Yesterday I drove a car for the first time since I've been back in the States. Boy, it sure is amazing how much I adapted to driving on the left side of the road!
First of all, I drove a brand new Toyota Highlander which was loaded with all kinds of fancy gadgets, including a cell phone intercom, seat warmers, GPS, and a camera to help you back up. The strangest part was that the car didn't have a key! You push a button to start the car and another button to lock and unlock it.
I was a bit overwhelmed by all the new features, not to mention the size of the car. Our pint-sized Subaru Justy in New Zealand didn't even have power steering and felt like it would blow right off the road in heavy winds! In the Highlander, I felt like I was driving a tank.
But the strangest part was driving on the right side of the road. I really had to focus on my driving, especially when making a turn. I kept thinking I was turning into the wrong lane and my life would flash before my eyes! Turning on a red light was also scary, I felt like I was doing something illegal. And to make matters worse, I kept hitting the windshield wipers instead of the blinker. Crickey dick!
I didn't think 6 months in New Zealand would alter my driving habits so much. I guess I was so focused on learning to drive on the left side of the road and following New Zealand's quirky road rules that I quickly adapted to life on the left. I'm sure after a few more trips behind the wheel I'll be settled in to driving on the right side of the road.
Until then, I swear that my old car never had the steering wheel on the left side of the car....
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