Americans Driving on the Left

[jakeroot]

I wanna say my biggest thing was not getting in the wrong door, but reaching for the seatbelt on the wrong side every time.

Regarding the latter, I've heard that's quite common among US forces here in Okinawa. My coworker here told me it was the most common error he made.

[Takumi]

I wanna say my biggest thing was not getting in the wrong door, but reaching for the seatbelt on the wrong side every time.

Regarding the latter, I've heard that's quite common among US forces here in Okinawa. My coworker here told me it was the most common error he made.

I can't say I've ever done either in the two years I've owned a RHD car. However, I have gone for the wiper stalk instead of the turn signals several times. In some RHD countries, like Japan, the turn signal and wiper stalks are reversed, and in those cases the turn signal directions are also reversed: up for left and down for right. Some other RHD countries, I am told, have the same stalk setup as LHD countries. I haven't driven yet in South Africa and I haven't thought to look at the stalks of cars I've ridden in.

[J N Winkler]

I've personally never found myself reaching left for the seat belt buckle in a RHD car, but I think this is because I always turn to the side that has the pillar, whether it is left or right.

[Road Hog]

I equivalate Americans driving on the left to British people in hot weather. Each out of their element.

[kphoger]

For those who have reached the wrong way for a seatbelt... do you also do this when riding as a passenger in a LHD vehicle?  It seems totally weird to me that someone could make this error.

[abefroman329]

I haven't made the seatbelt mistake, but if I'm walking to the car and talking with another American, then I will absolutely try to get in the wrong side of the car.

[jakeroot]

For those who have reached the wrong way for a seatbelt... do you also do this when riding as a passenger in a LHD vehicle?  It seems totally weird to me that someone could make this error.

It's not like they're reaching all the way over and then realizing "oops wrong side". It's as simple as barely reaching the wrong way before realizing it's the other side. It's akin to accidentally walking towards the port side of the car when you mean to approach the starboard side. Minor error compared to activating the wrong steering wheel stalk.

[kphoger]

For those who have reached the wrong way for a seatbelt... do you also do this when riding as a passenger in a LHD vehicle?  It seems totally weird to me that someone could make this error.

It's not like they're reaching all the way over and then realizing "oops wrong side". It's as simple as barely reaching the wrong way before realizing it's the other side. It's akin to accidentally walking towards the port side of the car when you mean to approach the starboard side. Minor error compared to activating the wrong steering wheel stalk.

But that doesn't answer my question.  Do you also do this when riding as a passenger in the USA?

[Scott5114]

I would imagine the cue that is causing confusion is "steering wheel in front me/steering wheel not in front of me" rather than "left side of car/right side of car".

[jakeroot]

But that doesn't answer my question.  Do you also do this when riding as a passenger in the USA?

I never said that I did to begin with:

Regarding [reversing seatbelts], I've heard that's quite common among US forces here in Okinawa. My coworker here told me it was the most common error he made.

To answer your question: I've not made the error myself. Still, I'll give an example of how this could happen: My car, a 2008 Mazda Atenza wagon, is exactly the same as a LHD car: ignition on right, steering wheel in middle with gauge cluster behind it, two steering wheel stalks, throttle on right, brake on left; etc. The only thing visibly wrong is being on the right side of the car and gear-shift and door being reversed. Besides that, it looks just like any other car anyone has ever driven. For some, noticing the center console on the left and door on the right, plus a passenger seat to their left, is enough of a visual clue that the seatbelt would be on their right. But for others, possibly many others, the attention is more on the steering wheel area, or the ignition, both of which are the same as back home, and thus do not provide the same level of visual clue to remind drivers that they need to reach to the right for their seatbelt.

Honestly, how well someone is focusing on their seatbelt could come down to whether or not they've had their coffee yet.

[kphoger]

I'll give an example of how this could happen: My car, a 2008 Mazda Atenza wagon, is exactly the same as a LHD car: ignition on right, steering wheel in middle with gauge cluster behind it, two steering wheel stalks, throttle on right, brake on left; etc. The only thing visibly wrong is being on the right side of the car and gear-shift and door being reversed. Besides that, it looks just like any other car anyone has ever driven. For some, noticing the center console on the left and door on the right, plus a passenger seat to their left, is enough of a visual clue that the seatbelt would be on their right. But for others, possibly many others, the attention is more on the steering wheel area, or the ignition, both of which are the same as back home, and thus do not provide the same level of visual clue to remind drivers that they need to reach to the right for their seatbelt.

This makes sense to me.  If your routine is to close the door, put your gloves on, step on the brake pedal, turn the key in the ignition, put your seat belt on, and adjust the temperature knob... then your body is probably trained to do "right hand ignition, left hand seat belt".

[J N Winkler]

People step on the brake pedal to start the car?

[abefroman329]

People step on the brake pedal to start the car?

It's been quite some time since I owned a car where I didn't have to.

[1995hoo]

I've always stepped on both the brake and the clutch when I start the car. Two of our cars won't start if you don't step on the clutch (the RX-7 will, but right now it won't start for other reasons), and when I learned to drive I was taught to step on the brake just as a precaution against the car lurching for whatever reason.

Ms1995hoo's Acura TLX, which is our only automatic-shift car, will not start if you don't step on the brake (a message to that effect will display in the instrument pod).

[J N Winkler]

I've personally never driven an automatic where stepping on the brake was necessary to start the engine.  I usually keep my foot off the brake pedal to avoid wasting reserve vacuum in the booster and to avoid applying additional electrical load while the starter is cranking.

