UK cars

[ctgirlscout]

Ok, my daughter asked me this question, and I didn't have a clue! If cars in the UK are driven on the opposite side of the road, and the steering wheel is on the opposite side, are the other controls also reversed? For example, is the brake pedal on the right? Or still on the left of the gas pedal? What about turn signals? I know this sounds like a stupid question, but I told my daughter I would try and find out!

[steve-w]

hi teresa

the pedals are the same i.e brake on left of gas
but as for the controls they can be either side of steering wheel
in many different cars

steve

[Linicia]

Of course, the hand brake and gear change are in the middle,between the two front seats, so used by the left hand. I find it strange in the US when the gear stick is near the driving wheel. There are also many more manual cars in the UK and you need a different driving license from an automatic license.

[blott]

It's even more strange I think with some US cars to find your handbrake is a foot brake under the dash with a separate lever to pull out to release it!

In the 'old' days, when we had some cars in the UK with bench front seats, they had a steering wheel (manual of course) gear lever but the handbrake was a handbrake even if it was a lever under the dashboard.

[Darren S]

On the same type of vehicle on both sides of the Atlantic they keep the same steering column and pedal boxes, just shift them to the other side of the car, obviously not the same for those automatics, or with foot parking breaks.

[caroline]

My UK car has a pedal for the park brake with a handle under the dashboard to release it[msnsmile2]

[Cruella DeVilla]

We have an American car back home but no probs as we are left hand drive here anyway but I don't like the fact the gears are on a lever at the steering wheel. In the US I now quite like the manuals after adapting quite quickly and when I was back home in Germany last week it was funny with my Polo and using the gears manually, when I started it I was trying just to use one foot resting my left foot whilst tying to move off....DOH!

[ctgirlscout]

Thanks for all your answers and insights! Regarding the parking brake, every car I have ever owned has had a floor pedal and either a hand release or you had to step on the pedal again, but my neice just took her driving test, and my sister had to rent a car that had a hand brake in the middle so the examiner could stop the car if necessary! They are in New Jersey--I didn't have a problem when I took my son last winter for his test in Alabama.

Another question regarding driving--In the US, we are supposed to drive (with automatics) with our right foot using the brake and gas. Do you do the same, or use the left foot? Sounds from CDV's post that you also use the right foot. Actually, having said that we drive with our right foot, my husband and his entire family use BOTH feet--one for the gas and one for the brake.

[Cruella DeVilla]

Teresa you are supposed to use your right foot for the accelertor and brake and your left for the clutch (changing gears).

[SDJ]

If you take your driving test in US in an automatic car, they do not use the handbrake whatsoever. I don't use it in UK when I stop at lights and hills etc, but thought I had better do things properly in my test. The instructor asked me what was I doing?????? He thought it very strange[msntongue]

Sandra

[ctgirlscout]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Cruella DeVilla
Teresa you are supposed to use your right foot for the accelertor and brake and your left for the clutch (changing gears).
[/quote]

That's the same as here, except few cars now have manual transmissions. Hate to admit it, but I don't even know how to drive a stick shift! [msnembarrased]