Interesting Tidbits

I wanted to jot down a few interesting tidbits and observations while I am thinking about them. If you have ever traveled in England, you will probably recognize some of these. These aren't earth shattering, they are just interesting to this Texan who has never been to England before.
1- Traffic lights - of course in the U.S. red means stop, green is go and yellow is slow down or yield. The progression from go to stop is a green, yellow, then a red. But of course, the light then turns directly from red to green (still to go). Not so in England. The yellow light (actually they call it amber here) happens on both sides. Green, amber, red (go, slow down, stop) and then red, amber, green (still, get ready, go).
2- The Manchester Evening News is the local newspaper (Manchester is the 2nd largest city in England). There is a basic headlines section that is free if you are in Manchester proper. If you buy it where we are, out in a suburb basically, you have to pay for it but you get the full edition. The word is that the gas (petrol) costs too much just to drive the free version out to the suburbs so the paper charges in order to reimburse itself for the gas it takes to deliver it here. However the one that gets delivered here is the full version. It is interesting first that the main newspaper of the second largest city in all of England has a significant section that is free in that city and second it is a commentary on how dire the gas situation is or is perceived to be that just a drive out to that city's suburbs is that costly. (gas is the equivalent of about $9 a gallon here)
3- People are very interested in the American presidential campaign and it is covered widely in the press. The end of the Democratic Primary Campaign was front page top headline in one of the major London newspapers.

*I drove the car a little more today. A neighbor from across the street rode shotgun and guided me to places that were good practicing areas. Brave souls, Bethany and Addie sat in the backseat. God bless em'.