h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

There is a saying in Texas, "the right of way goes to the biggest truck" or alternatively, "the right of way goes to the biggest gun."
In Texas, successful driving requires a great deal of personal intimidation.

agreed, you must remember that concealed handguns are legal here in Texas, so you must be cautious (although i would worry more about those people who have the guns but not the licenses).
depending on what part of Texas you are in, you should change your driving style significantly.

Houston - agressive, fast, and dont look when changing lanes or signal

Dallas - almost like Houston, but looking first

Austin - much calmer, signalling is done (mostly), people watch out for others, and even allow people in a lane, but now they go too damn slow (unless they are male college students) CAUTION: Austin is quickly on its way to becoming like Dallas.

Fort Worth - decent speed, signalling, being courteous, but no one on the streets after 10PM.

thats all i can give my $.02 on, so anyone want to comment on El Paso (not really Texas though), San Antonio, or the hick town they live in?

kalu

Corpus Christi:

For some reason, most of the shops lining the streets have their own entrances, but you cannot get from one shop to another without getting on the main road first. This means that there is someone trying to get on the main road every five feet, and as a result, no one on the main road wants to let anyone else in. There are two popular strategies for getting onto the main road, both of which are sure to draw a few shots from the concealed handguns kalu mentioned:

1) Slowly, SLOWLY pull out into the right lane of traffic. You should be going slow enough that you cover less than three or four inches per hour. In a few days you will be far enough out so that someone will have to either let you in, or hit you.

2) Pull out into any lane of traffic as soon as you feel you are ready. Make sure you are looking anywhere other than the road, such as looking at an interersting tree, or at the floor behind your seat.

What about the "biggest hat" (Wearing your hat)?

Foreign visitors to Texas should be made wary of the "Texas Courtesy Law" -- which goes something like this:

When on a one-lane per direction rural road with a shoulder, *ALWAYS* pull onto the shoulder and allow the person behind you to pass if they're going faster. Otherwise, you risk being shot, run off the road, marked for crucifiction, and/or subpoenaed. Believe me on this.

i feel that i need to clarify on this a little. if it is a road like wonko stated, w/ one lane going each way, and the lines in the middle are dotted, and there is little to no traffic going the other way, then you dont really need to pull all the way over to let faster cars pass, just pull slightly over to the side while maintaining the same speed, and they will happily pass you when no cars are coming from the other direction. if there is a lot of traffic, you can pull over fully to let them by, or, if there is a lot of traffic going both ways, just make them deal with it, b/c they would only get one car further anyway (however the other driver might not see it this way and want you to pull to the side anyway).
if it is a double yellow line that is not dotted, that means that passing is illegal, so pull to the shoulder area to let them by, or run the risks that wonko previously stated.
easy!

kalu

It should also be noted that the reason they are going faster than you is that you may not know the Texas Driving Rule #1, which is always drive 5 mph over the speed limit. If you don't do this you may be shot, run off the road, ect.

When driving in San Antonio location is an importent consideration.
281,410,1604,10&35: less than 80 mph (about 120 kph for the rest of the world) is the minimum speed limit, going slower may soon be a capitol offence

south side: fast, windows up, preffable with bulletproof glass, and looking straight ahead, be very courtous as the people around are probly carring larger guns than your usual texan

Hollywood park: Driving here is as normal as any where else with the exception that the suburb of hollywood park belives its' self independent from the rest of the city and any one driving on its roads had better well pay for it weather by living and/or working there or byh paying the ticket the cop wrote you for driving across to get to the freeway. be prepared with plausable excusses because if the local police types do not regonize your car as a resident they will pull you over to find out what you are doing.

things to watch out for. the cop tailgating in the left lane
the 40 mexicans (not being racist but it really does seem this way) riding in 1 mid sized car
the teenager driving the rather largeish 4X4 with roll bars often needed
left exits on the freeway

but most of all ----HAVE FUN----