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| Driving on the left | |
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| Topic Started: Feb 29 2008, 04:22:13 PM (616 Views) | |
| nomadbb | Feb 29 2008, 04:22:13 PM Post #1 |
True Blue Mate
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OK, one more topic for the night and then it's off to bed. It's past midnight here in the US! How quickly did you adapt to driving on the left side of the road once you moved to Australia? My wife had to do the reverse here (including a driving test  ) to get her NY license, and she did quite well (with a stick no less), but she was defintely nervous at first, and eventually took a professional lesson. I've driven once on the left (during my first Christmas visit after we were engaged), and it went pretty well overall, until we got to the parking garage at Chadstone in Melbourne. I had the natural tendency to look the exact wrong way for oncoming traffic, and found I had to instead look both ways before turning (first my natural wrong way, and then back). By the time I accomplished this, any chance I had at a spot was pretty much gone. And of course I turned on the wipers at least once trying to signal! :mrgreen: After about 1/2 hr of this, I eventually zipped into a spot before someone else could grab it. I suppose it didn't help that it was Boxing Day. Then there were all those tiny traffic circles (shudder) :eek: I never even tried my luck at the infamous Melbourne hook turn. I heard some Aussies don't even try them!Brent |
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| SuperMindy | Feb 29 2008, 04:29:52 PM Post #2 |
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True Blue Mate
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My husband had to teach me to drive on the left and with a manual for the first time. I won't say it was easy because that would be a lie. It took me time to make sure i was looking the right way.. So now i just automatically look both ways before making any kind of turn. I still make mistakes and turn on the wipers instead of the blinkers.. But not as often as i use too.. I also sometimes walk to the wrong side of the car still. Just out of habit i guess. I am starting to feel like it's becoming second nature to me though. I feel better about it. |
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Maine to Sydney since August 1st 2007 SuperMindy***Blog  | |
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| Pamm | Feb 29 2008, 05:31:57 PM Post #3 |
True Blue Mate
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That's one of the things that scares me. I've been driving since I was 17, I know how to drive a manual (though can't do it anymore on doctor's orders, bursitis in my shoulders), and an automatic. I suspect I'll just get used to being a passenger first to get a feel for it. Thank goodness Kalgoorie has places I can practice without hitting people *grin* |
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| VenUpOver | Feb 29 2008, 05:50:29 PM Post #4 |
True Blue Mate
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When we were in Australia for three weeks a couple of years ago, we rented a car for part of the trip. Honestly, it only took me about two days to get the hang of driving on the left. (Of course, that didn't stop me from walking to the wrong side of the car and turning on the wipers.
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| nomadbb | Feb 29 2008, 05:52:42 PM Post #5 |
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True Blue Mate
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LOL :rollin: Yeah, probably wasn't the best idea for me to be driving on the left with a manual (even though I've been doing it since I was 17 also). But that's what Mandy's car had. She was there in the car with me, and that also helped a lot. When she had to test here in the US and the instructor realized she was driving a stick (only car we had then so that's what she used), she practically threw the book away and passed her on the spot. Of course, she also did swimmingly on everything :mrgreen: As my wife said and I also experienced, you can drive on the opposite side fairly easily, but you really do have to concentrate and it feels weird for a while. Not sure how I'd do on a longer trip where I tend to zone out and go on autopilot. Brent |
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| Pamm | Feb 29 2008, 05:55:05 PM Post #6 |
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True Blue Mate
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Eeep. I tend to zone out even on short trips sometimes. Then again, I've gotten so used to driving in Phoenix, where people forget how to drive in the rain *grrrr* that maybe I will be able to do just fine *grins* |
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| shylady | Feb 29 2008, 06:11:51 PM Post #7 |
oldYank
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LMAO :rofl: the same thing happens here in Perth, a decent rain and the freeway is backed up, nobody can drive! :rollin: You'll fit right in! :goodonya: I don't have a problem with the RHD car (once I am comfortable with where the left corner of the car actually is!) and in the city, it's quite easy to follow the traffic, so it doesn't feel wierd being on the left side of the road. Roundabouts scrambled my dyslexic brain for a while, I always had the urge to go right... :mrgreen: And still hit the wipers occasionally. When my 20-yr old son came to visit a year ago, he just drove all over with no problem, we did a lot of traveling.  Lisa |
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"I could’ve turned a different corner, I could’ve gone another place... " ku,'09 | |
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| aus2007 | Feb 29 2008, 06:18:01 PM Post #8 |
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True Blue Mate
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Yeah, the autopilot thing is something to watch out for. I'm not a very comfortable driver to begin with, even when I was back in the US. I know how to get where I need to, but I'm not super comfortable with big highway driving. We've been here (in Melbourne) since early January, and I was a passenger for several weeks before attempting to drive myself. I do think that helped a lot, just to get more oriented to the whole way of driving here. At first, I kept feeling as though we were going to get hit head-on at every turn! Anyway, even I, a not-very-comfortable driver, felt fairly confident within a short time. The first couple of times were scary for me, that's for sure. But it was only a couple of weeks before it felt pretty normal. I will admit, though, that I accidentally went to the wrong side of the divider on a small street to make a turn. Boy, did I get some looks and beeps from the guy next to me for that one! Thank goodness it was a quiet intersection. But my problem was that autopilot thing. I was busy talking to my sister, and not really paying attention, and slipped into old habits. In the end, I thought it would be a way bigger deal for me, and it really wasn't as bad as I thought. I haven't turned on the wipers when I turn in several weeks, LOL (though I do occasionally walk to the wrong side of the car in the parking lot). |
