This week we evaluate what's involved with driving a RHD car in the US. While some areas are expected, there is a lot to consider before getting behind the wheel. To help with this topic, I've sourced the help from someone who has driven a RHD for a long time. The person who posted this may drive a classic car (MG), but the challenges/benefits of driving a RHD are the same. Here's the original source: Here's my summary: PROS
CONS
Is It Dangerous? "I have found no situation in normal traffic where I am at any more risk than I would be in a LHD car." What's the Hardest Part? "The most difficult task in my opinion is mastering the left hand shift, especially because the shift pattern is not reversed from the left hand drive layout. First gear is now away and forward instead of toward the driver and forward." "An annoying side effect of driving RHD cars daily is that when I get into a LHD modern car, I sometimes turn on the windscreen wipers instead of the turn signals. It’s quite embarrassing!" Two Special Cases 1) Left-hand turns in a busy intersection. If there are cars turning left from the opposite direction, it will be difficult to see around them to ensure the road is clear before making your turn. The solution is to not pull as far into the intersection, place yourself as far to the left of the lane as is practical and then lean to view oncoming traffic before proceeding. If visibility is truly blocked, perhaps by a large truck, you simply don’t turn until the other car does. 2) Passing on a two-lane highway. Obviously a similar situation occurs here, where there is difficulty seeing around the vehicle in front of you. The solution in this instance is to back off, which increases your view of the road ahead, and as an additional bonus allows you to get a running start at your pass. This should be done in any car regardless of where the steering wheel is. Here's a great video giving an example of #2. And here is a total video posted by Doug Demuro. It pretty much reinforces the points stated above (with a little more humor!):
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