Of Toots and Mirrors....

Yes, I am driving in Doha.  Within 60 minutes of having my temporary licence, I became that driver that locals have learnt to fear; white, female, and obviously "new" as driving a rental car.  I have not learned all of the nuances of Doha driving - it is all about toots and mirrors.  And I have not learned the finer inate behaviours of the right-hand drive.

Toots and mirrors go together.  One does not need to respond necessarily to what is observed in the rearview mirror (if one even looks).  If a car three times your size and twice your speed (noting that my speed is that of a newbie) appears suddenly, bearing down in your rear; a reaction is not necessary.  However, if that same vehicle begins emitting short and rapid toots, it is clearly advisable to move into the next lane without hesitation and hold on to your steering wheel firmly as the wind gust from the previously speed oppressed vehicle returns to its regular speed.  And I continue on my merry "newbie" way.

Right-hand driving!  Easy? Surely, it is only on the other side - think about it!  Simple, yes; when you get into the car and drive, the car goes, mostly you stay in the correct lane, can operate the key pedals excepting, naturally, for making a left-hand turn when it is natural to enter the new road on the inside much to the alarm of the car confronting you.  For me, a key problem is the mirrors.  I can not get my brain to realise that the rear-view mirror is on my right and my view into the fast lane is via my left hand side mirror. Right-hand driving - Not easy!

So that is my mirrors and toots but really they are only half of my story.  The other half - noting, that this now destroys my essay structure - is what I like about driving in Doha.

I like the round-abouts.  None of this mini roundabout stuff we get in the small centres of New Zealand; these  mean business.  You enter (me, watching from my left) aim the car, indicate and go.  For the life of me, I don't know why Ross or I haven't been hit yet as extreme lane changes within the round about are par of course.  But really, I do love them as the big round abouts are light controlled and waiting time is limited.

I like the rapid take-off at the intersections.  In Malaysia, one had to wait until the lights had nearly finished their phasing until you got through as reaction times were exceptionally slow.  Once the first car had moved, the second car would think about getting ready to move and so on.  Here it is "toot toot" and everybody moves in succession.

I like the infrastructure. The roads are incredible, wide, pop up like mushrooms and diverse.  If you had the right vehicle, you could be driving on sealed road, or over the curb onto the dust within minutes.  Now the roads are all relatively well signposted (the main ones) and the scenery is spectacular due to the building construction underway.

That is my driving.  Needless to say, we are off out this Saturday to begin the process of trying to buy a brand new 4x4.  This will place my small backseat driver into correct childseat bolting and harnessing.  It will remove my newness and lift me up to the height of the other drivers.  Roll-on new car!