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| Pamm | Feb 29 2008, 06:26:43 PM Post #9 |
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True Blue Mate
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Ai yi yi! I got very weird looks from my rm when I said something about black ice being even harder than rain.. didn't know what it was! I got very used to that and snow and rain in Maryland, but dang, I still get the heebie-jeebies if I'm driving by an open desert area and see desert critters *shudder* And that's worse than any snow or rain!! So we'll see how I do in Kalgoorlie. Goodness, I can't imagine seeing a roo nearby, I'd prolly hit the brakes and get out my camera |
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| elsja | Feb 29 2008, 07:23:48 PM Post #10 |
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aussie pilot lover
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the longer i go without driving, the harder it gets. I need more practice. Awhile back I was driving "often" (maybe once a week)... and this was to the grocery store and back. I started to get comfortable (at least on the streets in my neighborhood). But now I haven't driven more than once or twice since I got back from California in January and now I'm back to being scared. I just need to do it more, but it's one thing that I just don't feel comfortable with. |
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Elsja's Bloggity Blog | |
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| shylady | Feb 29 2008, 08:45:12 PM Post #11 |
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oldYank
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well you'll see plenty of wildlife between Perth and Kalgoorlie  But yeah, I've been known to stop to get pics of emus and lizards and roos :mrgreen: Now after nearly hitting a roo, it's no different than dodging the deer in MN (where there's black ice about 5 months of the year :p ) |
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"I could’ve turned a different corner, I could’ve gone another place... " ku,'09 | |
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| Pamm | Feb 29 2008, 09:31:20 PM Post #12 |
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True Blue Mate
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I'll just have to remember *not* to scare my nephews of the critters. I did such a good job a few years ago when they visited me... told the boys that the saguaro cacti would bite them, just so they wouldn't try to touch one. The kids wouldn't even go near one to pose for a pic after that! |
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| alect | Mar 1 2008, 02:09:19 AM Post #13 |
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True Blue Mate
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Brent Lesson #1 - do NOT go to Chadstone on Boxing Day - I would rather have bamboo splinters put in my eye balls than have to experience the Deathstar that is Chadstone (it's bad enough on a normal day let alone Boxing Day). Once you've mastered the above lesson, all others are much easier :mrgreen: |
| Los Angeles to Melbourne with my Yank wife (and dual daughter plus twins in the oven) | |
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| pastrycook-136 | Mar 1 2008, 04:21:53 AM Post #14 |
True Blue Mate
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My first driving experience in Australia was driving a Diesel Toyota stick shift van towing a rack of kayacks!! :eek: It was only a short distance from the Murray river back to the hostel in Albury and I was following someone. I told him to go slow as it was my first time on the other side of the road. This deed won me a beer from the hostel owner Dave. :goodonya: I have since driven in Tasmania and Queensland and it is easier to adjust than I thought it would be. I actually found it harder to adjust to safely crossing the street in Australia. :mrgreen: It is much more scary to think about driving in Australia than just actually doing it. Jed |
| "If you want to gather honey don't kick over the beehive!" | |
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| tukkerlove | Mar 1 2008, 07:58:10 AM Post #15 |
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Chinwagger
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Mostly I'm o.k. with driving on the left..... my husband FREAKED when I first started doing it, but I ended up taking driving lessons and that helped A LOT with my comfort zone and passing the test. I've read now you may not have to do that if you have a current u..s license now, not sure if that's true or not. I actaully didn't mind it, at least I knew I actaully COULD do it!! Still, sometimes I scare myself by getting in the wrong lane sometimes, or sometimes I still get to an intersection that isn't marked well and have to concentrate on where I'm going if it isn't marked well..... and the few times I've driven back in the States I"ve found I've done the same thing... so I'm nowbasically someone who can drive pretty o.k. in both countries save a mix up in my autopilot at times!!! :mrgreen: |
| American in Australia- Moving back to the USA 23 April 2007!! | |
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| TerritorianTori | Mar 1 2008, 09:43:07 AM Post #16 |
It couldn't happen here
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The very first time I ever drove in Australia was during an emergency - had to pick up the owner of said car at the airport 'cause no one else could. It was really scary because I was by myself and I had to keep saying, "Stay on the left, stay on the left, stay on the left..." :mrgreen: We didn't get a car of our own until more than 18 months after moving to Darwin, but in the meantime, I rode buses and got used to riding on the left and seeing cars driving on the left. I guess the hardest thing to get used to was the fact that the rest of the car was on the left side of me, not the right. Had a few minor scrapes getting into parking spots. But that's all. You'll get used to it!
