Off to NY in August

[mattie]

Right, tickets all booked now - Brizzle to New Jersey (I think) return. Also got a room in the brooklyn bridge marriott waiting for me for the first few nights. good ol' expense account.

I have around 19 days to go from NY to Naples, Florida and back again. I reckon 3 days each way, sound about right? Leaves us just under the fortnight in Florida.

Savannah and Charlston on the map for one leg of the trip, cheers for that, any recommendations for Florida? Disneyworld (or is it disneyland?) is on the agenda, I'm afraid to say.

 

[mhendo]

On the car rental thing: i've lived in the US for a few years now, and i still don't have a US driver's licence. My Aussie licence is still valid, and i've never had a problem renting a car with it. I've never been asked for my passport, either. As long as you have the licence and a valid credit card, you should be fine.

Here's a couple of stories that might be of interest to you:

Tips for Finding the Best Deal on a Rental Car

Six Secrets Car Rental Companies Don't Want You to Know

Also, if you're from the UK, you might be accustomed to driving a manual, but your chances of getting a stick-shift from a car rental agency here are almost zero. Basically everything they have is an automatic.

One thing that is not likely to be a problem, but is worth considering if you like to smoke a bit of weed:

The interstate between Florida and New York, I-95, is one of the most popular drug-running routes in the US (guns too, between Virginia and New York), and the cops are constantly on the lookout for drug runners, especially in the southern states.

I'd strongly advise you not to carry any illegal substances, even a small amount of pot, in the car with you, and don't smoke before you drive either, because the smell of marijuana smoke is sufficient "reasonable suspicion" for an officer to detain you and bring in the drug-sniffing dogs. I don't want to seem like an alarmist, but the drug war can get pretty over-the-top here at times, and some jurisdictions have forfeiture laws that allow the cops to seize your property (including the car) if you're arrested on a drug charge. Some police departments have been known to derive a considerable proportion of their revenue from forfeiture laws, so they have an incentive to go after people.

 

[mattie]

On the car rental thing: i've lived in the US for a few years now, and i still don't have a US driver's licence. My Aussie licence is still valid, and i've never had a problem renting a car with it. I've never been asked for my passport, either. As long as you have the licence and a valid credit card, you should be fine.

Here's a couple of stories that might be of interest to you:

Tips for Finding the Best Deal on a Rental Car

Six Secrets Car Rental Companies Don't Want You to Know

Also, if you're from the UK, you might be accustomed to driving a manual, but your chances of getting a stick-shift from a car rental agency here are almost zero. Basically everything they have is an automatic.

One thing that is not likely to be a problem, but is worth considering if you like to smoke a bit of weed:

The interstate between Florida and New York, I-95, is one of the most popular drug-running routes in the US (guns too, between Virginia and New York), and the cops are constantly on the lookout for drug runners, especially in the southern states.

I'd strongly advise you not to carry any illegal substances, even a small amount of pot, in the car with you, and don't smoke before you drive either, because the smell of marijuana smoke is sufficient "reasonable suspicion" for an officer to detain you and bring in the drug-sniffing dogs. I don't want to seem like an alarmist, but the drug war can get pretty over-the-top here at times, and some jurisdictions have forfeiture laws that allow the cops to seize your property (including the car) if you're arrested on a drug charge. Some police departments have been known to derive a considerable proportion of their revenue from forfeiture laws, so they have an incentive to go after people.

Cheers, most useful. Re dodgy substances, the missus is a nurse and is painfully paranoid about anything illegal to do with controlled substances, so it won't be an issue.

 

[mattie]

I may be wrong but I remember something about peopel with international licences having probs, better to stick with a Uk one.

Another tip. Book the car before you go on a .uk website as it is way way cheaper than a .com one. The other thing is if you book it thru someone like airline network there are less restrictions on you. Example being if you book a car direct with Dollar for instance, you cant hire with a DUI on your licence until it is spent for 7 years or so, book thru a booking agent and you can hire straight away!!
If you book with Dollar, they have always been cheaper for me, pay the extra few quid for the platinum thingy as you get free tank of gas and extra driver for free.

Right, photo driver's license has arrived, car hire booking next on list. Will try Dollar, is the damage waiver a good plan? Not that I'm planning on wrecking it, but the missus will be a named driver and she takes a literal intepretation on what a bumper (fender is US English) is for.

 

[D]

Fender is the front end, bumper is the back in these here parts



at least, I think - I'm a cyclist