You know that few second lag that we have in the states in between one light turning red and the other turning green? They don't have that here. How do I know this you ask. WELL...
Last night I took Jess, Derik, and Aubrey to a stake youth activity (yep, we have three kids old enough to go to youth activities now--still in denial about that one), and I had the brilliant idea to go grocery shopping while waiting. So Eryn and I had a nice shopping excursion and then headed back to the stake center. While attempting to drive the silly little rental car, shift with the wrong hand, stay in the correct lane, and not kill anyone, however, we went through a light that turned red just as we entered the intersection. THIS IS A BIG NO NO HERE. I know this because the officer that pulled me over explained it to me in detail.
There's also this quirky little law in the U.K. that requires anyone without a U.K. license who is pulled over for any violation to be arrested and taken immediately to trial. Unfortunately, when you are arrested on a Saturday night, trial is Monday morning, and you get to make lots of new jailbird friends while awaiting judgment.
To make the story a little shorter, the officer had pity on me (mostly because Eryn's face, complete with deer-in-the-headlights eyes, was smashed up against the back window of the car sporting the best ever "please don't hurt my mommy" look). After the nice officer ascertained that I wasn't drunk, he explained that he, too, has driven as a foreign national (apparently driving in France on the wrong side of the road with the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car had been rather disconcerting) and told me he wouldn't take me to jail, asking if I was sufficiently scared to drive more carefully in his country. I answered him by bursting into tears.
I learned two things from the experience: 1) life's everyday tender mercies are awesome, and 2) I am taking that child everywhere!
(Oh, yes, Marko asked to see the rental car with a grown up standing next to it, so here it is. Maybe they should start selling these in these in the states--EVERYONE would want one. The problem is whether to sell them at the dealership or in the toy aisle...)
3 comments:
That is SO funny! And the picture is great too. Let's get one of those cars for Rick this Christmas!
Great idea--I bet if he took the front seat out and drove from the back it would be about right!
happy thanksgiving! so much to be grateful for! have a great day!
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