Left hand drive - getting used to
Discussion
Hi
I have just purchased a Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2, left hand drive....
I just drove it for the first time tonight and new beforehand it would feel strange.
I was driving in the dark which did not help but I can not see it being easy to adjust?
I thought that if anything I would be getting too close on the kerb side, if anything I think I was to wide...
Overtaking, generally changing lanes etc is going to taks some getting used to.
Who on here has driven a LHD car on British roads and does it take long to get used to it??
Cheers
I have just purchased a Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2, left hand drive....
I just drove it for the first time tonight and new beforehand it would feel strange.
I was driving in the dark which did not help but I can not see it being easy to adjust?
I thought that if anything I would be getting too close on the kerb side, if anything I think I was to wide...
Overtaking, generally changing lanes etc is going to taks some getting used to.
Who on here has driven a LHD car on British roads and does it take long to get used to it??
Cheers
To be honest, I've been in left hookers over here and right hookers over there (as well as the usual combos) and now don't seem to have any issue adjusting. Overtaking can be a little more tricky, but if you're on the ball, it shouldn't be. Remember that you can look along the inside of the vehicle in front for clues which help in lots of circumstances too
I used to use the corner of the windscreen on the pax side as a guide, have the centre line running along the corner, you will be fine.
The mirrors are a good judge for width.
And leave a cd in the pax door pocket for the odd occasion when you forget, and you have something to rescue the moment of red face!
The mirrors are a good judge for width.
And leave a cd in the pax door pocket for the odd occasion when you forget, and you have something to rescue the moment of red face!
g3org3y said:
Oldandslow said:
You'll get used to it very quickly.
Great choice of car, enjoy and YOLO (I feel dirty for typing that, damn you facebook)
Ban. Great choice of car, enjoy and YOLO (I feel dirty for typing that, damn you facebook)
OP - try not to overthink it. Make a habit of familiarising yourself before you turn the key (will help when you get into another car and start reaching into the door pocket for a gear lever) and then just drive. I may be fortunate, but I've always been able to hop from LHD to RHD and driving on the left to driving on the right of the road with no issue.
I have driven LHD cars in Britain and RHD cars in Europe & North America. It is easy, except when going into a multi storey car park or a drive through.
The best advice I can give is to focus on centring the vehicle within the white lines and only overtaking when you have sufficient visibility to do so.
As the OP's car has a fair amount of power it should not be too difficult to adapt to this less aggressive style of overtaking.
The best advice I can give is to focus on centring the vehicle within the white lines and only overtaking when you have sufficient visibility to do so.
As the OP's car has a fair amount of power it should not be too difficult to adapt to this less aggressive style of overtaking.
I drive my Matra Murena in London a lot, and find that the LHD position allows me to take more accurate aim at pizza delivery mopeds.
The only issue that I have found, apart from overtaking when my helpful wife is not sitting on the other side, is that you may be slightly unsighted at some junctions. Approaching them square on helps.
Matra bottled putting the driver's seat in the middle (the Murena has three front seats in a row: poor man's McLaren).
I admire your choice of car. Pics, please!
The only issue that I have found, apart from overtaking when my helpful wife is not sitting on the other side, is that you may be slightly unsighted at some junctions. Approaching them square on helps.
Matra bottled putting the driver's seat in the middle (the Murena has three front seats in a row: poor man's McLaren).
I admire your choice of car. Pics, please!
you get used to it in no time , just make the first few journeys somewhere easy and remember not to get right up behind a bus or lorry that you then need to overtake in stopped traffic
wait till you get in the wrong side after buying fuel etc lol..the trick is to look for something in the glove box like you meant to do it
wait till you get in the wrong side after buying fuel etc lol..the trick is to look for something in the glove box like you meant to do it
TROOPER88 said:
Hi
I thought that if anything I would be getting too close on the kerb side, if anything I think I was to wide...
Overtaking, generally changing lanes etc is going to taks some getting used to.
Who on here has driven a LHD car on British roads and does it take long to get used to it??
I've been driving an LHD here for 15 years and easily switch between the two. Driving LHD here then in the US on the same day used to get a bit confusing.I thought that if anything I would be getting too close on the kerb side, if anything I think I was to wide...
Overtaking, generally changing lanes etc is going to taks some getting used to.
Who on here has driven a LHD car on British roads and does it take long to get used to it??
You are going too wide since your RHD brain wants to put your body a few feet from the centre of the road. You need to train your LHD brain to put your body a few feet from the kerb instead.
To overtake, pull out a bit. If the passenger screams, pull back in
You quickly get used to it and I can flit from one to the other with no problem. In a RHD car, you use the centre line as your guide and aiming point.
With a LHD car, you always use the kerb as your steeering guide and after a short while, you'll soon be placing the wheels in the gutters of apices with equal aplomb.
Because RHD drivers tend to sit towards the centre of the road, you generally get a decent view straight up the inside and with a quick flick and a bit of gas, overtaking becomes far more of a logical move than a gamble.
With a LHD car, you always use the kerb as your steeering guide and after a short while, you'll soon be placing the wheels in the gutters of apices with equal aplomb.
Because RHD drivers tend to sit towards the centre of the road, you generally get a decent view straight up the inside and with a quick flick and a bit of gas, overtaking becomes far more of a logical move than a gamble.
rotarymazda said:
I've been driving an LHD here for 15 years and easily switch between the two. Driving LHD here then in the US on the same day used to get a bit confusing.
You are going too wide since your RHD brain wants to put your body a few feet from the centre of the road. You need to train your LHD brain to put your body a few feet from the kerb instead.
To overtake, pull out a bit. If the passenger screams, pull back in
Thanks guys! Sounds like a bit of practice is all I need.You are going too wide since your RHD brain wants to put your body a few feet from the centre of the road. You need to train your LHD brain to put your body a few feet from the kerb instead.
To overtake, pull out a bit. If the passenger screams, pull back in
It will be used as second car for a few weeks so will use it on some quiet runs to get used to it.
It needs some tlc so will def get some picturs up as I progress through the work.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff