I do like my current life, living in Japan yet getting to visit the U.S. frequently to attend fun anime conventions and stock up on American peanut butter and tortillas. But flitting between the two countries means being at peace with driving on the opposite side of the road, thanks to Japan’s long tradition of modeling its institutions on the U.K., including driving on the left. While it’s really not that difficult to switch from one system to the other — just go the same way the other cars are going, and always make sure your body is closer to the center of the road than your passenger at all times — I do occasionally forget and start driving on the wrong side late at night when there are no other cars around, to the horror of whoever’s riding with me. While the driving pedals are of course in the same locations no matter which side of the road you’re on, the steering wheel controls for the “winker” (as a turn signal is called in Japan) and the windshield wiper are reversed, which means it’s quite easy to go to make a turn and find your windshield wipers are suddenly moving. Also, I am generally unable to get into a car on the correct side to drive it on the first try, to the general amusement of my wife, who snickers as I pretend I had decided to take a stroll around my car for no reason.