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 South Texas to the Northern Territory - since 2004 I'm a huge fan of... Angry Video Game Nerd | The Big Bang Theory | Doctor Who | Pet Shop Boys | Yanks Down Under ~ Americans living in Australia Avatar by Sketch Shop Boys I don't do Facebook, sorry. | |
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| nomadbb | Mar 1 2008, 11:56:00 AM Post #17 |
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True Blue Mate
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One thing that I noticed after returning from a visit to Australia was that, even as a passenger, after a week or two, I'd start to become adjusted to the feeling of being on the left side of the road. The first visit it felt so WRONG, even just being a passenger. Of course, Mandy and I were also meeting for the first time, so that probably contributed :mrgreen: The video I brought back to show my friends the Great Ocean Road really freaked them out, but by then it seemed totally appropriate to me. After our most recent visit a couple years ago, I found myself trending towards the left in the US! Then I had to concentrate on staying RIGHT. I guess that tells me I'll adapt pretty quickly. Brent |
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| emjaybee25 | Mar 2 2008, 08:57:23 AM Post #18 |
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Piker
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Brent always make me drive on the left when we're overseas (Australia, UK & South Africa), since I should be used to it. But even I get a little nervous at first because I'm so used to driving on the right now. It doesn't take long to adjust, but I really have to concentrate when I first start. |
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| alect | Mar 3 2008, 02:22:37 AM Post #19 |
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True Blue Mate
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we have been visiting Aust once a year plus I went to the UK for work almost monthly. It always takes me a day or two to adjust to whatever side I am switching too and those days are sorta weird. But then all is good. It works this way both ways. |
| Los Angeles to Melbourne with my Yank wife (and dual daughter plus twins in the oven) | |
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| elsja | Mar 3 2008, 09:52:59 AM Post #20 |
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aussie pilot lover
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I posted this on my blog last night to share with my friends back home... so I thought I'd share here as well. It's about my latest driving experience. I drove from mosman (Sydney) to Baulkham Hills- it's about 35 minutes there. It's my longest drive yet! (kinda pathetic, I know). ***** Guess what I did yesterday? I drove for more than 5 minutes, on a freeway even! I drove out to Andrew’s dad’s house and I didn’t even crash or end up on the wrong side of the road. I don’t know what is hardest… Driving on the left side? - Nah…I think I’m getting used to that Remembering that the blinker is on the right so that I don’t actually turn the windshield wipers on every time I turn… Yep I think I’ve got that one down! Didn’t screw up once yesterday! Looking at the speedometer to find I’m going 100??? Oh wait… that’s KPH… still feels fast though! Checking the speed every 10 seconds to make sure I’m not going over the speed limit?? Ummm… I do think this might take the cake. Usually I don’t worry too much about speeding a little, but here in Australia there are speed cameras EVERYWHERE and you really CAN’T speed or else you WILL get a ticket. Yup, this was the toughest for me on this long drive! I did notice about 20-25 minutes into the drive that I hadn’t looked in my rearview mirror ONCE!! I only noticed when I FINALLY looked and realized I hadn’t adjusted it to where I could actually see. And I wondered why I couldn’t figure out if there were cars behind me. It’s just not natural yet to look up and left when I want to see the rear. |
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Elsja's Bloggity Blog | |
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