Would left hand cars help cyclist?

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PDQ Mobile
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Re: Would left hand cars help cyclist?

Post by PDQ Mobile »

syklist wrote:Again a case of swings and roundabouts. If you are on a long straight road with no front seat passenger (and no periscope) then yes, it is a problem. On the other hand, on a twisty road you often get a better view of the road ahead than in a car with the steering wheel on the "correct" side of the car. Big lorry, sweeping right hand bend, my RHD van, I can see along the inside (RH side in my case) of the lorry, check the road for a couple of seconds and know that it is clear to overtake. It would not be possible to see the road ahead if I were sitting in a LHD car even if I pulled out fully into the LH lane.


The strategy you describe can of course also be used in a "correct" side of steering wheel car.
One just needs to sit a little further back which has the additional advantage of reducing the relative size and hence blind area of the large vehicle in front.

Personally I try to leave my periscope at home!
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Re: Would left hand cars help cyclist?

Post by bretonbikes »

AlaninWales wrote:
syklist wrote:
PDQ Mobile wrote:The biggest disadvantage of driving position on the wrong side is not being able to see well past large vehicles.

Again a case of swings and roundabouts. If you are on a long straight road with no front seat passenger (and no periscope) then yes, it is a problem. On the other hand, on a twisty road you often get a better view of the road ahead than in a car with the steering wheel on the "correct" side of the car. Big lorry, sweeping right hand bend, my RHD van, I can see along the inside (RH side in my case) of the lorry, check the road for a couple of seconds and know that it is clear to overtake. It would not be possible to see the road ahead if I were sitting in a LHD car even if I pulled out fully into the LH lane.

It would if you were correctly positioned to overtake. Try sitting a bit further back (this is one of the most common errors of drivers wanting to overtake a large, slow vehicle; sitting too close to see down the near-side on bends).


I have to agree about the ease of overtaking in a LHD. Your sight-lines open sooner on both left and right-hand corners especially where you've high hedges like Cornwall.

It really is swings and roundabouts - I've 6 cars (long story) 3 LHD and 3 RHD and I'm not bothered by either in the UK or France. The one exception are cars with poor 'over the shoulder' views like panel vans which are impossible at some junctions.
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syklist
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Re: Would left hand cars help cyclist?

Post by syklist »

PDQ Mobile wrote:The strategy you describe can of course also be used in a "correct" side of steering wheel car.
One just needs to sit a little further back which has the additional advantage of reducing the relative size and hence blind area of the large vehicle in front.

A long articulated or lorry or one with a drawbar trailer will easily stop you seeing the road ahead on a sweeping bend even when you are on the other side of the road. You can drop back but sometimes you would have to be so far back as to make the overtake impossible. Sitting on the "wrong side" of a car does sometimes give you a much better view of the road and can allow you to overtake safely where otherwise you would not be able to.
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Re: Would left hand cars help cyclist?

Post by Audax67 »

Have we got time for another cuppa?
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Re: Would left hand cars help cyclist?

Post by PDQ Mobile »

syklist wrote:A long articulated or lorry or one with a drawbar trailer will easily stop you seeing the road ahead on a sweeping bend even when you are on the other side of the road. You can drop back but sometimes you would have to be so far back as to make the overtake impossible. Sitting on the "wrong side" of a car does sometimes give you a much better view of the road and can allow you to overtake safely where otherwise you would not be able to.

Well each to his or her own. I do not dispute that there are occasions when being on the "wrong" side can be an advantage.
However, as you rightly say the overtaking on a relatively straight road (which is my preferred option) is sometimes made difficult or impossible by being on the "wrong"side. The "bus trap" in my original post is sometimes almost unavoidable in unfamiliar urban areas.

The overtaking strategy you advocate works, but you are using a long moving "window" of sight; long because the bulk of the HGV still covers the immediately preceding section of road and great care is required that nothing has been overlooked. You are, after all, moving out to overtake and putting your vehicle in the path of anything oncoming without, for a few seconds, actually being able to see the road ahead. For example another vehicle turning into the road but in the blInd spot created by the HGV.

On balance I consider being on the "correct" side to be an advantage overall.
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Re: Would left hand cars help cyclist?

Post by RickH »

When taking our RHD car abroad I used to use an extra rear view mirror on a sucker attached at the left side of the car pointing so I could see forwards & see if the road ahead was clear enough to move out for a better view.

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Cyril Haearn
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Re: Would left hand cars help cyclist?

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Maybe it would be best to sit in the middle
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Re: Would left hand cars help cyclist?

Post by Bmblbzzz »

Cyril Haearn wrote:Maybe it would be best to sit in the middle

The prototype Land Rover was designed this way. I'm not sure if any were built like that.
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Re: Would left hand cars help cyclist?

Post by 9494arnold »

How about when you are most vulnerable, in the middle of the road, turning right across the oncoming traffic. I perceive issues with the LHD car driver passing on your left in this scenario. Being to the left of the car is pretty normal for a cyclist, if a motorist can't cope with that then they shouldn't be driving . I ride a trike so I am more than aware of the issues.
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Re: Would left hand cars help cyclist?

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Bmblbzzz wrote:
Cyril Haearn wrote:Maybe it would be best to sit in the middle

The prototype Land Rover was designed this way. I'm not sure if any were built like that.


Thread necromancy....

The Maclaren F1 as well...


As to the 'they be more spatially aware if the consequences were more severe' theory on page 1...
[youtube]lo8nFaCese8[/youtube]

It's a bit of a long video if you don't care about F1 at all... but the basic point is that F1 drivers use the kerbs and bits beyond the track to their advantage - unless there is something there, like gravel or barriers (at Monaco) after which they magically manage to keep within the white lines...
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Re: Would left hand cars help cyclist?

Post by Username »

I thought LHD cars were for southpaws or somethin. Didnt think about how it affects the view of the road or anything like that.
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Re: Would left hand cars help cyclist?

Post by foxyrider »

My experience is that most (not all) drivers of LHD vehicles driving in the UK drive closer to you than RHD drivers. Less experienced drivers will tend to drive further away - basically because their natural urge is to be driving on the rhs of the road - not because they are setting out to give you more space.

A central driving position would possibly improve matters but the motor industry won't do anything unless they can see a profit unless forced.
Convention? what's that then?
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Re: Would left hand cars help cyclist?

Post by reohn2 »

Perhaps if drivers were taught,in driving schools,the law,how to drive better around vulnerable road users who have as much right to the road as the motorist and and that speed limits are just that and not a target,drivers could on either side
Last edited by reohn2 on 4 Nov 2017, 10:34am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Would left hand cars help cyclist?

Post by Mick F »

Parker sat in the middle driving Lady Penelope in FAB 1
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Re: Would left hand cars help cyclist?

Post by crazydave789 »

I think the only thing that would help cyclists is to go back 40 years so fewer on the road, hardly any kids, slow acceleration, no stereos, phones, aircon or sound proofing. no school run either we cycled/walked/bus the only time I got dropped off was if I was late or after a trip the doctors/dentist.

driving a car is supposed to me miserable according to an old concorde pilot.
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