Imagine you are driving on a two lane road, one lane in each direction; like that pretty road from the 101 freeway to Ojai. If there is a really slow car in front of you, you can pass it. It’s that kind of road. A little winding so there will be sections that you cannot pass but for the most part you get the drift. Can you see it? The leafy oaks shading both sides of the road, a little bumpy, sun shining through the canopy here and there, little houses near the road, fields. You get the picture.
Now close your eyes and imagine that the steering wheel is on the right hand side of the vehicle. Now imagine it’s one of those really narrow sections but instead of 45 mph everyone is hauling along at 65. Imagine that every other car is a semi 18 wheeler truck with a former weightlifter representing Bulgaria behind the wheel with teentsy little Skodas and Ladas in between and pimped Audi 7’s. See the bouncing semi tires as tall as your window with diesel exhaust belching out the side through your open window because you have no AC. Now imagine the drivers in Rome: see them with a cigarette hanging out of the corner of their mouth, techno blaring, nonchalantly steering with one hand while they careen around every curve possible and gesticulate with the other: likely at you. Now imagine that on both sides of the road there is a ditch about 8 feet deep. Uh huh.
Welcome to our world.
How are you going to pass eh? You are on the right side of the car and can’t see around the trucks in front. No passing on the right, there’s a ditch. In front of you is a truck loaded with manure that stinks to high heaven in the 100 degree heat and its crawling along at 20 mph shifting through the 17 gears it takes to get up to 40 mph. You need a wing man sitting in the left front seat to be your eyes on the left side of the car. Never knew that driving was a team sport did you? Never knew that driving a right hand drive car on left hand drive roads requires a Pilot and RIO. Neither did we!
