RHD vs. LHD

[[email protected]]

So currently I'm trying to adapt to driving my 180, coming from my USDM 240.

I'm going from a stock SOHC 90 hatchback with a perfectly tuned suspension ( for me at least ), to a rhd 180sx with a blacktop sr (exhaust, intake, cams, just bolt ons).

I'm really not getting the hang of this very quickly. Shifting, and grip driving is pretty straightforward... left turns and passing fucking suuuuuuck, but I'm getting used to that.

However, sliding is fucking hard. I can't make my right hand steering domanaint, and I can maseat time as possible. (two events this weekend, and two the next weekend)ke my left get used to the ebrake. No coordination

This whole thing has made me seriously consider converting my 180 to left hand drive. Retaining all my motor skills, and making street driving easier would be a plus.

There has been a bunch of debates about, but I figured I'd get your opinion on it. Is there a + to RHD? Any tips on getting accustomed?

OR, is lhd just the way to be?

[ILoveJDM]

i too used to drive a 240, i bought a 180sx and if anything,rhd seems easier to drive and track, you'll get the hang of it.

[ThatGuy]

How long have you been driving LHD vehicles?

Now, how long have you been trying to drive a RHD vehicle?

I'm willing to bet the one you have more experience with will seem "easier" to you, until you get used to the other way.

Personal opinion: LHD vehicles in a RHD society is stupid. You're in Canadanadanada, so take that however you like. I know you guys can get them easier up there then people can here. :D

[superJoy]

I'd much rather learn to drive RHD than take apart a perfectly good 180.

And if it's that bad, you'd have to pull the SR anyway to convert the chassis over so you might as well save a few steps and toss it in a LHD chassis. No point in cutting metal when it's easier to just swap engine and other parts.

[[email protected]]

I'd much rather learn to drive RHD than take apart a perfectly good 180.

And if it's that bad, you'd have to pull the SR anyway to convert the chassis over so you might as well save a few steps and toss it in a LHD chassis. No point in cutting metal when it's easier to just swap engine and other parts.



Very true.

other than the fact (like was pointed out) I live in canada. RUST is the enemy, all the time, without fail. Buying a rhd 180 is the length I had to go to, to find a clean chassis.

I've got a couple events coming up soon, so I hope legit track time will help me out too. Once my left hand ebrake skills come up to par. Hahah.

[Sileighty_85]

Keep the RHD, I prefer RHD only cuz I began drifting in Okinawa,

I though it was a shit ton easier

But you just go it so ya gotta give it time for your brain to adjust.
Or do what super joy said and do an engine swap to the 240 and give me the 180SX Shell for free lol :P

[burnsauto]

instead of converting it....just get another chassis if you're more comfortable with a lhd chassis.

if you think over time you can learn to love the rhd...then stick with it :)

no sense in chopping up a car for something thats already readily available.

[ericcastro]

just give it time.

You may actually become a better drifter because of it.

Most people drift better when sliding towards the passenger door. I think it has to do with all the car on that side, unconsciously it feels safer.
So you wont have that problem.

you will be much more versatile to drive any car.

And your driving will be about controling the car through the tools in the cockpit. Not about just doing whats natural and comfortable and has been instilled in your brain.

[Slammed180]

I picked up my 180sx last year, and it was the easiest thing to get used too. I'v been driving LHD vehicles for 5 years, and within a week of RHD, I had it figured out.

[mrmephistopheles]

How long have you had it?

Half of the transition difficulty is simply time spent adjusting.
The other half is realizing that RHD isn't special, it's just how some of the rest of the world does it.

Drive the car like a grandma, thinking as little as possible about how you're doing what you're doing. Get used to backing up and making turns in reverse, and shit like that. It'll come quickly enough. I've driven LHD and RHD about equally, and they feel pretty much the same. If anything I think I prefer RHD a little, but I can't quantify why.

[Katsumbhong]

I own a 1992 240sx in California and I own a 1994 180sx here in Okinawa. I like RHD a lot more because I'm right handed and able to use my dominant hand for steering while my left hand is, of course, used to shift.

I got used to driving RHD after a day or so. The only difficult part of driving one, if anything, is learning the line the car up again with the road when you drive because you're sitting on the right side of the car.

Planning to make my 240sx RHD when I get back to the states though.

[ghost]

All you need is seat time my friend! I mean, when you first started driving you certainly didn't have the feel of a car down. It will just take some getting used to! Like the others have said, I prefer RHD as well, and I drive LHD cars all day long (I'm a mechanic)

[imotion s14]

RHD isn't special, it's just how most of the rest of the world does it.

