How Do Right Handed People Adapt to RHD Cars? | Page 3 | FerrariChat

How Do Right Handed People Adapt to RHD Cars?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by Nospinzone, Jan 27, 2021.

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  1. MikeMonty

    MikeMonty Karting

    May 28, 2004
    122
    Nashville TN
    Full Name:
    Mike
    I am a JDM fan so switch back and forth between LHD and RHD. Once you drive both for awhile it makes no difference. It actually feels more weird for me to drive a LHD manual because all my RHD are manual so that is what I am used to now. Easy adjustment, just need a day or so driving.
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  2. ginoBBi512

    ginoBBi512 F1 Rookie
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    #52 ginoBBi512, Mar 13, 2021
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2021

    You missed what I was trying to say , or I mis spoke,or what I was trying to say did not come out on type the way I intended. England is not a s*** hole country, its the only country I would visit with RHD cars, I was referring to places like india, I have spent a lot of time watching Docs about crazy roads throughout the world, many of them 3rd world, and drive on the opposite side of the road, so therefor I made the assumption that most RHD countries are 3rd world, and again, I would never ever even think about visiting, England NOT BEING ONE OF THEM. On many occasions I have spoken about the UK car and Bike journos, who have a fantastic writing style, which I love reading, I usually spend quite a lot of money on UK car and bike magazines throughout the year, much more than the mags here in the USA. I will at some point visit the UK, with that being said, I would much rather be driven around the country , I would not be comfortable trying to drive there and take in the scenery , which I have said as well before you made your comment .

    Thank you,
     
  3. Paul Kane

    Paul Kane Karting

    May 27, 2020
    228
    Rickmansworth UK
    Full Name:
    Paul Kane
    There are 72 countries who drive on the left in RHD cars, best not generalise that all RHD countries are SHs except England as that would include Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa being SHs and many other 1st world countries and Islands. I agree some countries, LHD and RHD have some way to go regarding roads and infrastructure.
    I drive in Europe and USA on the right in LHD cars, to start it was a little daunting especially my first time in Florida from Orlando to Disney World with the family, as the roads are so wide with traffic lights hanging on wires quite high up to what us Brits are used to, but now when abroad I don't even think about just get in and go.
    If you do drive in the UK you will find the vast majority of drivers are very polite and courteous, just watch out for the many speed cameras and keep to the left.
     
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  4. John Hasty

    John Hasty Rookie

    Jul 16, 2019
    37
    Full Name:
    John H. Hasty
    As to which side a shifter should be on, all of the right hand drive sports racers and formula cars I've seen have right hand shifters.
     
  5. Admiral Goodwrench

    Admiral Goodwrench Formula Junior

    Mar 2, 2005
    687
    Santa Fe, New Mexico
    Full Name:
    Robert Phillips
    Hey John, please check out the pic in post #6 of this thread.

    Bet regards,

    Robert
     
  6. John Hasty

    John Hasty Rookie

    Jul 16, 2019
    37
    Full Name:
    John H. Hasty
     
  7. John Hasty

    John Hasty Rookie

    Jul 16, 2019
    37
    Full Name:
    John H. Hasty
    Robert...I should have said all current sports racers...say from late 60’s to date...
     
  8. 05elise

    05elise Karting

    Jul 20, 2011
    173
    Sharpsburg, GA
    Full Name:
    Dan
    I own and drive a '66 RHD Lotus Elan S2 here in the US and have no trouble with shifting with my left hand. Then again I am left handed so that might have something to do with it. For some reason I also have never walked up to the passenger side of this car to get in and drive it. The only difficulty I have found with driving a RHD car in the states is going through a drive through or toll booths and not being able to reach out the left window. The best solution for this is to always make sure you have a passenger in the car to reach out the window if needed. An advantage to RHD here is that it makes it really easy to pick up your mail from the mailbox while in the driver's seat or if you are a postal worker delivering mail on a rural route using your own vehicle you don't need to fit it with passenger side controls that allow you to drive from the passenger side and put mail in the mailboxes!
     
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  9. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

    Jul 1, 2013
    7,346
    Weston, MA
    Full Name:
    Paul
    So that begs the question, when you drive a LHD car with a stick does that seem a little awkward for you?

    The other solution is to simply back in to the toll booth! :D
     
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  10. 05elise

    05elise Karting

    Jul 20, 2011
    173
    Sharpsburg, GA
    Full Name:
    Dan
    Not at all, but I think driving a LHD Elan might actually feel awkward to me.
     
  11. 05elise

    05elise Karting

    Jul 20, 2011
    173
    Sharpsburg, GA
    Full Name:
    Dan
    Now that will certainly get you a lot of unwanted attention!
     
  12. max lewis

    max lewis Rookie

    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    Auatralia
    Full Name:
    Max Lewis
    I have driven in many places on the rhs of the road. Having been brought up in New Zealand and lived and worked in the U.K. and now living in Australia driving on the lhs of the road is as natural as can be. Shifting through the gears in my 308gtb was no problem until my wrist, which I broke nearly 50 years ago, started to give trouble as arthritis set in. It is a problem. Otherwise all my other vehicles are automatic and in the case of my 1954 Citroen Traction Avant with the gearstick poking out of the dashboard it is easy as the gear change is as smooth as silk. There have been many a fatal accident...one in particular where a car full of German tourists in a country road in NZ were on the wrong side of the road when they smashed into a 40 tonne Mack truck. Scratch four people. It is so easy to lose concentration where the surroundings are alien. A close shave with my wife and I in Denmark coming off a freeway [ my wife was driving as I had to rest ] and she turned left into the left lane and said " what is that truck doing in my lane " a quick turn of the steering wheel kept us from becoming as statistic. This was driving a rhd car in a lhd country. Take care all of you out there that will drive in unfamiliar surroundings.
     
