What's it like to drive an LHD car in Oz?

[autojack]

So what's this about needing new tires after I import the car? I haven't seen that mentioned in any of the official stuff I've read.

[JLD]

 

3. Individuality - in Japan, where most cars are lhd, driving a rhd car is a way of expressing your individuality with some serious status to those who do it. i think the same applies a bit over here.

 

 

other way round. Most cars in Japan are RHD, it is considered more fashionable and luxurious to drive a LHD car in Japan. Only prestige cars are sold in LHD there

[SimonN]

other way round. Most cars in Japan are RHD, it is considered more fashionable and luxurious to drive a LHD car in Japan. Only prestige cars are sold in LHD there

Woops! Thanks for the correction.

[Cars And Coffee Byron Bay]

So what's this about needing new tires after I import the car? I haven't seen that mentioned in any of the official stuff I've read.

ive done it twice and still wearing the boots they arrived in. Normal michelin road tyrEs

 

 

[clutch-monkey]

After a short drive in a LHD 911 recently.. (Admittedly jumping straight out of a RHD one first); the gear shift and pedals are easy to get accustomed to, it's being on the outside of the road in the corners that is the hardest to get your mind around. Found myself drfiting over over the centre line repeatedly.

no doubt a case of practice to get over it, but unexpected. The things I thought would be trouble weren't, it was the unexpected things!

[Metal]

After a short drive in a LHD 911 recently.. (Admittedly jumping straight out of a RHD one first); the gear shift and pedals are easy to get accustomed to, it's being on the outside of the road in the corners that is the hardest to get your mind around. Found myself drfiting over over the centre line repeatedly.

no doubt a case of practice to get over it, but unexpected. The things I thought would be trouble weren't, it was the unexpected things!

I drove my first LHD straight into Sydney city area (never driven in Sydney before) including the narrow lane tunnels (what a roar from the engine through those tunnels) then around 900km back to Melbourne about two weeks ago. Aside from catching myself trying to put the key in the wrong side for the ignition and occasionally reaching for the door handle instead of the gear stick.. I had no trouble. Just need to take the occasional glance into the right mirror to check the road centreline is visible and can also judge your lane pretty easily by mirroring the position of the car in front of you..

Judging corners hasn't been an issue nor changing lanes on a dual or multi lane road but I wouldn't ever attempt overtaking on a single lane road regardless of having a passenger on board or not purely for safety reasons.

I also jump in and out of both RHD & LHD cars and have zero issues doing this.

PS I love my lefty. Wasn't sure if I would but I do! ?

[SimonN]

Judging corners hasn't been an issue nor changing lanes on a dual or multi lane road but I wouldn't ever attempt overtaking on a single lane road regardless of having a passenger on board or not purely for safety reasons.

This! If I cannot overtake on single lane roads, my SMT's would be a waste of time, stuck behind people auditioning for "Driving Miss Daisy". I am not sure why, but I have always felt that on Oz roads this is more of an issue that in the UK where I did drive LHD cars. Maybe I was more of a risk taker then, or visibility was better.

[Coastr]

 

Judging corners hasn't been an issue nor changing lanes on a dual or multi lane road but I wouldn't ever attempt overtaking on a single lane road regardless of having a passenger on board or not purely for safety reasons.

 

pfft in a Porsche that's the best bit.  Just means more run up and more rpm.

In an early 911, it is 60 cm between centres on the two front seats.  About the width of a 19in computer monitor.  If you're looking at one right now, lean around to see past the monitor - that's how far you need to lean over.

[SimonN]

pfft in a Porsche that's the best bit.  Just means more run up and more rpm.

In an early 911, it is 60 cm between centres on the two front seats.  About the width of a 19in computer monitor.  If you're looking at one right now, lean around to see past the monitor - that's how far you need to lean over.

Not really.....to start with, the average 19" monitor has a total width of 43.5cm. Then, if you are at a monitor, you are more than likely to be sat so you are in the middles so it's nothing like looking past your monitor while if you are seated facing the edge of the monitor, it's still only 2/3rds the distance.

When you are in a RHD car and you are on single lane roads, before you pull out you will lean to the right to get the best view, and as you begin to pull out you also lean across again, just to check. Your seat, seat belt and the need to keep holding the wheel limit the amount you can really move (I have just tried this on my BMW and got some very funny looks!), but based on your 60cm difference, the reality is that you will have to pull out  beyond the line of the vehicle ahead by around 60cm more in a LHD car than a RHD one to get the same view of oncoming traffic. That is enough to make it a pretty risky thing to do. Having done this enough in the UK, I know that you need to hold back further to get a better view and this reduces overtaking opportunities significantly.

