Driving across America as a UK driver. What specific rules do I need to know? [duplicate]

Question

I've been driving in the UK for nearly 10 years, covering around 20,000 miles or 32,000 km a year. I've driven across Europe without issue as well. So I'd like to think I'm an experienced driver.

However, I'm going to do Route 66 for my honeymoon in 3 weeks and I'm concerned that different states have different rules regarding the basics of driving.

For example, in the UK if you're at a set of lights and it's red, you can't move until it's green. I've heard that in some states if you're indicating to turn right at a set of red lights - as long as it's clear - you can turn right regardless of the light. But I don't know if this is accepted across the rest of America or not. I also know that in Canada you can't park against the flow of traffic, but you can do that in the UK.

It's a difficult question to ask in some ways as I'm relying on someone to know the specifics of UK driving and how that compares to US driving. But I'm keen to not annoy other road users while visiting their country, as well as not being pulled over by the police for doing something I thought was acceptable in one American state isn't acceptable in another.

Edit: While on the face of it this question looks to be a duplicate, it isn't. There are differing rules to driving in the UK than compared to Europe. For example, in France you're obliged to carry 2 breathalysers in the car with you (not a requirement in the UK), you're not allowed to have your sat nav indicate where speed cameras are in France (not an issue in the UK) and in Luxembourg you're not allowed to carry petrol in your car even if it's in a jerry can. Also there are references to some states but nothing concrete, where as I'm specifically asking in regards to those states that Route 66 passes through.

Answer 1

This isn't a complete list but here are a few things I found in my many road trips in the USA.

1. Right turn on red. In my experience, this is allowed everywhere EXCEPT where signs say otherwise. However, you MUST stop before turning.
2. Pedestrians don't get their own time to cross on a crossing. In the UK when pedestrians cross all traffic is stopped. In the US cars can still be turning, EG doing a right turn on red, they will be driving through a pedestrian crossing on green. Obviously, pedestrians have priority here, so wait until they have crossed.
3. Undertaking. In the UK you can only overtake on the right, in the US they will overtake in any lane including the right (what would be the left in the UK)
4. Compared to the UK, US Highway/Interstate exists arent as well signposted, you may see something saying "Exit in 1 mile" then nothing until the slip road itself.
5. On the whole, in the UK motorway exits have quite long slip roads, this isn't always the case in the US.
6. Exit numbers aren't sequential like most UK Motorways but relate to the distance along the road, IE exit 300 and exit 310 are 10 miles apart not 10 junctions.

Also, US petrol stations will be a bit odd, for starters their diesel and petrol pumps are the other way around (black for petrol, green for diesel) and on the whole, you won't be able to use pay at pump, you will need to go into the gas station before fueling pay. If you overpay it will be refunded to your card (or cash if you used cash to pay).

Answer 2

It's all no big deal.

It's very relaxed in the US and you won't have the slightest problem.

Rules (FWIW - not much) are State-based, not national.

But when Americans (by the tens of millions) drive through other states than the one they live in, they are in exactly the same position as you. Nobody cares and it's a non-issue.

As you say in some states you can turn right on a red, and in others you can't. It's a non-issue that might come up twice on your trip.

Enjoy!