EURO TRUCK SIMULATOR 2

[US 41]

I found a road game. It might be one of the best road games out there. There are speed limit signs, stop signs, etc. You travel throughout Europe and you try to get from point A to point B. You're a truck driver in the game, so there you go. Let me know what you think.

[agentsteel53]

There are speed limit signs, stop signs, etc

that sounds awful.  I have those in real life. 

[US 41]

I watched Nerd3 play it on Youtube last night. I think I'm going to buy it. It looks like a game I've wanted for a long time now. Too bad there isn't one for the USA. Everywhere in Europe drives on the right side of the road (thankfully), except the UK  , they drive on the left. I think that could get confusing because everything is opposite.

[agentsteel53]

except the UK  , they drive on the left. I think that could get confusing because everything is opposite.

I've had that concern before, but I have had people tell me that if you get a right-hand-drive car (steering wheel on right side; designed for driving on the left), then your muscle memory flips over quicker than you would expect, and it is all intuitive.

I'm gonna be in New Zealand in a year, so I will test out that hypothesis!  I have heard that shifter trees are not reversed, so I wonder how that will affect my muscle memory, to shift with my left hand.

[realjd]

except the UK  , they drive on the left. I think that could get confusing because everything is opposite.

I've had that concern before, but I have had people tell me that if you get a right-hand-drive car (steering wheel on right side; designed for driving on the left), then your muscle memory flips over quicker than you would expect, and it is all intuitive.

I'm gonna be in New Zealand in a year, so I will test out that hypothesis!  I have heard that shifter trees are not reversed, so I wonder how that will affect my muscle memory, to shift with my left hand.

Yep. Having done both, driving on the left with a RHD car is easier than driving on the left with an LHD car. The hardest thing to get used to was actually the turn signals. European cars keep the turn signal control on the left like on RHD LHD cars, American and Japanese cars flip it so the control is on the right. I usually rent automatics but shifting the manumatic with my ledt hand in the mountains of far North Queensland a few months ago wasn't hard to get used to.

[kphoger]

Yep. Having done both, driving on the left with a RHD car is easier than driving on the left with an LHD car. The hardest thing to get used to was actually the turn signals. European cars keep the turn signal control on the left like on RHD cars, American and Japanese cars flip it so the control is on the right. I usually rent automatics but shifting the manumatic with my ledt hand in the mountains of far North Queensland a few months ago wasn't hard to get used to.

Did you mean "European cars keep the turn signal control on the left like on RHD LHD cars, American and Japanese cars flip it so the control is on the right"?  Because I've never driven a LHD car–American, German, or Japanese–with the turn signal on the right.

[realjd]

Yep. Having done both, driving on the left with a RHD car is easier than driving on the left with an LHD car. The hardest thing to get used to was actually the turn signals. European cars keep the turn signal control on the left like on RHD cars, American and Japanese cars flip it so the control is on the right. I usually rent automatics but shifting the manumatic with my ledt hand in the mountains of far North Queensland a few months ago wasn't hard to get used to.

Did you mean "European cars keep the turn signal control on the left like on RHD LHD cars, American and Japanese cars flip it so the control is on the right"?  Because I've never driven a LHD car—American, German, or Japanese—with the turn signal on the right.

Yep, good catch, thanks! I absolutely meant that all LHD cars have the turn signs on the left but it differs by brand on RHD cars.

[english si]

Everywhere in Europe drives on the right side of the road (thankfully), except the UK  , they drive on the left.

Yes, everywhere in Europe (save Malta, Cyprus, UK and Ireland) drives on the wrong side of the road, having changed sides after Napoleon took over most of it and made people change sides for no real reason other than he was an arsehole who liked ordering people around .

More countries changed sides as European empires grew over the next 150 years (and, of course, got empires overseas). And once freed these places didn't change back due to it being just as pointless a change as changing in the first place. The few stuck in the middle ended up having to side with the majority - Sweden, which had stayed neutral for most of that time was the most recent country to change - in the early 60s.

Euro Truck Simulator - I can't see the appeal. If I wanted to fake travel along roads, I'd use streetview or watch youtube videos. If I wanted to fake drive, I'd want to drive some high performance car and try and get the most out of it, playing some racing game (or GTA/similar). Though I admire the amount of work they have done making it look fairly realistic (though still full of all sorts of howlers when it comes to the most important bits - the road), the premise of copying the train driver simulators doesn't really translate as it is far more familiar to most people.

[cpzilliacus]

The few stuck in the middle ended up having to side with the majority - Sweden, which had stayed neutral for most of that time was the most recent country to change - in the early 60s.

Regarding Sweden, here's a more-detailed account (some from my memory, aided by this page (in Swedish)).

As far back as 1718, Swedes drove on the right side of the road.

But in 1734, Sweden switched to driving on the left.

Several times during the 20th Century, a switch to the right was studied and  discussed.  A national study commission strongly suggested a conversion to the right in 1954 (both nations that border Sweden, Norway and  Finland, had driven on the right, at least since the appearance of the motor vehicle).  The suggestion that Sweden switch to right-hand highway traffic was put to a national referendum in 1955, which was overwhelmingly defeated.  Here's an image of an anti-right placard from the back of a Stockholm trolleybus (BehÃ¥ll Vänstertrafiken - rösta NEJ means Keep the left-hand traffic - vote NO):


Still, the suggestion to switch to the right refused to go away, and it was studied and discussed through the rest of the 1950's and into the early 1960's.  In the early 1960's, the Nordic Council also encouraged Sweden to make the switch, and, in spite of the 1955 referendum result (which was deemed advisory and not binding), a decision to switch to the right was made by the Swedish Parliament on 10 May 1963, with an effective date of 1967. 

