Here at Top Gear Philippines, we rather like the idea of driving in different countries. We think it’s part of cultural immersion if you’re in the mix of traffic in the country you’re visiting. That said, most of the world is left-hand drive, so most of us don’t have to adjust as much. But popular tourist destinations such as Japan, Australia, and Thailand have their steering wheels on the right.
It’s been a while since I sat in a right-hand drive car, my last being in 2019 when I drove a Subaru Forester in Singapore around a test loop. It’s been even longer since I drove one in public which was during the Nissan Leaf’s first international press drive in Japan way back in 2017. So, when I recently drove a Thai-market Ford Everest Wildtrak and Ranger Raptor during a press drive, I had to rewire my brain a little bit.
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Of course, that didn’t mean I had some gaffes getting to grips with right-hand drive again, and it felt like I was driving with the steering wheel on the other side for the first time. And with that, here are some bloopers you’ll definitely do if it’s your first time in a RHD car.
Hopping in the “driver’s seat”
This perhaps will be the most common mistake. Heck, I ended up doing this several times when we had the right-hookers for a few days. It’s disorienting, for sure, and you’ll get some funny stares from your international colleagues for your confusion. Then again, you ‘d be all mixed up if you spent most of your life opening the front left door as the driver’s side.
Dude, where’s my seatbelt?
Before setting off, it’s always important to buckle up. Of course, being in a right-hand drive car, you have to remember that you’re on the ‘passenger’ side when you have the steering wheel in front of you. If not, you’ll find yourself grabbing on to a phantom seatbelt and wondering where the actual thing went. Your brain will buffer for a moment, then realize that it’s on the right-hand side too.
Mixed signals
How can you tell if it’s a left-hand drive driver behind the wheel from the outside? Just check out if they’ve flicked on the wipers before turning. Granted, not all cars have their signal and wiper stalks switched for left and right-hand drive applications, but that won’t stop you from engaging the wipers if you mean to flick the turn signals. Trust us, whether you’re a newbie in the world of RHD or a seasoned driver, you’re bound to make this blooper.
Switched (window) switches
It’s not just the signals and wipers that are swapped. You also have to reorient yourself in the window switches. For starters, you might look to the left where it’ll usually be in a left-hand drive car. Once you’ve figured that out, you’ll have to remind yourself that the right side of the window switches are all for the driver’s side and not on the left, which is what we’re used to.
Which way do I look?
Okay, this one is a little bit more serious. When we drive out of a junction in a left-hand drive car, we always look left first, then to the right. If you do the same thing in a right-hand drive country, the results can be catastrophic. Always remember that oncoming traffic from an intersection comes from the right-hand side, and it’s important to look right first before looking left.
Any tips?
Okay, so driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road sounds daunting, but you might surprise yourself with how fast you can adapt to things. Of course, we can’t state this reminder enough: Always look right first.
As for other tips, it’s best to see distance by checking available space on the right and not the left like we're used to. If you need to ‘reset’, keeping close to the center line is another hand tip. Driving is still driving, so keep your wits about you and think about all the things that have become second nature about driving.
Another way of taking the pressure off the idea of driving on the ‘wrong’ side is to have your navigation app ready. The thought of driving in a foreign land can intimidating, but having a voice to guide you around should be reassuring enough, even if that voice is synthesized.
As a final tip, we’d recommend renting an automatic, especially if it’s your first time driving a right-hand drive car. While the pedal positions and functions are the same, it might feel odd to be shifting with your left hand. Not only that, you have to remember that the shift pattern in a manual is the same no matter where the steering wheel is located. Note that first gear is the furthest from you and sixth is the closest. But if you want to spare yourself the additional brain load, we’d rather you go for that automatic rental car.
