Driving in England

Today, I did it on my own…
The boys and I needed to go to the grocery store which is walking distance but farther than the Tesco (little convenient-like store just 5 minutes away.) We wanted to go to Sainsbury (a large grocery store chain like King Soopers or Safeway) which is a 15 minute walk. I discovered a short cut today during a run but the boys were not excited about my new discovery and were not up for walking. So they coaxed me into driving the new used blue Honda Accord fully automatic car that we just bought yesterday. I did go for a spin the night before with Andrew in the passenger side giving me advice at every round-a-bout.

But now I was on my own. Tanner sat up front to give me a warning when I was too close to the curb. It is so strange having the steering wheel on the other side of the car. Mostly, the scary part is trying not to get lost. I knew where the store was located. I assumed there was more than one entrance to the store parking lot. But as I quickly discovered, there is only one way in and one way out and I had missed it.

The good thing about roundabouts is that they allow you to change directions 180 degrees without having to make a U-turn. So that became helpful at the next roundabout which was just up away. Roundabouts are everywhere so there is no problem finding one to make that U-turn.

Tanner was a good help and navigator. He coached me from running into the side of the curb which I had done the night before when I was driving with Andrew. Shortly after my rub on the curb we could smell the burned rubber from the tires. Tanner also helped me with the confidence to keep trying.

I know driving is a mental game that I will need to get over. I felt so proud of my accomplishment today by driving less than a mile to Sainsbury, parking and coming home on the left side of the road all by myself (with the help of Tanner). But quite honestly half of my fear of driving is just trying to keep from getting lost. I wanted to shop at a different store after our checking out at the grocery store but I gave up and went home when I realized that I could see the store from our house almost but I had not idea how to get there. There is no direct way to anything. After one wrong turn, I quickly gave up and went back home.

Walking can seem easier at times.