I was particularly nervous about running amid automobile traffic in Australia because
(1) they drive on the left side of the road,
(2) I'm from the United States where we drive on the right side, and
(3) people living in Australia are not used to people who are not used to left-side driving.

I have run in six countries that drive on the left

My first time running in a left-side-drive country was in Swords, Ireland, where I thought I looked both ways and ran into a bright red moving car, caught my foot in his wheelwell, and landed on my rear end on the pavement. He was more startled than I was, especially as I look Irish enough to pass for local. (Folks called me O'Rosenberg while I was in Ireland.) Once I spoke, the driver realized I was a ``yank'' who looked the wrong way. He drove on his way and I finished my run with a few bruises and only my pride seriously wounded.

So I really wanted to avoid being on the roads when there was significant automobile traffic. It's annoying enough to dodge cars without the extra adventure of having to remember that they're coming from the other side.