Not true

Right- and left-hand traffic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_on_the_left_or_right)

A great majority of the world is LHD. :)

[murda-c]

How long have you had it?

Half of the transition difficulty is simply time spent adjusting.
The other half is realizing that RHD isn't special, it's just how most of the rest of the world does it.

Drive the car like a grandma, thinking as little as possible about how you're doing what you're doing. Get used to backing up and making turns in reverse, and shit like that. It'll come quickly enough. I've driven LHD and RHD about equally, and they feel pretty much the same. If anything I think I prefer RHD a little, but I can't quantify why.

Actually most of the world drives on the right, so the cars are lhd.

Edit: damn you imotion s14...

[nesianwarrior]

majority of the cars in the world are RHD. the u.s. and a few other countries are the only ones that drive LHD. so technically the u.s. is the black sheep sort to say. from wat others have had to say, RHD is more practical in racing whether it's autoX, track or drift. and street wise its just a head turner. like how everyone has said previous, its jus a learning situation and like everything that has to be learned it takes time. if i had the time and resources, i would very like to convert my s-chassis to RHD but its more practical to leave my s14 as is. and to get accustomed to it, just drive alot.

[luisgonz]

I once smashed my right hand. So I had to get used to jacking off witht the Left one. Get used to. I used to call it the stranger.LOL:fruit:

[Landers]

lolololololololol^^^

[imotion s14]

majority of the cars in the world are RHD. the u.s. and a few other countries are the only ones that drive LHD. so technically the u.s. is the black sheep sort to say. from wat others have had to say, RHD is more practical in racing whether it's autoX, track or drift. and street wise its just a head turner. like how everyone has said previous, its jus a learning situation and like everything that has to be learned it takes time. if i had the time and resources, i would very like to convert my s-chassis to RHD but its more practical to leave my s14 as is. and to get accustomed to it, just drive alot.

http://www.brianlucas.ca/roadside/drivemap.gif

Drive on the right side = generally LHD.

[Jesses240]

It's been 2 weeks for me driving the R33 and I gotta say I kinda like RHD better... I haven't tried drifting yet though...

[drift freaq]

majority of the cars in the world are RHD. the u.s. and a few other countries are the only ones that drive LHD. so technically the u.s. is the black sheep sort to say. from wat others have had to say, RHD is more practical in racing whether it's autoX, track or drift. and street wise its just a head turner. like how everyone has said previous, its jus a learning situation and like everything that has to be learned it takes time. if i had the time and resources, i would very like to convert my s-chassis to RHD but its more practical to leave my s14 as is. and to get accustomed to it, just drive alot.

Ah no, like others have said, the majority of the world drives LHD. Plus, I side with others, driving a RHD car in a LHD country, is just lame. IMO. Plus, saying the U.S. is the blacksheep for being LHD? :rofl: Been smoking that Pakalolo, eh?

Practicality in racing? LOL more Pakalolo huffing on your part. Practical in racing is dead center, not left or right hand oriented! Just look at open wheeled racers, they are not oriented left or right. Other cars, are based on however the series is, or the country the series is in, nothing more.

[murda-c]

majority of the cars in the world are RHD. the u.s. and a few other countries are the only ones that drive LHD. so technically the u.s. is the black sheep sort to say. from wat others have had to say, RHD is more practical in racing whether it's autoX, track or drift. and street wise its just a head turner. like how everyone has said previous, its jus a learning situation and like everything that has to be learned it takes time. if i had the time and resources, i would very like to convert my s-chassis to RHD but its more practical to leave my s14 as is. and to get accustomed to it, just drive alot.

how is right hand drive more practical in racing?

maybe in 240s with engines that have turbos on the left side of the block.

[[email protected]]

Okay, so since I started this thread... I went out and did some "field research".


My right hand is retarded. Handicapped. Useless.

But I've always considered myself right handed?

I guess its just muscle memory, and getting used to palming and recovering the wheel with my right.

Tonight was terrible. I just need more seat time.

Thanks for the response though guys.

**Edit**** Turbo's make everything more fun however. mmmmmmmmmm, boost.

[Firestorm]

when i got my 180, i found it more difficult to stay in the middle of the road and not driving too far to the left...but after 2 weeks of DD i got the hang of it and now it's all good. besides, people who say RHD in LHD traffic sucks, probably never driven one (i'm not talking about a 2 hour drive with your friends car, i'm talking about driving for weeks and months). of course, overtaking trucks and making left turns in the city is a bit annoying but you get used to it.

and regarding the whole drifting thing...at first i was uncomfortable, so i just drove normal as much as i can and once i got the whole shifting/steering routine down, i moved on to drifting. i dunno about you guys, but i like drifting left-handers more than right handers, even though it should be the other way round with RHD now...

