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Subject: 
Recreational vehicles and more questions about the US
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.geek
Date: 
Tue, 18 Apr 2000 17:06:50 GMT
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When traveling in Florida recently, I saw a lot of recreational
vehicles.  I realized before traveling to the US that everything "over
there" is large.  But those RV's were extraordinarily large.  Can you
drive such a vehicle with a normal license?

And what puzzled me the most was the cars being towed by the RV.  How
can you negotiate a turn with a vehicle hanging behind?  And why don't
all the rubber on the car hanging behind get torn off at every turn?
Or is there some kind of "magic" which turns the front wheels of the
car at the turns?

We ordered the smallest and cheapest car we could get, and were
somewhat surprised to find a brand new Sunfire waiting when we
arrived.  This would have been a medium large (non-family) car in
Norway, but when we hit the highway, we soon realized that we were
indeed in a small car.  I really wonder why people need to drive
around in oversized trucks all the time.  Do you normally haul large
items?

And the gas prices.  There were lot of moaning over the recent raise
in gas prices, but please keep in mind that home where I live, gas
prices are _still_ much more than twice as steep!  And Norway is a
major oil producing country.  Of course, with the large vehicles you
drive, I can understand the gas expenses is a major part of the
household budget.

Oh, and the tipping system had me a bit puzzled too.  This varies a
bit in Europe as well, but mostly you get away with a small (10% or
even less) tip if you find the service good.  Normally it's not
obligatory.  In the US, you're supposed to tip in non-fast food
places, right?  So how about Pizza Hut, which is basically a fast food
restaurant in my opinion?  We tipped, but judging from the reaction of
the staff, they don't normally get much tip?

All in all, we had a very nice trip around in Florida and the Deep
South, but we had a tad bit too much driving and fast food in my
opinion.  But both were quite hard to avoid, it seemed.

Fredrik



Message has 5 Replies:
  Re: Recreational vehicles and more questions about the US
 
(...) As far as I know, yes. There are some variations, though. My grandparents bought a bus (a Greyhound) and had it converted into an RV/Mobile home, and I'm pretty sure they had to have a different license for it. (...) It's just the same as a (...) (24 years ago, 18-Apr-00, to lugnet.off-topic.geek)
  Re: Recreational vehicles and more questions about the US
 
Fredrik, (...) As far as I know, you don't need a special license. (...) You put the car in nuetral, so the wheels turn when the RV turns, I believe. It depends on the towing apparatus as well. (...) Heh heh, I don't have an oversized vehicle, (...) (24 years ago, 18-Apr-00, to lugnet.off-topic.geek)
  Re: Recreational vehicles and more questions about the US
 
(...) Part of the reason is that the US government heavily subsidizes most, if not all, of the automotive industry. I once read the US local/state/federal governments shell out between ten and 15 thousand dollars per vehicle on a US road. This money (...) (24 years ago, 20-Apr-00, to lugnet.off-topic.geek)
  Re: Recreational vehicles and more questions about the US
 
(...) Yes, you can with a normal license, or at least in Florida. I remember renting one a while back. Quite an adventure. We didn't tow a car though. (...) American RV's are huge, but the European-imported RVs, Volkswagen EuroVan Camper (I think it (...) (24 years ago, 22-Apr-00, to lugnet.off-topic.geek)
  Re: Recreational vehicles and more questions about the US
 
In lugnet.off-topic.geek, Fredrik Glöckner writes: Hehee.. it sure can be edcuational seeing the US through other eyes :) (...) Well, I can't compare to Norway because I haven't been there, but there are plenty of small apartments over here. You (...) (24 years ago, 26-Apr-00, to lugnet.off-topic.geek)

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