RHD driver's training?

[Resurrected RA]

Is there any training programs set-up for driving RHD automobiles on North American roads?

I am looking at importing a RHD car from Japan. I would like to be responsible, and perhaps know for sure what I am getting into, before bringing a car over-seas.

If anyone has a RHD car that they would be willing to take me out for a drive someday, I'll buy supper and gas.

TIA

[G-ZUS]

I was going to sign up for a course where they send you to Japan and make you drive LHD cars there then you will quickly decide not to buy a RHD here.

[soccernut]

That's not the same... I have driven in England and I must say that it came pretty naturally to me. Cause everything is reversed as well.

When I drove a RHD here, I felt weird and uncomfortable. I say you have to try driving it here.

You could respond to a kijiji for a car that you are interested in and test drive it.

[know1edge]

You can sit in my car in my garage and pretend to drive until the snow clears.

[sputnik]

SRSLY?

[Resurrected RA]

Originally posted by sputnik
SRSLY?

RHD driver's training or sitting in the car and pretending to drive?

[BigBadVlad]

Originally posted by know1edge
You can sit in my car in my garage and pretend to drive until the snow clears.

What kind of car is it? I want to make a video with sounds and everything...

[EG6boi]

I haven't personally driven a RHD import yet but I have a couple of buddies that do and when they make left turns on green yield, it is scary as shit lol. Good thing if I got in a accident, his side would be impacted first. :poosie:

Anyways, I have not heard of any classes in Calgary but I'm sure a beyond member is willing to take up on that offer!

[Artega]

haha
Just get your friend to drive your car while you sit in the passenger side.
Pretend you're driving by holding up a wii steering wheel.

Kidding aside there are a couple of situation where sightline and visibility is compromise:

- Turning left when there's opposing traffic also waiting for the left turn.

- Overtaking a slow vehicle on a 2 lane highway.

Otherwise just remember to stay on the right side of your lane and you'll be fine.

[vtec4life]

For me it was way easier than I expected it to be. Missed a couple shifts here and there in the first few minutse and turned on the wipers when trying to signal but thats about it.

[BigBadVlad]

I laugh a bit when people ask me if the shift pattern is backwards or are the pedals reversed too....

The hardest part I have to this day is going back and forth between my wife's LHD Caravan and my car. The odd time I walk up to my car on the left side and think to myself ah shit... look around if anyone's noticed that I walked up to the wrong side of my RHD car...

[know1edge]

Originally posted by BigBadVlad


What kind of car is it? I want to make a video with sounds and everything...

just an rx7 :(


Originally posted by EG6boi
I haven't personally driven a RHD import yet but I have a couple of buddies that do and when they make left turns on green yield, it is scary as shit lol. Good thing if I got in a accident, his side would be impacted first. :poosie:

Turning left isn't that big of a deal.. just need to learn how to lean the fuck over

[Kardon]

I can't imagine any truly competent driver not being able to handle a rhd, the fundamentals are the exact same. A couple things to keep in mind is your turn signal is now on the right side of the steering wheel, and use your mirrors to help judge how far you are from center line. Lots of newbies end up aligning themselves with the left side of the lane, and the car is almost half way into the lane on the left. And with the hanging a left on a green thing.. Either you're in a slowbut tall suv so visibility is improved with your ride height, or you're in a low but fast car so in case you pull out when you shouldn't have you got enough power to clear the intersection.

[Resurrected RA]

Originally posted by Kardon
I can't imagine any truly competent driver not being able to handle a rhd, the fundamentals are the exact same. A couple things to keep in mind is your turn signal is now on the right side of the steering wheel, and use your mirrors to help judge how far you are from center line. Lots of newbies end up aligning themselves with the left side of the lane, and the car is almost half way into the lane on the left. And with the hanging a left on a green thing.. Either you're in a slowbut tall suv so visibility is improved with your ride height, or you're in a low but fast car so in case you pull out when you shouldn't have you got enough power to clear the intersection.

The car I am looking at is a mix of both.:thumbsup:

I most often wait for a yellow on most of my left turns these days anyways.

I do tend to drive closer to the left of the lane naturally, and I am of above average intelligence so I doubt I will have any issues. ;)

[Graham_A_M]

Originally posted by G-ZUS
I was going to sign up for a course where they send you to Japan and make you drive LHD cars there then you will quickly decide not to buy a RHD here.

Word. Its an expensive course, and wow what an EYE opener!! :eek:

Been hooked our rare LHD vehicles ever since.
:hitit:

[T-Dubbs]

training for RHD lol
just dont drive like a douche

[jzz30dk]

its very easy. you will be used to it the first day, use common sense when turning left and overtaking. if you cant see, dont go plain and simple.

[lellowrx7]

Bought my first RHD from jdm source at around 5pm
I live in the SW so needless to say my route home was deerfoot and it was rush hour.
Learned pretty quick. The only hard part was staying in the lane. You'll focus Hard on it for the first couple days then it will become natural.

My mom drove my rx7 for fuck sakes and had no issues. (except the lanes and when the turbo started to spool it freaked her out)
Your going over kill looking for training on RHD

[AE92_TreunoSC]

If you use the lane to judge where you are, then you are in trouble.

If you look where you are going rather than using a lane or guide, then it won't be an issue.

Honestly if 16 year olds in skylines can do it, anyone can.

[JadranM]

hmm business idea? :poosie:

[kdwebber]

The toughest part about driving a rhd vehicle on our roads is not left turns at intersections or staying in the middle of the lane its making right turns when you have to look left across your passenger. If your car is already angled right it is much more difficult to see the cars approaching from the left. Depends on the car but a low car with a small cockpit like the fd can be tough

[Heru-Farukon]

Uhmmm I think Canada post has course for that since some of their trucks are RHD.

