I'm just curious to see if any of our members have much experience driving a LHD car on UK roads?
Is it a difficult transition from a standard RHD?
Is it dangerous as far as your driver blind-spots being on the opposite side?
Does it vastly effect your insurance quotes?
Is it a pain in the arse, basically!
Cheers.
Whilst working for BMW in the late 80s, drove plenty of E30 M3s and a 325iX which were all LHD as standard. I'd say it's an easy transition except down a single carriageway road behind traffic that you'd like to overtake. Then it's best to hang even further back than normal to establish the gap or, to take an experienced driver with you who you trust to make the call for you.
It’s a piece of cake. Worst bit is car park barriers and suchlike with the machine on the RHS when you don’t have a passenger.
I ran a Fiat Barchetta (only made in LHD) for 3 years and it was less of a pain in the arse than I thought. Sometimes it was difficult pulling out at junctions with the hood up as it obscured the view over my right shoulder, but as I mostly drove it everywhere with the roof down it didn't matter that much. I actually enjoyed driving it more than my RHD car as I found it made me concentrate more on placing the car properly on the road. But the fact that it was a nippy, darty little sports car probably helped with that anyway.
So, no problems from my perspective. I sold it about 5 years ago, but I still miss that little car..
Cheers,
Plug
Easy enough to drive UK car on the continent.
Only issue I can see is the gears if manual but guess you soon adjust?
This helps with ticket barriers and the like...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Uteruik-Rot...-3-spons&psc=1
Had LHD American cars in the 80s and 90s in the UK, both manual and auto and never really had any problems while driving. Parking tickets sometimes a pain but mostly park and pay nowadays.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
I’ve never had a problem with it, the only weird thing I do is get in the wrong side from time to time and get in the correct side and reach over the wrong shoulder for the seatbelt Lol! The driving; even in a manual, is the easy bit.
Overtaking is a chore as is car parks, fast food, etc etc but it would depend on the car I suspect
Used to drive my mates '72 Dodge Charger but the size was more of an issue in all honesty
Continental LHD driver here: I didn't mind it at all when driving in the UK. Overtaking is a little more difficult, (An experienced co-pilot comes in handy from time to time). On small, narrow country lanes with hedges, the LHD position is an advantage: you can steer your car's LH mirror closely to the ticks on the hedges' leaves!
Menno
Originally Posted by Captain Morgan
Just reverse through and save 7 quid!
Takes around 30 minutes to get used to. We have a 65 mustang and other than overtaking it’s nit really an issue. Auto though!
I drive quite a few lhd vehicles through work and the only thing that feels weird to me is changing gear with the other hand, other than that's it's child's play.
Had the second golf g60 imported into the UK only issues were car park barriers etc.
Indeed. That's a very strange sensation until you get used to it. Muscle memory I guess?
It's harder getting to grips with the pedals being in the opposite order.
My sister had a lhd beetle for a while, I always found the hardest thing was round about, your sat in a car angle to the left to join the round about, normalcy sat on right so you can, but when sat on left it’s more of a challenge.
Now that would be funny
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
It's a piece of pi$$
The only issue is smacking the door as you try and change gear.
Also when you get in the passenger seats at the petrol station since you forgot it's LHD
It is actually, I find myself feeling with my left foot for the foot-operated parking brake on LHD cars.
Strangely, I prefer manual gear-changing with my right hand rather than my left and I know that some first officer pilots struggle to operate the side stick controls smoothly when they move over to the captains position.
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
Yes.
Worse still, not just that; it is taking a risk for óthers too.
My véry strong personal opinion is that it should not be permitted.
Despite what ánybody might say, it is suboptimal and as such an extra risk factor. There are many situations where you have less ideal visibility and less logical road situations. Even the road signs are all on the wrong side of the car for you. Also you are making it more difficult to watch the driver, you.
As long as you are 100% consciously driving you can avoid silly mistakes BUT we all have routine driving and it is just about impossible you will not fall into that trap at some point or other. Like pulling away from a gas station the wrong way and such.
If you háve to, well, then you have to but if you can avoid it, then don´t take the risk; don´t let others run that risk ; you are also taking a risk decision for the rest.
Be aware that driving a car is managing a bomb though crowds.
Last edited by Huertecilla; 22nd June 2019 at 08:35.
Rubbish ^^^^
Its no problem at all.....no different to popping over on the ferry to the Continent and driving there. I'm sure there are many of us on the forum who have driven thousands of miles abroad in their UK cars without the slightest incident or issue. (Not excluding it being handy having a passenger to get tickets etc).
The layout is no different to going abroad and hiring a car. If you are even a semi competent driver it's not an i issue to quickly re-set your brain to LHD.
I had a LHD Healey for years, you just have to watch out when you overtake and be aware where your car is on your side of the road.
A few years a friend was booked in to test a LHD 924S with a view to buying it. I told him he had to remember with LHD the pedals were switched round too, with the throttle on the left and clutch on the right. A friend of ours joined in and agreed with me. The following Saturday, the morning of the test drive, we both received a text message simply saying 'bastards'.
