To The Left

Last night I drove about a mile on the freaking left side of the road--it was terrifying! There is just something wrong about having the steering wheel on the right side of the car. Dan also has a manual transmission, so I had to learn how to shift gears with my left hand, say what?! I think driving a stick is hard enough when you don't drive one often (um, 16 whilst on vacation in the Philippines was the last time I did it), but forcing me to learn with the wrong hand annnnnnnnnnnd learning to drive on the wrong side of the road is asking a lot of me. Perhaps it is just me.

We started out on our little road. There's a grassy circle in the middle of our street; not quite a cul-de-sac, but pretty much is. So I drove around there a few times--easy peasy. Did I mention I would only move if there were no cars driving at the same time? Yup, that's me--gently pulling over to the side to help others get to where they are going. I also would like to say that I am an excellent listener (Dan would probably say otherwise). So I did a little reverse, and drove straight, and I was assuming he was going to tell me to turn at the circle. Nope, he said nothing, and we continued to go straight to the main road--more cars!!! I immediately start yelling, "You aren't telling me what to do!" and "We are going to the main street and I'm afraid of cars!" Dan tells me to turn left, and I did. I stopped our little red Ford Fiesta at the the main road, and silly me for assuming that Dan and I would swap spots so he could drive us home. Nope, he tells me to turn either right of left. I tell him left cause that is easiest. He then yells at me to pull up more to the main street so I can see if the coast is clear--I stall, woot! I start the poor Ford Fiesta again, and we are off. Dan kept telling me to go 40, I was going 30 and freaking out as there were cars wizzing by me on my right and a car behind me. I just cry that I want to go home and that cars scare me and that this is terrifying. We pull into a neighborhood down the road, and Dan's directions become more frustrating as he would tell me to turn too late for me to prepare to turn. I stall yet again, then drive back to the main road--this time I need to turn right to get home. I plead with Dan that the lesson is over and that he should drive us home, but he doesn't budge. I check the coast is clear, and cry, "I'm scared!" as we peal out towards home. Again, Dan tells me to make the Fiesta go 40--I go 35 this time. I wizz by to make a right back to our street, probably scaring Dan (he yelled at me), and myself for that matter! There are 2 small roundabouts in our neighborhood, but nothing I would classify as a real traffic circle. Dan keeps reminding me to drive to the left of those as it is ingrained in my head to go right (that's what 11 years of driving on the right side has taught me). Dan tells me to pull into the driveway, I scratch the poor Fiesta with the hedges, I put the parking brake on and put it in neutral, turn off the car, open the door to the house, and run into the bathroom!!! Yes, I was sooo terrified I almost pissed myself. So yes, I did it--I drove on the wrong side of the road and I am definitely not eager to do it any time soon. Here's a map of my adventures!

I don't think I would have a problem driving here if they follow simple parking rules, especially in London. In the US you technically are not allowed to park against the flow of traffic (except in Philadelphia, where you can park in the middle of the street if you want to). So when you are in the car, it's really disconcerting to see cars parked, facing you--it genuinely feels like you are driving on the wrong side of the road. Another problem is all the roads are a lot smaller than US roads, but it's like that in the entire world except for the US I think. I generally don't have a problem with that, but I know talking to Rob he thinks the roads are too small. I think they should just park with the flow of traffic, and this country would be a little better.