The Carpool Lane
It's funny the things you take for granted. Things like say, the "dreaded" carpool lane.
In the US, I thought my time was ill-spent when sitting in my SUV, checking Facebook and waiting to roll right up to the front door of the school. Once there I'd say "I love you! Have a great day!" and my kids would hop out and walk to their classes.
These days I'd give my last chocolate button for just ONE of our schools to have a carpool lane.
So obviously since I'm missing carpool lanes, this means I'm driving now.
Like really, truly, not-hitting-any-cars-or-people driving.
After my first harrowing experience behind the wheel here in the UK, I swore it wasn't possible.
Actually, during the drive itself I just flat out swore... constantly. I'm not proud of it and often the cuss words weren't even matched up correctly, but it was just me (and God looking out for me -- oh wait that makes it worse...) in the car.
It wasn't until later that I made up my mind that we'd be a pedestrian family for life.
It would take over 2 hours round trip to walk the kids to school and back but that would just be how it had to be.
It turns out "for life" really meant "for 5 more weeks."
I probably have 10 total hours of driving logged and it no longer feels totally impossible.
In fact, if I could drive down the left side of an American-sized road from the right side of the car, it would be a breeze!
Instead my twice-daily drive to Primary School, Secondary School, and Preschool (Preschool is only 3 days a week) feels more like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride meets Mario Bros.
Come along with me on one leg of my journey, won't you?
"Hey this isn't so bad! I can drive on the left side just fine."
Check my mirrors (To make sure I'm not over too far on either side)
"Turning left is easy now. Oh wait, there are cars parked on the right and a car is coming toward me."
Check my mirrors
"Please don't rub the curb or hit the car. Whew."
Check my mirrors
"This road is so skinny. I hope no one comes toward me around this blind curve."
Check my mirrors
"Why is this van just parked in the road? I can't see around it!"
Check my mirrors and inch out.
Dart around the van and thank God no one walked out in front of it.
Check my mirrors
Turn on to highway and floor it to avoid being rear-ended and honked at.
Navigate multi-lane traffic circle and guess which signal you use during it.
Check my mirrors
"Is that person going to keep walking into the road? Oops, I hesitated and now they are."
Stop and wait.
Check my mirrors and proceed
"Great. Cars are just parked IN THE ROAD. No problem, I will just drive with half of my car in the oncoming lane going 40 mph."
Check my mirrors
"NOPE NOPE NOPE. Can't travel this road at the same time as that big truck coming toward me."
Defer to bigger vehicle and slow to a creep, resulting in a honk and hand gesture from the Land Rover behind me.
Give universal "I'm sorry/thanks" wave that might have been mistaken as the bird.
Get honked at again.
Build up speed and get around the parked cars as quickly as possible.
Check my mirrors
Turn on to the road for Primary School and find a spot on the side of the road where I can park that hopefully isn't blocking a driveway and won't lead to me getting sandwiched between two vehicles.
Check my mirrors and park as close to the curb as possible.
Get Gracie out and insist for the 3rd time that day to HOLD MY FREAKIN HAND while we walk to get K from school.
Get in car, check my mirrors, and proceed to the next destination.
That's right. I do a version of this for every school twice a day.
When I get back home, I survey lovely narrow rows of parallel spots for my closest parking.
If you park on streets like this, you either have to back the entire way down to the spot you want to take, or back the entire way back OUT of the street, because there isn't room to turn around.
LOL!
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