[mRclARK1]

If it's a factory RHD, and it's not your DD? That's fine. Anything else is kinda stupid.

I'm used to it and my Z is a toy, but if you just CANNOT adjust to it, then don't drive a RHD. You'll likely get into an accident eventually. In any case, when driving a RHD, just pay close attention to your driving and do your best to overcome the obstacles such as blind spots while making left hand turns etc.

[drift freaq]

when i got my 180, i found it more difficult to stay in the middle of the road and not driving too far to the left...but after 2 weeks of DD i got the hang of it and now it's all good. besides, people who say RHD in LHD traffic sucks, probably never driven one (i'm not talking about a 2 hour drive with your friends car, i'm talking about driving for weeks and months). of course, overtaking trucks and making left turns in the city is a bit annoying but you get used to it.

and regarding the whole drifting thing...at first i was uncomfortable, so i just drove normal as much as i can and once i got the whole shifting/steering routine down, i moved on to drifting. i dunno about you guys, but i like drifting left-handers more than right handers, even though it should be the other way round with RHD now...

It sucks because there is a big blind spot, you cannot get around that.

You even state that about overtaking other cars and trucks and left turns. So look you like it, but guess what for most drivers it sucks!

Stop trying to rationalize and disqualify, a fact that you just justified, with your statements above.

I.E. you just owned yourself sucker. It sucks.

[HyperTek]

which car would be better wieght balanced between left and right? remember the exhaust is on the left side as well as the driver and steering column on lhd as well as the battery if that maters, or is the wieght not that signficant?

the now owner of my old s13 was converting it to rhd.. i think its a no no for cali streets in that car, but being we dont have rhd cars, i can see it has a novelty.

[kognition]

I started out on the track with rhd. It helps if you are a lefty though.

[origin_s135]

like sileighty 85 said, "just adapt to it". just drive it around the block and such. i know a friend that has a EK type-R[legit RHD], i drove his car around a parking lot, it was kind of weird at first because i'm right-handed. but i got used to it after a couple of stops. all i gotta say is, just relax and take it step by step if you're going to do all that hard driving again.

[mrmephistopheles]

Not true

Right- and left-hand traffic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_on_the_left_or_right)

A great majority of the world is LHD. :)

Actually most of the world drives on the right, so the cars are lhd.

Edit: damn you imotion s14...

ARGH ARGH ARGH that's what I get for not proofreading/fact-checking!
I got :Owned:

[JVDSKYRINE]

Ummm 2 hands on the wheel in drifting/racing not one. So try to keep 2 hands on the wheel unless shifting hitting the ebrake and your driving will be alot more controlled. none of this gangster lean shit:snoop:

Haha I have a RHD car its easy to drive on the road and track. Everyone says its hard to stay in the lines? why cuz you changed sides...well you should probably hug the right side of the line instead of the left. Although left hand drive turns are tricky the key is patients and when people honk at you don't go unless you are safe to just give them one of these :fawk2:

[Firestorm]

Although left hand drive turns are tricky the key is patients and when people honk at you don't go unless you are safe to just give them one of these :fawk2:

that's all i'm saying.

[Ka24Power]

Mark, you really need to just get some more seat time I think. The whole car is different than the old car, so its like re-learning how to drive. You sure as hell weren't as good at sliding LHD right away so give it time. Get legit track time this weekend and just get used to driving it.

Tune the suspension a bit, get the stance's on it, and don't give up. If you can't drive RHD what the fuck are you doing with a 180 AND a silvia?! haha.

besides, last night wasn't THAT bad it was just a different form of field research. Revert to the old methods - if you know what I mean. shitty roads suck balls.

[nismo 240sx]

i thought i was the only one. i am right handed but i cant drive for shit with my right hand i have to drive with my left.

[blueshark123]

in bermuda u drive on the left side of the road but all the cars were left hand also fuckin weird.

[imotion s14]

ARGH ARGH ARGH that's what I get for not proofreading/fact-checking!
I got :Owned:

lol well easy to mistake since we do have a history and tendency to do the complete opposite of the world.. inch-lbs, soccer.. F1.. etc. :spank:

[jdmstatuS13]

I once smashed my right hand. So I had to get used to jacking off witht the Left one. Get used to. I used to call it the stranger.LOL:fruit:
hahhaha fuckin gross fool.

yeah i dont like drivin rhd man, but u spent the dough on the car, so drive it !!

oh and...:ughug:....:lfault:

[RHDRPS13]

I love right hand drive I've had my 180SX for over a year. I'm not left-handed by any means, but I can shift fine. I still mess up the blinkers from time to time since I only drive it once or twice a week.

