I’m on the South Island of New Zealand on research leave. Sarah’s here too and we’re working in the early mornings to overlap with yesterday’s afternoon in Canada.
That leaves us time to ride our bikes in the afternoon. And we’re loving it.
But since it’s New Zealand we’re riding bikes on the left side of the road or trail. It’s taking some getting used to. I actually find it easier to drive a car on the left than ride my bike on the left, because there is nothing about the bike that’s different. The car at least matches the road with the driver’s side on the right.
(I say there’s nothing different but that’s not completely true. I once dropped my bike off to have work done on it at a bike shop in Canberra, Australia. When I went to get it the guy in the shop complimented me on my bike and said it was fine. But while my bike was fine, he said he nearly killed himself because he took the bike out for a spin and the brakes were backwards. You didn’t tell me it was a North American bike. I thought my accent would have given it away. Turns out that in countries that ride/ drive on the left, the left brake controls the rear wheel. You learn something new every day. )
But back to this trip and riding on the left in Aotearao.
First step, riding on the left. Easy.
Second step, on narrow trails when you meet an oncoming bike, remembering to move to the left. Takes a bit of remembering.
Third step, when you come up behind another bike on the trail that’s going more slowly than you, passing on the right and maybe even saying, “on your right.” That throws me every time.
Fourth, and this is one I got wrong twice today, when you’re riding on the road in traffic and you want to make eye contact with the driver, look in the right front seat. I spend the first few weeks wondering why there are dogs in the drivers’ seats.
I also thought we’re in a very progressive place because in opposite sex couples the women are driving. Also wrong.
And then I got annoyed at the number of people driving in city traffic looking at their phones. Also wrong.
Eventually I’ll get it right. Just in time to come home and get it wrong all over again.
