Introduction

Driving in the USA and Canada

Other than in the big cities, roads are fairly free of traffic and driving is generally a pleasure. You can usually maintain a steady speed all day with few problems and no fatigue.

Outside towns even relatively minor roads normally have wide hard shoulders. Roads in towns are usually very wide.

In summer, it's a good idea to wear sunglasses when driving so as to cut down the reflected glare from the road surface.

It's also a good idea to obtain a folding cardboard sunshade for the windscreen, in order to make the car more comfortable and to make it possible to hold the steering wheel after a stop in the sun. Good cheap sources for these shades include K-Mart and Walmart.

Even a small American or Canadian town can extend over a very large area, making walking impractical.

Other than in the centre of a large town car parking is extremely convenient, with each shop or restaurant having its own free open air car park.

Motels and fast food restaurants are usually situated a considerable distance from the centre of a town, often stretching for several miles along the main highways or the access roads from an Interstate.