US Oh: Things To Know When Renting A Car Outside America

You’ve got a trip of a lifetime planned and need to rent a car. How else do you expect to see twelve countries in twelve weeks and stay on schedule? Come on man; public transport just isn’t going to cut it.

Anyway, there’s nothing like the freedom and independence on having your own whip in a foreign country. It’s an experience that will stay with you forever. Of course, you want to remember it for the right reasons and not the wrong ones. Not to say cars outside of the US are weird, but they’re not the same!

Try and keep the following in mind.

Oh God, It’s A Manual

Yep, the Europeans are especially into manual cars because they like the feeling of going through the gears. Show-offs. So, the likelihood is that your rental will have a stick shifter unless otherwise advertised. And, it’s not as if you can learn on the job as that’s how an auto accident happens. Sorry, but automatics and manuals are two separate beasts. Make sure you don’t need to change gears yourself if you have never driven one before or haven’t done it in years. There should be a box you can tick online or you can call them personally.

Right-Hand Drive, Left-Hand Side Of The Road

Thankfully, British colonialism didn’t take over the world as those pesky Brits did themselves. Driving on the left-hand side of the road must have been a bridge too far for everybody. Still, while the majority of the world follows the same rules as America, some prefer the UK style. If you’re going to be in Australia, New Zealand, India or Thailand, for example, you’ll need to get used to the change. And, if you’re visiting Britain itself, be careful of roundabouts. Traffic comes from the right and you need to yield.

International License To Drive

It sounds sexy like it should be a line in a James Bond movie, but it’s not that exotic. In short, countries don’t always accept a US license as proof of validity. Some require you to apply for an international permit to get behind the wheel. If any of the countries you’re traveling to follow this rule, don’t take it lightly. There are severe penalties in place for driving illegally and putting other people’s wellbeing at risk. Research the requirements online and make sure you have the correct license. After all, you don’t want to be shaken and stirred up by the local police force.

Conversion Rate

Nope, this isn’t a reference to the local currencies but a nod to the metric system. While miles per hour is the method at home, lots of (European) countries use the kilometers per hour technique instead. Don’t worry because nobody expects you to do quick and complicated sums in your head. Almost every dial has the speed in Km. Still, you have to remember to use the right measurement.

Otherwise, cameras will clock you going too fast and you’ll get fined, and that’s no way to enjoy your trip.