Left hand drive - pros and cons
Discussion
Many exceptionally tasty cars ( Porsche, Ferrari for example ) are available way cheaper if they are LHD.
This has no doubt been covered before, but I am interested to know how people with experience of both feel.
If , say, you have bought a LHD car, how long did it take to get used to it on British roads?
Any downsides?
And would you do it again?
cheers
This has no doubt been covered before, but I am interested to know how people with experience of both feel.
If , say, you have bought a LHD car, how long did it take to get used to it on British roads?
Any downsides?
And would you do it again?
cheers
) Not a tasty car, but a decent car none the less - saved me a grand sitting one metre to the left. Took about 10mins to get used to it and other than the odd extremely sharp junction it really isnt a problem.
Certainly if I was looking to buy, for example a 360 spyder, I would definately look at some LHD cars. Most of the "tastier" cars out there are actually designed for left hand drive so they can often feel better than rhd versions of the same car.
RHD smarts actually have a raised drivers seat - more cramped pedals (the wheel arch is a foot rest on LHD ones) and are just more awkward.
As we live in the UK where speed kills, trips to Le Mans etc etc are the only times when you really can overtake often/ need to see round cars - so LHD makes sense (especially when you are effectively being paid £20k to sit on the wrong side!!!) Also have to say I had too much trouble overtaking things in the smart - I just leave myself more space and am probably better off for it.
Edited to add: Would I do it again?? Yes, but only on something special like a Ferrari/ Lambo. The smart isnt a problem with ticket machines because you can reach over (its a tiny car) - dont think I would ever own a LHD car that was any bigger without it being exotic.
>> Edited by BCA on Thursday 26th February 20:43
Certainly if I was looking to buy, for example a 360 spyder, I would definately look at some LHD cars. Most of the "tastier" cars out there are actually designed for left hand drive so they can often feel better than rhd versions of the same car.
RHD smarts actually have a raised drivers seat - more cramped pedals (the wheel arch is a foot rest on LHD ones) and are just more awkward.
As we live in the UK where speed kills, trips to Le Mans etc etc are the only times when you really can overtake often/ need to see round cars - so LHD makes sense (especially when you are effectively being paid £20k to sit on the wrong side!!!) Also have to say I had too much trouble overtaking things in the smart - I just leave myself more space and am probably better off for it.
Edited to add: Would I do it again?? Yes, but only on something special like a Ferrari/ Lambo. The smart isnt a problem with ticket machines because you can reach over (its a tiny car) - dont think I would ever own a LHD car that was any bigger without it being exotic.
>> Edited by BCA on Thursday 26th February 20:43
I had a LHD Lancia Delta Integrale Evo a couple of years back. I was never really bothered about being on the 'wrong' side (apart from the car park barrier situations) and it was all second nature after a couple of miles.
Con: I found it did take a while to get used to the different positions of the mirrors.
Pro: When going around roundabouts, you can see slighty further ahead... which is handy acquiring the correct road position to overtake the slower cars.
Con: I found it did take a while to get used to the different positions of the mirrors.
Pro: When going around roundabouts, you can see slighty further ahead... which is handy acquiring the correct road position to overtake the slower cars.
Pro: easier to kerb crawl 
Con: car park ticket barriers
My last 2 cars were lhd and it didn't bother me in the slightest jumping out of those and into a rhd car.
I tended to position the car slightly differently when I wanted to overtake, eg on a left hand bend I'd stay reasonably close to the car in front to steal a look up the inside. On right handers, if you've got a bit of power under your foot, you can afford to hang back in order to get a clear view.
Made me consentrate that bit more so it's probably a good thing.
Con: car park ticket barriers
My last 2 cars were lhd and it didn't bother me in the slightest jumping out of those and into a rhd car.
I tended to position the car slightly differently when I wanted to overtake, eg on a left hand bend I'd stay reasonably close to the car in front to steal a look up the inside. On right handers, if you've got a bit of power under your foot, you can afford to hang back in order to get a clear view.
Made me consentrate that bit more so it's probably a good thing.
DanBoy said:
I bet insurance is more.
Not really,if your in to the older LHD they can come under 'classic car',a standard 1990 ZR1 corvette is in the 4's 0-60 and around 180-190mph and for that i pay around £450-500 FC a year,but then ime no youngster and my car aint standard anymore
. For overtaking in a LHD and if youve got the umph hang back away from the motor in front enough to see the road ahead and blat it
The pedal layout is better on my LHD Porsche, more room, more comfortable. The insurance company said no extra for LHD. The car was 25% cheaper than the RHD version.
It took some getting used to changing gear with the wrong hand, road positioning only took a couple of days to master.
Overtaking is not an issue, just use all of the road, like you're allowed to, pull out and stay there until it's clear and then go for it. Looking up the inside of left hand corners works well.
During the first couple of months while you're still getting used to it, getting into the wrong side of the car and not finding the steering wheel, looks really uncool though
>> Edited by heyou on Thursday 26th February 22:35
It took some getting used to changing gear with the wrong hand, road positioning only took a couple of days to master.
Overtaking is not an issue, just use all of the road, like you're allowed to, pull out and stay there until it's clear and then go for it. Looking up the inside of left hand corners works well.
During the first couple of months while you're still getting used to it, getting into the wrong side of the car and not finding the steering wheel, looks really uncool though
>> Edited by heyou on Thursday 26th February 22:35
No real problems with driving LHD cars over here, it takes no time to adjust really. Some cars may have particular visibility problems but generally it seems easier with faster cars for overtaking reasons.
Having said that, I wouldn't buy one myself if there was a RHD model available.
Now, if it was an F40...........................
Ivan
Having said that, I wouldn't buy one myself if there was a RHD model available.
Now, if it was an F40...........................
Ivan
Cars would definately be cheaper to buy,however.I suspect insurance would be more expensive as would repairs to the paintwork with little neds looking in and scoring the paint,the other points mentioned by my learned colleagues would only be an initial irritance initially.If it got me a 911 quicker,then a Left hooker it's to be
Got an E30 M3 .. took about ten minutes to get used to LHD if that. A major bonus is getting out of the car onto the paveemnt rather than into traffic ...
Mind you after filling it up once I forgot and went to get into the right hand side of the car ....cue much smirking from the gf who happened to be sitting there.
Mind you after filling it up once I forgot and went to get into the right hand side of the car ....cue much smirking from the gf who happened to be sitting there.
top fuel said:
My last 2 cars were lhd and it didn't bother me in the slightest jumping out of those and into a rhd car.
That is a beautiful car in your profile mate!!
Is that a Ltd edition version???
Cheers - it's a sport evo, last of the breed.
I sold it at xmas for an e46 m3, don't know why I did that 'cos the e30 is 10 times more fun.
Oh, I also kept something in the passenger door pocket for those unexpected times I tried to get in the wrong side, saves a lot of embarassment outside the pub
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff