LHD driver driving in another country with RHD vehicles?
By mazdakid
@mazdakid (347)
Philippines
January 14, 2009 2:52am CST
hi all!
several countries in the world have various driving systems. some countries require the use of LHD vehicles for their roads (US, Philippines, etc.) and some countries require the use of RHD vehicles for their roads (Japan, Hong Kong SAR, New Zealand, UK, etc.).
switching from LHD to RHD might be confusing and difficult (or even dangerous). but i witnessed first-hand when my uncle (well, he migrated to NZ only 10 years ago and went back to the philippines for a 1-month vacation) offered to drive the family car through the streets of Cebu (which uses LHD vehicles). fortunately he has an international driver's licence and had his philippine licence (i think he renewed it upon return). and fortunately, i think he got the hang of it quickly.
in your case, have you ever experienced driving on the opposite side of the road in another country? i mean, if you're used to LHD vehicles, have you driven an RHD vehicle in another country? and vice versa...
thanks and happy mylotting!
1 response
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
14 Jan 09
I usually drive a RHD vehicle (since I live in the UK) but I have driven a LHD vehicle in the US. I didn't find it a problem at all to switch from RHD to LHD. The foot controls are identical (right foot - gas and brake, left foot - clutch, if applicable). The only real difference is the position of the stick shift and the handbrake, which work identically but are on the other hand.
The hardest thing to learn is the priority system, which may not only be mirrored but may be different to the priority system in your country. In the UK, for example, traffic on a main street always has priority over traffic entering from a side street. I believe that some countries, at least in towns, give priority to traffic entering a main road from the right. The US also has different rules of procedure at an intersection. In the UK we have many roundabouts (circulatories?). I believe that they are a novelty in the US.
I have also driven a RHD car in France and found it less of a problem than I anticipated. The only awkwardness is that one needs to adjust the wing and rear-view mirrors and, usually, the offside mirror is not ideal for checking traffic before pulling out to overtake and, of course, it is harder to 'see round' the vehicle in front. One just needs to exercise a little more care and attention at all times.

