New version of the US car rental guide
Car rental preparation
Q. Where should I rent a car?
Students living in the United States can choose:
1. Official websites of large companies: Hertz , Avis , Alamo , Enterprise ( no need to go through a third party when encountering problems, the solution is the smoothest )
2. Car rental price comparison platforms: Expedia , AutoEurope , etc. ( Note: don’t just look at the price and choose a cheap small company )
3. Use Turo to rent a car - rent directly from the car owner, similar to Airbnb, the price is occasionally advantageous, and the car model is fixed, but remember to buy insurance ( your credit card will not cover this ), read more reviews
Students departing from China can choose: Zuzuche , Ctrip
Q. Do you need to buy insurance?
Although it is the same as medical insurance, it varies from person to person... But it is recommended to buy!
Because in American cities, the probability of car windows being smashed near tourist attractions is high,
because on the roads near national parks, there may be large moose/black bison walking in the evening... or small deer will actively pounce on cars...
Insurance can be purchased from the rental car company ( more expensive ), or you can use the insurance on your own credit card ( please check whether it covers the rental car, but be aware that it may not be used for car rentals after one accident ).
Common insurance :
Loss Damage Waiver, referred to as LDW, is a car damage and theft insurance--for the car, compensation for theft, loss, and damage to the car;
Personal Accident Insurance, referred to as PAI, for people, including contractors and passengers, rescue/medical/death compensation in the event of an accident;
Limited Third Party Liability, limited third-party liability--compensation for third parties in the event of an accident. Except for California, all American vehicles include this insurance, so if you rent a car in California, you should consider purchasing the LIS below to supplement it;
Liability Insurance Supplement, referred to as LIS, supplements third-party liability---it is the insurance that others ask you to pay for if you damage others or other things;
Personal Effect Coverage PEC for short, limited compensation for lost luggage and personal belongings ( cash not included
) during the rental period; Q. Can I rent a car with a Chinese driver's license?
With a tourist visa, you can rent a car in most cities and most companies in the United States.
If you study abroad, the policy of each state is different. It is said that it can only be used for 3 months. It is best to take the US driver's license test as soon as possible.
Q. Other things to note when renting a car?
1. Your ( US ) company/school may have a cooperation discount code with a car rental company, and you can rent a car at a very low price. Please find out for yourself.
2. During holidays, it may be difficult to rent a car at airports near famous scenic spots! Book early! ( For example, airports near famous national parks, Hawaii and Alaska during holidays~ )
3. Google Map navigation can be used in most areas. There is no signal in national parks, so paper maps can be used.
4. You can also read " What to do if you encounter a traffic accident in the United States "
Car Pickup and Return Process in the United States
Car pick-up process:
1. People usually pick up the car at the airport because the signs are clear. Some are in the terminal, and some are in the car rental center outside the terminal
. 2. Find the counter of your own car rental company.
3. Sign the contract and get the key ( show your driver's license, passport, credit card, and you will also be asked if you want to buy a certain insurance, if you want to upgrade or something )
4. Find the staff in the parking lot to pick up the car ( if you are not satisfied with the car given, you can ask here; you will be asked if you want to buy a tank of oil. If you buy, you can go back with an empty tank when you return the car/If you don’t buy, you must fill up the tank when you return the car; people generally choose not to buy because the oil price given by the car rental company is high )
5. Take two laps in the parking lot to familiarize yourself with the condition of the car.
If the plane is delayed and you cannot pick up the car on the same day, large car rental companies will give you a free one-day extension
. Reference video : Length 8 minutes and 1 second, this person. Life / Stay and Rove ( if you don't understand, you can turn on the subtitles )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WP0iNVEJe2s Car return process: 1. Fill up the gas in advance ( but if you buy gas when picking up the car, it doesn't matter ) 2. For example, when returning the car at the airport, there will be a clear Rental Car Return sign, just follow it 3. Return the car directly to the staff in the parking lot, no need to go to the counter, basically they just ask questions and don't check the car, just swipe the card and leave * If it is a special time period such as late at night, the contract and car keys are generally placed in a box specially used for storage - depends on the specific company
Traffic rules you need to pay attention to when driving in the United States
Traffic signs in the United States:
The most detailed traffic sign information on the Internet, from Wikipedia
. Rules for intersections:
1. This is the most common rule in Europe and the United States. When you see a STOP sign, even if there are no cars around, you must stop ( not slow down, but stop completely before going ). Many people have accidents because they ignore this.