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  13. simon klein

    simon klein Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Feb 25, 2009
    28,802
    North Qld
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    simon klein
    I'm a lefty in Aussie and had zero trouble converting to a LHD car on a trip to Europe in 2010....it all comes down to how confident you/anyone is in driving in general IMO.
    Roundabouts in Europe were...um..entertainig though:D

    As for driving a 'wrong' sided car on a single lane 'wrong' sided road...that's got serious knobs on it from a safety angle.
     
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  14. blazing928s4

    blazing928s4 Rookie

    Mar 8, 2013
    45
    Melbourne Australia
    Full Name:
    Nigel H-A
    Surely the steering wheel control is more important than the gear lever? So IMHO, if your are right handed, then RHD cars are better as you have better control of the steering wheel, for example,around a corner! The gear lever is more muscle memory as it slots into the same place every time.
    I live in Oz, have driven LHD in Italy & Cuba- manual. Auto in USA. Our saying is “ ‘Wife’s name’ in the gutter”!
     
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  15. Nicolas21

    Nicolas21 Formula Junior

    Jul 13, 2016
    665
    Near a nuclear powerplant
    Full Name:
    Nicolas
    This is the reason why the US postal services used rhd Subaru Legacy and rhd Jeep Wrangler. Simply clever.
     
  16. max lewis

    max lewis Rookie

    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    Auatralia
    Full Name:
    Max Lewis
    hello again folks......a light bulb switched on as I remembered the Swiss Postal Service in a country of LHD vehicles had a number of RHD Citroen 2CV postal vans in eye watering yellow. Why RHD......it was easy for the postman/driver to put mail in the letterboxes.....didnt have to get out of the van!! You see the Swiss are sticklers for ergonomics so everyone had a post office dictum that said letterboxes on the roadside and they all jumped to attention. Try that in the Adirondacks or the Appalacians.
     
  17. Ferrari 308 GTB

    Ferrari 308 GTB F1 Veteran

    Feb 21, 2015
    7,716
    Tropical
    When you arrive at LHR ,assuming you actually have a passport, please proceed to take a Black Cab
    who will be more than happy to chauffeur you around for as long as you like.

    Post up the cost when you get back to Socal...
     
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  18. nerofer

    nerofer F1 World Champ

    Mar 26, 2011
    11,968
    FRANCE
    Agreed on "driving in unfamiliar surroundings"; was in a business trip in South Africa 18 years ago, and if driving an RHD car doesn't seem difficult or daunting to me, a Frenchman (I drove some weirdest vehicles during my mandatory military service), but the unfamiliar surroundings and my fear of my natural reflexes as an LHD driver had me giving the steering wheel to my pal, who was more used to it...
    Now, the real question: you really have imported a 1954 "Citroen Traction avant" in the Antipodes? My hat's off to you. A six-cylinders (Usual name is "Quinze-six", in French) to boot?

    Rgds
     
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  19. Mark Blanchard

    Mark Blanchard Karting

    Nov 26, 2020
    133
    UK, Oxfordshire
    Full Name:
    Mark Blanchard
    I find it strange shifting gear with the right hand and steering with your left hand, having always driven RHD cars and being right handed. I guess it's what you're used to.
     
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  20. ginoBBi512

    ginoBBi512 F1 Rookie
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    Oct 9, 2016
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    Does England not have Uber or Yellow Cab ? lol Not knowing "black cab "

    Thank you
     
  21. Ferrari 308 GTB

    Ferrari 308 GTB F1 Veteran

    Feb 21, 2015
    7,716
    Tropical
    #71 Ferrari 308 GTB, Mar 17, 2021
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2021
    This is it ,mate.

    Image Unavailable, Please Login Uber is there too.

    If you are lucky you might spot one of these..back in the day was lots of fun jumping onto a moving bus and grabbing the white pole

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  22. Mark Blanchard

    Mark Blanchard Karting

    Nov 26, 2020
    133
    UK, Oxfordshire
    Full Name:
    Mark Blanchard
    Happy days, before it all went health & softy.
     
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  23. becker

    becker Formula Junior

    Feb 20, 2001
    339
    Arlington VA
    Full Name:
    Becker Cuéllar
    Drove in the UK both RHD &LHD grew up on LHD land...It is no biggie just a few minutes to handle shifting with the left hand and keep your left when no traffic around. My problem was I always went to the side where there was no steering wheel when I left it parked. Also I drove a LHD from continental europe just keep your left only problem was paying tolls
     
  24. zswbo

    zswbo Rookie

    Aug 11, 2013
    29
    Here in south africa we drive on the left so we have rhd cars, my mondial 8 is a rhd, my 69 mustang is lhd and the only real problem i have with that is over taking, i have to hang back quite a bit to be able to check for oncoming traffic and then have to make up all that gap to get by. o and stopping at toll booths when on your own, i have to get out, walk around , pay the toll ..............
     
  25. kes7u

    kes7u Formula 3
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    Oct 18, 2017
    1,136
    Shorewood, MN
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    Kevin
    Drove a RHD car in London and throughout southern England. I felt like I got used to the left hand shift fairly easily. What I did NOT get used to easily was driving on the right side and the narrow roads. One or the other would have been OK, but both made it a bit scary!

    Kevin
     
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