Left Of Way

So, I just had to add a little something here about the weirdness of living in a "left of way" place. You know what I mean, I country w/ drivers on the left side of the road. Not only is this an interesting phenomenon in itself, but it has some implications that extend even further than the road.

First of all, I haven't been behind a wheel in a car here, so I don't fully know what it's like. Of course, the steering wheel in on the "wrong" side, so I have, as a passenger, embarrassed myself a few times by trying to climb into the driver's side of the vehicle. The scooter we drive doesn't "feel" like an Australian scooter because it's just "normal". This can be tricky because one can easily lapse and forget where one is ("Ah, Jonathan! Left side of the road!" I've been known to scream as we turn onto a new street, holding on for dear life...).

I think what's far more interesting, is how this "left" business affects all traffic situations. On our first run here together, we (naturally) started out on the right side of the path. We soon realized, however, that people gave us funny looks before yielding to us; they were all running straight at us. We were supposed to run on left side too! We are far more intentional now as we go on runs. At the grocery store the same rules are followed. When passing, unless stopping to look for items, of course, keep left.

It's still tricky though, even thinking through "passing" situations. Hmmm. If we pass on the left in America, we should pass on the right here in Aussieland. I feel like I'm always doing that here. Thinking to myself -- "well, if I normally look left first before crossing a street, I should now look right first" and so on. It is still far from being natural, let me tell you. Usually I end up looking "left, right, left again, right again" before crossing the street. Then I stop halfway across and try to remember from what direction a car would come in that next lane. I am not very good at this left way of thinking!