Reference video: 8 minutes and 30 seconds long, the UP host is New York Lao You
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1qT4y1u7WP 2. The rule that you can turn right on a red light also applies ( except New York! ), but it is different from China: you must stop first ( more than 1 second ), then see if there is anyone passing by on the right ( if the person is far away from you, you should also wait patiently for the person to pass by ) and see if there is any car coming from the left ( the principle is that your right turn cannot affect the driving of the car coming from the left, that is, you can only turn right if the car on the left does not need to slow down, otherwise you have to wait ) In addition, some intersections will have clear NO TURN ON RED 3. Always remember that pedestrians have the highest priority, and cars must give way to pedestrians ( on the other hand, pedestrians assume that you will give way to them ) . School bus rules: When a school bus stops, starts flashing red lights, and displays a STOP sign on the side, vehicles behind must stop! If you are in the opposite lane and there is no dividing strip in the middle of the road, you must also stop in the opposite lane ! Reference video: 2 minutes and 1 second, WFLA News Channel 8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueI15dcVhOA Driving rules: 1. Direction: The same as China's driving direction, drive on the left and drive on the right 2. Overtaking: If there is only one lane, the overtaking rules are the same as in China ( the solid yellow line prohibits overtaking, the dotted yellow line allows ); if there are two lanes, the principle in the United States is that unless you want to overtake, you must drive in the right lane. After overtaking, even if there is no car in front, you should immediately return to the right lane. Continuous overtaking is not allowed 3. Lane change: Most people driving in China will not turn their heads to check the blind spot, but the speed in some states in the United States is really abnormally fast, so it is safe to turn your head to check the blind spot 4. The United States has car pools, which means that there must be the number of passengers required by the sign in the car to use this lane Child safety seats: 1. Children under 12 must sit in the back seat . 2. The policy of each state is different for whether to use a safety seat, but generally speaking, children under 9 years old, or under 36 kg/145 cm, may need a safety seat/safety booster cushion. Other rules: - When there are special vehicles such as police cars/ambulances/fire trucks behind you, you should give way like other cars on the road. But be careful not to break traffic rules to give way to them, such as running a red light, or you will still be held legally responsible! - In California, it is illegal for passengers to drink in the car when the driver is not drinking, or to find a used alcoholic beverage bottle in the car! ( Purchased alcohol must be placed in the trunk ; alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content of 0.5% are called alcoholic beverages)
Interstate highways and toll roads in the United States
There are two types of highways that travelers encounter most often:
Interstate Highway || US Highway. Supplementary common sense about Interstate Highway : 1. Highways in the United States are numbered and the numbering follows a rule. East-west highways are even numbers ( such as Route 66 ), and north-south highways are odd numbers ( such as Route 1 ) . 2. When entering a highway, there may be a YIELD sign, which means that vehicles on the road ahead have the right of way and must merge without obstructing each other. 3. The speed limit is different in each state, so be sure to pay attention to roadside signs when driving across states. 4. Most highways in the United States are free ( because everyone in the United States has a car, so the cost of building and maintaining the highway is directly deducted from taxes; not everyone in China has a car, so a different model is adopted ) , but a few are toll roads , which are called Toll Roads in English. This is quite scary. It’s not because the toll is expensive, but because you may follow the car in front of you and use the Epass or PASS electronic toll lane without seeing the toll booth. But you will be photographed by the electronic eye and receive a $100/200 ticket after returning home ( if you find out at the time, you can google the road name and pay online on the same day ). Therefore, when using GPS or Google Map navigation, you can choose to avoid toll roads.
How to refuel your car at a gas station in the United States
Common sense:
- Gas station is called Gas Station in English, Gas is the abbreviation of Gasoline, and the British call gasoline Petrol
- There are many gas stations in cities, and the common ones are Chevron, Mobil, Shell, etc.
- There are also gas stations near national parks, but the number is small and the price is expensive
- Oil price inquiry website: http://www.gasbuddy.com/
American gasoline and diesel:
Oil is generally divided into: Diesel Diesel and Unleaded gasoline
. Most rental cars use gasoline, and trucks use diesel ( usually green oil guns ) .
Never add the wrong oil . If you add the wrong oil, the car will have to be overhauled ( if the brain suddenly short-circuits and you really add the wrong oil, never start the car, you should contact the rental company, they will tow the car away and suck out the oil - this operation is much cheaper than diesel entering the engine for overhaul )
American gasoline classification:
Regular (87) Similar to the domestic 93
Plus/Super (89) Similar to the domestic 95
Super/Premium (91) Similar to the domestic 97/98
The specific type of oil to add depends on the car
1. Since it is a rental car, can I save money by filling it with cheap oil? This is not absolute. If it is a good car, if you fill it with 87, it will be underpowered and waste more oil. If you fill it with 89/91, it will have better power performance, high combustion efficiency and longer driving time!
2. If it is a cheap car, but I want to fill it with 91, will it run better? No, if the car is specified to have 87 grade oil, adding higher grade oil will only lead to incomplete combustion of the engine and affect the life of the engine.