[Doriftogasm]

i forced myself to drive with one hand (right hand on the steering wheel) while coming to stops (stop lights and stop signs) using the ebrake. The reason for this was specifically to strengthen my coordination.

You just need to drive the car... drive to the grocery store, to school, to the gas station. For some it may come easy and others it may be crazy difficult. Dont give up, you'll get the hang of it. Dont go and destroy a perfectly good RHD car :spank:

[SlideWell]

im 20% disabled in my left arm, and i have some bad scars on it, so it made sense for me to drive a RHD vehicle. anyway, this topic has been beaten to death and can be found not only on this forum but many others. should be :lockd:

[KRPS13DEMON]

i have had my RHD 180 for over 3 years daily driven,when i got it i drove it from LA,Cali to upstate,NY(home) in 50hrs i got use to driving it pretty easy.I don't know how you may drive but when i pass a car or truck i get set to pass 4 car lengths back,drop into 3rd or 4th and make the pass.
As for left turns keep your eye on the left front and you will get use to judging the turn.
As for safety i like that when i pull over to park i step out on to the sidewalk and not into traffic where someone who is not paying attention my run into you or your door.
Drawbacks-the thruway i need to reach for the ticket or to pay the toll booth attendent,and at the drive-thru i can reach across even with a race bucket seat.the ATM is a no go but hell get out and park hard LOL.
Just like anything in this world take it slow and you will get the hang of it.

[tricky_ab]

I'm currently doing some research before I decide on what to buy. I'm looking to buy my car for next summer. I'm not torn between LHD and RHD since I've got a daily driver. From what I've been seeing locally, there are quite a few RHD cars in the area.

The only thing for me that would be odd would be driving on the highway...that would be a little scary.

[SlideWell]

why even buy a washed down usdm version of a car? youre in canada, buy the fully loaded jdm shit with all the bells and whistles.

[tricky_ab]

Okay I've been sold!!! HAHA! JDM it is!!!

Now to sort out insurance...

[Brian]

YES


Right Handle!

[VAs13]

this pic i took just goes along too good to not be posted in this thread

my car(rhd) one and slow40sx's
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm31/RHDcoupe/DSC05340.jpg

[Koopa Troopa]

I've been driving LHD and RHD for about the same ammount of time and to me there's no difference. None whatsoever.

[roninwon]

hey bro i know exactly what your going through cause i too have a 89 180sx mine is authentic and yes it sucks to get used to but thats the thing you eventualy will and dont for one sec consider converting it to a lhd cause that would be the biggest waste of money and if it is authentic then you ruined a perfectly good 180 just keep it up youll get it

[slow40sx]

i just drove RHD for the first time on monday and to be honest its really no big deal, i had absolutely no trouble with lane position or cornering or anything like that, the only thing was i had to get used the turn sig lever and windshield whipper lever are switched and i was kind pissed there was no dead pedal haha but other than that it was no problem juss took a lil getting used to, i'd love to try and slide RHD but it wasn't my car haha

[slow40sx]

this pic i took just goes along too good to not be posted in this thread

my car(rhd) one and slow40sx's
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm31/RHDcoupe/DSC05340.jpg

ugh the negative camber does not help with the sunkness hahaha i can't wait to put my battles on :2f2f:

[mRclARK1]

How long have you been driving LHD vehicles?

Now, how long have you been trying to drive a RHD vehicle?

I'm willing to bet the one you have more experience with will seem "easier" to you, until you get used to the other way.

Personal opinion: LHD vehicles in a RHD society is stupid. You're in Canadanadanada, so take that however you like. I know you guys can get them easier up there then people can here. :D

For now we can.

[mangoes]

ive driven my friend's silvia at the track. the ebrake is a bit difficult to grab for sure haha. and i kept mis-shifting from 1st to 4th gear haha. i would attempt to throw it into 2nd mid drift and then the car would just bog..... hahahah. but, once its sideways, its all the same.

and for some odd reason the whole car feels a lot bigger.

my friend said that RHD drifting actually feels better than LHD once you get used to it, like it makes more sense

[reeskm]

Oh man, I have a subaru impreza 07 (LHD) and 180SX (RHD)! Since they are both daily drivers, one for winter and the other for summer-ish, I constantly mess things up! But after less than 1 accidental wiper swipe or one hand-smacks-the-door handle, I get so embarassed at myself for lack of skill I wise up. Hey, pro drifters drive both if they drift both continents. LHD is a mark of luxury and prestige in Japan. I figure if Keiichi can handle it, so can I!

PS I'm a lefty so I love the fact the stereo controls are where they should be! On the left! Oh man, I shoul have had RHD when I first got my license. Would have been so sweet!