The Circles of Death
If I thought driving in the US was difficult, let me introduce you to Australian roundabouts. Driving is perhaps the scariest thing I have ever done, and driving with me—whether in the US or Australia—is even scarier.
When I first started driving here, I quickly realized that staying on the left side of the road was not as hard as I had thought. The fact that the driver’s seat is on the right side of the car actually makes it easier to stay in the left lane, since my eyes are still looking toward the middle of the lane.
However, it is the small things that throw me off. For example, the turn signal and the windshield wipers are reversed compared to what I am used to. In the US, the blinker is on the left side of the steering wheel, and the windshield wiper is on the right. In Australia, it is the opposite. So, when I started driving here, every time I tried to use my blinker, I accidentally turned on the windshield wipers instead. I must sound like a crazy person to the kids when I drive them to school because I talk out loud to remind myself that the blinker is on the right side and that I need to stay in the left lane.
But really, the biggest adjustment has been all the roundabouts. I thought that if I could handle driving on New Circle Road during rush hour (if you know, you know), then I could drive anywhere. But man, these Australian roundabouts have got me. Fortunately, I have not crashed yet, but I have had a few close calls. In Lexington, we only have two roundabouts, and no one knows how to drive on them. I should know, since one of those roundabouts is right in front of my old high school.
In Australia, however, roundabouts are everywhere. Basically, every intersection is a roundabout, whereas in the US, we use four-way stop signs. I will admit, though, that roundabouts do make traffic flow more smoothly. I was explaining to the kids how four-way stops work, and they asked what happens if the line of cars stretches a kilometer long. I told them that it does happen—maybe not a full kilometer, but definitely a few cars back!
I am slowly getting used to driving here. It is becoming muscle memory to remember all the little things—and even the big things. I know that soon I will be more confident in my driving, which opens up a whole new can of worms I will need to unpack when I return home and have to relearn how to drive on the right side of the road.
