Indian License to ride in the USA.

[mukulbhat]

Dear All,

I have opportunity to travel to USA (San Jose) for a weeklong.
Can I hire a motorcycle and ride in the USA.

More Importantly: Is Indian Driving License recognized in the USA??

Happy to recive your suggestions/comments/experiences please...


Regards,
Mukul Bhat

[sunilg]

Query approved.

[cmahajan]

Read this:

http://www.arjunprabhu.com/blog/archives/2007/10/24/driving-in-usa-with-indian-driving-license/

[aargee]

I used to drive in US with my Indian driving license. From my experience...
- Indian or any driving license is valid in US provided its printed in English
- Upto a period of 1 year

Go ahead & enjoy

If you're still skeptical, go ahead & apply an IDL from US website that will require you to pay a nominal fee & a scanned copy of your existing driving license. IDL's main purpose is to convert regional language into English. But, if your license is in English, you don't even need that.

[bluevolt]

Any Indian license (booklet/card etc type) is accepted in the USA. But the license clearly has to be endorsed for motorcycles. In case the rental agency has any doubts, they might ask you to demonstrate your riding skills.

And make sure you buy all the insurance covers available, along renting a GPS unit.

An extensive study of US traffic laws will help. I would not recommend driving/riding in the US if you are going there for the first time. Make sure you first sit in the front of a car with the driver for at least a week and understand how the system works before you go out and rent a motor vehicle.

[n_aditya]

I would not recommend driving/riding in the US if you are going there for the first time. Make sure you first sit in the front of a car with the driver for at least a week and understand how the system works before you go out and rent a motor vehicle.

+1. Its not easy driving on the wrong side of the road. Overtaking from the left is not an issue since in India one overtakes from left, right and center and wherever space permits.

Take it easy, and like BV mentioned sit it out for a week or so with someone and get a hang of the traffic. The speeds there are much higher and a small error can be unforgiving.

[ilanjai]

+1. Its not easy driving on the wrong side of the road. Overtaking from the left is not an issue since in India one overtakes from left, right and center and wherever space permits.

Take it easy, and like BV mentioned sit it out for a week or so with someone and get a hang of the traffic. The speeds there are much higher and a small error can be unforgiving.

+1. How many opportunities will you be getting to ride a Bike in US considering the weather conditions? Car is a more safer mode for commuting.

[vivekpetrohead]

Before i went to US for a small trip, i got something called as a International Driving Permit (IDP) issued by the RTO in Pune.

I had rented a car and drove. You have to put in extra effort when driving / riding there. But in my opinion, keeping the IDP would be an added advantage. Gets issued withing 24 hrs or same day.

[bluevolt]

+1. Its not easy driving on the wrong side of the road. Overtaking from the left is not an issue since in India one overtakes from left, right and center and wherever space permits.

Take it easy, and like BV mentioned sit it out for a week or so with someone and get a hang of the traffic. The speeds there are much higher and a small error can be unforgiving.

Actually driving on the other side of the road is not so much a problem. It is the lane changes (when/where), keeping an eye on exits on freeways(and which lane to move before doing that), bike (cycle) lane rules, peds, amber signs, right of way and legal U-turns which one has to watch out for. And without a GPS, one will be helpless. Completely.

[RAK]

If you have very less time in US then I would suggest you to play GTA and learn.

[daxim]

I don't mean to curb your enthusiasm. If this is your first visit to the US, don't bother driving. There is lots of fun to be had without worrying about wheels. Having said that...

Don't know about motorcycles, but, I've driven cars from multiple rental agencies with an Indian driving license. They don't care as long as you can show them a license.

From what I have experienced, you need a week (at least) to get a hang of the place, to know which direction to drive and so on. GPS or not, you WILL get lost. One wrong/missed exit and you'll have to drive ahead until you get the next one. California is not like states like Texas where everything is fairly straight. I've driven extensively in the Bay area and for a first timer it is very easy to lose your sense of direction and place.

And those roads are not the kind where you can generally stop and ask someone.When the traffic moves, you better be moving too. As someone said above, you'll need to constantly monitor speed limits, lanes, traffic lights, etc. Lane driving is very seriously followed and it is very easy for us to disregard - especially in low traffic areas.

It is quite a culture shift when driving... for instance, when we ask someone for address/directions here, we are told, go to so-and-so road and you'll find it after so-and-so landmark. There, the direction is given as an intersection of 2 roads (e.g. SH 249 and Cypresswood drive) because each of those are 25 miles long.

Net-net, don't worry about driving; stick to taxis/public transport/friends. Go and have fun.

[Enthusiast]

1st week of travel will be hectic as you will be going though JETLAG.

Best way to get on a motorcycle without risk would be to sign up for MOTORCYCLE SAFETY PROGRAM for as little as $150, motorcycle included.

California Motorcyclist Safety Program

All the very best, have fun.

[cool_dude_sunn_y]

As every other fellow xBhpian has suggested, i would re-iterate that since you are here for a week just stay away from motorcycles. I am not doubting your skills, i am sure you are very much capable and confident. Probably you will get the hang of opposite side driving but only problem you might face is the highways. Speeds are pretty high as compared to back in India and mostly car drivers cannot spot motorcyclists and with some experience only you can get used to riding here.

If you still want, take up a class or something. Here normally on the highways, god forbid but motorcyclists normally dont get a second chance :-|