This is my experience in hiring a rent a car and this is what not to do. My misadventure took place in the late eighties. I was invited to see some friends a few hundred miles away. That time I resided in a little town in the country. I did not have a car and there was no direct convenient bus or train service to where my friends lived. I chose to take the bus, then hire a car, at the closest station available.

I went to the town where the car hire or rent a car place was situated. By the time I reached their office to rent the car, the sun had set and it was dark. I entered the office, to ask about renting a car. The owner had one available to go. It was a compact blue station wagon. Being dark outside I could not examine the car too well, but it appeared all right, so we got back to the office to do the paperwork. The car hire form had details about the car, how long I required to hire the car for, and the insurance coverage options, thus the business owner completed all that. I was certain that I decided to have the car and myself covered fully by insurance. I reckoned the insurance box was checked, as covered. He took an imprint of my credit card to pay for the car hire and that was it. He gave me the car keys, and I drove off.

I had a long way to drive in the night. My road took me through clifflike mountainous rural country side, to a large lake, where there was a ferryboat crossover.

At night when you are driving in a rural hilly area always be on the lookout for deer, moose and other animals straying along the road side. You would like to discover their small glowing eyes, thus you will be able to decelerate and be prepared to sheer to void hitting them. Occasionally deer get afraid by the noise and headlights of the car coming near and they prefer to scare away across the highway in front of you. You want to be set up to flap down on the breaks, so for not to damage the hired car you are traveling in.

Another good thought, particularly if you are driving at nighttime, is to carry a highway map of the region you are traveling through. So you are able to check off where you are and the places to turn ahead, thus you don’t make a wrong turn, like I did.

I made a wrong turn someplace on the way. Rather than driving the direct route to my destination, I finished up driving a diversionary route. It was nighttime and snow-covered, and I recognized that the road and country side, did not appear like where I should be. I continued driving and a sign appeared with the close town ahead and how far to go to get at that place. Then I understood, it was only a flimsy roundabout way or side trip for me. I felt a good deal better once reaching the next town, and recognized which direction to go. The rest of my trip went fine and I arrived safely at my destination.

I had a great weekend with my friends, catching up, going out to dinner.

The return trip was more exciting as it was daylight. I could enjoy the gorgeous country side. Every thing went well to begin with. I reached the last town before the lake ferry and I believed it might be a good idea to put petrol in the car, at that point, as it was a yearn distance to the next town with a gas station.

I checked the time, and it appeared as if there was just enough time to get hold of the ferry by driving a bit faster than usual. That was a misunderstanding. Give yourself more than decent time when using a car you’ve rented. So once again I’m driving over hilly rural terrain at the edge of a lake hurrying to get the ferry. I’m watching the scenery and my watch, doing reckonings of where it is I should be, and how long left to drive to catch the ferry. It appears as if I need to go speedier, so I do. I step on it. I’m going for to cut my time of travelling down to simply make it before the ferry departs.

This is unquestionably not the thing to do when driving a rented car, particularly in a rural area where there are birds around. While I am rushing down a hill a kind of big dark coloured bird dashes in front of the car. This is a big bird, almost the size of a chicken. At the high-velocity I am moving at I run into the bird. There was a disgusting popping sound as the car and bird clashed. The feathers and bird flew up and to the side of the car. I keep going and reach the ferry punctual. I drive on the ferry and park. Getting out to inspect the car grill, I experience a daze. There was a bombastic hole in the plastic car grill. Burst pieces of plastic and feathers indicated what had happened. So now I’m mad about the damage.

I proceed on my way to bring back the car to the car rental company. When I reach the rent-a-car place I have to tell the owner about the bird hit. He is not too impressed. We look at the rental form where the insurance section is not checked as covering the damage. The owner wants several hundred dollars and that charge comes up my credit card as well. So don’t do what I did.

Go to a major name car rental company. Be perfectly certain of your insurance coverage particulars. Check that you are covered for all damage. Know what the insurance deductible amount is. That is the amount that you will need to pay, before the insurance pays the balance of any damage. Read the form over cautiously a few times prior to sign it. Be a careful driver, and take your time. Have a great trip in the car you hire.