LHD How do you handle....
Discussion
LHD issues such as:
1. Bus
Stopping behind a bus and not being able to look round it to overtake. Just keep back all the time or what? Interested to know what othe habits you change to live with LHD
2. Tolls and car park barriers
I use Dartford toll a few times a year and this is quite often on my own. Do you have to get over to the manned boths and get out everytime? Can you reach over? Do you have any other ingeniuous ideas?
3. General overtaking
How many use their mustang as everyday transport? I can see the above being palatable with "a toy" but every day I'm wondering if it's more of an issue?
1. Bus
Stopping behind a bus and not being able to look round it to overtake. Just keep back all the time or what? Interested to know what othe habits you change to live with LHD
2. Tolls and car park barriers
I use Dartford toll a few times a year and this is quite often on my own. Do you have to get over to the manned boths and get out everytime? Can you reach over? Do you have any other ingeniuous ideas?
3. General overtaking
How many use their mustang as everyday transport? I can see the above being palatable with "a toy" but every day I'm wondering if it's more of an issue?
Dubbs,
My Mustang GT is my third American car in this country. All of them were left-hand drive. LHD is only a problem if you believe it to be.
1. Buses - Only once in the past 5 years have I come up too close behind a bus/truck, and had to sit there like a lemon whilst the boring euro boxes overtook me and the bus! Most of the time I remember to hang back!!!
2. Barriers/Tolls - I've got out walked round grabbed the ticket, got back in and driven through. To be honest, how often will you do this? Tolls - I have only gone through a toll road once in 5 years. I opened the passenger window, and threw the money through the window into the collector... if you miss some, have more coins ready!!!!
3. Overtaking - This is less of a problem than you might expect. These days the roads are far to busy to consider overtaking in a RHD car most of the time! The last time I had to get past an Articulated, he was doing about 40 mph on a 60 mph road. I hung back in 2nd gear (manual), at 40 odd in this gear the Mustang is just on the sweet spot (VVT) at 4000rpm. Floored the pedal and I was round the truck and on my way to 80 mph as I passed the cab! Honestly, it was all over so quickly that it was SAFE not dangerous!
Cheers
Dazza
My Mustang GT is my third American car in this country. All of them were left-hand drive. LHD is only a problem if you believe it to be.
1. Buses - Only once in the past 5 years have I come up too close behind a bus/truck, and had to sit there like a lemon whilst the boring euro boxes overtook me and the bus! Most of the time I remember to hang back!!!
2. Barriers/Tolls - I've got out walked round grabbed the ticket, got back in and driven through. To be honest, how often will you do this? Tolls - I have only gone through a toll road once in 5 years. I opened the passenger window, and threw the money through the window into the collector... if you miss some, have more coins ready!!!!
3. Overtaking - This is less of a problem than you might expect. These days the roads are far to busy to consider overtaking in a RHD car most of the time! The last time I had to get past an Articulated, he was doing about 40 mph on a 60 mph road. I hung back in 2nd gear (manual), at 40 odd in this gear the Mustang is just on the sweet spot (VVT) at 4000rpm. Floored the pedal and I was round the truck and on my way to 80 mph as I passed the cab! Honestly, it was all over so quickly that it was SAFE not dangerous!
Cheers
Dazza
Very few problems with LHD especially with electric windows.
Go to Hyper value and in there for £1 you should find an extendable magnetic pickup. It's like a car aerial that retracts down into a plastic 4" handle. Cut he magnet off and attach some form of lightweight plastic cup. Now you can lower the window, stick the money in the cup and extend it out of the passenger window to the toll booth operative. I tend to just get out but I have adapted the said implement to hold my car park card which is not a swipe so it works just fine.
LHD is not only something you get used to, it's something you learn to appreciate and to some extent, prefer. You can step out onto the pavement for example. As for overtaking, most people tend to hog the white line as they use it as their reference. With LHD, you use the kerb as your reference so you don't have to worry about the right hand side of the car. This enables you to see up the inside. More often than not, you can see through the windows of the car in front and the only problem tends to be long lorries and high vans. Still, just hang back and you can time your overtaking by beginning to accelerate and anticipating gaps. You may end up having to brake and abort but then you start your run again. Ultimately, even if you can't overtake, you can just elax and let the V8 waft you along.
Go to Hyper value and in there for £1 you should find an extendable magnetic pickup. It's like a car aerial that retracts down into a plastic 4" handle. Cut he magnet off and attach some form of lightweight plastic cup. Now you can lower the window, stick the money in the cup and extend it out of the passenger window to the toll booth operative. I tend to just get out but I have adapted the said implement to hold my car park card which is not a swipe so it works just fine.
LHD is not only something you get used to, it's something you learn to appreciate and to some extent, prefer. You can step out onto the pavement for example. As for overtaking, most people tend to hog the white line as they use it as their reference. With LHD, you use the kerb as your reference so you don't have to worry about the right hand side of the car. This enables you to see up the inside. More often than not, you can see through the windows of the car in front and the only problem tends to be long lorries and high vans. Still, just hang back and you can time your overtaking by beginning to accelerate and anticipating gaps. You may end up having to brake and abort but then you start your run again. Ultimately, even if you can't overtake, you can just elax and let the V8 waft you along.
Got to agree. Driving my F150 LHD has actually made me correct my driving skills. Hopefully it has made me a better driver. I now look ahead a lot more than previously.
Overtaking isnt an issue really with a 5.4 litre supercharged truck but it helps.
Rather than the negatives, the positives are that you are closer to the kerb when parking and its pissing down, closer to the kerb when its summer and the 'ladies' are out with the very short skirts...LOL
On the whole, its a buzz and I wouldnt change now. Hopefully changingthe F150 for a Mustang soon....
Kev
Dubbs,
I'm based in Buckinghamshire. I've only seen 3 other Mustangs where I live since they became available. Mines' a mineral grey GT with silver stripes and bullitt style wheels. You can normally hear me coming before I'm seen because my only modification is a pair of Borla axle-back silencers.
Cheers
Dazza
I'm based in Buckinghamshire. I've only seen 3 other Mustangs where I live since they became available. Mines' a mineral grey GT with silver stripes and bullitt style wheels. You can normally hear me coming before I'm seen because my only modification is a pair of Borla axle-back silencers.
Cheers
Dazza
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