[Tweaksta]

Not a particularly exciting post I'm sorry...

Does anyone notice this interesting issue when people post on car forums that have members living all over the world?

Whenever someone refers to the driver's side or passenger side, many of us don't know which side that is because depending on what country you live in the driver's and passenger's sides vary between LHD and RHD.

Sometimes a poster's user handle displays their country but then we have to google which side of the road that country drives on.

Not being grumpy, just sayin'.

[M3SQRD]

Left and right can be just as confusing because there are a lot of people that use left-right while looking at the front of the car instead of while seated in the car.

[No one]

Sometimes driver's or passenger's side is all that matters, regardless if it's left or right or which side of the road you drive on: depending on the subject.

Once I had to look up what RHD and LHD referred to: location of controls or the side of the road.

[alex2364]

Only people driving on the wrong side of the road worry about this.

[BeEmVe]

Given that in general the RHD and LHD are mirrored I typically do not see the issue.

The only time I found an actual issue was when driving RHD vs my normal LHD, the turn signal and windshield (windscreen) wiper stalks were opposite. I kept flipping on the wipers when I was turning. What is worse it depended on the vehicle mfg. Friends with RHD vehicle had one of each.

Probably a bigger issue is British English vs American English.

[No one]

Originally Posted by alex2364

Only people driving on the wrong side of the road worry about this.

Just as some moderator/administrator admitted around here, this site isn't exactly international, rather a US one and others are only guests. Thus driving on the wrong side is merely pathetic and nobody cares (or even knows that is possible). This makes "driver/passenger's side" a politically correct expression too!

A guide on Tenerife warned against renting a car: "There are many English tourists here. They drive on their own side of the road!".

Originally Posted by BeEmVe

Probably a bigger issue is British English vs American English.

Indeed: I am always lost when software makes me choose between those. For me, being neither, it's hard to tell. Looked that up at last: "for example, in American English a rubber is usually interpreted as a condom rather than an eraser" - well, for me it's rather a material than a product. "We are the World. You are the children."

[erickonphoenix]

just use the terms port and starboard

[KevinC]

Originally Posted by alex2364

Only people driving on the wrong side of the road worry about this.

[chris719]

I'm surprised automakers haven't lobbied to get rid of RHD in the UK, Aus, Japan. There are several small but statistically significant benefits to LHD like the rest of the civilized world adopted.

[BeEmVe]

Originally Posted by No one

Indeed: I am always lost when software makes me choose between those. For me, being neither, it's hard to tell. Looked that up at last: "for example, in American English a rubber is usually interpreted as a condom rather than an eraser"

Funny story about that. An English colleague who was a newly minted post-doc in the States was working away writing and said to his boss, "I made a mistake and need a rubber." His boss's reply "I think it is a little late for that."

[Tweaksta]

Originally Posted by M3SQRD

Left and right can be just as confusing because there are a lot of people that use left-right while looking at the front of the car instead of while seated in the car.

Hahahah - that's brilliant!

I'll give you a hint, the left side of the vehicle is the same side as the left headlight.

You don't say your left eye depends on if someone is standing in front of you looking at you or not.

[Tweaksta]

Originally Posted by erickonphoenix

just use the terms port and starboard

Love this.

[Tweaksta]

Originally Posted by alex2364

Only people driving on the wrong side of the road worry about this.

Hence my post. Americans tend to think they are the centre (center) of the universe. In reality they are the laughing stock of the world.

[Tweaksta]

Originally Posted by chris719

I'm surprised automakers haven't lobbied to get rid of RHD in the UK, Aus, Japan. There are several small but statistically significant benefits to LHD like the rest of the civilized world adopted.

I'd like to hear those reasons just for a laugh.

Essentially this is not about whether left or right is better (or right or wrong). It's more about Americans' lack of awareness that other people and countries exist.

[Tweaksta]

Originally Posted by BeEmVe

Given that in general the RHD and LHD are mirrored I typically do not see the issue.

You don't see the issue? What aren't I surprised?

This isn't about LHD or RHD or what you perceive as better. It's about being descriptive.

Say you're buying a rear right door....do you ask for a mirrored left door?
or
Say you're discussing the location of the tailpipe. Is it mirrored?

All I'm saying is there are other countries than 'murica. If you want to run an international forum then run an international forum. Have some awareness of others instead of feeding the typical American stereotype.

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by Tweaksta

Hahahah - that's brilliant!

I'll give you a hint, the left side of the vehicle is the same side as the left headlight.

You don't say your left eye depends on if someone is standing in front of you looking at you or not.

Ok

When you turn around your frame of reference turns with you so your left eye will always be your left eye regardless of the position of the other person. However, there are a lot of real living people that do not know the left and right sides of a car are defined when they’re sitting in the car looking out of the front windshield.

[alex2364]

Originally Posted by Tweaksta

Hence my post. Americans tend to think they are the centre (center) of the universe. In reality they are the laughing stock of the world.

What does this have anything to do with the US? Majority of the world drive on the right side of the road. The only reason a few countries drive on the other side is because of UK and it’s former colonies. So instead of blaming Americans maybe you should blame UK.

[BeEmVe]

Originally Posted by Tweaksta

You don't see the issue? What aren't I surprised?

This isn't about LHD or RHD or what you perceive as better. It's about being descriptive.

Say you're buying a rear right door....do you ask for a mirrored left door?
or
Say you're discussing the location of the tailpipe. Is it mirrored?

All I'm saying is there are other countries than 'murica. If you want to run an international forum then run an international forum. Have some awareness of others instead of feeding the typical American stereotype.

So do tell us what is so different about a LHD and a RHD vehicle that in a forum such as this one that it makes such a difference? Sure there are fine points like turn signal / wipers I pointed out but if I need a passenger door in the UK it is on the left. If I need a passenger door in the US it is on the right. They are both doors and are mirror images of each other. Big deal.

As such, no I do not see the issue because I can use both the left and right side of my brain. I think many of the forum posters which are more international that most can do the same. From your post you seem to lack the awareness that some Americans are well traveled so do not fit the typical American stereotype.

[Hit_Apex]

As with many things in life when you are the exception vs the rule you get very good a converting information on the fly. This feels more like a cognitive issue than etiquette.