[webny99]

Come to think of it, I usually step on the brake out of habit when starting the car, so I've never noticed whether it's actually required or not. That's because stepping on the brake is required to release the E-brake, so whenever I'm in a rush, turning the key, stepping on the brake, and releasing the E-brake blur into one simultaneous movement.

[1995hoo]

One thing that occurs to me is that most, maybe all, automatic-shift cars sold in the USA since either the late 1980s or early 1990s require the driver to step on the brake before shifting out of Park, so if you drive an automatic, it seems to me you'd be stepping on the brake either way anyway. I knew a guy who bought a 1991 Honda Accord, which had the "shift interlock" of that sort, and he insisted he could never get it to shift out of Park without using his key in the interlock override slot. Turned out he wasn't stepping firmly on the brake before trying to shift.

[abefroman329]

One thing that occurs to me is that most, maybe all, automatic-shift cars sold in the USA since either the late 1980s or early 1990s require the driver to step on the brake before shifting out of Park, so if you drive an automatic, it seems to me you'd be stepping on the brake either way anyway. I knew a guy who bought a 1991 Honda Accord, which had the "shift interlock" of that sort, and he insisted he could never get it to shift out of Park without using his key in the interlock override slot. Turned out he wasn't stepping firmly on the brake before trying to shift.

I think it might be that cars with push-button start require you to depress the brake before starting and cars you start the old-fashioned way do not.  My MIL still has her late husband's 2008 Altima and you have to push the brake before starting it.

I'm almost positive that you can turn the ignition to accessory mode without pushing the brake in any car.

[J N Winkler]

One thing that occurs to me is that most, maybe all, automatic-shift cars sold in the USA since either the late 1980s or early 1990s require the driver to step on the brake before shifting out of Park, so if you drive an automatic, it seems to me you'd be stepping on the brake either way anyway. I knew a guy who bought a 1991 Honda Accord, which had the "shift interlock" of that sort, and he insisted he could never get it to shift out of Park without using his key in the interlock override slot. Turned out he wasn't stepping firmly on the brake before trying to shift.

I do step on the brake immediately after the engine fires.  The difference is that the booster gets a continuing supply of vacuum from the intake manifold and the electrical load for the brake lamps is carried by the alternator rather than the battery.

I think it might be that cars with push-button start require you to depress the brake before starting and cars you start the old-fashioned way do not.  My MIL still has her late husband's 2008 Altima and you have to push the brake before starting it.

This sounds plausible.  None of the family cars (model years 1994-2009, all automatics) has push-button start, and all will start without a foot on the brake pedal.

I'm almost positive that you can turn the ignition to accessory mode without pushing the brake in any car.

I have personally never heard of a car for which this was not the case.



FWIW, this is the usual sequence for me:

*  Turn ignition switch to On.

*  Crank engine.

*  Step on brake pedal.

*  Adjust climate controls (fan, temperature, etc.).

*  Release emergency brake, if set.

*  Put car in gear.

*  Begin moving.

[kphoger]

When I learned to drive, it was in a stick-shift car, and it was my dad who taught me.  He taught me to keep my foot on the brake pedal when starting the ignition, just in case I had neglected to put the transmission in neutral first.  Wouldn't want the car to suddenly lurch forward and hit whatever is in front of you.  It's a habit that I've never given up, even with automatics.

[jakeroot]

I learned to drive on a 2006 Toyota Prius which had a push-button start. Like most push-button starts, depressing the brake is required for full ignition; pressing the start button simply turns on the electrics. Even though my stick-shift VW from 2015 only required depressing the clutch, I frequently pressed the brake simultaneous out of habit.

[abefroman329]

I've been driving in England for almost two weeks now and what do I keep doing?  That's right, getting in the driver's seat and reaching over my left shoulder for the seatbelt.

I blame this board.

[Rothman]

When I learned to drive, it was in a stick-shift car, and it was my dad who taught me.  He taught me to keep my foot on the brake pedal when starting the ignition, just in case I had neglected to put the transmission in neutral first.  Wouldn't want the car to suddenly lurch forward and hit whatever is in front of you.  It's a habit that I've never given up, even with automatics.

Heh.  Same here.  Just realized I do the same out of the old standard days.

[algorerhythms]

When I learned to drive, it was in a stick-shift car, and it was my dad who taught me.  He taught me to keep my foot on the brake pedal when starting the ignition, just in case I had neglected to put the transmission in neutral first.  Wouldn't want the car to suddenly lurch forward and hit whatever is in front of you.  It's a habit that I've never given up, even with automatics.

Recent-model manual transmission cars are interlocked so the ignition will not work if the car is not in neutral. I still keep the parking brake on when I start my car anyway.

[Jim]

I hope to be doing my first driving on the left during a trip that is planned to include some time in England in Summer 2023.  My fairly limited international travel experience has been mostly in countries that drive on the right.  The only exceptions are the UK and the Bahamas.  On my visits to those countries, I have not done any driving and I don't think I even got into a standard passenger car.  Just several buses in England and airport transport vans each way on one of the  Bahamas visits.  I'll see how quickly I can adapt as a driver, but as a pedestrian in London, I was appreciative of the LOOK LEFT and LOOK RIGHT painted on many curbs that reminded me that traffic in the lane I would be stepping into might not be traveling in the direction I expect.