4 ms·

I regularly drive on both sides. The only difference I find is that the order of the pedals in a manual car makes less sense for left-hand drive. In right-hand

by mslot 11y ago

I regularly drive on both sides. The only difference I find is that the order of the pedals in a manual car makes less sense for left-hand drive. In right-hand drive you can put your left (gear) foot to the side and your right (throttle) foot locked against the side, which is more comfortable than putting your left foot underneath and keeping your right foot up. The differences in priority rules tick me off way more than the side of the road.

brc 11y ago
I have both LHD and RHD cars. I would say the placement of the pedals in relations to the footwell is something that varies a lot depending on the manufacturer and vehicle rather than 'sidedness'. A lot of people say changing gear with their right hand feels more natural. To be honest I don't think there is a lot of difference. If you're a competent driver the position in the he car shouldn't make for much difference.
- phillc73 11y ago
  Growing up in Australia, and being left-handed, I thought changing gears with my left hand was completely natural. Now, after several years living and driving in continental Europe, I still find it slightly uncomfortable changing gears with my right hand, especially if in a hurry to do so. However, the oddest thing is that when returning to Australia I now find something like 90% of cars (excluding 4WDs) are automatic, so no changing of gears. While in Europe, the majority of cars are still manual. I do often turn on the windscreen wipers, when I mean to use the indicator, regardless of which country I'm in.
  - escherplex 11y ago
    Many moons ago on holiday with my folks on Barbados in the Caribbean a local rental outfit had a collection of old Oz MiniMokes available. Planning on a month's trip to Kiwiland the following October and wanting to drive a manual there, I decided to tool around the Island in a beat-up RHD Moke. Of course pedal configuration was the same but a mirror-image of gear selection was expected. Wrong. It was simply a task of envisioning the shifter in space and changing gears in the normal manner using the left instead of the right hand. But turning on the wipers when you wanted to signal a turn always takes some getting used to. And roundabouts (circles) or wide turns aren't problematic if you just simulate behavior in your head, remembering where you are, before executing your moves. Personally, I still find this fun.
    - brc 11y ago
      Yes, if you have developed a 'relative' position patten in your head, it takes a while to adjust. The secret is to have an absolute position pattern in your head - you know that first gear is up and to the left - and your brain is able to operate your hands accordingly. Same as how you learn where the cupboards are in a kitchen and can open them no matter where you are standing - you have an absolute mental map of the kitchen. It's probably because driving is a stationary activity that the brain develops a relative map (move right hand this direction) rather an absolute (first gear is over there)
  - brc 11y ago
    I think you would find 90% of 4wds are automatic now as well. Modern autos are actually more efficient than manuals, and easier to drive. The market has spoken. The wiper stalk position varies depending on the car. As I pretty much only drive European cars it's always on the left and not an issue. As for switching between LHD and RHD, you'll have a default. When stressed (heavy traffic, bad weather etc) your brain will be overloaded making decisions and you will use your default. If that doesn't match the car you're in, you'll try and change gear with the door handle. It's just mlike crossing the street, the way you first learnt is burnt in, and while you can override that, one day the basic programming comes back to the top and you look the wrong way and step out.
vacri 11y ago
My short-lived experience driving on the right only gave me two problems, though I didn't drive a manual. Reversing up was weird, looking over the 'wrong' shoulder. But the real issue was having to be very conscious at turning into junctions, to make sure I was turning into the correct half of the road. Everything else just fell into place, for me.
iagooar 11y ago
"I regularly drive on both sides." It must be quite a danger driving on both sides of the road, take care.
lukaslalinsky 11y ago
When I first drove in the UK, I was surprised how natural driving on the left side was. I was expecting it to be a huge problem, but it took me only half an hour in real traffic to get used to it. The only problem I had was that you can't shift gears and control the left/right signals at the same time. Normally, I can turn the signal on with my right hand and switch gears with the left hand, so it's not an issue. When driving in the UK, I needed to signal turns in advance, but that's probably a good thing.

by mslot 11y ago

brc 11y ago

I have both LHD and RHD cars. I would say the placement of the pedals in relations to the footwell is something that varies a lot depending on the manufacturer and vehicle rather than 'sidedness'. A lot of people say changing gear with their right hand feels more natural. To be honest I don't think there is a lot of difference. If you're a competent driver the position in the he car shouldn't make for much difference.

phillc73 11y ago
Growing up in Australia, and being left-handed, I thought changing gears with my left hand was completely natural. Now, after several years living and driving in continental Europe, I still find it slightly uncomfortable changing gears with my right hand, especially if in a hurry to do so. However, the oddest thing is that when returning to Australia I now find something like 90% of cars (excluding 4WDs) are automatic, so no changing of gears. While in Europe, the majority of cars are still manual. I do often turn on the windscreen wipers, when I mean to use the indicator, regardless of which country I'm in.
- escherplex 11y ago
  Many moons ago on holiday with my folks on Barbados in the Caribbean a local rental outfit had a collection of old Oz MiniMokes available. Planning on a month's trip to Kiwiland the following October and wanting to drive a manual there, I decided to tool around the Island in a beat-up RHD Moke. Of course pedal configuration was the same but a mirror-image of gear selection was expected. Wrong. It was simply a task of envisioning the shifter in space and changing gears in the normal manner using the left instead of the right hand. But turning on the wipers when you wanted to signal a turn always takes some getting used to. And roundabouts (circles) or wide turns aren't problematic if you just simulate behavior in your head, remembering where you are, before executing your moves. Personally, I still find this fun.
  - brc 11y ago
    Yes, if you have developed a 'relative' position patten in your head, it takes a while to adjust. The secret is to have an absolute position pattern in your head - you know that first gear is up and to the left - and your brain is able to operate your hands accordingly. Same as how you learn where the cupboards are in a kitchen and can open them no matter where you are standing - you have an absolute mental map of the kitchen. It's probably because driving is a stationary activity that the brain develops a relative map (move right hand this direction) rather an absolute (first gear is over there)
- brc 11y ago
  I think you would find 90% of 4wds are automatic now as well. Modern autos are actually more efficient than manuals, and easier to drive. The market has spoken. The wiper stalk position varies depending on the car. As I pretty much only drive European cars it's always on the left and not an issue. As for switching between LHD and RHD, you'll have a default. When stressed (heavy traffic, bad weather etc) your brain will be overloaded making decisions and you will use your default. If that doesn't match the car you're in, you'll try and change gear with the door handle. It's just mlike crossing the street, the way you first learnt is burnt in, and while you can override that, one day the basic programming comes back to the top and you look the wrong way and step out.

vacri 11y ago

My short-lived experience driving on the right only gave me two problems, though I didn't drive a manual. Reversing up was weird, looking over the 'wrong' shoulder. But the real issue was having to be very conscious at turning into junctions, to make sure I was turning into the correct half of the road. Everything else just fell into place, for me.

iagooar 11y ago

"I regularly drive on both sides." It must be quite a danger driving on both sides of the road, take care.

lukaslalinsky 11y ago

When I first drove in the UK, I was surprised how natural driving on the left side was. I was expecting it to be a huge problem, but it took me only half an hour in real traffic to get used to it. The only problem I had was that you can't shift gears and control the left/right signals at the same time. Normally, I can turn the signal on with my right hand and switch gears with the left hand, so it's not an issue. When driving in the UK, I needed to signal turns in advance, but that's probably a good thing.