I will say that there is one very vexing thing about driving on the left: Turn signals. They're on the right side of the wheel.
My typical turning process in my left-sided car (where everything seems backwards):
1. Check mirrors/blindspot
2. Flip the signal switch on the left-hand side of wheel
3. Realize that I mistakenly flipped on the wipers
4. Play-it-off 'cool' to Tiffany with a little comment that "I meant to do that."
5. Flip the proper signal switch (right-hand side of wheel)
6. Turn
During Tiffany's first left-side driving experience, she also flipped the wipers instead of the turn signal. She didn't even try to play-it-off cool, though. We just giggled it out in solidarity.
Traffic Flow Explanation
Traffic here is similar to other places we've traveled in Asia: at first glance, the unimaginable entropy quickly breaks your sanity bone. Then, you sadly realize that you are the only human in the hemisphere who cares.
One way to help mentally create order out of the road chaos (so you don't go berserk) is to think about car traffic as busy pedestrian traffic back at home. At an airport, for example, people generally stay on the right side of the walkway. But, if you need to cut across the tsunami of speed-walkers to get to your gate, you just beeline it at the slightest gap. People slow down and adjust to let you pass, and most folks don't think twice to do so. This is like car/moto traffic here; local drivers constantly adapt to the car/moto/pedestrian flow around them.
My first walk into a deluge of oncoming traffic in Asia was a real test of faith (Phnom Penh Cambodia, 2000), similar to the video above. Sure enough, the only way to cross the street was to step out into the sea of motos, trusting that they'd go around me. The trick is no sudden movements while crossing; be predictable. If you take a quick-hopping 'Frogger' approach, you may break more than your sanity bone.
Love it. Some driving tips from the Philippines
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If you make eye contact with another driver, you have yielded the right of way
The gas pedal is your sword, the brake is your shield. You need both to stay alive.
Haha--this is the best comment ever, Devin. Thanks for the tips. Maybe some dark sunglasses will provide sufficient cover from looking at other drivers? That way they'll never know I'm watching their every move...
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