[LeeM]

  I owned a LHD 912. Got it rego'd, drove it 4 or 5 times and got used to it pretty quickly once you get your head around it.

 In summary, I didn't like it for various reasons, and would prefer to never own a lefty again. I sold it for other reasons, though I have no regrets whatsoever about selling, as I was just disappointed with the car in general to be honest. Maybe it would have been different if it was a 911 of the same year, yet I've driven a lefty Camaro and Mustang and didn't like them either. 

 It just depends on the individual I s'pose

[SC 3.2]

  I owned a LHD 912. Got it rego'd, drove it 4 or 5 times and got used to it pretty quickly once you get your head around it.

 In summary, I didn't like it for various reasons, and would prefer to never own a lefty again. I sold it for other reasons, though I have no regrets whatsoever about selling, as I was just disappointed with the car in general to be honest. Maybe it would have been different if it was a 911 of the same year, yet I've driven a lefty Camaro and Mustang and didn't like them either. 

 It just depends on the individual I s'pose

A LHD 911 is a peach to drive compared to a Camaro - or worse a fastback Mustang,owned those in the past and their vision over the right shoulder when looking right to merge with traffic is dreadful.

My LHD SC is a delight to drive and does not seem to be a problem when overtaking on single lane roads,it just takes a little thought and then the fun of red-lining in 2nd or 3rd to get around-fun  

 

[ANF]

It is all well and good to say to drop back to see better what may be coming when you go to overtake if you are the only car behind, but if there are cars behind you they could interpretate this in a much different way and try to overtake you.... just when you go to pull out - very nasty outcome of that!!

Never driven a LHD car in Aus, have in the US but that does not count, have been a passenger in one and felt a bit odd at first. I suppose it matters where you live and what roads the bulk of your driving is done on?

[SimonN]

It is all well and good to say to drop back to see better what may be coming when you go to overtake if you are the only car behind, but if there are cars behind you they could interpretate this in a much different way and try to overtake you.... just when you go to pull out - very nasty outcome of that!!

Good friend ended up in a field because of this. He had a very fast Scooby and pulled out to overtake 2 cars. He was so quick the first car didn't realise he was along side when it decided to go for the overtake as well. Police tried to make out it was my friend's fault because there was no way that the other driver could have anticipated how fast the Scooby would get along side! (yes, it was very fast!)

[Metal]

Driving along the Great Ocean Road may be problematic for overtaking but other than that my car is for cruising around the western suburbs of Melbourne which requires none ?

[Neun 11]

Just bought my first "Lefty" .Wanted a different car to the one I had, LHD just adds to the uniqueness. But hey!, we,re all different. LHD, despite benefits, seems to be accepted by those in the fraternity. It just comes down to personal choice for those who are not fussed wether the car they are seeking is Aust, delivered or not.

[ByronBayChris]

On 01/02/2017 at 1:56 PM, Metal said:

Driving along the Great Ocean Road may be problematic for overtaking but other than that my car is for cruising around the western suburbs of Melbourne which requires none ?

I had no trouble overtaking in a LHD early 911.  The car is so tiny, I could wind down both windows from the drivers seat.   Could also operate the hotel carpark buzzer just be leaning a little.   And I'm pretty short too.

Just lean over a little and see what is coming.

[autojack]

I've put about 100km on my "lefty" now and it's been fine. I think it helped that I spent a couple of months driving our new RHD car before the Porsche arrived, so I've mostly got the hang of being on the road here. But also so far I've mostly been on multi-lane roads, so there is a lot of other traffic around to take cues from.

[Coastr]

36 minutes ago, autojack said:

I've put about 100km on my "lefty" now and it's been fine. I think it helped that I spent a couple of months driving our new RHD car before the Porsche arrived, so I've mostly got the hang of being on the road here. But also so far I've mostly been on multi-lane roads, so there is a lot of other traffic around to take cues from.

Only 100?? Better get driving some more.

i think I've done 5000 or so incident free lefty kms now.  Still enjoy the strange looks and comments.

[autojack]

2 hours ago, Coastr said:

Only 100?? Better get driving some more.

i think I've done 5000 or so incident free lefty kms now.  Still enjoy the strange looks and comments.

Hasn't been registered yet! The $%&¥ VASS and roadworthy and club reg process has been slow going. Much more complicated than I expected. I nearly have everything sorted so I can get some plates.