Posted by Ed Kiser on June 26, 2013 at 05:17:14 user Kisered.
In Reply to: Re: Right / Left posted by Duncan on June 26, 2013 at 00:13:35:
Wonder how those traffic problems were that first morning in Sweden after the sides got changed. Good time to stay home a few days at least.
Concerning that change in Sweden, how about all the private automobiles with the steering wheel now on the wrong side of the vehicle. With the wheel on the wrong side, how does the driver get a look ahead of the car in front of him to see if it is ok to pass? How about all those street signs that now had to be changed to support the new directions. Did one way streets have to be set to go the other way?
Not sure about the Eurotunnel, but if it carries autos, then at one end of the trip or the other, that steering wheel on the wrong side can be a problem there. Also the problem of the driver having to quickly re-educate his brain to have his reflexes set to swerve to the OTHER side, not the side he is accustomed to using.
It took me a while to get used to using the other side just when walking down a hallway. But then, there were other things to get used to, like the drink machine there at the IBM offices (Richmond) served TEA, with MILK in it. Egad... But then, I suppose that was the civiliZed way of serving it. I should have known that would be the case, since my Ransome friends on so many occasions reminded me of the need to have milk so they could drink the tea. And then, there was that cold meat pie and warm beer to get used to. However, the fish and chips were a delight so no problem there. All in all, that trip to England was a delightful trip of a lifetime and I was so glad to be able to be there, even if the work schedule let me have only about TWO HOURS to enjoy exploring the Tower of London. Sure I missed something there.
And I must add, the politeness of so many total strangers was perhaps the most delightful aspect of that whole trip.
When I returned back home to Florida, my co-workers there at IBM looked at me a bit questioningly and remarked that I talked funny. Perhaps that even on that brief encounter, some of that had rubbed off onto me. Even now, some 30 years later, when I pronounce "schedule" I quite often will not include the "K" sound as part of the first sylable, but make it sound a bit more like "shed". That sure does get me se funny looks from the local yokels.
But driving on the LEFT? I don't think my brain would let me. It was unnerving enough just to be a passenger and see oncoming traffic facing me on the other side.
My thanks to Ransome for introducing me to my best of childhood friends, who have remained eternally young now for over 71 years, to get to know some of those fantastic people in a new land that has the most beautiful scenery ever. Check it out here, and see what I mean...
www.lakelandcam.co.uk
I thank you all for being a part of this fantastic experience.
Ed Kiser, Kentucky, USA kisered AT aol DOT com