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A question for our UK, Australian...and other road warriors in the world

Being an American, and admittedly never venturing overseas, I have always been intimidated and perplexed why you guys drive on the wrong side of the street?

Why is that?

And are the controls completely the opposite, not just the shift lever? Do you accelerate with your right foot, or left? If you drive manual, is the clutch left or right?

And how hard is it to drive a left handed car in a left handed roadway? Are the police a little more forgiving when they see an American has had an accident in your country?

LucifersPen 7 Jan 16
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9 comments

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0

As an Aussie driving in USA was a bit of a brain strain to start with but it became easy .

0

We drive on the left side of the road which here is the right side, it is because we are driving upside down and just as the water in the toilet here goes clockwise and yours goes anti clockwise. Does this mean your clocks and watches go anti clockwise up there? But then how do digital watches work in the northern hemisphere? Are the numbers mirror imaged?

1

Comes from fighting on horse back allowing the soldier to rein with the left and chop the american down with the right. you have to pay an extra fee for overseas ticket payment of 50 %. you have to open the door to let the clutch out. driving with one foot on the accelerator and the other on the brake is a hanging offence.

0

NO, we just drive BMW or Mercedes, it makes no difference on what side of the road, unless you drive Porsche. then you don't give a shit. left is clutch. middle is brake, right is accelerator, Japan cars are crap, / our cars are not handed, we drive on the right, on the left side of the road,,,simples, ,

2

Hi LucifersPen,
I live in New Zealand where we drive on the left hand side of the road.in a manual car the clutch is on the fefthand side,the brake in the middle and accelerator on the righthand side and of cause we drive on the "rightside" of the road not the wrong side.Most of the controls are on the left side of the steering wheel but a lot are in the centre or on the steering wheel.I am not sure how forgiving the police would be to an American who has had an accident I suppose it depends on the individual police officer.

1

Geez, lighten up folks!

1

Saying they drive on the "wrong" side of the street is a value judgment.
They just drive on the opposite, or other, side of the street.

2

Accelerate with the right foot clutch with the left. I doubt the police would be any more forgiving. I had a left hand drive 'vw van from Europe for a while. You get used to it very quickly. And I've drive British cars in Europe again you very quickly get used to driving on the 'wrong' side of the road.

Why do we do it? Good question I don't honestly know why. Just stubborn I guess 🙂

4

Pedals are the same. But why would you say 'wrong' side?

[worldstandards.eu]driving-on-the-left/

That's a very interesting article

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