How to refuel in the United States:
There are two types of gas stations: pay in advance and pay after. Most of them pay in advance:
1. Park the car next to the gas pump ( turn off the engine + lock the door, the security in the United States is not good ), and remember the number of the gas pump .
2. Go to the store next to it to find a clerk, you can simply say PUMP 1 ( or No.1 ) 20 Dollars please and then pay in cash or swipe your card ( Americans can swipe the card directly on the machine, because the machine only accepts local US credit cards )
3. Walk back to the gas pump, you will find that the machine shows that there are already 20 US dollars, open the fuel tank door, and unscrew the cap.
4. Pick up the fuel gun and put it in the car
. 5. Choose the fuel.
6. Pull the trigger of the fuel gun and start refueling ( some fuel guns will automatically refuel after being pulled, and some require you to keep pressing it )
7. After adding to the specified price or filling up the gas, the trigger will automatically pop up, and put the fuel gun back to the fuel pump.
8. Tighten the cap and drive away.
PS If you want to add $20, but the tank is full and the pump has jumped, print a receipt on the machine and go to the store to get your money back.
Reference video :
Two videos with different focuses . Students who are going to the United States for the first time can watch them
. The video is 3 minutes and 42 seconds long, and the UP host is Orange Travel
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1bb411b7Rc The video is 5 minutes and 19 seconds long, and the UP host is Meetfood https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1DJ411D7jh
Parking rules in the US
Parking APP
can find/book parking spaces, etc.
Recommendation 1: https://www.spotAngels.comRecommendation
2: http ://www.spotHero.comStreet
parking - areas without parking meters1. If there is
a fire hydrant next to it, you cannot park2
. If there are red/yellow/blue/green lines on the roadsideRed
: No parking allowedGreen : Parking is allowed within the specified time, and the time will be sprayed on the ground or on a nearby signYellow : Loading and unloading is allowed, and people are allowed to get on and off, but the driver cannot get off the carBlue : Parking is only allowed with a permit, such as a disabled parking space, and a heavy fine is imposed3
. If the roadside is white or has no color, you should get off the car and look at the nearby sign:
Generally, it says what time period you can park and how long you can park for ( some people will say, suppose the maximum parking time is 2 hours, but there is no parking meter record, so no one knows how long I parked?... That's not the case. The police uncle will secretly draw marks on the tires, and then come to check when he has nothing to do. If he finds someone has violated the rules, he and the tow truck driver will happily fist bump to celebrate... )
Street parking - areas with parking meters
If there is a parking meter ( Parking Meter ), please note:
- Each parking space has a meter, most of which are 2 USD/hour, depending on the popularity ( some cities will adjust the price dynamically )
- Payment method is credit card or coins
- Most metered areas only allow parking for 2 hours, so don't be surprised if the time cannot be adjusted
- If the meter is broken, don't park! If you park, you will be fined
How to use the meter:
0. Check nearby and on the meter for any instructions, because some blocks have free periods, and the meter will not be activated even if you put coins in the free period, and of course you will not get a refund
1. Put in coins/swipe the card, select the duration, press OK, and the countdown will start
2. Put the ticket printed out by the parking meter in the windshield ( some do not have it ).
Remember to come back on time . If you come back 5 minutes late, you may be towed or fined
. Video of using parking meters, 53 seconds long, the UP host is taking you to study
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1Rc411h77d Paid parking lot Similar to China, it is divided into pre-payment and post-payment Payment before parking: get a parking ticket at the entrance, find a self-service payment machine after parking, choose the time you want to park, pay, put the parking ticket in the windshield, and remember to come back within the time Payment after parking: get a parking ticket at the entrance, pay according to the time when leaving ( the exit is also a self-service machine, swipe the card ), which is actually more reassuring. Free parking lot Supermarkets such as Walmart, or outlets/shopping centers are all free parking Some restaurants/shopping centers also have rules for how long you can park for free after consumption. The English keyword is free with validation ( for example, the parking ticket taken from the parking lot, let the store scan the code after consumption ) Hotel parking lot 1. Most hotels charge parking fees, ranging from 20-50 US dollars, so be mentally prepared 2. Some hotels in the United States are very large, and it takes 10-15 minutes to walk from the parking lot back to the hotel lobby, so valet parking is very popular , but you have to tip the staff when you retrieve the car.
Traffic Violations and Accidents in the United States
Q. What should I do if I receive a ticket for illegal parking or other reasons?
This type of ticket is usually clipped on the windshield/sticked on the glass
. There is a payment website on the ticket, please pay it in time.
Most car rental companies are not responsible for paying
tickets on behalf of others. Sample of ticket- by Garlic Baby
Q. What if I didn't pay the ticket at the time and lost the ticket?
This is very troublesome. Don't lose it. Pay it online on the same day as the ticket. If you can't pay it online, go to the place written above to pay it on the spot!
