Left Hand Drive Car Lessons
Discussion
Hello to everyone on Pistonheads. This is my first ever post.
This might seem like a bit of an unusual question but I was just wondering if anyone knows anyone or any company who offer left hand drive car lessons here in the UK (preferably in London)?
The reason why I ask is because there are some cars that I would like to buy at some point but they are only available in left hand drive.
I know people who drive left hookers and they said it can be awkward at first and can take a little getting used to. I am not the best driver in the world but I would say that I am quite sensible and experienced on the road and I am sure I will be fine driving a lefty but it would be good to get some proper tuition beforehand. I could ask a friend to let me practice in their car (insurance in place of course) but I would rather not borrow anyone's personal car.
Any advice would be very much appreciated.
This might seem like a bit of an unusual question but I was just wondering if anyone knows anyone or any company who offer left hand drive car lessons here in the UK (preferably in London)?
The reason why I ask is because there are some cars that I would like to buy at some point but they are only available in left hand drive.
I know people who drive left hookers and they said it can be awkward at first and can take a little getting used to. I am not the best driver in the world but I would say that I am quite sensible and experienced on the road and I am sure I will be fine driving a lefty but it would be good to get some proper tuition beforehand. I could ask a friend to let me practice in their car (insurance in place of course) but I would rather not borrow anyone's personal car.
Any advice would be very much appreciated.
Its not really that difficult that you'd need lessons for it, the main points being, concentrate on your road position follow the curb not the centre line, don't pull up as close to something you may have to go around, i.e. stopping busses, parked cars etc.. Approach left turns at T junctions straighter on or the other extreme turn as far left as possible so you can see out of the rear quarter, depends on road layout and space. Always check over your shoulder when changing lanes, this will be easier in a LHD as you have a better view out the RH side of the car and rear.
If your really really nervous do all of the above but take a passenger who has explicit instructions to tell you if your position is off rather than sit there quietly in terror. They are also useful if you do get yourself in a difficult sight line position where you cant see properly as they can be your eyes, you have to trust them though, its a weird feeling pulling out on a roundabout on the say so of someone else, but then they will be the ones taking the impact first
With experience though you will realise there are some situations where you have to be careful but many more where visibility is easier in a LHD. But its all just down to experience and time behind the wheel rather than instructions, every junction is different so being told how to do one may not help with the next.
If your really really nervous do all of the above but take a passenger who has explicit instructions to tell you if your position is off rather than sit there quietly in terror. They are also useful if you do get yourself in a difficult sight line position where you cant see properly as they can be your eyes, you have to trust them though, its a weird feeling pulling out on a roundabout on the say so of someone else, but then they will be the ones taking the impact first
With experience though you will realise there are some situations where you have to be careful but many more where visibility is easier in a LHD. But its all just down to experience and time behind the wheel rather than instructions, every junction is different so being told how to do one may not help with the next.
Took me about two hours IIRC. It's really not that difficult. The hard bit for me was getting the car centred in the lane properly on the motorway; I tried to find a reference point (something like the corner of a wing mirror or something) that would be on the white line from my viewpoint when I was in the right spot.
Your best bet is to go onto the Ryanair website, see where you can go for £10 one weekend, rent the cheapest car you can find at the airport, and drive around a bit until you get the hang of it.
Your best bet is to go onto the Ryanair website, see where you can go for £10 one weekend, rent the cheapest car you can find at the airport, and drive around a bit until you get the hang of it.
davepoth said:
LaurasOtherHalf said:
What can someone teach you that you can't pick up in an hour or so's driving 
1st lesson, try not to change gear with the window winder
2nd lesson - the hand brake is not in the map pocket on the door. 1st lesson, try not to change gear with the window winder
In the lhd version it is on the left of the seat.
ViperDave said:
Getting used to the throttle with my left foot and clutch with my right was the hardest thing.
Love that!!Seriously though, having had lots of expeience with hookers (stop sniggering Jenkins!)some basic tools to help:
1, As a Truck or bus driver would, use the left mirror to position yourself in the relation to the kerb. The right mirror will see the white line.
2,Learn to take a look down the left side of anything you want to pass, BEFORE you stick most of the car over the white line to take a look down the outside!
on an angled T junction, learn to square the car up to get a good view, otherwise all you can see is the right C pillar!
Then, go buy an Integrale, and learn left foot braking!!
ViperDave said:
Getting used to the throttle with my left foot and clutch with my right was the hardest thing.
Too true (cruel!) 
In fairness it is fairly natural once you get over the feeling you want to open the window instead of changing gear, it's really not hard at all unless you are a total numpty. I'd hardly say lessons are required, just a bit of concentration and common sense.
Flatinfourth said:
ViperDave said:
Getting used to the throttle with my left foot and clutch with my right was the hardest thing.
Love that!!Seriously though, having had lots of expeience with hookers (stop sniggering Jenkins!)some basic tools to help:
1, As a Truck or bus driver would, use the left mirror to position yourself in the relation to the kerb. The right mirror will see the white line.
