The fact of driving in the Southwest (Southwest, USA)

When I planed the Southwest travel, I noticed that public transportation was crippling there. As for the train, only one transcontinental railway train a day runs. Routes and places of stopover of Greyhound bus are limited. How should I do ?

I drive a car well, but I could not make up my mind due to anxiety to right-hand traffic opponent to that of Japan. However, even if I racked my brain, I could not find other way. What will become of my travel?

As a result, I realized that even an inexperienced Japanese driver must drive the Southwest more easily than Japan. A road is straight and wide, and traffic is not heavy even in a big city.

And, a good driving manner. I hardly encountered with a car that exceeded the speed limit. Probably that must be due to a severe penalty system. On a highway in Japan, I often see a driver who overtakes at breakneck speed, but, in the Southwest, such drivers were just few during ten days’ travel. As long as I kept the same distance from a car ahead, I could drive at regulation speed almost. I have experienced that the same car travelled in front of my car over 100 kilometer. I always witnessed a good manner that a car gives way to a pedestrian and other car at a intersection without signal.　

Before traveling, I presumed American to be people who deem oneself to be the law and act as they please. I have to reflect on myself about that. Even a car driving was quite different from the image of USA that Japanese mass media reported.

That is something that I could know since I have experienced once. Before traveling, I had felt anxious about trivial things, but such things were not written in any books. So, I write about them for your information.

1. Driving on the right-hand side is all right for Japanese?
I have not failed to enter on the left-side lane while turing at a intersection since cars almost stopped temporarily. However, that might be different from individual to individual.

2. The sense of velocity in USA
In a downtown, they drive at 15 miles to 35 miles and rarely 45 miles a hour. In a highway, 75 miles ( 120 kilometers ) a hour. If the value of mile is replaced with the same value of kilometers, the sense of driving is the same as Japan, that is, 75 miles a hour is the same as the sense that they drive on a Japanese highway at 75 kilometers a hour.

3. Tip at a gas station
As a result, all gas stations were self- style, so a tip was unnecessary and a credit card is accepted. On the way of operation by a credit card, the machine required to enter ZIP code. I asked to a staff. He answered to be no problem to enter the Japanese postal code of my address. I was suspicious, but, oh wonder of wonders, I could advance to the next step. The Japanese postal code was universal.

4. During parking, a driver should remove a car navigation equipment and a side-view mirror?
As for that, I have red in a newspaper but that must have been a topic in a place like New York. It was a joke in the Southwest. While parking in a parking lot, no one did naughty things because there were no people walking around.

5. It is possible to take a nap ?
I often take a nap during a drive. In Japan, I am not involved in troubles even if I take a nap on any roadside. However, I was in USA. A nap on a roadside must be out of the question. After all, in a town, I used a parking lot at a big supermarket because many cars went in and out and a guard often watched. Meanwhile, in a highway, I took a nap at a gas station with a convenience store often located close to an interchange. It was very safe since a parking lot was monitored from the store. Incidentally, various fast foods are provided there. I highly recommend a chill beans burrito.

6. Adriver don’t lose the route ?
Setting other company apart, the car navigation of Hertz guides in Japanese. The guide in English was not so difficult to hear since it speaks slowly, but the guide in Japanese was better because I
doesn’t need to be sensitive. If entered the address, you can go to the destination without getting lost.

Through the drive in the Southwest, I realized that the Southwest was the region where they can travel only by car. A highway is free of charge and, if they have a car, they can go everywhere. That means to lose their freedom when they have no car and can’t drive. For good or for evil, it is USA.

I like a country where a train and a bus are developed and it is possible to read a book, have a meal and take a nap on the move and move around even if they become aged.

To Japanese Version

Google Maps

Transportation
Throughout the Southwest.

Link - Car Rental Company
Alamo
Avis
Budget
Hertz

Link - Transportation connecting cities
Amtrak
Greyhound

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2018.01 Photos and text in English version and Japanese version

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