If you really lose it, please study this article by yourself
https://www.motorists.org/blog/w ... ic-speeding-ticket/
http://www.dmv.org/ny-new-york/lost-traffic-ticket.php
Generally, contact the agency to which the ticket belongs or the local court, ask for the ticket number and then pay it
Q. What should I do if I receive a ticket email after returning to China?
For example, I took a toll road or was photographed by an electronic eye
. This needs to be paid. Please consult the car rental company for specific methods
Q. What should I do if I am stopped by the police for speeding or other illegal driving on the road?
1. If a police car flashes behind you, turn on the lights ( if you don't, you will get another ticket ), pull over, don't pretend you didn't see it
2. After parking, don't get out of the car ( otherwise, be prepared to be shot in the head by the police uncle ), don't unbuckle your seat belt ( another ticket ), keep your hands on the steering wheel and wait, and don't lower your head to open the drawer or search your pockets for your ID before the police ask you for your ID ( the police uncle will pull out his gun and load it again... )
3. In most cases, you are stopped for speeding. The police will ask you if you know how fast you are driving? If you say you know you will be fined, he will tell you how fast you are driving and continue to issue a ticket... Basically, just keep a normal attitude and be prepared to spend money to avoid disaster ( if you are clear about American laws and have a reason to fight for it, of course you can; if you are beautiful, of course you can try to act cute ) But making nonsense, insulting the police's IQ, and threatening the police will be taken away for a 2-day tour of the police station. In addition, if your English is not good, don't guess and say yes randomly. If you don't understand the question, just say that your English is not good. Ask him to repeat. If the repetition is not clear, ask him to write or find a way.
How to be pulled over, the length of the video is 4 minutes and 21 seconds, and the UP host is Lu Deqing
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV15b411q7xd Various experiences of being issued tickets, the length of the video is 4 minutes and 54 seconds, and the UP host is Chun Ge from the Eastern United States There are few subtitles, and you need to wear headphones https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1Ei4y1x7Cv Q. What should I do if an accident occurs on the road? Call 911, and then remember the other party's driver's license number, car license plate, insurance number, other party's address, name and other information, license plate, and call the rental car company at the same time. Generally, you are asked to go to the nearest office for vehicle inspection. Q. Problems such as flat tires that cannot be driven? Call the rental car company to handle it. If the rental car company cannot solve it, let the police help you contact the towing service. The cost of repairing a car in the United States is very high, so it is very important to buy full insurance.
Driving safety in the U.S.
- Cars are smashed very often !!! Don't leave any valuables in your car!!!
- Choose a good parking spot, dirty or remote streets have a high chance of being smashed
- If your car is smashed, you should first consult the rental company ( the rental company usually needs an electronic or paper certificate from the police; then they will send a car over (waiting time is long) or go to the nearest store to change the car; if you have insurance, there is no extra charge for changing the car ), lost things cannot be found, and if you lose your passport, you can only go to the embassy to apply for a temporary travel permit before you can return to China ( please save a photo of your passport/ID card on your phone )
Reference video: 6 minutes and 27 seconds long, the UP host is Uncle's Bizarre Adventures
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1s54y1S7yg - Always stop at intersections, and when a branch road enters the main road, you must give way if you see a straight vehicle on the main road, because the other party will assume that you will definitely give way - Go to the gas station during the day, try not to go at night - Try not to walk at night, especially near national parks, elk/bison are likely to cross the road - Always pay attention to the road conditions. Sometimes the climate changes significantly within a few dozen miles. Many accidents are caused by driving at a high speed on a frosty road . - Don't honk your horn for a small matter on the road ( it is not uncommon to be shot because of traffic problems. You don't know if the other party is taking drugs or has a broken brain... ); - If you encounter a robbery, please take the initiative to hand over your property. Don't make unnecessary physical or verbal resistance in the country of guns.
About driving in the United States
- If your car breaks down on the road, you should call the rental company first . If you have insurance, they may drive a new car over, or let you drive to a nearby store to exchange the car.
- The road conditions in the suburbs are very good, and the roads are often straight. Be careful not to speed. - There are also traffic jams
during rush hour and holidays in the United States. - If you have booked a time to go to a certain place to participate in a project, you must take into account the time difference ( the United States has 4 time zones ) and daylight saving time ( from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, the watch will be set forward 1 hour. Arizona and Hawaii do not use daylight saving time ) - Each state in the United States has its own license plate. For example, Florida is orange ~ End ~ Thank you for reading, and I wish you all have fun! *⸜( •ᴗ• )⸝* To support us in creating more guides , you can: When a friend is going on a trip, recommend American Travel to him/her ~ You can also scan the appreciation code on WeChat and buy the author a cup of coffee~ Update log: 2021.12 Made a simple revision 2020.7 Improved some details and added a lot of videos 2018.7 Improved the overall, especially added American traffic signs