2,Learn to take a look down the left side of anything you want to pass, BEFORE you stick most of the car over the white line to take a look down the outside!
on an angled T junction, learn to square the car up to get a good view, otherwise all you can see is the right C pillar!
Then, go buy an Integrale, and learn left foot braking!!
Back to the OP, really its not like when your learning to drive and there are things like rules of the road, judging others speed and distance that have to be looked out for and therefore you need an instructor to keep an eye out and teach you the really important things. They are all the same in a LHD, its more like getting used to an SUV after driving a mini, or a 600BHP supercar after a micra. Just takes familiarity and care in the transition.
There are some good suggestions on here, but to be honest, hiring a left hooker on holiday may get you familiar with the controls so it will be less to worry about when you get a LHD over here, but it wont teach you any road positioning, the same applies to driving your car on the continent, you will experience some of the downfalls, but positioning a RHD car when driving on the right is not the same as a LHD on roads that use the left and adapting to a different road system is more dangerous than adapting to a different car, i.e cars and trucks coming at you on the other side of the road than where your expecting them and possibly looking.
To be honest if you really feel you need instruction then maybe its not for you.
davepoth said:
Rubin215 said:
My Synergie has the handbrake to the right of the drivers seat.
In the lhd version it is on the left of the seat.
I drove one of those in RHD, and thought "Tight fisted gits, only making one driver's seat". They actually put it on the wrong side in LHD cars too? Wow.In the lhd version it is on the left of the seat.
My Synergie is a seven-seater family wagon made by Citroen from late eighties to mid-nineties, in mainland Europe it was badged as an Evasion.
Same car as a Pug 806 and a Fiat Ulysse (and I think there's a Lancia version too).
I have no idea what you mean by only one driver's seat!
I agree with those who say that you will not need lessons. However, while I don't consider it difficult I do consider it to be a significant issue which might influence your choice of car. If you have a friend willing to let you try a LHD car before you buy I think it would be a very good idea to take advantage. The nearest you can come to replicating the experience without that would be to drive a RHD car on the continent.
One point to bear in mind not previously mentioned is the shorter vision you have on a left-hand bend if you are sitting next to the kerb in the left seat. It means you have to take unsighted left-hand bends more slowly; obviously there is a compensating but less significant benefit on right-hand bends.
One point to bear in mind not previously mentioned is the shorter vision you have on a left-hand bend if you are sitting next to the kerb in the left seat. It means you have to take unsighted left-hand bends more slowly; obviously there is a compensating but less significant benefit on right-hand bends.
Thank you all for your advice and insight on this topic. Very helpful. I hope to own one or several Yank Tanks like ViperDave one day. Despite what they say about the interior and handling of muscle cars, they have so much presence, make a helluva noise and you get a lot of car for your money but that is another debate.
You all are right. LHD lessons are not necassary and I should be ok with these type of cars. Just need to be extra careful and a bit more patient.
It looks like there are no LHD driving instructors in the UK but that could be a potential sideline for any driving instructor although there probably is not a big enough market for this to be a viable business.
I have a friend who owned an SLR but he soon sold it after he bought it. He said it was difficult to get around town due to the long bonnet but the main issue for him was that it was LHD and he kept curbing the wheels (he bought a RHD F430 after selling the SLR) but I also know people who drive Mustangs, Hummers and Corvettes (which also have long bonnets) with no problems at all.
It's funny that I also know supercar owners who were in the market to buy hypercars like the Veyron, Enzo, Carrera GT and even the P1 but the main factor that put them all off was that all these vehicles were LHD only. Surely if you drive a supercar you should be able to handle anything but everyone is different. Jeremy Clarkson even complained that it was impossible to see any other car coming around you when driving an Enzo (with it being LHD) on roundabout.
You all are right. LHD lessons are not necassary and I should be ok with these type of cars. Just need to be extra careful and a bit more patient.
It looks like there are no LHD driving instructors in the UK but that could be a potential sideline for any driving instructor although there probably is not a big enough market for this to be a viable business.
I have a friend who owned an SLR but he soon sold it after he bought it. He said it was difficult to get around town due to the long bonnet but the main issue for him was that it was LHD and he kept curbing the wheels (he bought a RHD F430 after selling the SLR) but I also know people who drive Mustangs, Hummers and Corvettes (which also have long bonnets) with no problems at all.
It's funny that I also know supercar owners who were in the market to buy hypercars like the Veyron, Enzo, Carrera GT and even the P1 but the main factor that put them all off was that all these vehicles were LHD only. Surely if you drive a supercar you should be able to handle anything but everyone is different. Jeremy Clarkson even complained that it was impossible to see any other car coming around you when driving an Enzo (with it being LHD) on roundabout.
Had two lhd barchettas, daftest thing for me was looking over wrong shoulder to reverse and occasionally hitting the door when I went for a gear if I'd been in my rhd for a while.
Like most above, after a few mins driving its no different to switching from auto to manual imo. It's the same but different.
Like most above, after a few mins driving its no different to switching from auto to manual imo. It's the same but different.
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