Yes, we now have a car. We made it four months without one, but it became apparent that we needed one not just for the weekend, but daily life. Once I became prego, my marathon 3X day walks were torture. So although we needed a car that could hold at least three children (plus friends), I didn't want the ubiquitous Volvo/BMW SUVs that surround me. Too big and too environmentally unfriendly. So let me introduce you to our Toyota Verso. It's compact, seats seven as it's 2,3,2 but the back two seats are for kids only. Very practical for daily use, but let me assure you we won't be going camping in it (not that I'm about to camp in cold rain).
Driving has been, well, an adventure! It was downright terrifying at first - sitting on the right, driving on the left, SHIFTING with my left hand (yes it's a manual) figuring out road rules/etiquette, figuring out how to get to where I'm going (even with my little Tom Tom SAT NAV), navigating through London traffic and roads, and finally parallel parking in tight spaces with cars waiting behind you. When I started driving I tried to use it as an example to the girls of how I say to them it's OK to be scared/nervous of something, but you have to be brave and do it anyway. My left front tire has taken a bit of a beating but it still works. The good news is that I've been driving for almost 6 weeks now and it's much easier. I can even listen to the radio (great station here called Virgin Radio - lots of 80s stuff but also brings me current) but have a hard time eating a snack as I need both hands for wheel and gear shift.
I can drive on my US license for a year, but by December I need to get the UK one (which you have for life) and it's very intense. I will need a tutor - need to get on that soon as don't want to be doing that 9months pregnant. Add that to the very long list.
Forgot to mention the cost of petrol (gas). It's unreal. Thank goodness I don't go through too much of it. Today I topped off my tank as it was just under the half full line. The total was £42=$84!!! The cost is £1.20 a litre so that's $2.40 a litre and there are 3.79 litres in a US gallon so that makes $9.09 a gallon!! I love it.
One final note, driving in London is often a sort of dance. Most of the major roads only have one lane for each direction. And on all the side streets, there are cars parked on both sides of the road (faced in either direction by the way), and as a result there is only room for one car at a time to go down the road. This means that before you turn onto a road you need to peek and see if another car is coming the other way. If so, you need to wait where you are, or proceed until you see a gap that you can pull into to let the other car pass as he was there first if you will. Often times you are driving down the road headed straight into another car, waiting to see who will pull aside first. Sounds like a game of chicken, but it's all very civil - really. This would only work here. There is a LOT of turn taking and hand waving as thanks. And believe it or not, I find this easier than some of the roads where cars are parked on one side only and so two cars going in different directions share the 1.5 lanes open. It's very tight. I've slowly learned how wide my car is (esp hard to know the left side when sitting right) and I often still hold my breath and just go for it. I have to admit, driving in London has made me "just go for it" quite often! Don't you want to hop in?
1 comment:
I was only in London once - close to 20 years ago (gah I am getting old) - but I remember having trouble crossing the street as a pedestrian let alone trying to drive. Bravo to your bravery.
I learned the "just go for it" in Pittsburgh which isn't nearly as terrifying as London I am sure. But those people in the 'Burgh take a normal 2 lane road and allow parking on both sides along with 2 way traffic. Here in Nashville I laugh at how wide and luxurious the lanes seem.
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