I am not a good driver.
I'll admit it.
My friends will admit it.
Anyone who's been in my car will admit it.
So why would I choose to drive abroad?
WHO KNOWS.
When I went for my holiday rep interview, I was asked if I would be willing to drive abroad. As per usual, I said yes before thinking about it, hoping it would never happen. I mean at this stage I had never driven on the mainland, let alone a motorway!
We were asked at our training what was the main thing that scared us about the new job, and I think that most people who can drive said driving in a different country. I think we were focusing on the cars being on the other side of the road, and the drivers seat being in the other side of the car. Turns out that that was the least scary thing!
Here are my top tips if you have to drive abroad!
1. Do not over think it - JUST DO IT.
Honestly, the more you sit, and put it off and think about it, the longer you let it stew in the mind the more reasons you'll find not to do it. I left it until it was the day that the car actually got signed over to me and just did it. And I sunk into the different side of the road thing quite easily! It was a lot easier than I had imagined it, where the seats on the other side it's hard to venture over to the other side of the road, it just feels wrong!
2. Be prepared for a bruised hand
Lol. Yeah, you know how in England the gearstick is to the left of you? When you change sides in the car it will take you a while to realise that there is no gearstick in the door. I kept punching the window-windy-down-thing which really bloomin' hurts. My boss warned me about it when he picked me up from the airport and I just laughed at him. He was laughing soon!
3. Take it that nobody apart from you has actually passed their test (or are drunk)
Yes, I can only talk for Greece. But there it is probably most likely that they paid off the instructor in order to pass their test. None of them seem to know or care about what they should be doing. There is a €100 (I think) fine for not wearing a helmet in Greece, but everyone holds their helmet over their shoulder and just pays off the policemen...which leads me onto the next point
4. Do NOT expect everyone to follow the rules like in England
It's very British to follow rules, and I think thats something we take for granted. In Greece, if you don't zoom off past the traffic lights the SECOND they turn green people will overtake or honk you. Once, I saw someone in a petrol station, smoking a cigarette and on the phone - I sped out of there faster than you could say idiot. I think I saw one speed limit sign when I was there, not that anyone would have paid any attention to it! Also people always use their phones whilst driving, and once, two people were stopped in their cars in the middle of the road, I came along, late (as always) honked at them to remind them that this is a ROAD, and they got assey with me?! WHAAAAAT.
5. It will be harder driving in England again than it was the other way.
You will get ya bruised hand on the other side this time. You will forget that speed limits are a thing, and always be worried about speeding. I still, almost 8 months later, forget which side of the road I should be on. I get impatient. I forgot to use my indicators when I came back. I was shocked at how well people drove - they indicated, they didn't get stressed and they let you pull out! I was super scared about driving back in England again, and I still don't think I've got used to not having to floor my little Ford KA to get anywhere - my Chevrolet Matiz didn't live up to my usual standards!
Overall, it's really not as bad as you might think! Don't think about it and you will be fine, just remember it's not going to be like driving in good old England!
Have you ever driven abroad? Did you like it?
I'll admit it.
My friends will admit it.
Anyone who's been in my car will admit it.
So why would I choose to drive abroad?
WHO KNOWS.
When I went for my holiday rep interview, I was asked if I would be willing to drive abroad. As per usual, I said yes before thinking about it, hoping it would never happen. I mean at this stage I had never driven on the mainland, let alone a motorway!
We were asked at our training what was the main thing that scared us about the new job, and I think that most people who can drive said driving in a different country. I think we were focusing on the cars being on the other side of the road, and the drivers seat being in the other side of the car. Turns out that that was the least scary thing!
Here are my top tips if you have to drive abroad!
1. Do not over think it - JUST DO IT.
Honestly, the more you sit, and put it off and think about it, the longer you let it stew in the mind the more reasons you'll find not to do it. I left it until it was the day that the car actually got signed over to me and just did it. And I sunk into the different side of the road thing quite easily! It was a lot easier than I had imagined it, where the seats on the other side it's hard to venture over to the other side of the road, it just feels wrong!
2. Be prepared for a bruised hand
Lol. Yeah, you know how in England the gearstick is to the left of you? When you change sides in the car it will take you a while to realise that there is no gearstick in the door. I kept punching the window-windy-down-thing which really bloomin' hurts. My boss warned me about it when he picked me up from the airport and I just laughed at him. He was laughing soon!
3. Take it that nobody apart from you has actually passed their test (or are drunk)
Yes, I can only talk for Greece. But there it is probably most likely that they paid off the instructor in order to pass their test. None of them seem to know or care about what they should be doing. There is a €100 (I think) fine for not wearing a helmet in Greece, but everyone holds their helmet over their shoulder and just pays off the policemen...which leads me onto the next point
4. Do NOT expect everyone to follow the rules like in England
It's very British to follow rules, and I think thats something we take for granted. In Greece, if you don't zoom off past the traffic lights the SECOND they turn green people will overtake or honk you. Once, I saw someone in a petrol station, smoking a cigarette and on the phone - I sped out of there faster than you could say idiot. I think I saw one speed limit sign when I was there, not that anyone would have paid any attention to it! Also people always use their phones whilst driving, and once, two people were stopped in their cars in the middle of the road, I came along, late (as always) honked at them to remind them that this is a ROAD, and they got assey with me?! WHAAAAAT.
5. It will be harder driving in England again than it was the other way.
You will get ya bruised hand on the other side this time. You will forget that speed limits are a thing, and always be worried about speeding. I still, almost 8 months later, forget which side of the road I should be on. I get impatient. I forgot to use my indicators when I came back. I was shocked at how well people drove - they indicated, they didn't get stressed and they let you pull out! I was super scared about driving back in England again, and I still don't think I've got used to not having to floor my little Ford KA to get anywhere - my Chevrolet Matiz didn't live up to my usual standards!
Overall, it's really not as bad as you might think! Don't think about it and you will be fine, just remember it's not going to be like driving in good old England!
Have you ever driven abroad? Did you like it?
1 comments
Okay, so I haven't even passed my test in the UK yet - it's very VERY soon though! But I don't plan on driving in a foreign any time soon, as I'm still panicking about being able to drive in my own country hahahaha!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you overcame it though, I can imagine it being very strange at first.
kayla @ daintydweeb.wordpress.com
xo