My dendrites are slow growing.  I need lots of practice, you can teach an old dog new tricks but you need to be patient with yourself, I tell myself.  I say watch and learn, and do more research.

I watched my partner negotiate the many blind curves between Peachester and Beerwah:

The drive continued like that for 20 minutes weaving back and forth.  I wondered if it wasn’t constructed by a grogged up crew.  Maybe there was a reason, but I think its constructed that way as a challenge.  Certainly, it will teach me to stay left, so I’ll probably still be driving on the left when I get home to America.

“You know that story about avoiding hedges just doesn’t make sense,” said Lizzie when I told her about it.  I decided to ask Siri. Siri says “This is what I found on the web.”

There wasn’t any mention of hedges.  Just proud right-handed British knights staying to the left ready to pull out their swords and slash any oncoming enemy. But Napoleon was left handed and during the declaration of the “rights of man” in 1791 the rich in France kept right to direct attention away from themselves. Right-hand driving became the rule in France.  Not to be outdone, Pennsylvania in the USA passed a law in 1792 ordering drivers to keep right.

Instead of imagining I’m holding a whip in my right-hand I decided to take up a sword the next time a ventured out on the road.  The sword was heavy and stuck in the scabbard on my left hip further confusing me.  Even if it’s incorrect I decided the whip image worked better for me.

Once again Sharon rode shot-gun. This time we ventured to Maleny a lovely town uphill from Peachester on a mission to get my computer repaired. I was determined to get it working so I could apply to extend my visa. (a harrowing  adventure for another blog).  This road doesn’t have as many curves, but it makes up for that with drop-offs and visas extending down into the valley.  My knuckles turned white as I gripped the steering wheel tightly to keep my right tires from flying over the edge as I sat next to the center white line.  At least this road had a center line, and Sharon only had to redirect me from turning on the wipers to the signals two times. We safely made it there and back, my computer left in the repair shop.

Now I’ve done two solo drives one following my partner to Beerwah to a writer’s group in the Beerwah library, and the second one entirely on my own to Peachester.  I turned the wrong way to go towards town but stayed to the left side.  Realizing my error I pulled over to the left side and got out my gps.  I stopped at a couple of stores in town, but every time I went back to get in the car I got in on the left side.  The first time I even sat down and looked for the steering wheel, the second time I just open the left door, and shook my head, No idiot the driver sits on the right side.

Practice, practice, patience, patience.  KEEP LEFT! But get in on the right.