Question for you Wrong-Hand-Drive types

Do you ride a motorcycle?

Do you have trouble switching from throttle/clutch/brake with hands on a MC and stepping into a car and doing the same controls with your feet?

I see it as the same. I have no trouble switching from LHD to RHD as long as I am driving on the same side of the road.

Now going from a right throttle pedal to a center accelerator makes my anxiety level go way up especially in a multi million dollar car in busy traffic.
Just imagine the thrill when traffic stops and you are trying to remember which pedal to hit.

 

LHD-trained with some RHD + auto experience. But last year, I thought I'd try a RHD + manual for a couple of weeks in Ireland, it took a few minutes of acclimatization but otherwise felt OK and became progressively more natural. Driving on the "wrong" side still took more conscious thought than the change in shifting hand.

 

In Malaysia I drive a manual RHD and drive on the left side of the road. In China I drive LHD and drive on the right side of the road. The LHD are automatics but I've driven a GT3 manual here and it is pretty much the same. Steering position notwithstanding, you just got to get used to driving on the 'correct' side of the road and that takes a minute or so for the first time and it helps if there are oncoming vehicles to 'remind' you of your position. After shuttling back and forth between these two countries for 5 years on, it feels normal.
Having said that I prefer LHD (steering on the left) vehicles to RHD, even though I've been driving RHD all my life till I got to CN.Most if not all Supercars are LHD only

 

In Malta my wife and I turned driving into a "Team Sport." She worked the stearing wheel and pedals and I worked the shift lever.

Worked great and the extra pair of eyes ensuring we were driving on the "correct" side of the road, especially when turning at intersections was INVALUABLE. In two weeks we still never really got the hang of it (driving solo).

Roadway Retarded I guess ......................

 

I've done all possible combinations - LHD cars in RHD countries, RHD cars in RHD countries and RHD car in LHD country. I have no isuue driving on the left in an LHD car. The switch to an RHD car ina an RHD country requires more effort and concentration. I had a tendency to drive too close to the pavement and had to get used to setting the car up for left turns differently. Also in the beginning kept hitting the door to change gear and switched the wipers on instead of the turn indicators. RHD car in LHD country requires a cooperative and trustworthy passenger for efficient overtaking.

 

I tried more or less all possible combinations (lived in UK for 6 years with an Italian car), but it is just matter of habit. The worst moment was when I was back in Italy for the first time after more or less one year. I found myself driving on the left... Same happened to my wife.
Ciao
Eugenio

 

Might I ask what car that was? I've never heard of the gas being in the middle.

 

Many Italian race cars from the 50's and earlier.

Many have been converted to a conventional setup.

 

Joe- I lived in the UK for six years and owned mixes of RHD and LHD cars, all with manual transmissions. No problems shifting since the pedal placement is identical and only your hand is doing something different and it learns very quickly. The hardest thing to get used to was the wiper and turn signal switches, which are on different sides on RHD and LHD cars. You could always tell someone who had just arrived in the UK driving around RAF Lakenheath. They would come up to a corner and the windshield wipers would come on instead of the turn signal. For the first few weeks, they tended to bounce off a few curbs, too. Hardest part of driving in traffic was getting used to right hand turns being the dangerous ones. Quite a few accidents from Yanks looking the wrong way.

Have never driven a center throttle car. Some drivers, like Fangio, could jump from one to the other with no problem. Others, like Stirling Moss, just about refused to drive center throttle cars. The center throttle supposedly made heel and toeing much easier. Brian might be able to comment on that.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

In Oz of course, we drive RHD on the left. I rent cars in several parts of the world, getting used to LHD/drive on the right takes concentration for a couple of days, specially if jetlagged - I've never scared myself but not for nothing to they have those signs in europe reminding you to "fahren sie rechts" or similar, near airports and car ferries. To avoid embarrassment:

Do not change gear with the armrest or window winder,

Remember to get into the correct side of the car, specially when collecting a rental car.

I don't have a problem changing gear with the right hand, most single seaters have a RH gearchange. Although, being strongly right handed, I prefer to change gear with the left hand, leaving the dominant hand to deal with the primary control, the steering.

Worst moment was winding up on the wrong side of a centre divider in San Antonio - fortunately, almost no traffic. If in doubt, smile, shrug and yell out "tourista" or similar!

 

For obvious reasons!

 

Agree completely.

LHD manual all my life. Few years ago, hired a car in Britain to attend a wedding in Wales then golf in St. Andrews. RHD manual....took me about 2 minutes to get comfortable with LH shift.

Really had to think about driving on the left side though.

Neil

 

Is there a difference.
In all honesty there is little or no difference from whatever side your driving, in whatever country. The most common mistake I usually make is trying to get in the passengers side sometimes. A bit embarrassing especially if there are people around. You can suck it and look stupid or make out you are retrieving something from the passenger seat.

 

As it happens I am in the UK and have one LHD and one RHD Ferrari and the switches are on the same side of the steering column for both.

I drive a lot in the UK and Europe with LHD and RHD cars. Never had any problems apart from the minor inconvenience of toll booths and car park ticket machines. I do echo what flyingboa says in that do need to concentrate when you get back home as to which side of the road you should be on. You expect to have to concentrate when you're away from home, but it is easy to forget to do the same when you're back and find you're on the wrong side.

Jonathan

 

Warren - I'll be sure to look out for that in Napier Are you going?

 

j- Interesting, did not know that. The only Ferrari I had in England was a LHD Euro 308 GTS and my Fiat Dino coupe was LHD as well. I have never driven a RHD Ferrari. Most of the cars owned by USAF service members were small, British-built cars when I was there in the 80s and early 90s. The wipers were the raise the lever to change wiper speed types and on the wrong side for us LHD types.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

THANKS FOR THAT, i was going to ask the same question....fascinating!!!!!



doug

 

As someone else mentioned, I don't have trouble with driving either setup on their intended roads but driving a low convertible LHD car on our RHD roads is EXTREMELY stressful, and overtaking is out of the question. Have only done it once, and not inclined to attempt it again.

 

Karen- Did it for years with the 308 GTS and other cars in the UK. You just have to look on the left side of the car in front, stay well back for a better view and use acceleration, or have a good right seater. Very handy for getting close to the edge of the road on narrow UK roads, too.

Taz
Terry Phillips