[SandyX]

There is some discussion on the same happening here. The reader comments can get really interesting!

[kalpeshc]

How does one country go about changing from left to right? Imagine if we had to change, there'd be a lot of years we'd have to drive with right hand cars until left hand cars are introduced, isn't it? That means all those years, the risk of accidents increases manifold

[SandyX]

Exactly. But in a way i wish India had LHD system. That way some exotic American iron could have reached our shores without much drama. That include muscles and some butch trucks!

[motomaverick]

Interesting thread, nice to know how the Left & Right hand drive thing came about, i.e. out of necessity But it would be good if everyone followed one standard as it would ensure easy driving in any country without the need to adjust between Left & Right hand drive. But doing this in India looks like next to impossible as it involves a huge expense to the exchequer and we could see some more scams

[sgiitk]

No big deal. I have driven all permutations LHD in LHD and RHD countries, ditto for RHD cars. Takes you one roundabout and you are in business.

Remember the biggest car maker (again) comes from a RHD country (Dai Nippon). Also, many rhd conversions seen in India are incomplete (filler on the right), wrong wiper orientation, even wrong handed controls (eg. Opel), and wrong side exhaust.

I think given the way we drive LH or RH has no meaning. a lot of people seem to go where they find space irrespective of whether they are on the left or right.

Changing is virtually impossible and the billions which will have to be spent can be better spent elsewhere. Even a law abiding and rich country like Sweden had real chaos on H-day.

[rxpaul]

I have driven LH as well as RH cars and prefer the LH ones.
Reasons :
1. The seat belt does not cross over your shirt pocket & makes it easier to take out things.
2. You can have your coffee or a burger with your right hand, while you hold the steering with your left hand.
3.When your car is stationary, it is easier to hand over things to your passengers with your right hand, to the rear of the car as well as clean the windshield & dashboard.
4. Your right hand is naturally more dextrous (to change gears) so it is EASIER to change from RHS to LHS than vice versa.

Originally Posted by sridharps

I do remember reading a book by Frederick Forsyth(not sure which one now)

Would that be Odessa File, where Peter Muller drives a Jaguar XK 120 which is RHD in Germany and it goes 'with a berserk snarl of its exhausts'....sorry if

[Rahulkool]

Originally Posted by rxpaul

I have driven LH as well as RH cars and prefer the LH ones.
Reasons :
1. The seat belt does not cross over your shirt pocket & makes it easier to take out things.
2. You can have your coffee or a burger with your right hand, while you hold the steering with your left hand.
3.When your car is stationary, it is easier to hand over things to your passengers with your right hand, to the rear of the car as well as clean the windshield & dashboard.
4. Your right hand is naturally more dextrous (to change gears) so it is EASIER to change from RHS to LHS than vice versa.

no offence to you but won't it be better if you hold the steering with right hand and do the secondary tasks with left ? as i think driving is most important than having a burger or handing over things.

[sridharps]

Originally Posted by rxpaul

Would that be Odessa File, where Peter Muller drives a Jaguar XK 120 which is RHD in Germany and it goes 'with a berserk snarl of its exhausts'....sorry if

Yes, I think so, it is the odessa file

[rohanjf]

Originally Posted by kalpeshc

How does one country go about changing from left to right? Imagine if we had to change, there'd be a lot of years we'd have to drive with right hand cars until left hand cars are introduced, isn't it? That means all those years, the risk of accidents increases manifold

When Samoa changed from driving on the right side to driving on the left (mainly to make it easy to import cars from Australia) in 2009, they shut down the traffic for a few hours. This time was utilised to redo all the signboards. This was a massive operation, but this small country could pull it off easily.

To adapt to the new driving side, I feel the best way is to keep an eye on the centre line at all times.

[shyamk]

I remember an interesting conversation -

In 2000, I was learning to drive a car in Madras through one of those innumerable driving schools. The driver was a wizened old man in his 60's, rather cheerful and cracking jokes all the time, putting us first-timers at ease.

One of the passengers was also learning to drive, and since he was not from Madras, was using English & Hindi to communicate with the instructor.

The passenger was rather paranoid. It seemed that he was about to re-locate to US, and was posing questions at every point to the instructor - "I am of to US, what do I do about that, I am off to US, what do I do about this".

After a point, the instructor calmly replied - "You are an educated individual. Do I need to tell you that where ever in the world you are, the driver must always be in the center of the road ?" (Of course he did not know that there are roads in Bangalore that do not conform to this rule ! ;-) )

I took that statement to heart, and when I was in San Diego during 2003, obtained a driving license with zero errors.

That simple statement has been my guiding light during all my visits abroad.

Shyam

[Hayek]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Remember the biggest car maker (again) comes from a RHD country (Dai Nippon). Also, many rhd conversions seen in India are incomplete (filler on the right), wrong wiper orientation, even wrong handed controls (eg. Opel), and wrong side exhaust.

Have to disagree with the perspective on the controls (I presume you are referring to the turn indicators here). This is more a function of individual manufacturer's practices. We are used to Japanese manufacturers, thanks to the dominance of Suzuki, who tend to have turn indicators on the right. But the Fords we drive are designed in the UK, and have always had controls on the left. Frankly, after driving a Skoda for the last 3 years, I am more comfortable with controls on the left.

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by Hayek

Have to disagree with the perspective on the controls (I presume you are referring to the turn indicators here). This is more a function of individual manufacturer's practices. We are used to Japanese manufacturers, thanks to the dominance of Suzuki, who tend to have turn indicators on the right. But the Fords we drive are designed in the UK, and have always had controls on the left. Frankly, after driving a Skoda for the last 3 years, I am more comfortable with controls on the left.

Agree with you that orientation of the turn indicators and head light controls have nothing to do with which side of the road we drive on. But wouldn't it be ideal for manufacturers to follow standard placement of these controls to make it easier for the driver to adapt to different cars? I mean all manufacturers follow standard placement of the A B C pedals, don't they? (Can't imagine what would happen if they didn't! ). I for example drive a Skoda and a Hyundai. Initially my brain had a tough time adapting to the opposite placement of these controls. After about six months of switching back and forth between the two cars I think my brain finally has it sorted out.

[SujAce]

Originally Posted by dhuli

I am reviving this right and left side driving thread. Not sure someone has shared this, but I have been meaning to for very long. There is a stretch of road in central bangalore - Commissariat road near Garuda Mall, all traffic moves on the right side, like in US or UK. See pics.

Waking up this post after almost 2.5 yrs.

While going thru' Wikipedia abt an LHD-RHD article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving..._left_or_right), saw this note related to the above post:
" In Bangalore, for example, between Sheshadripuram and the Majestic bus stand, to enable the city buses to enter and exit easily, normal traffic moves on the right hand side. Similarly, the traffic flows on the right hand side on Commissariat Road to ease the traffic entering the 'Garuda' mall. Technically, these roads are treated as "two adjacent one way roads" by traffic police."
BLR traffic cops sure are ingenious!!!

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by v-drive

The trickiest bits for me, driving a LHD car are when I get on to a round about and am expected to follow the "right of way". Not used to it , you see

Recently had been to the city of Al Ain. This city has few signals & only roundabouts. Traffic moves fast and I had difficulty adapting to the large roundabouts. Though I must have passed some 20 roundabouts there, I can't say I have mastered it.

Originally Posted by SujAce

Technically, these roads are treated as "two adjacent one way roads" by traffic police."

That is a nice definition !