USA: By car
For many people, the concept of cruising down a highway, preferably in an open-top convertible with the radio blaring, is one of the main reasons to set out on a tour of the US. The romantic images of countless road movies, from Bonnie and Clyde to Thelma and Louise , are not far from the truth, though you don't have to embark on a wild spree of drink, drugs, crime and murder to enjoy driving across America. Apart from anything else, a car makes it possible to choose your own itinerary and to explore the wide-open landscapes that may well provide your most enduring memories of the continent.Driving in the cities , on the other hand, is not exactly fun, but places tend to be so large that a car is by far the most convenient way to negotiate your way around, especially as public transportation may be spotty outside the major cities. Many cities, especially in the West, have grown up and assumed their present shapes since cars were invented. They sprawl for so many miles in all directions - Los Angeles and Houston are classic examples - that your hotel may be fifteen or twenty miles from the sights you came to see, or perhaps simply on the other side of a freeway that can't be crossed on foot. Only in a few cities, more often in the East, are the main attractions and facilities concentrated within walking distance of each other. Even in smaller towns the motels may be six miles or more out along the interstate, and the restaurants in a brand-new shopping mall on the far side of town.
Drivers wishing to rent cars are supposed to have held their licenses for at least one year (though this is rarely checked); people under 25 years old may encounter problems, and will probably get stuck with a higher than normal insurance premium. Car rental companies will also expect you to have a credit card; if you don't have one, they may let you leave a hefty deposit (at least $200), but don't count on it. The likeliest tactic for getting a good deal is to phone the major firms' toll-free numbers and ask for their best rates - most will try to beat the offers of their competitors, so it's worth haggling.
In general the lowest rates are available at the airport branches - $140 a week for a compact is a fairly standard budget rate, but rates are always more expensive in the Northeast. Always be sure to get free unlimited mileage. Leaving the car in a different city from the one in which you rent it is likely to incur a drop-off charge - as much as $200 or more, but these rules vary greatly depending on the rental company. Also, don't automatically go for the cheapest rate, as there's a big difference in the quality of cars from company to company; industry leaders like Alamo, Hertz and Avis tend to have newer, lower-mileage cars, often with air conditioning and stereo cassette decks as standard equipment - no small consideration on a 2000-mile desert drive.
Alternatively, various local companies rent out new and not so new vehicles. They are certainly cheaper than the big chains if you just want to spin around a city for a day, but free mileage is not included, so they work out far more costly for long-distance travel. Look for them in the Yellow Pages of the telephone directory.
When you rent a car, read the small print carefully for details on Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) , sometimes called Liability Damage Waiver (LDW), usually included in the price if you pre-pay outside the US, but well worth considering if it isn't. This form of insurance specifically covers the car that you are driving yourself - you are in any case insured for damage to other vehicles. At $9-13 a day, it can add substantially to the total cost, but without it you're liable for every scratch to the car - even those that aren't your fault. Some credit card companies offer automatic CDW coverage to Americans and Canadians using their card; read the fine print beforehand in any case.
Increasing numbers of states (New York for one) are requiring that this insurance be included in the weekly rental rate, and are regulating the amounts charged to cut down on rental-car company profiteering. Companies are also becoming more particular about checking up on the driving records of would-be renters and refusing to rent to high-risk drivers.
Another policy that rental companies try to get you to accept (and they've trained their staff to drive fear deep into your soul about this one) is liability cover if you cause injury to others while in a rental car. This usually costs around the same as CDW and when both these are taken together with taxes can double the cost of the rental. It's worth reading the small print of your holiday insurance to see if you are covered: the American Express annual Premier Plus policy, available only to UK residents, includes up to $50,000 CDW coverage and $1 million top-up liability (tel 0800/0287574 in the UK) and the policy pays for itself in two weeks.
In case you break down in a rented car, call the emergency number pinned to the dashboard. Otherwise, sit tight and wait for the highway patrol or state police, who cruise by regularly. Raising your car hood is a call for assistance, although women traveling alone should be wary of doing this. Another tip, for women especially, is to rent a mobile telephone from the car rental agency - you often have to pay only a nominal amount until you actually use it; in larger cities they increasingly come built into the car. Having a phone can be reassuring at least, and a potential lifesaver should something go wrong.
More about By car:
Driving for foreigners
Driveaways
Renting an RV
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