The Odd Ball

This is about driving a right-hand drive car on the right side of the road.

Several years ago an incident occurred that will likely never be completely forgotten. Traffic along the N-332 in the area of Torrevieja had come to a complete stop in the northbound direction. Southbound traffic was flowing freely. In among the stopped traffic was a right-hand drive car. For reasons known only to the driver he suddenly pulled out into the lane of opposing traffic, even although he could not see whether anything was coming. The following chain events occurred as a result of this reckless action:

He pulled into the path of a charter bus carrying 49 school children.
His wife, who was sitting in the left seat, was killed instantly from the impact.
A friend who was visiting them from the U.K. who was sitting in the rear was killed instantly also.
The bus lost control and veered left, pushing the car ahead of it. They crashed into another car that was stopped. The driver and his pregnant girlfriend occupied that car.
That driver was killed and the three vehicles went over a thirty- foot embankment with the bus falling on top of the other two cars.
The girlfriend was trapped in the wreckage.
On board the bus several of the children were injured, as was the driver.
One of the children’s injuries were so severe that she had to be air-lifted to the nearest trauma hospital, as was the girlfriend when she was freed from the mess. The only good news in all this was that the pregnant lady eventually delivered her full-term baby. The baby was named “Miracle.”

There was much speculation that the original driver must have been drunk. His family were fierce in defending him, saying that he never touched alcohol. So, that was not his excuse.

I was very angry over that incident. Such a disaster caused through one senseless action on the part of one person. The driver was critically and permanently injured, and it seems that someone made the decision that there was nothing more that the law could do to him that he hadn’t already done to himself. He doesn’t seem to have been charged with the matter.

I recall being super-critical about drivers of right-hand drive vehicles here on the Continent, or people who take their cars into Britain. I reasoned that if you must drive such a car that makes you the Odd Ball, then you must always exercise a very high degree of care and caution. Now, I am the owner of a Jaguar Sovereign right-hand drive car.

This is not the smartest thing that I’ve done. However, at my age I might never have an opportunity to do such a dopey thing again. The car is fourteen years old, and because it was used as a car to transport VIPs, its condition is similar to having just come out of the showroom. It drives like a dream, so in reality I am not regretting the purchase. The problem is getting used to driving a car that puts the driver on the curb-side rather than on the middle of the road.
I assumed that I might have had some difficulty handling the car, but it has come to me quite naturally. There are some things that present problems that will take some time to become comfortable with. The main problems arise when I encounter ticket machines at toll-booths and in parking zones. If I don’t have a passenger I have to get out and run round to the machine and run back into the car, all of which drives the people behind me bonkers.

When driving along two-way traffic lanes, and I come upon a slow-moving vehicle, such as a tractor, I am presented with an extremely dangerous situation. Before overtaking I have to make very certain that the other lane is clear, and if I cannot absolutely be sure, then I have to stay with the tractor and move along at 10 kilometres an hour. I am determined not to make the same mistake as the driver referenced above.

Finally, I do not have the luxury of most drivers who can relax a little to daydream of pleasant things as they drive along. I must be aware at all times where I must position my car. I cannot let the car drift too far towards the centre line, especially when on corners. The strain of always being so aware is draining, but the car is an engineering delight and I do feel special in it.

I add my congratulations to Jaguar for such a fine product. I always have to remember that it was they who built it, not me. I simply get to drive it.

Copyright © 2009 Eugene Carmichael