"A man of little significance"
That hire car layout is matching the layout of driving on the right. The fact that you choose to ignore that is worrying concerning your driving skills.
There ARE three problems in driving a wrong drive side car:
- it is mismatching the road design
- the driver needs to adapt both conscious and subconscious driving
- other road user cannot watch the driver
Any sane human being will see that extra complications lead to extra risks ÁND that this invokves óther road users; that deciding to drive a wrong drive car is a decision to put the other users at greater risk.
All the American cars I had the foot operated parking brake was on the left.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Been driving both RHD and LHD cars while abroad for years, I must say, I much prefer to touch myself with the left hand.
Fas est ab hoste doceri
Much prefer driving my (RHD) car abroad to hiring.
More comfortable because I know the car, am familiar with gears etc. Secondly, not so precious about the car - with a hire always concerned they'll be some minor scrape (or imagined one) and I'll be shafted on return
I wasn't aware that we had met? We must have if you feel comfortable enough to question my driving skills or my sanity based on my view in this thread.
At the very least I can,hand on heart,promise you I have never run over any kittens.
Very easy transition. I've driven South of France plenty in a French car. Worse thing was French drivers 🙄
Thanks everyone, I'm really grateful for the insight.
To be honest this is simply speculation for the time being - my wife has expressed an interest in a couple of cars and the majority seem to be LHD, it just set my brain whirring as to the implications of driving one in the UK which will clearly be a million miles apart from driving one in its own habitat, as it were.
'cilla, I appreciate you taking the time to reply, but for you of all people to moan about bad driving... well, I struggle to compute. I've seen threads from you where you brag of speeding, powersliding around corners and generally being a dick, usually to impress a woman (real or fictional). Again thank you, but your post in this thread holds less significance than most others.
If you can avoid LHD in the UK, then do it. I drove a LHD Volvo estate for years - it was absolutely fine, but also auto and built like a tank, so everyone moved out of the way ;)
It's just a matter of time...
Why on earth would being in a lhd car mean you would ‘pull away from a gas station the wrong way’?
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
As others have said,it just takes a few minutes to acclimatise to the shifter and handbrake. Biggest issues, aparting from toll booths, parking machines) are left turns (and be able to see traffic coming from the right) and of course overtaking, but just take your time.
Personally speaking it's more of a hassle if you change cars and the lights, wipers and indicators are in a different place.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
I wouldnt bother. The signs being on the "wrong side" is just pure stupidity. Especially given the signs are closer if you are driving a LHD car, ditto most Traffic lights.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
I’ve had LHD French cars in this country and of course take RHD cars to SW France at least twice a year. When there I take either the UK car or the little LN that never miss a bit, indifferently. Your brain adjusts fine.
Having said that, I have a dilemma as I am considering getting a sidecar as a toy. unfortunately they are not reversible. And I haven’t yet decided where I would use it the most.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
I know, but he is amusing at times!
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Pictures required when you do!
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Will do, naturally.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
They are a whole new world, when it comes to handling. A friend of mine in the 70's had a BSA Lightning with a sports sidecar fitted, and could throw it about a bit. He let me try it out on a quiet country road, and it seemed quite easy. As we dragged it out of the hedge, and found only minor superficial damage, he remarked that the beers were on me that night! Never drove an outfit again and have the utmost respect for those that can.
Take care.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Indeed, they take some getting used to. Haven’t ridden (driven?) one in donkeys years, but was using a mate’s bmw (r60 I believe) when he let me borrow it. No ditch was harmed in the process but he was not too keen on my locking all 3 wheels when I braked (a new sensation for me, no abs then but locking front on 2 wheels carries a serious health warning so I avoided.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
The problem is the inability to 'lean' when riding a bike side-car combo, you have to forget your riding skills and treat them like a car when turning.
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
...and play with the throttle
This is why the position of the side is relevant to the thread: you have to do the exact opposite when turning, depending on the side of the sidecar.
Last edited by Saint-Just; 22nd June 2019 at 22:46.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Yes, it was the accelerate around left handers, and ease off on right handers, that I hadn't mastered. Spectacularly as it happens.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Yes, it was the accelerate around left handers, and ease off on right handers, that I hadn't mastered. Spectacularly as it happens.
Fortunately for me I did exactly the opposite (accelerate around right handers)
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Like most have said you get used to it. I used to have a LHD integrale and overtaking could be tricky but if you hung back a wee bit (rather than sit too close) it widens your angle of vision, also I found on country lanes you could look up the inside too. Toll bridges and some car parks were a challenge. Changing gear with your right hand is the way it should be tho, but you find yourself looking up to the wrong side of the car for the rear view mirror!
Your passengers find it odd too sitting on the rh side of the car!
Now thats a proper car.
My GT3 (yes I still have it after 13 years) is LHD. Overtaking is obviously more of a challenge, but you soon adapt your road positioning to give a reasonable view (having plenty of power did help too) but car park barriers and tolls are the biggest pain. If you don’t encounter those very often it’s no big deal.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
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