Is it Illegal to Drive a Right Side Steering in the US
05-14-2011, 10:38 PM
#2
No, it's not to my knowledge.
05-14-2011, 10:46 PM
#3
Saw a RHD Land Rover Defender today. At first it freaked me out because I saw the damn thing moving but no driver. 
Also keep in mind all the JDM crowd and their RHD Civic's and Nissan 240 and other cars.
Also keep in mind all the JDM crowd and their RHD Civic's and Nissan 240 and other cars.
with proper paperwork of how it got here legally.
05-15-2011, 12:30 AM
#5
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It's legal here in Canada but it's a pain in the ass. Every time I want to turn left if there's a car across from me waiting to turn, I have to wait for the light to change because I can't see what's coming, passing people on one lane roads becomes really difficult because you can't see around them, you have to go through drive-thru's in reverse...
05-15-2011, 01:57 AM
#7
Someday, an RS6 Avant+
It is legal. The problem is that all of the cars produced within the last 25 years have to be crash certified and NHTSA approved. That is the "gotcha". That's why there aren't a flood of R34 GTR's and the like.
(And I would bring my Subie over in a heartbeat if I could).
(And I would bring my Subie over in a heartbeat if I could).
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05-15-2011, 02:04 AM
#8
COME AT ME BRO!
I think it varies from state to state. When I lived in VA there were quite a few RHDs there. Some were tuner cars and some were foreign government workers I guess. I only say that because they would be suvs, or something that was nice but nothing special or rare. There was one guy who had a Tommy Kira R33 that was sooo sexy. Some crazy rich kid, who got millions from his parents after both of them passed away. He also had a 600+ rhp MR2 turbo.
05-15-2011, 10:55 AM
#11
Moderator Alumnus
I had a RHD integra here in CT and it wasn't registered specially or anything. I got pulled over a few times because the police seemed a bit confused. I never got a ticket with it, etc. They just wanted to make sure everything was ok lol.
Last edited by FiftyFive; 05-15-2011 at 10:58 AM.
05-15-2011, 11:01 AM
#12
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It's not illegal in Oregon, there are original Minis with right hand drive and nothing is done about it.
I'm converting ours into LHD for my wife.
I'm converting ours into LHD for my wife.
05-15-2011, 03:22 PM
#13
Safety Car
It's legal here in Canada but it's a pain in the ass. Every time I want to turn left if there's a car across from me waiting to turn, I have to wait for the light to change because I can't see what's coming, passing people on one lane roads becomes really difficult because you can't see around them, you have to go through drive-thru's in reverse...
05-15-2011, 04:30 PM
#15
Someday, an RS6 Avant+
05-15-2011, 06:43 PM
#17
05-15-2011, 09:10 PM
#19
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The shifting with the other hand takes about an hour to get used to lol, it's the inconvenience of being on the opposite side of your car that the roads and everything are layed out for that's the problem
05-16-2011, 08:50 AM
#20
Safety Car
i wonder which layout is more conducive to driving, RHD in a RHD world, or LHD in a LHD world?
i would assume the RHD car layout is better, since 92% of the worlds population is right handed, so you steer with your strong hand and shift with your weak. plus, the tach is usually on the left side of the gauge cluster, so in a RHD car, when you take your eyes off the road to look at the tach, you are more focused towards the center of the car, not the far corner.
there must be a study somewhere...
i would assume the RHD car layout is better, since 92% of the worlds population is right handed, so you steer with your strong hand and shift with your weak. plus, the tach is usually on the left side of the gauge cluster, so in a RHD car, when you take your eyes off the road to look at the tach, you are more focused towards the center of the car, not the far corner.
there must be a study somewhere...
Last edited by ThermonMermon; 05-16-2011 at 08:54 AM.
05-16-2011, 08:59 AM
#21
All I know beyond what's been said is that the drive-thru jokes never get old. 
05-16-2011, 09:35 AM
#22
Safety Car
word. maybe its for the best...america could really do without drive-thrus. just seeing a restuarant that has a drive thru makes me feel like a fat f***, let alone using it or eating there. i cant imagine too many big dudes in a RHD car - so maybe its not an issue...small asians, mostly.
Last edited by ThermonMermon; 05-16-2011 at 09:39 AM.
05-16-2011, 10:48 AM
#24
Safety Car
05-16-2011, 06:30 PM
#26
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The one thing most people don't usually think about (and I have no idea why) is a drive-through isn't the only option...you could ACTUALLY get out and walk into the restaurant. It's fun.
05-16-2011, 11:41 PM
#28
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I think it varies from state to state. When I lived in VA there were quite a few RHDs there. Some were tuner cars and some were foreign government workers I guess. I only say that because they would be suvs, or something that was nice but nothing special or rare. There was one guy who had a Tommy Kira R33 that was sooo sexy. Some crazy rich kid, who got millions from his parents after both of them passed away. He also had a 600+ rhp MR2 turbo.
