11/10/08

Okay this is somewhat worrying!

Some poor unsuspecting ex-pat' Googles this yesterday and gets my 'words of wisdom'!

"I am a British expat' what do I need to know about driving in the USA?"

So they get a link to a post I wrote about my experiences driving in the USA

Trust me...3 years down the road and just last month I still inexplicably found myself on the wrong side of an empty street? This is not someone you need to be listening to about driving in the USA!!

Take my advice: move along quickly on the right side of the street...uh no wait a minute...or is that left side!?

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

When I first returned to the States from 3 years of driving in England I inadvertently turned onto the wrong side of the road. Now that was me, American, driving on the wrong side of the road AT home! So I can relate. Harrowing experience indeed.

Bella Foxx said...

Its the right side of the road. Unless you're on a one way street, or a divided highway, well on the divided highway you need to be on the right side of the divider but you can be in either lane of the highway, sigh.

This is confusing! I'm going to have to lie down now, but on which side?

Kat said...

Just wait until this American tries to drive on the left hand side of the road in a left hand drive car instead of a right hand drive car. It should be interesting to say the least.

Expat mum said...

I still can't believe that people (either Americans or Brits) get into a car and drive when they've never driven on the "other" side before and don't know any of the rules.

Linda Jennings said...

There is a common saying "Old habits are hard to break!"

Kay said...

We were in New Zealand and turned onto an empty road. A few minutes later another car came at us and our first instinct was, "Oh my gosh! Are they crazy? They're in our lane."

Then we realized, "Holey ---- It's us! We're in the wrong lane. The New Zealanders and Aussies must looove Americans tourists.

Winifred said...

Oh crumbs! It's hard enough to drive in your own country never mind anyone else's.

We never drive abroad now. France was the ultimate experience in meeting horrendous drivers, even when you were on the correct side of the road.

I have to say I love getting on the buses and travelling with the locals in Spain & Greece when we go on holiday. Much better experience than hiring cars.

What's the bus experience like in the USA?

Anonymous said...

After more than two years in the UK I am still not brave enough to try to drive, especially when it comes to trying to figure out who has the right of way at roundabouts and unmarked intersections. I also nearly got myself run over recently when I returned from the US and was all confused about which way to look (as a pedestrian) before crossing the road. I somehow looked right the first time, which was fine, but then looked right again, which was not!

Anonymous said...

Haha...at least you have an excuse of being from another country! I'm just an awful driver period!

Tess Kincaid said...

And the same goes for us driving in your fair country! WT has driven in the UK many times with some hair raising stories.

Unknown said...

Good to know I'm not alone everyone!

Kat - I will be saying my prayers for you sweetie, OMG the traffic over there almost scared the hubster to death. I know he has no desire to drive in the UK and he drives everywhere here!

Toni - that's exactly why I stayed local until I was kind of aware of the laws!

Winifred - Buses?! What buses!! This is the land of the car where I am.

nfah & Kay - OMG! Glad you both survived your hair raising moments!

Melissa and Gingela - LOL that makes me feel better thanks!

Willow - I can only imagine LOL

Mmm said...

Funny. Scariest thing for me was going back "home" and driving out of Gatwick and hitting those two roundabouts right away. Cruel.

Unknown said...

Oh yes Mmmm I know exactly where you mean! Lucky for me Mum will be picking me up :-)

Expat mum said...

I have to admit that altho' everyone remarks on my ability to jump in a car on either side of the Atlantic, I usually leave it a day before I get behind the wheel. And there's no way I ever try to drive myself out of Heathrow!!!

Stevyn Colgan said...

I've driven all over the world and it's generally not a problem as long as you keep your concentration up. If it lapses, you fall back into old habits and behaviours.

What I've never understood is why we don't all drive on the same side of the road anyway? Purists claim that we should all drive on the Left because that came first (it's something to do with armed soldiers passing each other with their sword arms - usually the right - closest to the potential approaching enemy). But boats have always driven on the right in the UK! Left, Right, who bloody cares?! Let's just all do it the same way and make life easier!

Mary (Bookfan) said...

My issue was driving a car with stick shift in Ireland. I'm right handed so getting the hang of LH shifting took some time. We decided to not tempt fate - we walked to the pub in the evening.

Daryl said...

Stay right .. its always good advice for just about everything in life, unless your left handed.

:-Daryl