This would be my second time driving a car in the US - in California to be precise.
Just like when I was in Canada for three visits. In Ontario, to be precise.
It is left-hand drive in both countries, in case you didn't know.
To be honest, it had been and is pleasant driving in both places - in Fullerton-Anaheim-Placentia (Orange County, Southern California) and in Toronto-Kitchener-Mississauga-Waterloo (Ontario) because basically motorists are not crazy, demented or/and mad. Particularly in Ontario.
In Mississauga back in 2010 when I first visited my son, Adel - I was honked at only once for blocking a lane I should not have been in. But ever so lightly honked.
In Anaheim in January this year, in an Asian neighbourhood - a motorist honked at me because I was driving a little too slow on a fast lane.
Yep, forgot the fast and slow lanes here are in reverse. But heck -- that happens in Asian neighbourhoods. Asians! Sheesh -- what do you expect?
And yesterday when returning back from Farina's place - at the traffic lights as I was making a turn. That was and is still puzzling. Was I driving too slowly? Perhaps. Still -- just a single light honk. Not the rabid crazy Malaysian honk.
It is funny but I am quite nervous driving here and in Ontario because (generally) people are just so civil.
So used to the madness in KL? Perhaps...
Here, I worry - am I driving too fast? Am I turning too quickly into the next lane? Am I stopping too abruptly?
And the most recurring habit -- driving too far right in the lane. Something that spooks both Adel in Canada and Farina, here in Orange County, Southern California.
"Mummy, mummy ... you are too far right.. ", Adel used to say to me back when I was driving us around in Ontario. He was more nervous than me. Then , I got nervous.
Here, hardly five minutes in the car and on the road, Farina said "ikut kiri ikut kiri, Kak Ena". I thought , at first, that she meant for me to keep to the left lane because i needed to make a left turn.
Then...aah. I was too far right.
I have until the end of the month to remember to "ikut kiri".
And if I forget, this will be the song with only two words that either Farina or Shaira will be singing to me as we cruise around the neighbourhoods of Fullerton and Anaheim or the Santa Ana freeway -
"Ikut kiri ikut kiri ikut kiri" ...
Remember, remember.
Nuraina,driving in California is okay,but driving in New York is a nightmare,especially for drivers like you.Californians got more manners and are more polite.New Yorkers are more rude.In California people tend to take things easy and not in so much rush.Just take the tube and see.In New York people are always in a hurry,especially the cab drivers.Just watch the people taking the subways.They are rushing,more likely running up or down the stairs.That is the reason New Yorkers are angry people.
ReplyDeleteCanadians are more like the Californians,that is the reason they let you drive over there.They are not angry people like New Yorkers.Hehe.
Bruno:
ReplyDeleteoh yes.. i could see that.
The last time I was in New York in 2010, I did not drive around the city at all. The points I had to reach were all close by to each other. But it was a road trip from Washington DC to NYC. we departed Washington DC late evening and travelled through there night till early the next morning.
anyway during my earlier visits to NYC in the last century, I went there only once by car but can't quite remember the traffic madness.
Otherwise it's the subway or just walking by foot from one place to another..
Bruno
ReplyDeleteas for canadians -- yes.. they are civil drivers. I was there last year on the road from Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal. People had told me that motorists in Quebec are not so civil as those in Ontario. But heck -- they are for more civil than our Malaysian drivers lah.
To my stalker -- the bitch from S W*ngs*
ReplyDeleteyou make me laugh.
Kesian you, kan. No life. No man in your life.
This is my one and only response to you.
Again. Kesian you,
Try driving in downtown detroit pon sakit kepala dan takut juga...in the city drivers d sana pon kusemangat gelojohnya ;-) ;-) ;-)
ReplyDelete