On a right hand drive car, what is the shift pattern like?

[Sluggo]

On a right hand drive car, what is the shift pattern like?

Is it a mirror image of a left hand drive car (1st gear close to the driver?) Or is it the same as a left hand drive?

If it is a mirror image of what Americans are accustomed too, doesnt this require the manufacturer to produce 2 seperate transmissions? Or is it all done with different shift forks inside the transmission?

Forgot to add:

 

[glenn1]

Same as a normal car, you simply manipulate the shift lever with your left hand.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: glenn1
Same as a normal car, you simply manipulate the shift lever with your left hand.

 

[paulney]

Man, that would suck for me. I'd be missing gears all the time. Can't imagine shifting with a left hand.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

1st gear is closest to you

In Indian cars it's away from you (right hand drive)

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: glenn1
Same as a normal car, you simply manipulate the shift lever with your left hand.

which would suck cause i'm right handed. would be very awkward.

 

[Gurck]

Was a bit curious myself, another question - what order are the gas, brakes, and clutch in?

 

[Sluggo]

Originally posted by: glenn1
Same as a normal car, you simply manipulate the shift lever with your left hand.

So 1st gear (refering to the shift pattern only) is on the passenger side of the car?

That must be especially difficult to learn if you have had a EDIT left hand drive car all your life.

 

[slikmunks]

it is the same pattern, and it isn't ESPECIALLY difficutl... it's jsut another thing b/c you are already trying to learn to shift w/ ur left hand... it's not that big of a deal

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: glenn1
Same as a normal car, you simply manipulate the shift lever with your left hand.

So 1st gear (refering to the shift pattern only) is on the passenger side of the car?

That must be especially difficult to learn if you have had a right hand drive car all yourlife.

You are from England, Japan or India right?

 

[Sluggo]

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: glenn1
Same as a normal car, you simply manipulate the shift lever with your left hand.

So 1st gear (refering to the shift pattern only) is on the passenger side of the car?

That must be especially difficult to learn if you have had a right hand drive car all yourlife.

You are from England, Japan or India right?

NO, I just had my left and right all backasswards.

Corrected the original thread.

 

[glenn1]

Man, that would suck for me. I'd be missing gears all the time. Can't imagine shifting with a left hand.

I thought the same thing before I tried, and had absolutely no problem with it, seemed just as natural as shifting with my right hand.

When you're used to driving on the right, the problem doesn't come in with operating the car (after 5 minutes or so of adjustment anyway), it's overcoming years of driving reflexes and your natural reactions. Basically your mind is trained for right-hand driving, and in a crisis situation your reflexes are going to take over and do what would be proper for a right-hand driving country, but completely reverse of what you should be doing in a left-hand driving country. Not a huge issue if you're on a side street and end up in a ditch, very bad news if you're driving on the Ring of Kerry with no guardrail between you and the edge of the 700' cliff the road runs along.

 

[glenn1]

Was a bit curious myself, another question - what order are the gas, brakes, and clutch in?

Again, same as a standard car.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

ASCII it, people.

Is it:

1 3 5
| | |
+++
| | |
2 4 R

And the only thing changing is driver position?

- M4H

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: glenn1
Same as a normal car, you simply manipulate the shift lever with your left hand.

So 1st gear (refering to the shift pattern only) is on the passenger side of the car?

That must be especially difficult to learn if you have had a right hand drive car all yourlife.

You are from England, Japan or India right?

NO, I just had my left and right all backasswards.

Corrected the original thread.

have a

 

[glenn1]

1 3 5
| | |
+++
| | |
2 4 R

And the only thing changing is driver position?

Correct. Although most of the cars are smaller and may not have a 5th gear, and like many American cars it seems utterly random whether the reverse gear is on the right or left. Last time out I had a Ford and the reverse gear was on the left IIRC.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: glenn1

1 3 5
| | |
+++
| | |
2 4 R

And the only thing changing is driver position?

Correct. Although most of the cars are smaller and may not have a 5th gear, and like many American cars it seems utterly random whether the reverse gear is on the right or left. Last time out I had a Ford and the reverse gear was on the left IIRC.

I haven't seen a car with 4sp maual since the early 80's.

 

[Mnementh]

Originally posted by: Supercharged

Originally posted by: glenn1
Same as a normal car, you simply manipulate the shift lever with your left hand.

which would suck cause i'm right handed. would be very awkward.

Actually it's easier as your right hand stays on the wheel, therefore easier to control if anything untoward happens while changing gear. I quite often drive with my left hand resting on the gear stick, which I wouldn't feel comfortable doing if I had to steer with my left and change gear with my right...

Still I suppose it's what you're used to

 

[Argo]

What about motorcycles? Are the pedals revers? I.e. you shift with your right foot and break with your left?

 

[Mnementh]

Originally posted by: Argo
What about motorcycles? Are the pedals revers? I.e. you shift with your right foot and break with your left?

Erm all motorcycles are right hand drive thats where the throttle is (obviously except for specially modified ones for disabled riders)

 

[3chordcharlie]

I definitely prefer:

R135
| | | |
-24(6)

But down-and-right seems to be the trend for reverse on cars I've driven.

I still think shifting with my left hand would be hard though.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie
I definitely prefer:

R135
| | | |
-24(6)

But down-and-right seems to be the trend for reverse on cars I've driven.

I still think shifting with my left hand would be hard though.

Yeah I think it would be hard, but you'd get used to it. I had to drive a car with the shift pattern you described once, and it just wouldn't go into reverse. I tried and tried and tried until I finally got out and pushed the car back. Turned you you had to push straight down on the shift knob, as in vertically down the shaft of the lever, then move it to the left.

 

[geno]

Originally posted by: glenn1

1 3 5
| | |
+++
| | |
2 4 R

And the only thing changing is driver position?

Correct. Although most of the cars are smaller and may not have a 5th gear, and like many American cars it seems utterly random whether the reverse gear is on the right or left. Last time out I had a Ford and the reverse gear was on the left IIRC.

From what I understand, german transmissions ususally have reverse to the left. My Shelby has a Getrag (german) designed transmission, and the reverse is on the left. I've driven a few VW's that undoubtably have german transmissions, and sure enough, they've always had their reverse on the left. I guess it's just a German-inspired thing...

 

[rh71]

Rightfully so it should be the same pattern... can you imagine having to worry about a different shift pattern (on top of using your left hand) while driving... unless you like slowing down unexpectedly... that'd be pretty comical.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: rh71
Rightfully so it should be the same pattern... can you imagine having to worry about a different shift pattern (on top of using your left hand) while driving... unless you like slowing down unexpectedly... that'd be pretty comical.

Isn't it a little ethno-centric to assume that either right- OR left-drive countries would have, as their main concern, the ease with which foreigners could drive on their roads?