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When we Hired a Car

We were not driving on the right side of the road! We were driving on the left, which is correct in England, but it was new and scary and chaotic. Thank God for car rental insurance! My step father who was driving, my mother, and I have not needed it yet, knock on wood.

Sept12CarsandLicenseplates.JPGDespite the craziness of learning how to drive on the left side of the road, and learning how to go in a backwards roundabout, the drivers here are down right terrifying. Even though we were coming head on, they often veered into our lane to avoid a turning car, or a bike, or a parked vehicle in theirs. In an entire day of driving, the only time I saw someone use their blinker was to switch lanes, but not to turn. It is amazing there was not a collision.

Also, the ancient streets of England are simply not wide enough for cars to drive comfortably. The buildings are close to one another in every direction, which led my family to have petty street parking options. 

Not only is there virtually no room for parking on some streets, but people do it anyways. Drivers position their cars halfway on the curb, and halfway into the street. sept12cars.JPGEven though they are only halfway into the street, it leaves just enough room for one lane of cars to drive through, but there is no indication for which direction these cars should go. They also park in every direction, not just in the direction that the car would go.

Normally, I am flexible and adaptive. I do not complain at the fact that very few buildings have air conditioning. I do not whine when the English version of a Caesar Salad has anchovies and something that tastes like mayo on it. I do not mind being pushed out of my comfort zone and into a new way of life, but I refuse to drive here. It is dangerous to let an inexperienced person, like myself, drive in a way that is completely opposite of what they know. The fact that it is legal seems downright bonkers. 



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