AvantSE Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 What are they like to drive on a day-to-day basis? Apart from the obvious issues with visibility when overtaking, what other problems are there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snail Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 [ QUOTE ] What are they like to drive on a day-to-day basis? Apart from the obvious issues with visibility when overtaking, what other problems are there? [/ QUOTE ] Apart from constantly getting in the wrong side? Well, im sure insrance will be more expensive, resale will be harder, and Drive Through McDonalds will be a nightmare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 [ QUOTE ] What other problems are there? [/ QUOTE ] Resale Toll booths and multi storey car parks Resale Insurance - unless it's an officially UK sold lhd like a Carrera GT, it's likely to be an import Resale Pulling away from a parallel parking space Resale Manual gearboxes - you'll keep reaching for the door pocket! Resale Making a dick out of yourself by always getting into the passenger seat Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 Advantages: Kerbcrawling Pulling up to the kerb and simply stepping out onto the pavement Kerbcrawling Pulling left to see what's going on ahead when everyone else in the jam in fornt of you is pulling right Did I mention kerbcrawling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayerbloke Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 I wouldn't mind hearing some more answers to this question myself I think it'd require approaching certain junctions in a different way if you're planning on seeing anything . As noted, toll-gates/barriers could prove interesting, too. Mollox drives LHD regularly over here. He'll be able to help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 And perhaps a spot of kerbcrawling eh garcon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32Ash Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 I had a Golf Rallye for a few years before I got the R32. They're LHD only - even the UK SE model that I owned, although some people do ruin them by converting them to RHD. Anyway, back on topic I had no trouble with it at all. Other people who drove the car tended not to like it, but that's because they weren't used to being on the 'wrong' side. Once you get used to road positioning and changing gear, it's not a problem at all. I actually preferred driving LHD towards the end. It seemed easier to position on left-hand bends as pressing on down country roads - getting close to the apex without risking touching the kerbs/rocks seemed easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avus_Bub Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Did I mention kerbcrawling? [/ QUOTE ] Er, yes you did. BUB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mccombie_5 Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Advantages: Kerbcrawling Pulling up to the kerb and simply stepping out onto the pavement Kerbcrawling Pulling left to see what's going on ahead when everyone else in the jam in fornt of you is pulling right Did I mention kerbcrawling? [/ QUOTE ] We know what the top of your priorities is when searching for a new car then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Watson Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 If I had a choice, would prefer to drive LHD. Not sure why, right hand drive feels strange even after being back in Scotland driving my parents car for 2 week. I got used to LHD with a day or 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 Funny you should say that - I learned to drive in a left hooker and I find the transition from a LHD to a RHD far harder than the other way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smurfette Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 I've had 2 lhd cars in the past, didn't find them too much of a problem at all. You soon get used to being on the 'wrong' side at barriers etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5to1 Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 I would try one before you consider buying a LHD. Toll booths, drive throughs, etc are an inconveniance. But not the end of the world. The main problem is getting used to the bulk of the car being on the other side. People tend to have problems with hitting the kerb, islands, oncoming traffic and general positioning of the car. Overtaking, especially in busy towns (where you can't hang back), is also a problem. Some people get used to it far quicker then others. I've driven a bit in North America and on the continent, and got used to it within the first day. However, on my first ever trip to Europe we hired a car from budget. My colleague who had apparently "driven LHD and on the continent before" insisted on driving. On the way from budget to the hotel he hit the kerb about a dozen times, went the wrong way around a roundabout and down the wrong lane (this wasn't due to the car being left hand drive, but its funny) in the center of Brussles during Rush hour. I went home that weekend, when I got back Budget were reluctant to rent me a car. I found out later that while I was a way, he'd crashed the brand new car into a parked car. Anyway point is, you will get used to driving a LHD. But it could be costly, so don't try it with anything too expensive and be carefull early on (having a passenger usually helps early on). The only LHD car i've really not liked driving in the UK was a Murci. Its already got poor visibility, in LHD form in the UK its virtually impossible to get out of some junctions. My friend ended up kerbing that and scraping it against a parked car, and another one went over an island and was lucky not to take the front spoiler off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusoe Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 driven a fiat barchetta (lhd only) in the uk for a while. It was fine for most things, narrow enough for the positioning not to be too hard though you do have to recalibrate yourself, where you woudl be sitting near the white line in the middle of the road you now tended to sit near the kerb at the inside which isn't good for drains and pot holes. Like parking where you sometimes leave a foot before the kerb if you don't use your mirrors, tend to have to pull out till you hit the cats eyes a few times to know exactly where the car was positioned. most cars are designed first to be lhd so the gearbox, peddle ofsets etc. are often nicer in lhd form. Indicator stalks and radio volume buttons become more natural to use etc. Can get a lhd overtaking mirror if you usually drive alone which will give you a double reflection so you can see ahead on the right for overtaking which work reasonably well. Toll booths, car parks, drive throughs etc. can become a pain though but reversing round most isn't too much of an issue as long as you spot the problem in advance. which leaves only the motorway type tolls, you can usually throw the money through the window or hop out for a moment, not a problem as long as it's not part of your daily comute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanG Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 I looked into this at length as I have LHD in the States. (Cars are basically 60% of the price in America than they are in the UK too) So, I was really keen. However, higher insurance, car parks, toll booths, idiots who think you are foreign, looking right at roundabouts with a passenger in the car, parts and service (most dealers sniff at you as you didnt buy the thing from them) were all a considered and accepted downside. Then from the States you have Standardisation tests, fog lights to fit, taxes, emissions etc etc etc the list goes on, so we didnt do it. So we decided not to try to set up our Global LHD Import Empire on the back of that! However, going forward, if I found a European car which would retain its warranty etc (EU Law) and that is cheap and could be driven in the UK and then in Europe, (better and prettier roads / routes and higher limits anyway!) I would go for it......! We have a French 1999 Golf Cabrio 2.0 in France which I some times bring back to the UK, and never have any issues with LHD on a RHD road. Just be careful if buying new with Import tax....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now