[MPBK]

So I was sitting in the passenger seat while wife is driving.
I needed to enter an address for the navigation.
Normally, I just start writing on the iDrive knob, but had to use my left hand. I do not know how to write with my left hand.
How do you guys in left-hand side driving countries deal with this?

[MightyM3]

Same as you do on the right side lol, if you only have one option I would assume one would get accustomed to it.

[ItsGary]

Originally Posted by MightyM3

Same as you do on the right side lol, if you only have one option I would assume one would get accustomed to it.

Literally first world problems

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Man would have love to have a touch pad iDrive knob

[MPBK]

Originally Posted by ItsGary

Literally first world problems

Isn't any problem with our cars reported in this forum a "first world problem" by definition?
So, let's get down to it.

[SteveinArizona]

Originally Posted by MPBK

So I was sitting in the passenger seat while wife is driving.
I needed to enter an address for the navigation.
Normally, I just start writing on the iDrive knob, but had to use my left hand. I do not know how to write with my left hand.
How do you guys in left-hand side driving countries deal with this?

Would be no problem for me. When I was in high school I started an organization called "LHIM" -- Left Handers Independence Movement...a leftist group. "Lefthanders of the world arise, you have nothing to lose but your rights". But you wrong handers...I don't know.

[MPBK]

Originally Posted by MightyM3

Same as you do on the right side lol, if you only have one option I would assume one would get accustomed to it.

Not sure if you understood my plague.
I suppose the problem exists for left-handed people in the USA - they'd need to write with their right hand. But... left-handed people account for about 10% of the population.
It's a huge problem to introduce a feature that doesn't work well for 90% of you target drivers. I don't suppose they reversed the gas/clutch pedals in left-hand drive countries, did they? They still clutch with their left foot, correct? What would you think if they forced you to reverse gas/clutch feet?

[Redd]

In the other half of the world, we drive on the right side and work iDrive with our left hands. No biggie. 😂

[heavyD^2]

Just be happy that's the way it is in North America. I'm left handed and it's really difficult for me to use the writing feature with my right hand and just give up and use the wheel.

[Wing Co]

Driving UK cars in Europe is so easy and driving European cars in Europe/UK with steering wheel on the other side and controls, gear lever with your right hand is also easy. Your brain and hands just adjust so it becomes instintive whatever the set-up or side of the road you drive. Even roundabouts!

[yco]

manual transmission is getting more complicated on the right side.. there is 5th gear where 1st should be..

[MPBK]

Originally Posted by Redd

In the other half of the world, we drive on the right side and work iDrive with our left hands. No biggie. 😂

I tried writing with my left hand, but the BMW lady (she needs a name, like Siri) didn't recognize any of my input. And I was the passenger, can't imagine if I was driving.
And no, I have excellent hand writing. When I write with my right hand, she recognizes every single letter.

[Mach550]

I've used the pad once but then ended up just using the voice controller to say the address. Haven't had issues with it understanding my voice yet.

I use a PC keyboard velcro'd to the steering wheel.

When I need both hands, eating for example, I have a few pencils taped together, attached to a headband. Having a decent 4/4 beat going helps tap out an email.

You're making it too difficult by using your wrong hand.

[SteveinArizona]

Originally Posted by PureModelsOnly

Forget idrive how do you right hand drive people drive stick with left hand?

The same way we left handers drive a stick on a left drive car.

The only things I do with my right arm are mouse (first home computer was a family computer and everyone else was right handed), shift a car, and swing a golf club and baseball bat (the latter two being two handed). Otherwise my right arm is useless.

Now if I mouse or shift with my left arm, it feels weird. The body trains itself.

[Anthony1s]

I'm left handed in a USA lhd car. So I'm in the same position, can't write with it. I also don't really use the Nav or ever really have a need to write, so it's okay. But I agree, it sucks if I had to use it more.

[alphaod]

It's not a really a problem for me since I am used to using a lot of stuff with my left hand and I've driven a lot of RHD vehicles.

The annoying problem for me is Japanese cars will switch the turn signal control and wiper control stalks around on RHD cars whereas European and American makes do not. So if I forget I'll look like the idiot who turned on his wipers at maximum on a hot summer day. At least the Japanese cars' pedals aren't swapped. I can't imagine what I'd do if I had clutch in with my right foot and drive with my left... That'd be really confusing.

As for writing, I used to own a Palm Pilot which had very unique writing format which works surprising well on the iDrive knob...

[taseal]

I'm a lefty so it's pain in the ass... that being said the voice doesn't work perfect for me either. it keeps changing the state. Drives me effin nuts.

it's easier to just scroll the wheel and pick my shit lol

[MPBK]

Originally Posted by taseal

I'm a lefty so it's pain in the ass... that being said the voice doesn't work perfect for me either. it keeps changing the state. Drives me effin nuts.

it's easier to just scroll the wheel and pick my shit lol

That's interesting.
The BMW lady recognizes my voice orders 90% of the time, but 0% of the time for my wife. I could swear that it has learned and adapted to my accent.
Can anyone confirm if BMW voice recognition is speaker-dependent?
Siri is definitely not speaker dependent. She misses 50% because she's just dumb.

[turribech]

This doesn't solve your problem but consider that on right-hand drive BMW's, such as the ones sold in the UK, Ireland, Japan, Australia, etc all drivers use their left hand to use iDrive and I haven't seen any uproar on BMW forums about this.

[DanG]

Pretty silly thread. Easy answer is talk to nav and give it the address. No idrive touching needed.

[SteveinArizona]

Originally Posted by MPBK

So I was sitting in the passenger seat while wife is driving.
I needed to enter an address for the navigation.
Normally, I just start writing on the iDrive knob, but had to use my left hand. I do not know how to write with my left hand.
How do you guys in left-hand side driving countries deal with this?

You train your body. I am completely left handed. But I swing a baseball bat and a golf club right handed (both two hand activities). I also use a computer mouse on my right hand. The reason is that I am the only left handed person in my household and our first personal computer was a family one. So I learned to use a mouse.

I also notice that even though I do just about everything left handed, i catch a ball better with my right hand. I am sure the reason is that one wears a baseball glove on the opposite side so for me I wear the glove on my right hand.

My point is that once the body trains itself to use a particular hand, using the other for that function does seem weird.