Time to ban LHD??

blastman

Also, in Singapore, you can't vote to change the government if you don't like what they're doing. Maybe that's why the OP is such a fan of their model?

andreas_220D

peasant wrote: »

I bet that would prevent a lot more accidents from happening on these roads than a LHD vehicle ban.

It would most likely also prevent a lot of accidents if the irish driving license issue would be sorted. That is - imo - the real problem on irish roads.

RobAMerc

andreas_220D wrote: »

It would most likely also prevent a lot of accidents if the irish driving license issue would be sorted. That is - imo - the real problem on irish roads.

Now your just talking sense - and sure that would never do, its not popular nor revenue generating so we'll shelve that one thanks.

The argument against LHD cars is ill informed, stupid and play's on the inherently racist population to gather support rather than any sound reasoning.

Wertz

I'd love to know what's racist about pointing out the obvious added danger for single occupant vehicles where the steering wheel is on the "wrong" side, thus cutting visibility both in cornering and during overtaking manoveurs.

G Luxel

In Japan, many new European cars are sold LHD including jaguars, landrovers and aston martins.


and arent alot of our municipal road sweepers LHD?
as well as the golf buggy on any Irish golf course?:D

RobAMerc

Wertz wrote: »

I'd love to know what's racist about pointing out the obvious added danger for single occupant vehicles where the steering wheel is on the "wrong" side, thus cutting visibility both in cornering and during overtaking manoveurs.

the original idea was conceived as a publicity stunt by FG if i remember correctly - that was, as I said designed to play to a racist crowd who blame everything on foreigners, so why not the road deaths ?

m2p2008

lhd drave is on must big sports cars anyway

Marcus.Aurelius

I reckon the comments on the driver's responsibilites are spot on. Though I would also imagine that LHD reduces overtaking visibility a lot, unless you drop back a lot to take a peek. But that also increases your overtaking manoveur time and distance. Its a tough one, TBH.

Wertz

RobAMerc wrote: »

the original idea was conceived as a publicity stunt by FG if i remember correctly - that was, as I said designed to play to a racist crowd who blame everything on foreigners, so why not the road deaths ?

Ah right you're talking about that lunatic's suggestion about us all switching to driving on the righthand side of the road.
If NIN drivers are responsible for more road deaths per capita, I'd have to say that was probably more down to their apparent lax attitude to drinking and driving, perhaps coupled with the type of car, or it's state of repair, than it is solely to their car being LHD...

Del2005

Most people who drive LHD cars here are aware of the limitations they have and drive responsibly. The people who drive like lunatics in LHD drive cars would be the same in RHD cars, but that's OK as the can see to over take:rolleyes:

blackbox

Del2005 wrote: »

Most people who drive LHD cars here are aware of the limitations they have and drive responsibly. The people who drive like lunatics in LHD drive cars would be the same in RHD cars, but that's OK as the can see to over take:rolleyes:

+1

Haven't some of us taken our RHD cars abroad at some time?

Did we drive like suicidal loonies or were we aware that we had to drive within our limitiations?

APM

i dont think anybody has mentioned all the LHD cars coming over and blinding us oncoming drivers with their lights. They are directed towards the wrong side......the very least they should do when bringing the cars over is change this.

andreas_220D

APM wrote: »

i dont think anybody has mentioned all the LHD cars coming over and blinding us oncoming drivers with their lights. They are directed towards the wrong side......the very least they should do when bringing the cars over is change this.

How often do you see a LHD car? I wouldn't bother about occasionally being blinded by the lights of a LHD car . :rolleyes:

It's all the RHD cars (sic!) with fog lights always switched on which blind me permanently.

peasant

APM wrote: »

i dont think anybody has mentioned all the LHD cars coming over and blinding us oncoming drivers with their lights. They are directed towards the wrong side......the very least they should do when bringing the cars over is change this.

I agree ...I've changed mine (if only so that I can see better)

Strangely enough, not a NCT requirement though ...would have passed with the wrong ones, once properly aligned (for LHD).

ninty9er

peasant wrote: »

On that note:
It would make much more sense to allow commercial vehicles (especially car derived vans !) to have rear windows instead of the mandatory blank.

I bet that would prevent a lot more accidents from happening on these roads than a LHD vehicle ban.

So ..off you go to your next party meeting and suggest that ..good man!

I don't believe there is a requirement for blnaks, just that there be no seats or seatbelt mounts. AFAIK the Santa Fe commercial has rear windows(albeit that they are disconnected from the loom.)

I understand that it would be difficult given the European Hauliage traffic we get, but there is no reason (besides the damned logistics) why a cab share system could not be put in place so trailers be put on a RHD cab when it enters the country.

I know the camper van issue arises and I can't see a resolution to that.

Short of Donie Cassidy's idea :rolleyes::rolleyes: which renders 99% of the national fleet obsolete, what other suggestions would people have on the issue.

Peasant I know you're a camper enthusiast, and wouldn't want to go punishing people for having LHD, but if it contributes to safer roads and the benefits outweigh the costs, then it should be done.

