A - Fun
B - Nerve racking
C - challenging
D- dangerous for everyone on the road
E - b, c & d
F - all of the above
correct answer - E. No offense to our Aussie friends, but there has been nothing "fun" about learning to drive here. For the first couple of weeks, the word "tense" would probably have been very appropriate.
F - all of the above
correct answer - E. No offense to our Aussie friends, but there has been nothing "fun" about learning to drive here. For the first couple of weeks, the word "tense" would probably have been very appropriate.
#2 Fill in the blank:
The steering wheel is on the _____ side of the car.
If you said right side, you are correct! for several weeks, I was constantly going to wrong side of the car to get in. Just a little embarrassing!
#3 True or false The turn signal knob is on the left side of the steering wheel?
False! I am proud to report I no longer have the wind shield wipers going wildly as I make a turn with no turn signal lights!
#4 The gear shift, on the floor, is on the right or left side of the steering wheel?
Left! for a right handed person, this is a double challenge! Not to mention, remembering to put the car in Park when you stop to get out. Have learned the hard way that cars willingly stop and stay put (on level ground) while still in Drive, but will not re-start! Called from the dog beach and woke Roy up from a perfectly good nap - "Help, the car won't start"! "oh wait, let me put it in Park"...... poor guy.
#5 Name the road sign:
The one on the left is our equivalent of your Yield sign. This one on the right tells you a "round-a-bout" is coming up. We had heard horror stories of round-a-bouts but they are actually not bad at all; much more civilized than 4 way stop intersections. Sacramento should take a lesson.#6 After coming to a stop at a stop light or stop sign, are left turns permitted? ( your right turn)
No. You must sit and wait for the light to turn green or a green arrow appears. and try not to grind down your teeth too much. The Aussies are frustrated too, I hear changing that law comes up frequently.
Turns have probably been the most challenging thing about driving here, especially right turns,(your left), I have to constantly remind myself: go wide, go WIDE!
Roy's boss gave me some great advice when we got here - "just tell yourself: keep the passenger in the ditch, keep the passenger in the ditch...". it really helped!
#7 Did we have to take a driving or written test to get our Queensland Drivers Licenses?
No to both, thank goodness! We went to a Dept. of Transportation office, took a number, waited for it to come up on the board just like in Wisconsin. In all fairness, we didn't wait too long at all. The service was also so much nicer than in both WI or CA. On the whole, Aussie are very friendly. We showed them our Wisconsin licenses, a bank statement to prove our residency, paid the $$, they took our pictures and wa-la! We are now the proud owners of a Queensland Drivers License.
Kids here can learn to drive at 16; take a multiple choice written test, then need 100 hours of driving with an adult with their learners permit. They have to actually post a large black L (for Learner) in both front and rear windows. After passing a driving test with a transportation official (you remember how much fun that was!) and getting their license, they change their window signs to a large orange P (for Provisional), which they must keep for 3 years.
Last question: have we done anything really stupid?
Yes. thank goodness for guardian angels, and I'm not being funny. The good Lord was looking out for us in New Zealand. I was driving and wasn't paying attention like I should have been and made right turn directly in front of a guy coming whizzing down a hill. On-coming traffic is usually on my left, correct? Well, it has been for some 30 odd years. Thankfully the other driver was paying attention and swerved into the turn lane to miss us. Scared us all to death, especially me.
On a lighter side: some road signs you might not see in the US
Roy has probably had the greatest driving challenge in the last 8 months; he will be happily driving here and then will make a trip back to the US or Canada - has to drive there and reverse everything he has been doing recently! We're learning not to let him drive for a few days after he comes home until he acclimates again.
Alex just told me it was no problem to learn to drive here at all! Oh to be young!
2 comments:
Wow, who knew driving could be so exciting! In Ireland T did all the driving, with a left hand stick shift. I don't know how he did it. But even though I didn't drive, it still took me a few days after returning to not want to drive on the wrong side of the road. Love the roo and koala signs.
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