Right side or left side option for Americans?

Newbie Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Posts: 15

I plan on renting a van for the day and taking the family (total of 7) to Rum Point and other locations off of SMB. I am renting from Andy's, using my CAG discount code but wanted some advice.

Andys has both left and right hand drive vehicles. Personally I have never driven on the wrong (err...sorry) the left side of the road before but have been to the Bahamas several times and been in vehicles that do so. I believe I can get used to it rather quick but wondered if it was easier getting a vehicle that is right side drive or left side which I am used to.

I understand from reading other posts that the right side drive gives you much better visibility when wanting to pass cars. With a large family I doubt if my American speeding ways will be so prevalent.

Thanks for everything.

Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:31 pm Post subject:

Welcome to the forum, fittestsurvive Smile

,

Well, it's truly a matter of personal preference, but I think you'd do fine with a right hand drive. It doesn't take much getting used to at all, and it really makes more sense to have right hand drive when driving on the left. It's not just for passing, but just overall visibility....making turns and everything. Think of if this way....you might think that it's opposite of what you're used to here in the states, but having your "shoulder to the middle", as they say, would be exactly the same as we drive here.....therefore, it really will seem more normal. Otherwise, you're sitting way over on the shoulder of the road.

We always request right hand drives, but the size car we wanted to rent from Andy's only came in left hand drive....so, we managed.

If you get a right hand drive, count the number of times you and your passengers go to get in the car, but get in on the wrong side! I guarantee you.....it will happen a dozen times! That, and turning on the windshield wipers instead of the turn indicator Jump

Sounds like you've got a good attitude about learning to drive on the left...you'll do fine!

Char

Like Char said, it would make more sense to get a car with the steering wheel on the right, but we wanted a convertible and they only had left, and we did fine. With getting a right, we thought it was just another thing that we weren't used to. Just remember when starting out to say to yourself, "Stay left, look right".

Bonnie

Native Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 1197 Location: Illinois

I think with the steering on the right, it's a little reminder that things are a little different.

You don't do much passing in Cayman---

Shelly :-)

Native Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 1197 Location: Illinois

Char

I see you're going fishing tomorrow! Hope you catch the big one!

Shelly :-)

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2007 7:27 am Post subject:

I agree with Char...just keep telling yourself stay left and look right when pulling out....oh and the blinkers are where the windshield wipers are and vice versa....hehehehe

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:05 am Post subject:

I think I requested right side and got left side. It seemed so normal that I didn't notice until we were driving away! I've been the driver on our three visits, and have always been on the left side. You should be fine either way.

When getting a rental car is it easier to get one that drives from the right side of the car than from what I, and many other travelers, are used to? Will I find it more cumbersome to have driving items on the reverse side of the car?

I've been told the brake and gas pedals are reversed. (On US cars the gas is on the right while the brake is on the left. I was told that when the driver is on the right side of the car, that the gas is on the left and the brake on the right.) Is this true? If so, then for safety reasons I might have to concentrate on getting a left-sided drive car. I'll have enough trouble remembering to drive on the left side of the road without needing to brake with my other foot as well. This is especially noteworthy if I'm trying to avoid a potential accident instead of causing one.

:drive:

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:31 am Post subject:

Nah..... all the ones I've seen have the same pedals. Your problem will be getting in on the correct side and turning on the windshield wipers instead of the turn signal. Try to remember to stay on the left at intersections, and give the right of way when in doubt.

Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 3:37 pm Post subject:

I agree with brakker1.....the pedals are not reversed, so no worries about that.

I think it's actually much easier, when driving on the left side of the road, to be driving a car with right hand drive. If you think about it, that is really what we are used to here in the United States.....having your "shoulder to the middle". Otherwise, when you are seated at the left hand of the car, you are driving from way over along the shoulder of the road.

With that being said, the last few years, we could only get left hand drive cars (American made) and we did just fine.

Char

Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:41 am Post subject:

Have even more fun and get a stick and shift it with your left hand!

I rented a car in St Lucia years ago and did just that. Stayed up half the night wondering if the pedals were reversed too!! Drive

Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:28 am Post subject:

divnpaul wrote:

Have even more fun and get a stick and shift it with your left hand! Drive

Divnpaul,

I know what you mean! We had a little Samurai when we visited the Brac in '95. Had a blast with it. I liked its ability to handle the rougher terrain. I drive my right-hand-drive Hyundai Santa Fe around here now.... it's more comfortable but somehow not as much fun.

brakker1

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:27 am Post subject:

Thanks for the advice and reassurance about the pedal issue. Sounds like we'll try for a right hand drive car. Sure is good to get info from people that have knowledge about a subject.

:clapping:

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:51 am Post subject:

bobdenver wrote:

Sure is good to get info from people that have knowledge about a subject.

Gahhhlee! Nobody ever accused me of that, before!

P.S. I liked your T.V. show. Wink

.

.

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 6:11 pm Post subject:

Thanks...Once the Minnow went down we had a rough time of it. Building those grass shacks wasn't easy. And to think...it was only supposed to be a 3 hour tour.

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