Driving on the right side vs driving on the left side of the road

[Plendakor]

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[Mutant]

LOL

But ok... if we have to be serious then i will give you a serious answer:
While right side is more natural to me, i am still right handed like most so theoretically i should prefer to hold the most important control (the steering wheel) with my right hand instead of left and using left hand instead of right to change gears.

 

[bryan_kilco]

Never drove overseas or where the roads were "backwards" for me.

But, I couldn't imagine having to drive a 5-spd with the steering wheel on the right side. My right had is so accustomed to shifting that I'd be a mess if it was the other way around.

Or just give me an automatic, which I hate.

 

[smy1]

I'm German (right side) and I recently went to South Africa (left side) and tried driving but it was hard. Before I got into the car I thought that the left-lane and turning would be the problem, but it really isnt. The main problem is shifting and signalling with the opposite hand. That's all weird. I only tried for 5 minutes so I guess after a day or too you get used to it ...

 

[TheWinterSnow]

There is a reason that most countries use left wheel drive cars, they are more natural for a right handed person and right handed people are the dominant type. While for the most part you can drive equally with both hands, operating the stick is an entirely different story. At least the right wheel drive cars have something right, they still use the same pedal orientation, doing the gas and brake with your left foot would be horribly bad.

 

[blue_fAng]

How the hell do this kind of threads get more responses than my own ones?!

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

For whatever reason I'm much more comfortable steering with my left hand than my right, despite being otherwise very right-dominant, so right-side works just fine for me! Ooh, which reminds me, in a left-side car I'd also have to use my left hand for all the other things one does in the driver's seat, e.g. drinking water, adjusting the stereo/climate controls etc., no thanks

 

[egan.]

I've driven in Ireland and I did ok but had to get an automatic. It was stressful, but I was probably a better driver b/c I was paying white-knuckle attention the whole time. I also kept walking to the wrong side of the car.

 

[LeSedna]

I don't know guys, it literally took me a minute to get used to it when I was in UK. Although I must admit I had been taking buses or being passenger for a few days or weeks before I drove myself so maybe my brain pre-adapted itself to it. But I didn't find it hard at all, the only moment when you need to be careful is at intersections, you need to think about where you have to go and after what car and before which other one. I'm not too sure what side would be the most natural, maybe it is easier to operate the stick with the right hand, I don't know.

 

[azistenostora]

When I moved to the UK I was a bit worried but got used to it very quickly and it feels just as natural now as driving on the right side.
Drove to mainland Europe last summer with a left hand drive car. Now that was proper mindfuck. I was mentally exhausted after a couple of hours cause I had to concentrate so hard not to drive on the wrong side lol.

 

[harmonic_minor_shred]

Driving with the steering wheel on the right is easy and natural...(how we do it in australia). and if you were to switch, just use automatic and stop complaining lol.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

I will echo the statements made earlier. I really prefer driving with my right hand and using my right to do other stuff, like center dash controls (radio, ac/heater etc.) and shifting. It would feel to awkward trying to do that stuff with my left hand. For the most part I think almost everyone can drive equally with both hands, I go back and forth when driving as I almost never have both hands on the wheel, one hand drives and the other relaxes. While handling the wheel with both hands is easy, doing other things with the left...not so much and I am left hand dominate (right handed though).

That is a big reason why most cars are indeed left wheel drive, frees up the right hand when needed.

If I ever go to GB or SA I will put it on my priority list to rent a car (stick shift) and give it a whirl.

 

[amarshism]

I can do both

 

[Uladyne]

Interesting:

Traveling on the left side of the road was a practice that started with the feudal societies of Western world, like the proto-British empire "“ back in the day, you never knew who'd you pass on the road, so best to keep your sword arm between you and them.

Read the full text here: http://mentalfloss.com/article/22735/how-do-countries-choose-which-side-they-drive#ixzz2I7HU06TV
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