Hello pcbene-ga,
Let?s dig a bit deeper into your road trip and see what we can find for you, eh?
You?re starting in Charlottesville, Virginia and going to Bridgeport, Connecticut.
According to Google Maps, this is a 8 hour and 12 minute drive. The
total distance is 401 miles long.
(http://local.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=charlottesville+VA&daddr=Bridgeport,+CT&ie=UTF8&z=6&ll=39.588757,-75.827637&spn=6.230359,14.985352&om=1)
You will have a driver with you that meets the minimum age and
relationship requirements of all the states you will be passing thru.
We know that from your other question.
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=778528
You have insurance; you?ll be wearing your seatbelt, and no cell phone
usage ? even hands free, so all of those requirements are met as well.
I?m going to say this trip is going to take you o hours, to factor in
food and restroom breaks. I am NOT factoring in traffic holdups
however ? there?s no way to guess that. So, let?s plot your course
and time frames and make sure you?re covered.
Now the beginning of your trip?.
We?ll start with VA.
?The driver accompanying you may be 18 years of age if he or she is
your legal guardian, brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister,
step-brother or step-sister. The driver accompanying you must hold a
valid driver's license, be alert and able to assist you and be legally
permitted to drive.? They also must be awake and alert and not under
the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Curfew for VA is Midnight to 4 AM. That?s not a worry for you
according to the fact you?re leaving about 3 PM. Actually, as long as
you have your Dad with you in VA, it?s not a worry at all.
Curfew exceptions:
# in case of an emergency;
# when traveling to and from work or a school-sponsored event;
# when accompanied by a parent or other adult acting in place of a parent;
# when responding to an emergency call as a volunteer firefighter or
rescue squad personnel.
Passenger restrictions do not apply as well since it?s your Brothers
in the car with you as backseat riders.
?Learner's permit holders may not carry more than one passenger under
age 18. Passenger restrictions do not apply to family members.?
http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/citizen/drivers/learners.asp (VA DMV
page on Learners Permits)
Here is a ?Do you know your VA road signs: quiz from the DMV.
http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/citizen/drivers/roadsigns/roadsign.asp
Here is a PDF file for parents about teen drivers, laws, and parental
responsibilities.
http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/pdf/dmv16.pdf
Young Driver FAQ
http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/general/safety/youngdriver/faq.asp
According to Google Maps you should get from Charlottesville to
Washington DC in about 2 hours 30 minutes with no stops. This should
put you there about 5:30 in the heart of DC. Please remember the
route Google Maps gives me, may not be your route, so these times are
all estimates. You?ll be dealing with a lot of Washington DC Commuter
and rush hour traffic during your drive into and out of Washington DC,
so PLEASE be careful. If you have not driven in heavy traffic before,
you may want to ask Dad to drive through the city of Washington DC.
Now that we?re into Washington DC, here is a list of construction
street closures that may affect your trip. Double check your route
against this to avoid any unnecessary delays.
http://dc.gov/closures/closures_by_type.asp?type=4
http://dc.gov/closures/closures_by_type.asp?type=5
One is for street closures, the other for highways.
I spoke with the Washington DC DMV and they said that you?re under the
regulations of your VA permit while in DC. So any Permit Laws for VA
are also applicable in DC. So, no driving after midnight is the only
one different from DC, which is 9PM.
Here is the Washington DC Driver?s Handbook.
http://www.dmv.org/washington-dc/driver-handbook.php
Washing DC has Photo Enforcement at their traffic lights.
?Metropolitan Police Department has set up red light traffic cameras
and speed cameras at various intersections. An automated camera snaps
a photo of the offending car, and the motorist will receive a ticket
in the mail.?
http://www.dmv.org/washington-dc/other-license-info.php
Be aware of this, not that you?ll be running any lights, right?
From the center of Washington DC it should take you about 1 hour
approx. to get to the Baltimore, Maryland area. (Once again, this is
just estimates based on the route Google Maps gave me) I bet it will
take a bit longer because of traffic ? I?m going to estimate you?ll be
here about 7 PM or so.
So, let?s talk about Maryland.
Here is the Driver?s Handbook for the state so that you may know their
laws and signs.
http://www.marylandmva.com/OnlineServices/Docs/default.htm#DL_002AMVA
I spoke with the Maryland MVA and they stated you?ll follow the rules
of your permit (adult driver, curfew, etc) for VA as that is your
issuing state. So, no driving in MD between midnight and 4 AM, which
does not sound like a problem.
So, from the Baltimore, MD area thru Philadelphia, PA area should take
about 2 hours by my estimates. That should get you there about 9:00
PM.
Let?s talk about PA. I called the PENNDOT at 1-717-412-5300 to ask
them a few questions. You will be following the VA laws for your
permit while you drive through PA. So, you?ll have the same midnight
to 4 AM curfew. You?re still fine it seems on this schedule.
Here is the PA Driver?s Handbook for laws and rules of the state.
https://www.dot4.state.pa.us/drivers_manual/pa_driversman.shtml
Next leg of the trip I?ve plotted is from the Philadelphia, PA area to
the edge of NY/CT. Greenwich, CT to be exact. This should be the area
that starts the Merritt Parkway. In this section we?ll talk about NY
laws and such. This leg of the trip should take about 2 hours approx.
That should put you there about 11 PM.
I spoke with the NY DMV at 1-518-473-5595 about your permit and the
applicable rules.
You will be following the rules of VA since that is where your permit
was issued. So, no driving after midnight, etc.
Here is the NY Driver?s Manual.
http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/brochure.htm
From the Greenwich, Ct area to the Bridgeport, CT area is about 40
minutes of driving.
This should put you there approx 11:45 PM to midnight.
I spoke with the CT DMV at 1-860-263-5700. You will be following the
law of VA since it is the state that issued your permit. So, no
driving after midnight.
Here is the CT handbook for laws and such
http://www.ct.gov/dmv/cwp/view.asp?a=837&q=245446
The end of the NY and CT sections are just where you need to be aware
if it gets after midnight, you?re driving illegally. So, make sure if
traffic backs your arrival time after midnight, Dad needs to drive.
There is the exception to the curfew if a parent is in the vehicle,
but to be on the safe side, don?t drive after midnight, let Dad have a
turn ?
You mentioned you?ll be on the Merritt Parkway ? which is described as
?Route 15 from the New York State line northerly to the bridge
crossing the Housatonic River (known as the Sikorsky Bridge) at the
Stratford/Milford town line. (Route 15 continues northerly, but is
named the Wilbur Cross Parkway from the bridge north.)?
http://www.byways.org/browse/byways/2452/travel.html
The speed limit for this road is between 45 and 55 miles per hour.
There is also an 8 foot vehicle height limit on this road due to many
low overpasses. Here are the vehicle restrictions for it.
http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?A=2137&Q=294976
It is a heavy commuter road as well, so be prepared for some traffic.
I hope this helps! Have a safe and fun trip!
Google Searches used were:
Merritt Parkway
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬___________ DMV (the blank is the state name)
If this answer requires further explanation, please request
clarification before rating it, and I'll be happy to look into this
further.
Nenna-GA
Google Answers Researcher |
