wrong side to me if you're actually on the wrong side (driving on the left side in the US or the right side in the UK.... so all the traffic is coming at you   :o  .... in the lane you're wrongly in  ;) )

Yeah - I didn't find driving on the right to be 'wrong' when I was in the US last year, because everything was set up to drive on that side (steering wheel on the other side etc.).

What feels wrong to me is driving on the other side in a car that is not designed for it - for example, taking your UK car to Europe and driving on the right there, because the car is not set up for driving on the right - the wheel's on the wrong side, you can't see the traffic properly, you're on the wrong side of the vehicle for pulling up to things like toll booths, your lights are angled the wrong way etc.

I haven't driven in Europe before because I'm not comfortable driving my British car there :P.


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