Join for free
Page 1 of 2 1 2 >
ClaireMarie
Senior Member
ClaireMarie is offline
Ontario, Canada
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 261
ClaireMarie is female  ClaireMarie has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
27-02-2011, 10:49 PM
1

Question about standard cars or stick shift cars in England

A friend and I were just talking and said that when they were on vacation and riding in a taxi with right hand drive the stick shifter was in the middle and the driver used his left hand/arm to shift grears. This to us who are use to left hand drive cars and shifting with our right arm/hand seems rather difficult to comprehand. Then the question of is the right foot for gas and left of clutch still? Well, is it?
Aerolor's Avatar
Aerolor
Chatterbox
Aerolor is offline
UK
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 9,380
Aerolor is female  Aerolor has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
27-02-2011, 11:02 PM
2

Re: Question about standard cars or stick shift cars in England

Thats right in the UK the manual gear change is in the middle and the driver uses his left hand to change gear. The right foot is used for fuel/acceleration and the left for the clutch. The brake is in the middle and is operated by the right foot. I have driven American LH drive cars when we lived in Canada and it is surprising how quickly you get used to the differences. I had to take a Canadian driving test to get the Canadian licence, but I don't know if someone coming from Canada to England would have to take a test to get a licence to drive permanently here.
Losos's Avatar
Losos
Fondly Remembered
Losos is offline
West Suffolk
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,630
Losos is male  Losos has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
27-02-2011, 11:06 PM
3

Re: Question about standard cars or stick shift cars in England

Originally Posted by ClaireMarie ->
A friend and I were just talking and said that when they were on vacation and riding in a taxi with right hand drive the stick shifter was in the middle and the driver used his left hand/arm to shift grears. This to us who are use to left hand drive cars and shifting with our right arm/hand seems rather difficult to comprehand. Then the question of is the right foot for gas and left of clutch still? Well, is it?
Last question YES (Right foot is gas and brake actually)

First question - YES gear lever is usually in the middle and we use the left hand to shift it.

As someone who regularly drives both a RHD and a LHD vehicle I can tell you it's no problem at all.

The biggest problem on crossing from UK to mainland Europe is remembering to drive on the right actually this is no problem either (except in one situation which is too boring to go into here.)
Losos's Avatar
Losos
Fondly Remembered
Losos is offline
West Suffolk
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,630
Losos is male  Losos has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
27-02-2011, 11:14 PM
4

Re: Question about standard cars or stick shift cars in England

Originally Posted by Aerolor ->
but I don't know if someone coming from Canada to England would have to take a test to get a licence to drive permanently here.
Canadians are OK I believe because their licence is issued by the national government in Montreal and UK / Canada have an agreement on driving licences, this may not apply to mainland Europe 'tho.

Americans have to be careful because in many mainland Europe countries the American Driving Licence is not acceptable because it is not issued by Washington, it is issued by each individual state but Washington has decreed that the indiviudual states can not negotiate with overseas governments so Americans have to obtain an International Driving Licence from the AAA before coming to Europe.
ClaireMarie
Senior Member
ClaireMarie is offline
Ontario, Canada
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 261
ClaireMarie is female  ClaireMarie has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
28-02-2011, 02:32 AM
5

Re: Question about standard cars or stick shift cars in England

Yes, we assumed the peddles would be in the same arrangement but its good to know.

Now when the gear shifter is on the left, is 1, 2, 3, R still in the same configerations (ie. 1st & 2nd to the left of 3rd, 4th and Reverse) as the right handed shifter?
Cassie's Avatar
Cassie
Senior Member
Cassie is offline
West Wales
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,442
Cassie is female  Cassie has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
28-02-2011, 02:38 AM
6

Re: Question about standard cars or stick shift cars in England

reverse will depend on what make of car it is. When seated on the right seat and holding the gearstick with the left hand 1st is left and forward and the rest are in the obvious place as yours are.
Troopie
Member
Troopie is offline
Adelaide, Australia
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 90
Troopie is female  Troopie has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
28-02-2011, 03:00 AM
7

Re: Question about standard cars or stick shift cars in England

I thought that pedal on the far left was a foot rest! Husband calls it a clutch or...... something!
Cassie's Avatar
Cassie
Senior Member
Cassie is offline
West Wales
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,442
Cassie is female  Cassie has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
28-02-2011, 03:07 AM
8

Re: Question about standard cars or stick shift cars in England

lol Troopie

I drive a right hand drive vehicle but the handbrake is on the right which confuses the hell out of anyone who uses it thats not familiar with it!! I love watching them search everwhere for it lol
Barry's Avatar
Barry
Chatterbox
Barry is offline
North Notts
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 15,676
Barry is male  Barry has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
28-02-2011, 08:58 AM
9

Re: Question about standard cars or stick shift cars in England

Anyone use automatic? I do, I gave up on gear shifts years ago, couldn't see the point to it and no-one's been able to explain any advantage to it since.
Uncle Joe
Chatterbox
Uncle Joe is offline
Brighton UK
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 25,458
Uncle Joe is male  Uncle Joe has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
28-02-2011, 09:45 AM
10

Re: Question about standard cars or stick shift cars in England

Plantman, it depends on how much snow you get - 'manual' gear change cars are a lot easier to drive in snow as you drive in a HIGHER gear than one would normally choose for the relevant conditions. In automatic cars, this is not always possible.
 
Page 1 of 2 1 2 >

Thread Tools


© Copyright 2009, Over50sForum   Contact Us | Over 50s Forum! | Archive | Privacy Statement | Terms of Use | Top

Powered by vBulletin Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.