In the previous years that I’ve come to teach with Study Abroad Ireland our director, Barry Vaughan, has rented a car for the program. He can’t come this year because he is the president of Maricopa’s faculty association. Mary Aldridge is in charge this year, but she did not want to drive. So, I am the one driving.
I’m actually excited about gaining the skill of driving on the other side of the road. I’m hoping that by the end of our time here I’ll be able to say I’m confident and competent at it. But, I’m not there yet and so I’m still driving with trepidation.
When we arrived in Dublin on Tuesday morning it was cold, windy and raining. We slogged all of our luggage into the tiny blue Micra and headed out of the airport onto the motorway. That was the worst part so far. What’s more difficult than driving on the wrong side of the road? Driving on the wrong side of the road with the windows fogged up through lots of complicated round-abouts! Just so you know, it’s always best to try something challenging and potentially dangerous when you are sleep deprived and jetlagged. Gives a nice edge to it.
Mary later emailed Barry that we arrived more or less safely, and that I only almost-killed us two or three times. Not too bad. On Wednesday we drove into beautiful downtown Athlone to see the fancy new mall. I only hit one curb in a tight round-about and otherwise did fine. I just noticed in the photo that one of the hubcaps is missing and I’m wondering if I lost it in the collision with the curb.
One of the good things about the Micra is that it is very tiny, so it is easier to keep it between the lines. The last time I tried to drive on the other side of the road, Mark and I were in a larger car and when I drove it I was always too close to the curb. I can still hear his screams. It was such a bad experience for both of us that it led us to consider a new TV series: CSI Cushendall - we were both having murderous thoughts.
Driving in Athlone is easier because I’m familiar with the streets. It’s also easier because the streets are so narrow that you can only drive slowly, otherwise you’d take out pedestrians with the side mirror. Mary and I navigated our way into the underground parking structure for the mall. We were accosted by Polish valet/carwash men who lavishly praised our fine Nissan Micra and offered to keep it in tip-top shape for many hundreds of euros. We declined.
Mary said later that she was watching the news and they were showing native Irish drivers on the road and she realized that their driving looked just as random as mine feels from her perspective as the passenger. So, I guess I’m going to fit in just fine.