05-17-2011, 12:02 AM
#29
i wonder which layout is more conducive to driving, RHD in a RHD world, or LHD in a LHD world?
i would assume the RHD car layout is better, since 92% of the worlds population is right handed, so you steer with your strong hand and shift with your weak. plus, the tach is usually on the left side of the gauge cluster, so in a RHD car, when you take your eyes off the road to look at the tach, you are more focused towards the center of the car, not the far corner.
there must be a study somewhere...
i would assume the RHD car layout is better, since 92% of the worlds population is right handed, so you steer with your strong hand and shift with your weak. plus, the tach is usually on the left side of the gauge cluster, so in a RHD car, when you take your eyes off the road to look at the tach, you are more focused towards the center of the car, not the far corner.
there must be a study somewhere...
they can place it where ever they like too, plenty of cars have the tach on the right hand side also, or even centered in the cluster
05-17-2011, 07:41 AM
#32
The Dumb One
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Last edited by Rockstar21; 05-17-2011 at 07:51 AM.
05-17-2011, 08:22 AM
#33
Safety Car
so generally speaking, this applies to a majority of cars and a majority of ppl:
LHD: Steer with your less dominant hand, while your forearm blocks the tach which is positioned in the far corner of the car, and shift with your dominant hand.
or
RHD: Steer with your dominant hand, and have the tach unobstructed towards the center of the car, and shift with your weak hand.
RHD > LHD
Last edited by ThermonMermon; 05-17-2011 at 08:37 AM.
05-17-2011, 08:45 AM
#34
Safety Car
also, you will notice that there are many complaints from drivers with LHD manual cars that must overcome the obstructions of having the tach on the left. which is why many european cars have the tach on the right in LHD cars because more cars are manual.
theres even a thread on a-zine about it.... https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/why-tach-wrong-spot-550781/
"95% of all cars have the tach on the left... I guess your last car was one of the 5% on the right. Welcome to "normal" life..."
...so yes, having the tach on the opposite side of the shifter is the best case. and if a majority of cars have the tach on the left, it would only make sense as to why a RHD could be better. even furthermore, the world is mostly comprised of right handed ppl, so being able to steer with your right hand makes a RHD that much more conducive to better driving than a LHD vehicle....just sayin
theres even a thread on a-zine about it.... https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/why-tach-wrong-spot-550781/
"95% of all cars have the tach on the left... I guess your last car was one of the 5% on the right. Welcome to "normal" life..."
...so yes, having the tach on the opposite side of the shifter is the best case. and if a majority of cars have the tach on the left, it would only make sense as to why a RHD could be better. even furthermore, the world is mostly comprised of right handed ppl, so being able to steer with your right hand makes a RHD that much more conducive to better driving than a LHD vehicle....just sayin
Last edited by ThermonMermon; 05-17-2011 at 08:49 AM.
05-17-2011, 08:49 AM
#35
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no shit they could place it wherever they want. but many more cars have the tach on the left rather the right in the gauge cluster - do a simple search...and more ppl are right handed than left handed - unless you want to make the rebuttle that left handed ppl exist too?
so generally speaking, this applies to a majority of cars and a majority of ppl:
LHD: Steer with your less dominant hand, while your forearm blocks the tach which is positioned in the far corner of the car, and shift with your dominant hand.
or
RHD: Steer with your dominant hand, and have the tach unobstructed towards the center of the car, and shift with your weak hand.
RHD > LHD
so generally speaking, this applies to a majority of cars and a majority of ppl:
LHD: Steer with your less dominant hand, while your forearm blocks the tach which is positioned in the far corner of the car, and shift with your dominant hand.
or
RHD: Steer with your dominant hand, and have the tach unobstructed towards the center of the car, and shift with your weak hand.
RHD > LHD
I think the majority of people would rather look at their speed than their RPM's anyway since that's what matters on the road. If you're racing and watching your RPM's, you shouldn't be driving with your hand on top of the wheel blocking your tach anyway.
05-17-2011, 11:23 AM
#37
Team Owner
my tach is in the center... wait, not just my tach... everything in the Cluster is in the center for my car... so i guess it doesnt matter for me if it is LHD or RHD...
also according to Clarkson... RHD > LHD, but i think i would do a lot 1-> 5
also according to Clarkson... RHD > LHD, but i think i would do a lot 1-> 5
05-17-2011, 11:30 AM
#40
Safety Car
because it is in order of operations, while having R and D as far away as possible for safety reasons (although, an accidental switch from D to R will do nothing to a modern day car).
so unless you have a circular driveway, or drive a monorail, i would assume you would want to go in the opposite direction in which you arrived in. so, P, then R, then D. (while the placement of N was originally used as a safety buffer zone).
if you want to impress a chick, change that markings to PEMDAS and tell her its in order of operations.
Last edited by ThermonMermon; 05-17-2011 at 11:34 AM.