A View From the Left

No 31: Drive on the left side of the road

It’s a running joke for Zeddy to mock my American driving skills, making fun of my right-side-of-the-road upbringing by holding out his car keys and asking “Shall you drive us today?” I keep threatening that one day I’ll take him up on his offer.

I’m filled with inexplicable road confidence this Tuesday evening as we head out to see Whoopie Goldberg’s new musical “Sister Act” at the Palladium, and when I hear the familiar jingle of keys and a sarcastic request that I play chauffeur, I spontaneously decide to comply.

“Are you sure you know how to do this?”

I nod and try to reacquaint myself with the system of ignition, pedals and gears; though my US license does legally permit me to drive within the UK, it’s been a while since I’ve been behind the wheel.

“Why aren’t I moving?”

“Because you’re stepping down on the brake.”

I’m rolling timidly down the streets of Camden Town, surreptitiously glancing over my shoulder as fellow drivers whiz past me. My hands are shaking and I randomly break out into a fit of nervous laughter. I'm having trouble gauging where I should be in the lane, and find myself veering too far to the left. A parked van honks its horn at me as I narrowly miss taking off its side mirror.

I skid to a halt in the middle of the street outside our destination, and Zeddy takes the hint and offers to parallel park the car for me.