Perhaps a compromise would be that no LHD vehicle could be registered in the state??

On the municipal cleaners; the tiny ones have centre steering and the big trucks IIRC have 2 steering wheels.

peasant

ninty9er wrote: »

Perhaps a compromise would be that no LHD vehicle could be registered in the state??

Nope ...because the first EU citizen denied the right to register their LHD car in Ireland to take it to the EU courts would have that law struck out.

Get real.

ninty9er

peasant wrote: »

Nope ...because the first EU citizen denied the right to register their LHD car in Ireland to take it to the EU courts would have that law struck out.

Get real.

No need to get narky. This is a discussion not a "do what you're told class".

Fair point though. I still think it warrants serious thought until it can be completely discounted.

congo_90

unkel wrote: »

+1 for the voice of reason

Stop all this nonsense about banning, OP.

If you are incompetent to drive your own car in a different side drive system or indeed if you are incompetent to drive a rental car in a different side drive system, get a bloody taxi!

If you are competent, drive whereever you like with whatever car you fancy!

+1 for details!

i had similar views but you've posted ahead of me

peasant

I still think it warrants serious thought

That's where I and some others here disagree wholeheartedly.

There is no issue.

Yes, in certain situations you can see less in a LHD car than in a RHD one when driving on the left. So the driver makes adjustments/ allowances ...no issue.

In other situations you can actually see more/judge the situation better in a LHD and you take advantage of that ...still no issue.

Have you ever driven a LHD in Ireland? Or a RHD on the continent for that matter?

ninty9er

peasant wrote: »

Have you ever driven a LHD in Ireland? Or a RHD on the continent for that matter?

I haven't tbh, but it wouldn't be top of my list of things to do before I die either. Steering wheels are on different sides for a reason!

edit: otherwise car manufacturers wouldn't bother making them.

dumbyearbook

Id be happy if when people lived here they would get irish plates and buy RHD cars, if your visiting fair enough,

these guys in the blacked out 1995 BMWs on LHD get on my nerves tbh - if you had an NI reg outside your house for a week or two the revenue would nt be long getting onto you, its a joke. and im not interested in the PC attitude to this, they dont tax them here i doubt they NCT as they need it.

Interesting point there that they could well have been stolen in romaina and latvia or wherever then shipped over why else would they bother except the car was free?

PS anyone know how many eastern europeans were involved in car accident recently? Its more than average anyway. There was a prime time special on road deaths there a few months back and the names of those that passed away in car accindents rolled up the screen, to look at it youd say a third were non-irish names - speaks for itself. Come here ignore the law.

peasant

ninty9er wrote: »

I haven't tbh, but it wouldn't be top of my list of things to do before I die either. Steering wheels are on different sides for a reason!

Well ..if you're ever up here (Sligo), givus a shout and you can have a go in the camper or the other yoke and find out for yourself how much of a difference having the wheel on the "wrong" side DOESN'T make

Plug

ninty9er wrote: »

Rentals;)

Truck drivers?:rolleyes:

HJL

Plug wrote: »

Truck drivers?:rolleyes:

+1

Same people looking to remove LHD's would be first in line to complain if their local shop didnt have fresh fruit or veg.
Or waiting lists for electrical equipment.
Not to mention the LHD trucks that deliver our RHD cars!!

ninty9er

HJL wrote: »

+1
Not to mention the LHD trucks that deliver our RHD cars!!

All the ones I've seen are RHD, they collect them at Dublin Port IIRC.

cancan

I'll support a LHD ban, as long as banning useless threads is on the same ballot.
Stop the madness - delete the thread.

importjdm

http://jdmvip.com/jdmcarforums/forumdisplay.php?f=42

Right now Canadians are fighting for the right to import RHD cars because we drive LHD normally.

Are there any unbiased studies that actually prove it's a problem?
As far as I know EU countries that allow a mix don't notice a problem with a mix of LHD & RHD cars.

Right now our government is trying to make it so only 25 year old cars that are RHD can enter the country but right now 15 years or older is allowed.

The true motive as we've found is that the local car dealerships are behind it.

--amadeus--

I was beaten to the punch on the question of weither the OP had any real experience of this before he launched his crusade.

I bought a 1968 Mercedes in Holland (LHD) and used it as my everyday car (including a commute through Limerick City) for a couple of years. I then replaced it with another LHD car (a 911) and again drove that virtually everyday for another year. At no point did I feel in any danger because of the position of teh wheel, in fact in certain situations (eg parallell parking) it was actually an advantage. In a correct overtaking manouver you should be back enough to see ahead anyway rather than up the tail of teh car in front - LHD makes very little practical difference and I made any number of safe overtaking moves in both LHD cars.

In fact my current car (a Lotus) is, ironically, much harder to overtake safely in despite being a RHD sports car. It's very (very) low - it's roof is level with the top of most SUV wheelarches. Seeing past tractors, lorries or argicultural machinery on narrow roads is very difficult, so maybe all low cars should be banned instead?