In the left lane?

So they drive in the left lane here in the UK. I don't think this is news to anyone.  But it's still an unusual adjustment for me, having lived my entire life where we drive on the right!  Last week when I was out with my realtor, she drove and I had to fight the urge all day to get in on the wrong side of the car.  And riding along (sitting on the left side in the passenger seat) was somewhat terrifying.  Every time we turned a corner, it felt like we were going into oncoming traffic!  I'm sure it doesn't help that we are in London, a major city with lots of traffic on mostly 2 lane, very narrow roads.  At one point I swear we were INCHES from one of those red double-decker buses. 

Aside from riding in the left lane, there is a pedestrian adjustment as well.  It is nice that in most of the busier (read, touristy) areas, they have helpful little signs painted on the road to assist: 

If it's a one-way street, they will even say "look left" on the opposite side.  I find that at most intersections, I just swivel my head in all directions before I attempt to cross.  In addition to the added danger of looking the wrong way, apparently cars have the right-of-way over pedestrians except when you are in a crosswalk.  And not all intersections have crosswalks.  So the point is - look closely - they can and will run you over. 

My last observation about the left lane situation is that it isn't the same all the time.  Think about traffic in the US - we drive on the right.  The right lane is the slow lane and the left lane is the fast/passing lane.  If you are walking, the same holds true.  You would always veer to the right if you and another person were walking straight for each other.  We walk on the right in shopping malls.  We run to the right on running paths.  So you would think that if the British drive on the left, then everything else would switch too, right?  NOT SO.  There is a true identity crisis with where to walk.  I have had near head-on collosions with people ALL over the place because I am trying to go left and they go right!  What is that all about?!  On the escalators in the Tube, everyone stands on the right and passes on the left.  Some hallways in the Tube stations even have guardrail dividers in the middle to keep the traffic moving and sometimes we walk on the left and sometimes on the right.  It is entirely confusing.  I'll repost if I come to any conclusion on this, but if you are visiting, look out for oncoming traffic - both vehicles and humans!