What are you afraid of? I shared this Elizabeth Gilbert quote a couple of posts ago, because I wanted to allow you to laugh at me today.
What am I afraid of?
I’m afraid of driving in the UK.
By the time you read this, I hope I’ll be a pro, but I’m writing it two days before I pick up my rental car in Reading. From there, I embark upon a four hour drive to Wales. In an effort to acclimate myself, I rode to work with my friend Kate today. I figured spending an hour in the passenger seat might alleviate dizziness.
It didn’t work.
Driving on the other side of the road doesn’t bother me. By the time one gets in the other side of the car, she’s already on high alert, right? Everybody else is driving on the other side of the road, meaning I’ll just go along.
But the UK loves its roundabouts. Every time I encounter one, I imagine myself on the edge of a circus. Everyone everyone plows into them. Drivers change lanes willy-nilly, sometimes with motorcyclists passing between cars and lorries.
I can’t manage the occasional US roundabout. Most of my near-accidents have happened in or near these one-lane bastards. UK roundabouts sometimes have three or four lanes, always full of traffic. Oh, I can signal my intentions to the other drivers, but here’s the other thing about driving in the UK: the signal indicator is on the wrong side of the steering column. Every time I try to turn on my blinker, I flip the windshield wipers instead.
I may very well kill people or die.
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8 Comments
I simply would need a driver!! It’s been 45 years since I drove a standard-shift auto (in any gear) 🙂 and I’ve never purposely driven — with apologies to my British friends — on the WRONG side of the road!! Add those to a sometimes-short-fuse, and… https://static01.nyt.com/images/2010/06/21/business/Adco/Adco-popup.jpg
Rely on instinct and stop trying to think about it. You may never get the turn signal right, but that’s just funny.
best of luck to you, andra, i can certainly identify – i’ll be driving in ireland this summer )
There’s nothing to it, Andra, I drive on the wrong side of the road all the time. But one thing you must be is very alert… we have more than a few inconsiderate drivers on our roads. I refer to them as dillops. I’m sure you’ll get to see why.
I’m afraid of things beyond my control these days. I’m afraid of losing…not a race…but of someone else losing a race. Thank you for the smile Andra. I’ve been needing them a lot more lately. Picturing you (as I can because you’re such a great author and paint the picture for even the blind to see) in the UK has done my poor tired and sad soul good.
Some fears are at least reasonable! I think this qualifies. I have certainly never been in–or near–a multi-lane roundabout. Do they at least publish common rules of road etiquette? LOL! I’d be in real trouble, too. You get the prize for “doing it anyway!” On to Wales! 🙂
I’m afraid of driving in LA with my kids! haha. We’re flying out Saturday for three weeks for Shawn’s work and our leisure. Maybe we’ll just uber everywhere.
I’m afraid of driving in the UK and in China! I feared for my life in Shanghai!
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