wondering why new poster's don't respond to their important questions.

[tjc transport]

7 hours ago, mrsmackpaul said:

You lot used to drive on this side of the road to but changed do to crappy roads in the US at the time 

 

Im pretty sure I have mentioned this on here before

 

Paul

not me. i drive down the center of the road where it is smooth. 

[mrsmackpaul]

Now back when cars etc were new on your roads, most roads were dirt and mud and crappy

 

So when people pulled up driving on the correct side of the road they had to walk thru the mud to get to were they were going, so most people would pull up on the wrong side of the road and step onto the clean dry foot path 

Problem with this was when they went to pull back into the traffic people couldnt see the traffic as they sat on the wrong side and would pull into traffic, accidents and deaths happened all over the place as a result

The T model Ford was the first car Ford produced with LHD, up until WW1 RHD  cars etc were still a common site in the US

 

Jay Leno has spoken about this plenty of times on his youtube channel and the fact the most Americans have no idea that everyone drove on the other side in the beginning 

 

Dont know what year it officially changed in the US but given that government departments would of been involved it would of been a state by state thing I guess as egos would no doubt of got in the way and common sense is rare in any government department 

 

Paul

 

 

[Licensed to kill]

IMO building cars with LHD and driving on the right makes sense.There REALLY isn't much difference either way. However, there is one minor factor that IMO dictates that LHD should be the preferred configuration and that is the fact that the majority of people are right handed so it makes sense (to me) to put the shifter on the drivers right. There are a lot of things in society that are designed for right handed people because it serves the majority. 

[67RModel]

2 hours ago, Licensed to kill said:

There REALLY isn't much difference either way. However, there is one minor factor that IMO dictates that LHD should be the preferred configuration and that is the fact that the majority of people are right handed so it makes sense (to me) to put the shifter on the drivers right.

I have always wondered about this.  I feel like if I were to go to Australia I would not be able to drive a manual transmission. It seems so ridiculously nuts to have to shift with my left hand since I am right handed. I don't know if I have that coordination. I guess it would be the same concept for leftys pretty much everywhere else that drive manual transmissions. I guess you just get used to it?

[tjc transport]

It really is not that hard.

When I was doing road tests, I had one oerfissiminal that could not shift without using the clutch and grinding.

After the third time trying  to find a gear, I grabbed the shifter and told him to leave the clutch alone and let off throttle. Then told him when to get back on it.

I had a 4 mile on highway route and shifted from the passenger seat the whole way. 

And did it at least two ti.es a week until I stopped giving road tests

[mrsmackpaul]

I think driving and sitting in the right has everything to do with been right handed and that goes back a long way, long before motor vehicles were even thought of 

Like when you shake some bodies hand, you hold sword in your right hand

Your right hand was used for so much more than swapping cogs

When you shake someones hand it shows people whether your friend or foe, armed or unarmed, that's why our near and dear lady friends walk on our left so we can protect them with our right hand, our fighting hand

All your stage coaches and bullock teams were on the left of the road so it only made sense for motor vehicles to be on that side as well 

But as more cars came along very quickly there were issues that appeared that no one had thought of and eventually people in the US changed because it made more sense then but today it wouldn't make any difference as long as everyone drove on the same side 

In Europe there are plenty of RHD cars and trucks driving on the right and vice versa for LHD as cars and trucks change countries all the time 

Paul 

[Mark T]

I think left hand drive was an idea of a fella named Louis S, Clark.   He had some other crazy idea about a truck...... something with an "A"   and car ???   IDK.    I'd like to see one of the guys from down under come drive here around The Northeast with one of their trucks. ( loads like here in the states )  I'm really curious to see what their opinion of our highways are in a truck compared to The Outback.  Aside from the heat and all, I'd seriously like an objective opinion.  I realize they're in pretty demanding conditions , but some of our roads ??  At times, it's tough to stay to the right.

[mrsmackpaul]

Timothy Maikshilo would be the man to ask when he is on here, he drives in NewZealand and came rrom New England 

A crap road is a crap road no matter were you are, those really loooooooooong wheel base prime movers or tractors or what ever you blokes call them would be a issue even in Australia 

It would be good to come and compare, just to see how the other half live

 

Paul