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Where Driving Left is Right As you may know, people in New Zealand, Australia, and on many Pacific Islands drive on the left side of the road – or as Americans refer to it, the Wrong side of the road. Although I had driven a rental car in Rarotonga for a day, I was still a little uneasy about driving on the left side. The cars take some getting used to, as well. Americans like me often try to get in on the passenger side (oops), the steering wheel is on the right side of the car, which feels strange, and the turn signal and windshield wiper levers are exactly opposite of where you'd expect to find them.
As I was driving my Corolla down the streets of Auckland, I kept telling myself, "Left, left, left – stay left." I also kept turning on my windshield wipers before making a turn, which is something I'm sure Aucklanders are used to seeing. In fact, after seeing a car with its windshield wipers turned on during a sunny day, I'm sure they snicker to themselves and say, "There goes another dumb American." Also the slow lane, which is the right lane in America, is the left lane here, and that feels strange, as well. Despite all this, I arrived safely 30 minutes later at The Amberley, the Bed-and-Breakfast in Devonport north of Auckland, where I had made a reservation.
In most countries of the world, people drive on the right side of the road. However, in England and many former English colonies, such as Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong, people drive on the left side of the road. Why the difference? Left-side driving had its beginnings back in the Middle Ages and the days of King Arthur when knights in jousting competitions, carrying their long poles in their right hands, would pass to the right of each other while trying to skewer their opponent like a shish kabob. That's why people in England today, and England's later colonies (like New Zealand), drive on the left – especially before having shish kabob.
Right-hand driving had its beginnings in Pennsylvania in the 1790s on one of the first toll roads in the U.S. Since most people are right-handed, the toll operator set his booth up on the right side of the road to make it easier for riders on horseback and in horse-drawn carts to hand him the tolls. That's why people in America today, and in most other countries, drive on the right. Why male drivers (like me) refuse to ask for directions when they're completely lost, regardless of which side of the road they're driving on, is a mystery that has no explanation.
Driving on the left side of the road really isn't that big of a deal and I've gotten pretty used to it. I don't even think about it anymore, in fact. But of course, that's when old habits take over and accidents happen. So I need to keep telling myself: left, left, left.
Above left: Clearing customs in Auckland was a breeze. Above right: Before I committed to the rental car, I wanted to check out the Auckland Car Fair. I was hoping to buy a single-cab pickup here with a long bed in the back, like my truck in the U.S. But as I discovered, there are very few single-cab pickups in New Zealand.
Above left: My little Corolla in front of the Amberley Bed-and-Breakfast in nearby Devonport, my home for six days while I got ready for my trip around New Zealand. Above right: My room at the Amberley. Mary and Michael were very pleasant hosts.
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