Life with an RHD car

I hear left turns in traffic can get real interesting.

Much ado about nothing. When I bought the Mini it took me maybe a week to adjust my spatial thinking to the RHD. Getting the mirrors to work for you is a bit of a challenge and passing definitely requires an over-the-shoulder glance, but that's about it. As noted, the turn signals and wipers are backwards and you'll often indicate with the wipers, but that's just a lol moment.

The real problem? Always walking to the wrong side of the car to get in. I still did that right up to when I sold it.

Our household has many rhd vehicles in the form of cars, trucks, rigs, and vans. It is very easy to drive them. With respect to making left turns at intersections and merges from the right, it's just a matter of proceeding when you confirm the way is clear, the same as one would when in a left hand drive car. I never make a move (in any vehicle!) until I can confirm the way is clear.

The problem with RHD cars isn't the cars. it is the drivers, who often drive them as if they had all the vision and space a LHD car would give them, pulling out from the curb without being able to see or starting a pass ditto.

I have had a few RHD cars and haven't found any big problem with them as long as you remember to take suitable precautions and drive defensively.

The old Jensen CV-8 has a Chrysler sixpack in a plastic bodied 3300 lb. car that offers instant warp drive when you floor the accelerator. I developed a finely tuned passing alert system by accident once when coming back from a meet in Southern California, driving up Big Sur.

I'd start to pull out a little when I thought it was clear to pass. My copilot/wife would inevitably squawk. I learned to discern between a force 1 squawk which meant "There might be a car somewhere ahead within 10 miles do we really need to pass?" from a "Holy crap you are going to kill us if you pull out now in front of that oncoming semi!!!" force 5 squawk.

I drove a RHD car in England (I know, not quite the same thing). The thing that got me was that I was always drifting towards the curb because my butt wanted to be on that side of the lane. My passenger that week was always yelling CURB! at me. I suppose that would mean in a RHD drive car in a RHD country you'll be wanting to drift into traffic .

With all due respect, I don't think driving a RHD Mini is a great comparison. I mean, you're so damned close to the passenger's window, anyway.

Got a couple of buddies with MGTC's (all of which were RHD) and they don't seem to have too much difficulty. But that is an open, narrow car, as well.

rodrammage wrote: Our household has many rhd vehicles in the form of cars, trucks, rigs, and vans. It is very easy to drive them. With respect to making left turns at intersections and merges from the right, it's just a matter of proceeding when you confirm the way is clear, the same as one would when in a left hand drive car. I never make a move (in any vehicle!) until I can confirm the way is clear.

I don't think anyone disputes the statement that you only proceed when you have confirmed the way is clear. The problem with turning left at an intersection in a RHD car is that you might be only able to confirm the way is clear by moving the car towards the oncoming traffic before you can actually see if there is oncoming traffic.

I spoke to the owner today. Nice guy, I actually bought parts for the Eclipse from him earlier this year and he is willing to help me with the swap. It sounds like the car is on the level with paperwork so if I were to buy the Galant it would come down to insurance and adapting to RHD as the last hurdles.

I've decided its best to hold off on the Galant for now since neither of us is in a rush, I'm still on the fence about RHD, and I've had some health and job issues to deal with lately. He knows a couple guys who may have DSM shells for sale so that's another option.