Friday 11 March 2011

Inner city driving

Driving on the motorway in Europe is easy. Driving in inner cities is a completely different matter. Streets are narrower, corners are tighter, you have to watch out for cyclists and pedestrians everywhere and all in all, it can be quite daunting to get into a town.

Last night I had to pick up a gaggle of sorority girls (six new members if you please), who giggled and gaggled for over two hours while I drove them to their 'home', a pub! As I entered the town where I spent most of my childhood, one of them came up to me asking me whether I knew the town. Well, I know how to get to my old home, but not the driving situation in the center of town. According to her though, all coaches would come into that street, so it was possible. I was willing to give it a go!

I drove into town, making tighter turns on each occasion and finally came into a street where I was even able to turn my coach around and drop the giggling gaggle off. After which I had to get out of those tiny streets and go home. My satnav had a certain route in mind that I found would be impossible to pursue, I would have damaged the coach on several sides. So, I had to reverse out again, reverse down the road up to a point where I could turn onto the other side of the canal and then go home. I managed though. Because I am such a good driver!!

9 comments:

  1. Sounds like you were in a tight situation! I've heard that the streets in Europe are much narrower than here in the US because your cities are older. Even so, I really dislike driving my little mini-van in downtown Chicago. I don't think I would like driving a bus! You must be a great driver!

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  2. I am full of admiration for bus, coach, lorry drivers. Your spatial awareness must be terrific as well as having nerves of steel - I couldn't do it:-)

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  3. you should have gotten a beer for yourself for that ride! used the excuse you were drinkin one for me.

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  4. You drive so many different groups! Who decides who you are driving? And who can request your companies services?

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  5. How many cyclists did you kill ? Since they are my nightmare in Amsterdam, I wished they would all disappear in the canals !
    I wished I could have shared the ride, I like to giggle and gaggle ! and I was only slightly shocked when a young man told me that I was the funniest OMA (!!!) he had ever met. I still can't believe that I sit in this body which is different from my mind !

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  6. I agree with your very humble opinion of yourself. You must be an extremely good driver. I couldn't back up (that's what Canadians say instead of 'reversing') to get out of a narrow street. I'd abandon the vehicle, like a rat leaving a sinking ship, no kidding.
    If some Canadian bus company doesn't hire you as a driver, I'll hire you as my person chauffeur (no pay but lots of admiration for your skills).
    -- K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  7. Good for you! We've only had our new car one year and I have already put two scrapes on it!

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  8. You are a good driver, I am impressed going in reverse with a bus!!!

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  9. I hate driving down tight roads... I go into full stress mode. Bravo Mara!

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Any weighty (and not so weighty) comments are welcome!