August 3, 2010
I honestly have no idea why anyone would let me drive in this country. Don’t get me wrong; I think that I’m a good driver… in the states. But I am a nervous wreck here in Japan. I wonder if I was this nervous when I was 15 with a learner’s permit? I can’t remember, but I’m sure I was cocky as hell about it. “I’ve been driving my grandparents’ golf cart for years, I totally got this.” I do not have this attitude in Japan.
First thing I did was turn on my windshield wipers for my blinker. Honestly, who puts the blinker on the right side of the steering wheel anyway? I’ve walked to the passenger side door on more than a handful of occasions. But honestly, who puts the steering wheel on the right side of the car?! And I drove on the wrong side of the road. Luckily this has only been in parking lots, but I’ve done it twice now. Haven’t done it on the real road yet, but I think it’s because I have visual cues from other cars.
I have this green and orange magnet that signals other drivers that I’m a “first year driver.” (I will leave those on the entire time I’m here in Japan) I call them my “stay the fuck away from that car!” stickers. People should too. My supervisor told me no waving, bowing. But I just kind of bob my head like an idiot. And I have to bob my head a lot. “SORRY! Don’t you see the green and orange magnet? I’m clueless!”
Well, maybe I’m not soooooo sooooo bad… I haven’t run over a student (knock on wood) at least not on accident. Not on purpose either, but who knows come December how I’ll be feeling. I might accidentally on purpose…. AHHHHH!!! I keed! I keed!! Giggle giggle laugh laugh.
Oh, I can’t tell if there’s only one radio station in Japan or if I’m just in the inaka enough that only one radio station reaches me. And it doesn’t play the same type of music all day long. Sometimes it seems to be talk radio, another time it will be American music, sometimes J-pop and sometimes classical. I don’t quite get it. But I know I curbed my car trying to figure out the buttons on the radio. Luckily, no one was around to see that.
CD Player or an iPod with iTrip - you gotta have tunes! :)
ReplyDeleteOne hint - you (as the driver) should always be closest to the center line in the road. (This is true in both America and Japan)
If you're driving and your side of the car is on the sidewalk side, then you're on the wrong side of the road.
I'm stubborn, I said I didn't need the newbie sticker. Hopefully these crazy Japanese mountain roads don't make an ass out of me lol
ReplyDeleteYeah. Definitely go with a personal music player, and the "steering wheel goes in the center of the road" technique.
ReplyDeleteThe roads are narrower, but you'll get used to it. I never had one of those stickers either. Just remember what Rob Snyder said in all those Adam Sandler movies. YOU CAN DOOO ET!
hahahah....I love your stories!! I hope it gets better, can you please take a picture of your car?!?! :)
ReplyDeleteoh... my predecessor left his ipod hook-up thingy in there... it can play and charge at the same time... totally sweet! and yes, i will take a post a pic of my car with the "stay away" magnets on them!
ReplyDeleteI started to read this last week and got distracted (imagine that), so I finished it today. Your posts never fail to make me laugh out loud which makes it even better that I read them at work during my break most times. haha!
ReplyDeleteI personally think you should ditch the ipod/itrip and just sing to yourself as loudly as possible...with the windows down. Make up your own songs or sing some classics. With those hills outside your place I would definitely sing "The hills are aliiiiive with the sound of muuuuusiiiiic...". Either way, if the "stay the fuck away from that car" sticker doesn't get the point across, people seeing you sing in your car should. kidding!
*dawn*
visual cueing... really Shanyn? you can take the girl out of speech therapy...
ReplyDelete