What I was thinking if I were to have a RHD car, is to use a backup camera triggered by a switch, that is attached to the upper portion of the windshield on the left side of the car, hooked up to a stereo*

*might have to have a double din or some kind of viewing screen



Originally posted by AE92_TreunoSC
Honestly if 16 year olds in skylines can do it, anyone can.

[AlexDORIFTO]

il let you drive my silvia if you buy a full tank of premium after ur done testing it. it depends though how tall you are as my seat is not udjustable right now. im 5ft 11 and fit in there fine

and if you crash you pay

Deal?

[M.alex]

Originally posted by AlexDORIFTO

and if you crash you pay



Yea, i'm sure that will work out well :rofl:

[Joe-G]

As some have mentioned rhd is not so much different than lhd. If you are not competent enough to be able to drive either, then I'm sorry but personally, I don't think you should be driving at all.

Sticking to the left side of the lane, sticking to the right part of the lane? Wtf is this bullshit. Sure it's "safe," but you must be terrible at driving if that's how you manage to get around.

The only tough part in my opinion, as previously mentioned,is having to merge left when coming from an off ramp. Having to look past the passenger side reduces and restricts your view as the b & c pillar can block your sight. Combine that with a smaller vehicle or coupe, ie an mr2 or supra, and it does get pretty tough. Turning left and passing on a highway isn't as bad as long as your smart about it.

[speedog]

Originally posted by JadranM
hmm business idea? :poosie: Let us know how that pans out for ya, k?

[lellowrx7]

Anyone who is saying you don't need to watch the lane for the first bit, has either never driven a RHD or is just an arrogant fuck trying to sound tough.

You may not need to watch a lane when your driving LH because your god damn used to it. When you switch to the other side, your natural instinct is to position yourself in the same place because that's what you know to be the middle. Go ahead and try and tell me you don't ride the left lane hard or even cross it your first day of driving RHD.
It's pretty much impossible to not cross it unless, oh yeah you watch the fucking lanes.

[Vr4Whore]

No such thing, easiest way to learn is get in one and drive you will learn within an hour. For me the hardest part is left hand turns on a solid green light in areas of the city such as 16th ave near mopac.

[know1edge]

Originally posted by Vr4Whore
No such thing, easiest way to learn is get in one and drive you will learn within an hour. For me the hardest part is left hand turns on a solid green light in areas of the city such as 16th ave near mopac.

that turn is blind even in LHD cars

[Kardon]

Originally posted by lellowrx7
Anyone who is saying you don't need to watch the lane for the first bit, has either never driven a RHD or is just an arrogant fuck trying to sound tough.

You may not need to watch a lane when your driving LH because your god damn used to it. When you switch to the other side, your natural instinct is to position yourself in the same place because that's what you know to be the middle. Go ahead and try and tell me you don't ride the left lane hard or even cross it your first day of driving RHD.
It's pretty much impossible to not cross it unless, oh yeah you watch the fucking lanes.

Exactly, of course you're suppose to scan the road ahead and look at where you want to go, but newbies do need to keep an eye on where the lane is because like you said people align themselves as if they're sitting on the left side of the vehicle which ends up putting the car into the lane to your left. Once you familiarize yourself it becomes a non issue

Also, merging from an on ramp in a rhd is no different than trying to get into the exit lane in a lhd

[Artega]

Originally posted by kdwebber
The toughest part about driving a rhd vehicle on our roads is not left turns at intersections or staying in the middle of the lane its making right turns when you have to look left across your passenger. If your car is already angled right it is much more difficult to see the cars approaching from the left. Depends on the car but a low car with a small cockpit like the fd can be tough


http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/141/644/7nTnr.png

Daily commute coming from Memorial to Southbound Crowchild.
Scary for sure.

[Resurrected RA]

Originally posted by AlexDORIFTO
il let you drive my silvia if you buy a full tank of premium after ur done testing it. it depends though how tall you are as my seat is not udjustable right now. im 5ft 11 and fit in there fine

and if you crash you pay

Deal?

Thanks for the offer, I can no longer drive a manual (paralyzed left leg), and I was thinking of just going along for a ride, with a tutorial as we drive.

[CapnCrunch]

I've driven LHD on the left before. It's mostly common sense. If you already know how to drive, it takes about 2 minutes before you get used to it.

[know1edge]

Originally posted by Resurrected RA


Thanks for the offer, I can no longer drive a manual (paralyzed left leg), and I was thinking of just going along for a ride, with a tutorial as we drive.

oh, i wouldn't mind taking you out, like i said when the snow clears... but not sure exactly what you would get out of sitting on the left of a rhd car..

[Idiot Stick]

Originally posted by CapnCrunch
I've driven LHD on the left before. It's mostly common sense. If you already know how to drive, it takes about 2 minutes before you get used to it.

This

[Gibson]

My first behind-the-wheel experience in a RHD car was during a test drive and the guy was nice and trusting enough to let me take it out haha. It's really very easy, it doesn't take a lot of getting used to. By the time I had the car in my driveway for the first time it was very natural, although it does take some getting used to walking to the right side of the car to drive it.

I let my dad drive my Skyline a few times while I was out of town and he said it was easy too. I think he even had a bit of a soft spot for it.

[Kardon]

Originally posted by Gibson

I let my dad drive my Skyline a few times while I was out of town and he said it was easy too. I think he even had a bit of a soft spot for it.

Hah I remember letting my dad drive my aristo and my silvia. He did the typical wiper blades instead of turn signals, and I'm pretty sure at one point while driving the s14 he may have tried to grab reverse instead of second or something ridiculous but overall it was no big deal. I could tell he really liked the aristo.