(HDM=Official State of Hawai'i Drivers Manual)

Hawai'i offers some of the most diverse driving experiences you can find. Roads covered with flowers, sometimes water from the ocean or rivers, snow (yes snow!), lava rock, multitudes of various animals both domestic and wild, insects and sometimes the trees and plants, when the trade winds kick up. Scenery so diverse that you can imagine yourself in Northern California while driving the winding roads lined with eucalyptus and oak trees, cut through fields of golden waving grass, on the Parker Ranch on the Big Island of Hawai'i.  Or you might think you have traveled back to prehistoric times to view a lush Grand Canyon while driving along Waimea Canyon on Kauai.   The islands offer views of seemingly endless: black lava, white and black sand beaches, tropical forests, and also barren and active volcanic wastelands.  It is that very diversity that helps create the challenge for drivers new to the Islands. Learning about the uniqueness of the Islands will directly relate to your ability to have a positive experience while visiting the "Sandwich Islands."

Don’t TAILGATE! It may be common in big cities but not so much here. It’s not appreciated; it’s dangerous and getting from one place to the next in the shortest amount of time is not why you came here! Chill out.

CAR HORNS are generally ornamental here, i.e. rarely are they used, except maybe to say "aloha" to someone you know in passing. You may notice the response of drivers when the traffic light turns green and the car in front doesn’t notice right away:  they often wait until they do (unless of course they went to sleep).

HITCH-HIKING in Hawai'i is illegal. This is why you see people just standing on the side of the road without a thumb out. Sometimes they solicit you with a wave or a shaka (see below). Locals know that they need a ride just by them standing there, and often stop for them.

No, that wasn’t someone giving you "da fingers"!   It’s actually the thumb and pinkie finger held up and is called a "shaka".   As with many Hawai'ian words, it has several meanings in English, including hello, have-a-good-day, take care, chill-out, hey br'ah (brother)... (see the

Wearing SEAT BELTS is the law in Hawai'i - enough said.

People often wear only flip-flops for FOOT WEAR here (or go barefoot). If you drive barefoot, keep some kind of foot gear in the car with you when you go to the beach.  If for no other reason than to help protect you from some of the flora on the islands that inconveniently drop very sharp thorns.  Like the Kaiwe tree, which likes to reside at beaches and drops long grayish thorns that can easily go right through flip flops are even tennis shoes!

Yes, that was the whole family (including the dogs) in the back of that pickup. PICKUPS are very common on the Islands and are often used for family transportation, although it’s now illegal to have small children ride in the back of pickups by themselves.

DOUBLE SOLID YELLOW LINES in the road center indicate passing is prohibited in both directions. You may cross them only to make a left turn (pg. 33 HDM).

DOUBLE SOLID WHITE LINES are not to be crossed - period (pg. 35 HDM).

SINGLE SOLID WHITE LINES indicate crossing them may be dangerous, although you can with caution and good reason (The wider the white line the greater the caution you should take)(pg. 34 HDM).

TRAFFIC ISLANDS are painted designs on the roadway used for traffic direction or "pedestrian islands of safety." You are not allowed to drive over or onto them (pg. 38 HDM).

TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS resulting in injury, death or property damage of $1,000 or more must be promptly reported to the police. You must also take all the other reasonable steps -- like move your vehicle off the active roadway, if possible; stay at the scene to identify yourself; and render assistance if necessary (pg. 52 HDM).

COLLISIONS WITH UNATTENDED VEHICLES require you to at least attempt to locate and inform the owner. If unsuccessful, you need to leave a note containing your name, address and description of what happened on the damaged vehicle (pg. 52 HDM).

There is some CITY DRIVING in the Islands which will require you to be alert and navigate through some complex driving situations: *Honolulu, Oahu, of course, with its traffic jams and multi-lane freeways.  But also, at rush-hour or special event times, places like *Kahului, Kihei and Lahaina on Maui and *Kona-Kailua and *Hilo on the Big Island of Hawai'i. (*airport cities)

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