That date, or Dagen H (Day R) (or Dagen Höger (Day  Right)) was set for very early in the morning (0500) of Sunday, 3 September 1967.  At 0445 on that morning, all highway traffic was to come to a complete halt, then carefully cross to the right side of the road and wait  At 0500, drivers could continue on their journeys on the right side of the road.  In some municipalities, including Stockholm and Malmö, all motorized traffic with private vehicles was forbidden within their respective corporate limits from 1000 on the morning of the 2nd of September until 1500 on the afternoon of the 3rd.  Logo for Day R: 


Many new LHD buses had been procured in advance of Day R.  Well before Day R, a large percentage of the fleet of private automobiles in Sweden were LHD, though RHD vehicles were not outlawed (and I believe they remain legal even now).

Day R had significant consequences for streetcar (tram) traffic in Stockholm.  All of the rolling stock that ran in the downtown area had doors on the left side only, and a decision was made to convert those lines to bus service, with the exception of two suburban lines - the cars that ran on those lines were of a different design, and had doors on both sides.

Nearly all of the streetcars with the doors on the left were scrapped.  A few managed to evade the scrapper's torch, and are used on the heritage  Line 7 in Stockholm (they have been rebuilt with the doors on the right).

What did not change were the mainline Swedish railroads, and the Stockholm Tunnelbana (subway or underground).  Those normally run on the left even today.

[kphoger]

As far back as 1718, Swedes drove on the right side of the road.

But in 1734, Sweden switched to driving on the left.

All this means is that Napoleon was an arsehole even before he was born.

[cpzilliacus]

As far back as 1718, Swedes drove on the right side of the road.

But in 1734, Sweden switched to driving on the left.

All this means is that Napoleon was an arsehole even before he was born.

No dispute there. 

And back when Sweden was a great power in Europe, they were frequently allied with France.

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

Sweden did it correctly back in the day.  Left hand traffic with left hand drive cars.  When you parallel park, you get out to the curb, not the street.  When there's an offset head-on collision (the most common type of head-on collision), with both cars occupied by only the driver, the empty portion of the car takes the most damage, saving the driver from more severe injury/death.

[agentsteel53]

Sweden did it correctly back in the day.  Left hand traffic with left hand drive cars.

that sounds awful for trying to pass.

[Brandon]

Does this simulator include being able to be a trucker trying to avoid Berlin?

[Alps]

Sweden did it correctly back in the day.  Left hand traffic with left hand drive cars.

that sounds awful for trying to pass.

Swedes are far too civilized to be in a hurry.

[US 41]

Too bad there isn't one for the USA.

There is going to be an American Truck Simulator. It's going to be released in 2014. I'm interested in which cities will be included in the game. I hope Terre Haute will be, but I'm doubtful. Only larger cities like Indianapolis will probably be in the game.

[agentsteel53]

Swedes are far too civilized to be in a hurry.

you have never been to Sweden.  there aren't many maniac drivers, but people don't like to be held up, just like anywhere else.

[on_wisconsin]

I watched Nerd3 play it on Youtube last night.

Its one of Nerd3's best. IMHO:

ETS 2 is a great game, would recommend to anyone who likes realistic driving sims.

[cpzilliacus]

Swedes are far too civilized to be in a hurry.

you have never been to Sweden.  there aren't many maniac drivers, but people don't like to be held up, just like anywhere else.

That is correct. 

And there are terrible drivers in Sweden, though probably not as many (in terms of percentage) as in the U.S.

[US 41]

This past week I just bought 18 Wheels of Steel American Long Haul. It is also by SCS Software. It was only $4.99 plus tax on Walmart.com. It includes the US, Canada, and Mexico.

[ET21]

This past week I just bought 18 Wheels of Steel American Long Haul. It is also by SCS Software. It was only $4.99 plus tax on Walmart.com. It includes the US, Canada, and Mexico.

How is it? I have Pedal to Metal and am wondering if it's better

[US 41]

I think it is pretty fun. You have to obey the rules somewhat closely. For example somehow the cops know you ran a red light even if there's not a cop there. The interstates are all 3 lanes each direction which isn't realistic. At exits the right lane turns into the on ramp. The interchanges where interstates meet each other are pretty creative. However if you are not extremely picky about realisticness, it is a fun game. It was definitely worth the 5 bucks I spent on it. I mean I guess if you don't like it, it was only 5 dollars. It runs fast on my laptop. It apparently doesn't take up as much space as ETS2. The whole US (minus AK and HI) are on the game. Southern Canada and northern Mexico are also featured. The map shows the correct route numbers. It is sort of difficult to wreck. The only wrecks I've had are rear end collisions. I don't have Pedal to the Medal so I can't really compare them. From watching a video on Youtube on pedal to the medal it looks like they're very similar.

[mhh]

Here's a kinescope of Swedish Television's live coverage of H-day:

http://www.svtplay.se/klipp/273078/h-vaka-04-45-05-15

I can't understand the Swedish audio but the video is interesting. Because of Sweden's far-northern latitude it was already daylight at 5 a.m. and there were large crowds in some areas to take part in the changeover.

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

I play this game every day IRL.

True story bro.

[US 41]

BTW when you start out on Am. Long Haul the fastest your truck can go is 45. If you upgrade your engine all the way your truck can get up to around 85.