Car question for those from the UK

[sadie147]

Kind of a silly question maybe but my husband and I were discussing this after hearing about someone here that drives an automatic with their left foot (very bizarre!).

But when you have a right-hand drive car, where are the pedals? is the clutch still on the left, brake in the middle, gas on the right? I would think your shifter is on the left (still in the middle), but is first gear on the far left like here, or the right? is the automatic stick that is on the column still on the left as well, and turn signals on the right?

We're also supposed to travel to Ireland this year, and my husband thinks he'll be ok with a right hand drive car, as long as the pedals are the same. I drive a standard and I highly doubt i could get used to a left hand shifter!

[kate58]

Re: Car question for those from the UK

Yep, just the same. The 'gas' is called the accelerator, but it's the same order and the same feet are used to work them! Gears are the same too.

I run a website about Ireland, which may help you with some questions: http://www.dochara.com/

[sadie147]

Re: Car question for those from the UK

Thanks Kate, that looks like a great website, i've bookmarked it. I've been myself to Northern Ireland twice, but never got to the south.

Interesting the pedals are the same, so i guess it's just the positioning of the steering wheel! and of course the side of the road you drive on. I nearly got hit by cars as i crossed the street many times as it was habit always to look to the left for oncomin cars.

[Hayden]

Re: Car question for those from the UK

In the UK.

The pedals, going from the centre of the car towards the Drivers door.
Clutch - Brake - Accelerator (Gas)

A standard H gearbox. Looks like this:
1= First Gear. R is Reverse.

1 3 5
| | |
----
| | |
2 4 R

The 5 and R are closest to the drivers leg.
The 1 is going towards the passengers leg.

[Richt]

Re: Car question for those from the UK

CBA

clutch, Brake Accelorator

[sadie147]

Re: Car question for those from the UK

A standard H gearbox. Looks like this:
1= First Gear. R is Reverse.

1 3 5
| | |
----
| | |
2 4 R

The 5 and R are closest to the drivers leg.
The 1 is going towards the passengers leg.

i definately don't think i'd be able to get that right from the other side of the car with my left hand..though maybe it's all in my head. my shifter looks exactly the same exept 1/2 are closes to my leg. i have a feeling i'd be stalled an awful lot. though i have heard you do get used to it fast. have any of you driven a standard in the us? was it easy to pick up? we'd probably be best to rent an automatic i'm thinking.

[kate58]

Re: Car question for those from the UK

I've driven cars in several countries, including the US, where I've had to drive on the 'wrong' side. Granted in the US I was always driving an automatic, but elsewhere I had gears to manage. You pick it up amazingly fast. It helps that everyone else is on the 'wrong' side too!! Trying to imagine it is much harder than actually doing it.

Getting an automatic is an option - but one which is likely to cost a lot more, sometimes nearly twice the price at high season in Ireland, and even at that you need to book it early as there are not a huge number available. Only a tiny minority of cars on the road here are automatic.

[BeautyBox]

Re: Car question for those from the UK

Not meaning to confuse you but my reverse is at the top, by gear 1.

I drive manual and an automatic, automatic is easy I much prefer it but I do have trouble with hill starts